*** Official Post-Oscar Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Terrell]

Let the bitching begin...or should I say continue.

Somehow I can see it coming.

 

[Seth Paxton]

BTW, a couple of things that were beautiful filmmaking in ABM to me...

the moment in the bar when Nash thinks of his game theory with the "blocking each other" visuals, and the "seeing patterns" around the room scene (actually used 2 or more times).

It's wrong to say that the film was not pretty fresh to watch, though maybe it became a bit more mundane down the stretch. But the film is darn good I think, as was Crowe's effort.

In face having seen Training Day and ABM I think Crowe was better, but Denzel could use the win more than Crowe needing 2 of them.

 

[John_McKittrick]

Denzel did indeed deserve an oscar but not for Training Day. The Hurricane and Malcolm X were far better.

I'm sure Spike Lee and Jesse Jackson still won't be satisfied.

STORM beat Nicole. Hmmmmmm.

John

 

[Seth Paxton]

Matt, it was 4-4 AMB/FOTR so ABM didn't win a lot really.

The montage was of previous score winners...thus the Williams slant simply because of his successes.

 

[Walt Riarson]

I'm sure Spike Lee and Jesse Jackson still won't be satisfied.

Amen to that.

I was really glad to see Denzel win, but I repeat...amen to that.

 

[Steve Clark]

I could not be happier with the Best Picture Award. With Gladiator and now ABM, Oscar seems back on track with the Best Picture Award after slipping with American Beauty and Shakespeare in Love in recent years. I stated weeks ago that after selecting a "blockbuster" movie as Best Picture last year, it seemed logical the Academy would return truer to form with a safe pick such as ABM. After selecting a blockbuster movie last year, it seemed very unlikely the Academy would divert from form and pick a winner in either the musical (MR) and action/fantasy (LOTR) genres.

One question though, how in the hell did Crowe not win Best Actor with ABM winning Best Picture and Howard winning Best Director. Wasn't Crowe the star and focus of this picture? Did the fact that he won last year and/or the fact he recently behaved badly have something to do with it? It just seems to me he deserves at least two wins after his performances in The Insider, Gladiator and ABM. What a role Crowe is on. He has been the main star in movies that have won consecutive Best Picture Awards. When was the last time that happened? Oh well, I expect him to be nominated again soon anyway. Anyone know which of his movies this year may make it three in a row.

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

Nope. That (the complaining) is it for me.

 

[Joseph S]

Effects were flawless, were LOTR had the brutally fake looking cave troll.

What does a real looking cave troll look like anyways??? Just wondering, I haven't met any in my life.
Nicole was robbed. Randy Newman got an award he deserved years ago, but definitely didn't deserve it this year at all. It seemed like they were out to give awards to people and not the performances this year.

 

[MichaelPe]

The composer tribute seemed more like a tribute to John Williams.

True... but he deserves it. I think he has been nominated for more Oscars than anyone in any category.

 

[Daniel L]

Overall I was please with the results this year. the only exceptions were for Best Director and Special Effects.

Ridley Scott should have won best director. I can't figure out how the acdemy concluded A Beautiful Mind is better achievement in direction than Black Hawk Down. (Perhaps Opie was given extra credit for working with Russel Crowe?)

I can understand how it was a better achievement than LOTH, though. Just because someone can direct a film full of special effects doesn't mean it was the best achievement.

A.I. was downright screwed out of the Special Effect award. I guess that's what happens when you work with ILM. The effects are too natual to stand out.

As for Ian Mckellen losing for best supporting actor to a "no name" film... It probably means you never saw it and have no way to actually judge the winners performance.

Daniel L

 

[Chuck C]

....and I'd like to thank Warren Beatty."

My roommate and I were making fun of that one!

The show was too long, Whoopi was the low-point, Hugh Grant! What was that dude? Nice top, Gweneth. But hey, there was alotta cool stuff...esp. the John Williams piece. I loved when Travolta and Sharon Stone danced onto the stage. As for the awards...too many politics, so I won't go there. Let's just say alotta people were robbed.

 

[Bill J]

Ridley Scott should have won best director. I can't figure out how the acdemy concluded A Beautiful Mind is better achievement in direction than Black Hawk Down.

I agree, Ridley Scott deserved to win for Black Hawk Down. Howard should have won for Apollo 13 instead.

 

[John_McKittrick]

And what makes a movie a "Block Buster" if not it's directing and producing??

ABM has been done so many times over again (as stated before) it's sickening. Admit it, Crowe's performance was a 100% turn from his previous performance in Gladiator. It clearly shows his caliber as and actor. He did deserve to win over Denzel. But the media and the politics of voting had something else to say about it. Add that to the whole Sidney Poittier (Spelling?) issue and what do you have?

Nicole got robbed. Crowe got robbed. And LOTR got robbed.

John

 

[Bill J]

I honestly think that Crowe's best performance was in The Insider. He should have won for that instead.

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

One thing I can say about A Beautiful Mind is that it was wonderfully acted.

 

[John_McKittrick]

I think the main reason Ridley Scott lost was because Spielberg won doing the same thing with Saving Private Ryan.

Scott definately should've won for Gladiator.

John

 

[Chris Lynch]

Sorry Ron.... I actually didn't mind Whoopi that much. Sure, she wasn't on fire, or hilarious, but I thought she ribbed when she should have, got serious when she should have, and overall generally smoothed things along.
Although, I would much rather see someone else in the position.
As an LOTR fan, I feel a little jilted. Four awards, all in technicals (which it deserved). I think this year is one of those years when we look back and go "Why didn't LOTR win? What did it lose too? Hold on, I'll look it up!" I'm not trying to say ABM doesn't deserve some recognition, just that LOTR knocked so many of us on our collective asses.
I am happy for the technical awards however.
And I really liked Whoopi's comment about Baz. She did a little justice there.
Halle Berry's reaction was not a problem in my book. I thought it was downright visceral. She had the actions of a woman who truly did not expect to win. I am proud of her, and look forward to seeing Monsters Ball when I get the chance.
And I am proud of the overall achievement of the black actors honored tonight, but I must say that the academy was certainly bold to honor so many in one night. I hope the honor is respected, and not frowned upon as a last ditch effort for the academy to redeem itself for ignoring black actors in the past. I haven't seen Denzel's or Halle's performances yet, so I won't pass judgement. I will simply say that I am proud of them for "kicking down those doors."
And, OH MY GOD, IT WAS WAY TO LONG!
What I enjoyed the most: the short vignettes, the musical showcase (both songs and score), Cirque du Soleil, Donald Sutherland and Glenn Close.
My girlfriend was a little upset that ole' Russ didn't win. She says it is because if ABM can get Best Picture, it is due in part to Crowe's performance. I guess that makes sense, except I suspect she had other reasons for wanting him to win.
On the whole, a pretty non-eventful Oscar night, save for Ms. Berry's speech.

 

[Tom Ryan]

Seth, actually the scene in the bar with the women is the one scene, directing-wise, that sticks out to me from ABM as well. That scene WAS very well directed. But the rest of the film was rather vanilla.

-Tom

 

[Terrell]

John, don't even tell me ABM won because of politics. If there was any film that didn't win because of politics, ABM is it. It had more mud slung it's way than any of the films. The cold hard truth is that more people thought it was a better film than FOTR. Is that so hard to believe? Just like more people thought Denzel gave a better performance. I didn't agree with it, but that's the truth.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Broadbent, surprise?? Hardly.

He and Denzel were both guys I was running with for about a month and then got caught up in the hype at then end and flipped. I had dismissed Crowe because back to back is hard to do and should have stuck with that feeling rather than the ABM sweep feeling.

And it just seemed lately that Ian was getting lots of H'wood love. Before that Broadbent was winning on all levels and seemed to be a sure thing. SAG was the only thing he missed I think.

Ebert called Newman winning song and I think many of us might have gone with that if we weren't so used to him losing.

But no one went with Black Hawk Down for editing. That was the one award that my jaw dropped on.

If you think Amelie got screwed go see No Man's Land. It's close and probably won by being the more serious film.

If you think Ian got screwed just make sure to see Iris. As I pointed out, Broadbent was the Supporting Actor for 3 Best Actress nominees - Dench, Renee, Kidman. He must have been doing something right. I thought his year was excellent and in many ways his Iris win is also a win for MR I think.