Steven Spielberg couldn’t have put it more concisely during his presentation of the Best Picture category last night. To paraphrase, he noted that whichever films did not happen to win Best Picture this year would join the ranks of numerous classics of the medium.
Was it preemptive damage control? I hope not. Why be apologetic? Was it lecturing? Maybe a bit, and I think a great many needed to hear it again (unfortunately). But it felt so incredibly inside baseball that it was probably completely unnecessary. After all, a very popular film won Best Picture this year. It seems silly to address a media concern (albeit one shared by plenty of cineastes).
Ultimately, the season ended where many thought it might, going way back to the early days of September. Some held out hope that David Fincher could take the lead in his field on respect and admiration alone, but Best Picture and Best Director will always be a better bet in lock-step. The real post-show discussion focused on the ceremony itself, which was, mercifully, a short affair this year. Just over three hours. But they were three kind of excruciating hours.
What was James Franco’s endgame? Was it some sort of Banksy-like subversive statement? Did he freeze up? Was he “feelin’ good?” I really don’t know. He seemed ill-at-ease, and the chemistry was non-existent with Anne Hathaway. Whatever the point may have been, it was cloudy, unclear, unfocused, much like the show itself.
Everyone seems to be pleased with an opening montage segment that I confess I can’t even remember. The MTV Movie Awards comedy intro with the different films — trite. It was a great stage set, but it wasn’t used in a very organic way. And the writing was just wildly uneven. Basically, I feel Roger Ebert’s Tweeted pain. It was one of the worst Oscar shows I’ve seen.
As for the winners, the surprises numbered zero. Best Sound Mixing excepted, it was guild winners all the way down the line.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross winning Best Original Score was called by many, but still felt just atypical enough to be a bit exciting. “Alice in Wonderland,” as my hair-pulling research showed, made a lot of sense for Best Art Direction, and its ensemble of threads was always a fair enough call for Best Costume Design (even if it is now only the third fantasy film to win the award). But it’s still odd that Best Picture winner “The King’s Speech” failed to win in a single craft category.
Speaking of craft fields, Roger Deakins remains Oscarless. Part of me is glad he didn’t win for attractive but, by his set standards, lesser work for “True Grit.” If Matthew Libatique was destined to lose for “Black Swan,” then I’m very pleased with Wally Pfister getting his due, adding to a four-Oscar haul for “Inception” that matched the Best Picture winner’s tally. And maybe Christopher Nolan’s name was spoken in enough speeches to shame the Academy just a bit for snubbing him yet again.
(Deakins, by the way, has good company in an another skilled craftsman, sound mixer Greg P. Russell, who racked up his 14th loss. One day…)
In the Best Short Film (Animated) field, I felt a swell of support behind “The Lost Thing” in the final week, and it began to make some sense. But I just stuck with my earlier inclination of “Madagascar, a Journey Diary” wowing with its technique. And if I’m kicking myself for anything, it’s going with “Exit Through the Gift Shop” in the Best Documentary (Feature) category at the last minute after succumbing to the “Inside Job” logic earlier in the week. I guess I went with my passion on that one, and so the Banksy saga ended by fading away when it could have been sold with a rather suspenseful “will he or won’t he” build-up.
And those are the six fields I missed, putting me at 18/24 alongside our own Guy Lodge and Rope of Silicon’s Brad Brevet for predictions. Deadline’s Pete Hammond, despite misses in two of the eight major categories (all of which I nailed for only the second time in the 10 years I’ve been doing this online), managed to best all comers with 19 correct guesses. (I’ll get to our pool winner in a separate post.)
The Coen brothers’ “True Grit” bottomed out, 0-10, in league with Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” and just shy of “The Turning Point” and “The Color Purple” on the all-time Oscar loser list. A shame.
I thought Christian Bale gave one of two grand speeches this season (the other being at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, while his Golden Globe and SAG acceptances were a bit off the mark). Randy Newman and short film winner Luke Matheny really charmed with their natural reactions, while Natalie Portman finally nailed down a classy speech, looking absolutely gorgeous. Colin Firth also gave yet another dignified and graceful acceptance.
On the other side of the spectrum — no shock — was Melissa Leo’s display. But part of me was nevertheless happy she made it out of Adgate in one piece, as it would have been a shame for her to always wonder if she had screwed herself out of an Oscar.
Also — and maybe it’s just me — but every time he’s on Oscar’s stage, Kevin Spacey proves why he should be seriously considered for the emcee job.
Anyway, that’s my postmortem. We have a few more loose ends to tie up this morning before fully closing the book on the 2010-2011 Oscar season, including one last Oscar Talk. But for now, Off the Carpet goes into slumber. Thanks for reading. And if you still somehow don’t know the winners, check them out at The Circuit.
[Photos: Associated Press, Getty Images]
Comments
89 responses to “OFF THE CARPET: Sun came up”
Luke Matheny was the star of the night for me. I was super happy with the wins in the shorts categories.
I thought Speilberg’s comments about films that lost was incredibly insensitive to any film that would win the Best Picture award. Not only did it denigrate films that won, it made whatever film that would win seems less than. So what if The Social Network had won? Did that mean The King’s Speech, Inception, True Grit, etc. would join the ranks of The Graduate, etc. It made no sense.
It’s possible Aronofsky and Russell took votes away from Fincher, enabling Hooper to win, just as he won the DGA with Nolan in the mix.
I’m glad the season is over, but when will be hear about 2011 movies and their prospects? When will Oscar Talk and Off the Carpet return?
davey: Perfect logic.
“Steven Spielberg couldn’t have put it more concisely during his presentation of the Best Picture category last night. To paraphrase, he noted that whichever films did not happen to win Best Picture this year would join the ranks of numerous classics of the medium.
Was it preemptive damage control? I hope not. Why be apologetic? Was it lecturing? Maybe a bit, and I think a great many needed to hear it again (unfortunately). But it felt so incredibly inside baseball that it was probably completely unnecessary. After all, a very popular film won Best Picture this year. It seems silly to address a media concern (albeit one shared by plenty of cineastes).”
I’d like to propose another possible read. I think you might be missing a more obvious (none inside-baseball) joke in Spielberg’s intro, especially considering the fact that he must have known knew pretty well that he was about to hand an award to a Weinstein production:
As he was listing all those famous non-winners, I imagine that many were readilly expecting him to drop “Saving Private Ryan” (that big also-run elephant in the run) in their midst. The fact that he didn’t, only made it funnier… and MORE obvious. But that’s my personal take.
That said, he seemed pretty chirpy overall and I get any sense of lecturing or aplogism at all. And, in a year, when there were nine also-runs, mentioned famous non-winners only made sense.
DarkLayers: I’m not touching the next season with a 10-foot pole until post-Cannes at best. I refuse. I’ll give the readers some space to play regarding that if they like, but I haven’t done the usual research yet.
Oscar Talk will likely go on hiatus, too. But I’ll address all of that in a final wrap-up later today.
So what’s the “obvious” joke, Maxim? Just the Saving Private Ryan thing? You’re not really explaining yourself well. Sure, we all noticed he left his film off (a humorous note, that), but that’s just beside my point anyway. I think it was clearly a response to the culture of the season.
Davey, if that’s how you really think… than wow. Not only are you reading way too much into what was said (and a variation of that is being said all the time anyway) but why is the notion that nominated films can also be great so offensive to you? If anything I find your take more demeaning to the Oscars as a whole.
I would also like to remind you that the movies mentioned in among winners included “Godfather and On The Waterfront”. There was no less then.
“every time he’s on Oscar’s stage, Kevin Spacey proves why he should be seriously considered for the emcee job.”
You can add Sandra Bullock and Robert Downey Jr. to your statement above. All excellent presenters.
Unlike u Kris, I thought the part when Melissa Leo won was the best and probably the most genuine part of the night.If she had all this rehearsed out then she must be a really really superb actress. I love her reactions.
I doubt Spielberg intended any such joke — for it to work, consensus would have to have placed “Saving Private Ryan” in the same league as “Raging Bull” and “Citizen Kane” by now. That hasn’t happened.
I don’t understand at all the criticism of the show itself.
My friends and I all laughed our asses off from beginning to end. I thought it was actually one of the best I’ve seen.
Fluid, fast paced and funny. I felt like the jokes landed in the right places, getting rid of the montages worked, and the show was free of most of the terribly canned banter and wildly unfunny diversions.
But, I guess I tend to be in the minority, as I found Ben Stiller’s schtick last year boring, tedious and unfunny.
I think Robert D Jnr and Judd Law should do the show next year….they had the best 2 presenter chemistry
Tapley, yes, that was joke I was mentioning, HENCE the colon. You can call it “just the Saving Private” thing but sometimes it could be “just” that. I woudln’t have been too shocked to hear a similar type of statement, especially in a year of ten. And as I’ve clearly stated, I didn’t think there was any lecturing there.
As always, I appreciate the antogonistic tone though.
I’m surprised Melissa Leo followed her amazing portrayal in The Fighter with that dreadful performance at the Oscars. Such a fake reaction.
Congratulations, Kris! Your work this year has been masterful this year and raised the level of coverage considerably. Kudos! And always a pleasure to read.
And maybe Christopher Nolan’s name was spoken in enough speeches to SHAME the Academy just a bit for snubbing him yet again.
WOW! SHAME the academy for snubbing him?
Kris I feel kinda unclear about your position on the film. You kinda loved it when it came out. Cooled on it sometime in the middle when you spoke at length about the problems you had with it. You then did not find it Top 10 worthy of the year. But in recent weeks, it seems you are sweet on the film again.
Am I right in thinking that were you to make a 2010 Top 10 today, you would probably include it?
“I doubt Spielberg intended any such joke — for it to work, consensus would have to have placed “Saving Private Ryan” in the same league as “Raging Bull” and “Citizen Kane” by now. That hasn’t happened.”
I’ll bite. Pro-tip, Guy. Consider your targets for jabs more carefully next time.
Let’s pretend that the most popularly recognized Oscar upset of all time (aka there hasn’t been a and Oscar upset poll where it didn’t come out on top) wouldn’t have worked here. Or that it’s not in AFI’s top 100, considered a modern classic, or most importantly a would be deserving winner by most people.
By now you said? You know what, give it another couple of decades or so and we will see where the “consensus” places it relative to “Raging Bull”. Something tells me, it will age just fine.
I laugh at your consensus nonsense. You give me a bunch of elitist bloggers and I will raise you a consensus of actual war Veterans. Why don’t you take a listen to what they said about the movie?
But hey, you’ve invoked Citizen Kane, so I guess that means you’ve won that debate, right?
red_wine, I don’t think Kris’ feelings have changed all that much: he likes it but sees weaknesses. For example, he said in his top ten, that it remained an “achievement.” Recently, he ranked the Oscar nominees and Inception was below Toy Story 3, Black Swan, and Social Network which he had in his ten. He did mentioned on one of the podcasts, the extent to which it was a director’s vision. That coupled with overall appreciation, might make him sympathetic to some recognition for Nolan.
Just want correct one of my earlier sentences:
“I woudln’t have been too shocked to hear a similar type of statement, especially in a year of ten.”
This should read:
“I woudln’t have been too shocked to hear a similar type of statement any year and doubly so in a year of ten.”
Red Wine…just go away. Your bashing of Inception and Social Network to prop up King’s Speech is just as bad as the fans of those films doing the same to TKS.
Oh yeah, and the President was there.
Maxim: What was antagonistic? I just asked you to clarify. Jeez.
“every time he’s on Oscar’s stage, Kevin Spacey proves why he should be seriously considered for the emcee job”
Well said…
red_wine: No, I wouldn’t include it. But like TDK in 2008, by the logic of the season, Inception shouldn’t have come out on the short end of the stick like it did in a few areas, most especially Best Director. It was snubbed for all the wrong reasons, mainly because the stuffy Academy just didn’t “get” it. And that’s not mere speculation.
DarkLayers frankly did a better job stating my position that I did.
Stephen: Thank you kindly.
eh..maxim..sorry but i dun really get your reply to Guy’s comment. Wld u mind stating it in more layman terms? haha…no offence.
Spielberg’s comments was pointless. Why? Because–Why even bother having an Oscar?h
Seems to me that he’s still bitter about Saving Private Ryan–another Weinstein casualty.
“Maxim: What was antagonistic? I just asked you to clarify. Jeez.”
If only.
This site has become fully formed.
What has kept this site unique is the serious discussion on the techincal aspects of filmmaking–sound, art direction, and cinematography. More of it please (did it seem a little less this year?).
After correctly changing my picks for Live Action and Documentary short on my final party ballot, I trusted your opinion and went with Madagascar, which brought my total down to 18/24. So I lost the pool by one. Darn you, Kris Tapley!
(Of course, If I hadn’t picked Madagascar, I would have gone with The Gruffalo, heh heh…)
I quite liked this year’s show. Anyone calling it the worst of all times must have forgotten about the insult that was last year’s ceremony.
Richard A, if it seems less unique, that may be because more have taken up that space. Since AwardsSeason is two months, and the crafts guilds are covered. But, there’s tech support, discussion in podcasts, and the Oscar guides.
I don’t have the patience for this nonsense today, Maxim. I asked you a simple question.
Kris, by that logic would you also say it was a shameful snub for Bill Condon in 2006 for Dreamgirls. Does precursor support entitle you to a spot at the Oscars?
I also don’t quite get the ‘didn’t get it’ argument. These same guys nominated David Lynch for Mulholland Drive, with no precursor support. Surely all conversation about ‘not getting it’ halts with that film. And I consistently wonder what there is to ‘not get’.
But anyways, thank you to Guy and Kris for the months of Oscar coverage , and also to Anne too . I always look forward to Oscar Talk each week. I guess this yrs oscars have left a bad after taste in lots of pple. Hope next yr will be better though I aint optimistic. Thanks again!
Lynch was very much in the club, red. That’s part of it too.
Academy Award Winner Natalie Portman!! Wow!!
Academy Award Winner Tom Hooper! What??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!
“Spielberg’s comments was pointless. Why? Because–Why even bother having an Oscar?”
To the genuises still fnding fault with that intro, ask youself this – are you more offended by the very fact that worthville (or superior) films are found among the non-winning films or by someone pointing it out.
And is it really that wrong to ask tell the Academy to shape up? Seems like the only point really worth making to me.
SO. FUCKING. PREDICTABLE. THANK GOD I DID NOT STAY UP FOR THIS PIECE OF TRASH. OVER IT. ABSOLUTELY OVER IT.
Afrika, “The King’s Speech” won…
Well, I thought Spielberg’s comment about the films was a rather optimistic and nice touch. And as for the telecast itself, it was an odd one but I prefer it over last year’s.
DarkLayers
I noticed they won best picture but everything else was painfully predictable: the guilty Inception sweep to compensate Nolan’s snub, the acting categories, the Kids are all right snub etc etc etc
Awards season are officially over after the fucking Golden Globes. Thank God I didn’t bother to watch.
and why is no one addressing the issue of misogyny? members of the old boys club have no problem winning Oscars. When voting for best actress, however, those wrinkled, crinkled and used old men only place a tick next to the name of a babe. I’m over the Oscars, OVER IT!
…Because Natalie Portman’s win is not sexism. If they just tick off the babe, why didn’t Amy Adams wins? It’s worth noting SAG that has opted for older winners when AMPAS pushed younger ones chose Natalie Portman. Most people did predict David Fincher for director.
And I think stuff got predictable after the big guilds, not SAG.
Not too crazy about TKS winning, but at least it didn’t dominate. Would have been nice if there was a bit more suspense with Fincher winning best director.
Darklayers
Supporting actress is a compensation award for overdue or past best actress nominees (Tilda, Whoopi, Dame Judi Dench etc etc). When it comes to best actress, it is strictly because the babes because those horny old pricks vote with their pants not their heads. Dame Helen Mirren only won an Oscar because her biggest competitors that year were equally older women (Streep and Dame Dench).
* it is strictly for the babes because…
Afrika, an honest question, who would you rather see “sweep” the categories that Inception won? Or, alternatively, who do you think would have won had Inception not been made/nominated/nominated in all categories/whatever your idi0t1c idea of cause of Academy’s guilt is?