Best Picture Winners, Don't agree w/ who won, which would you pick? (1 Viewer)

[TheLongshot]

Actually, I think the Acadamy has gotten a lot better at recognising Foreign films. The fact that "Life Is Beautiful" and CTHD got Best Picture nominations, that "Spirited Away" and "The Triplets Of Bellevue" got recognision, and that "City Of God" was nominated for a couple of major awards is something.

It all goes back to studios backing foreign films, and the willingness to get the word out for some of these. A few years ago, I would have had no idea where to see some of these films. I've only heard about some of these years later. It is much better now, since I got a couple of places nearby which I can see foreign and art house films.

BTW, I don't think I'd say that "All About My Mother" is a better film than "American Beauty", but that's a preference issue...

Jason

 

[andrew markworthy]

Jason, I agree. But you've got to admit that overall, the list gives food for thought.

 

[Lew Crippen]

So it does Andrew. Especially since I’m one of those who really cannot understand the appeal of Gladiator, which I consider almost mind-numbingly bad and love In the Mood for Love. But I certainly don’t expect that a significant percentage of the Academy is going to make the effort for such a film (even though individuals such as Sophia Coppola very obviously studied this film carefully).

I assume that you dreamed up this pairing for the humor:


As much as I admire the later film, I’ll concede that it is not BP material. Even some of our cutting-edge critics like Jonathon Rosenbaum found it to not be entirely satisfactory.

 

[Jay E]

You're missing my point.

They can have monkeys do the voting for all I care but as long as they have the Hollywood community vote, there will always be the problems I stated. I'm suggesting this because people wonder why there is so complaining on the merits of the winners.

And by independent, I mean film critics, a nationwide sampling of at least 100. I'm not saying this will be perfect but it would cut down on the favoritism, swaying etc. Those who hate critics won't agree with this but I think there will be a better chance of a truly innovative & unique film to win the award. And Martin Scorcese would have won an Oscar already

Of couse this will never happen, which is why I will always take the Oscar winners with a grain of salt and so should everyone else. It's fun to post your alternate choices, but some people take the awards way to seriously.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I understand your point Jay, but I would not even want critics to be the voters. The point about the Oscars is that they are awards given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for films and people that the Academy feels are deserving.

If the vote were given to critics (or any other group, including the Academy acknowledging that I am personally best able to judge what constitutes ‘best’ and letting me decide each year), then it would no longer be the Academy’s judgment but some other groups.

In any case most critics are already members of some voting group that gives annual awards.

So long as everyone understands that the Oscars are noting more or less than a professional group handing out their own awards as they see fit (it is their ball, court and rules), I’m happy to have them make the choice. A voting block of over 5,000 industry professionals

I think that the only reason that people get upset about their choices is that the Academy has been very much more successful at promoting their awards than anyone else and consequently we tend to forget that they are nothing more than what they are.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

What Lew pretty much said.

I think Hell froze over. I'm agreeing with Lew.



You guys wouldn't want, oh I don't know, the critics and film scholars kicked off the S&S List so the ordinary folks can vote?

 

[RobertSiegel]

tHE aCADEMY LOSERS i THINK THAT WERE THE SADDEST WERE THE FOLLOWING:

Julie Andrews losing for SOUND OF MUSIC
Madonna not getting a best actress nom for EVITA
Charlton Heston losing best actor for TEN COMMANDMENTS
TEN COMMANDMENTS losing best picture
RANEE ZELWIGGER losing for CHICAGO
ROSILAND RUSSELL losing for AUNTIE MAME

and the worst award ever was to rapper M&M over 4 great REAL songs.

 

[Jay E]

I understand what you're saying Lew, thanks for giving your perspective.

I do hold the awards given by critics with more validity than the Oscars. The problem is that 99% of the industry,(and this country), does not.

I just wish the Academy awards wasn't looked on as the Holy Grail of awards as I dislike all the negative aspects that goes along with that. The campaigning, favoritism, sentimentalization & "win or die" thinking has really gotten out of hand.

My favorite part of the Oscars will always be the lifetime awards. If the Awards were just those I would be completely happy.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’ve made my again way though a few more of these BP winners. Here is the second 25%, using Rosenbaum’s four star system (4=masterpiece; 3=must-see; 2=worth seeing; 1=has redeeming feature(s)):

All the King's Men:star: :star:
Amadeus:star: :star: :star:
American Beauty:star: :star: :star:
Annie Hall:star: :star: :star:
Beautiful Mind, A:star: :star:
Chicago:star: :star: :star:
French Connection, The:star: :star: :star:
Gladiator:star:
Godfather Part II, The:star: :star: :star: :star:
Godfather, The:star: :star: :star:
In the Heat of the Night:star: :star:
Midnight Cowboy:star: :star: :star:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:star: :star: :star: :star:
Rocky:star: :star: :star:
Silence of the Lambs, The:star: :star: :star:
Sting, The:star: :star:
The Return of the King:star: :star: :star: :star:
Unforgiven:star: :star: :star:
West Side Story:star: :star: :star: :star: