Academy Awards Best Picture 2013

[August1991]

August, are you having me on? Your logic in that post would fit well between the pages of such 'reputable' publications as Steamshovel Press, Open Minds Magazine, or The Anomalist.

I don't know such publications.

As to my logic, what's your point?

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I saw Argo. It's a good caper movie but unlikely to be chosen Best Picture. (The Sting, another caper movie, had charm.) IMHO [spoiler ahead], Argo went off the runway when the cars/trucks chased the plane Chaplin-style at the end.

To me, so far, it's between Lincoln and Les Misérables.

I haven't, uh, seen "Amour" yet. But I doubt the Academy would choose such a thing.

Edited January 20, 2013 by August1991

[August1991]

Well, I saw Silver Linings Playbook. It's Ordinary People meets Little Miss Sunshine. IOW, it could win Best Picture but I would be surprised.

Ordinary People had Robert Redford as a first time, against cast, director. And it had Mary Tyler Moore, against cast, in a lead. Ordinary People was also honest to the novel - the ending was ambiguous, not Hollywood. I haven't read the novel on which the screenplay Silver Linings Playbook is based. I suspect however that the movie's third act was Hollywoodized. (When de Niro and the other actors started to bet on the Super Bowl, I reckoned that Hollywood was trying to go Red State. Hollywood can sell to Red States but it doesn't understand them.) ((Now, there's a reckoning about to arrive.))

Every so often the Academy picks a Marty or a Kramer vs Kramer. Usually, because the competition is weak, the movie is typical of the times, or it's simply a crowd-pleaser. Silver Linings Playbook is at best a crowd-pleaser.

====

I am staying with Lincoln and Les Miserables as likely best pictures, and I'm still betting Les Miserables. The Academy used to like musicals - Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Oliver, Gigi. Cabaret and Moulin Rouge lost - to admittedly very good films. Chicago won, but it was derivative Fosse. Les Miserables is also dark - and it lacks the Baz Luhrmann spark. But unlike Cabaret, it is up against weak competition.

Edited February 6, 2013 by August1991

[August1991]

Argo? Best Picture?

I'd offer this as a good example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

The Academy wanted to promote more movies and enlarged the number of nominees for Best Picture. Unintended consequence? Fourth best movie wins Best Picture, and the Academy loses credibility.

I'll bet that next year, there will be fewer Best Picture nominees - or the voting scheme will change.

Edited February 25, 2013 by August1991

[cybercoma]

Fourth best movie wins Best Picture, and the Academy loses credibility.

Fourth best by what and whose criteria? I don't know how Argo won it either, but I don't get to vote.

[Boges]

I actually wanted to see Argo, until I heard it kind of ignored or at least minimized the Canadian involvement.

I was assuming Lincoln would would.

I have the opportunity to see The Artist on both TMN and Netflix and have yet to find the motivation to see a "Talkie"

The Oscars are a good show, but they often get it wrong when it comes to best picture.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Boges

[Michael Hardner]

http://voices.yahoo.com/greatest-oscar-snubs-best-picture-nominees-should-2699329.html?cat=40

Apocalypse Now

Citizen Cane

Fargo

Pulp Fiction

Just a few great films that were passed over

[g_bambino]

I actually want to see Argo, until I heard it kind ignored or at least minimized the Canadian involvement.

That's pretty well what happened to me, too.

[g_bambino]

http://voices.yahoo.com/greatest-oscar-snubs-best-picture-nominees-should-2699329.html?cat=40

Apocalypse Now

Citizen Cane

Fargo

Pulp Fiction

Just a few great films that were passed over

The oddity of the Oscars hit me after that decade-too-late-Spike-Lee-light movie Crash won over Brokeback Mountain in 2004.

[ed.: ital.]

Edited February 25, 2013 by g_bambino

[guyser]

http://voices.yahoo.com/greatest-oscar-snubs-best-picture-nominees-should-2699329.html?cat=40

Apocalypse Now

Citizen Cane

Fargo

Pulp Fiction

Just a few great films that were passed over

Don't forget "Freddy got Fingered' was passed over too !

[Wilber]

I actually wanted to see Argo, until I heard it kind of ignored or at least minimized the Canadian involvement.

Not unusual. According to "The Longest Day", Canadians weren't even involved in D Day.

[Guest Derek L]

That’s actually false………The scene where the reporter is releasing the homing pigeons (From Juno beach) is depicting an actual Canadian War Correspondent………The scene with the Me109s strafing the beach is Juno Beach………..Most important of all, it’s an American movie, and Canada only contributed several Brigades for the initial landings (amongst naval and air contributions), heavily supported by the RAF, RN and Royal Marines, well under the overall command of a Brit……….

As to Argo, watched that last night………not knowing it had won best picture (We didn’t really bother with the Oscars, flicked over a couple times and saw the teddy bear going on about Jews) and though I enjoyed the movie, I question if it won, were the others any good? (haven’t seen them yet)

[Guest Derek L]

That’s actually false………The scene where the reporter is releasing the homing pigeons (From Juno beach) is depicting an actual Canadian War Correspondent………The scene with the Me109s strafing the beach is Juno Beach………..Most important of all, it’s an American movie, and Canada only contributed several Brigades for the initial landings (amongst naval and air contributions), heavily supported by the RAF, RN and Royal Marines, well under the overall command of a Brit……….

As to Argo, watched that last night………not knowing it had won best picture (We didn’t really bother with the Oscars, flicked over a couple times and saw the teddy bear going on about Jews) and though I enjoyed the movie, I question if it won, were the others any good? (haven’t seen them yet)

Was just trying to think of “Canadian involvement/mention” in war movies………..Christopher Plumber’s character and the mention of the Canadian Squadrons under command of Douglas Bader in the Battle of Britain……….Canadian Commando in Bridge on the River Kwai……..Half the cast of the Devils Brigade…….Canadian Sappers in A Bridge Too Far…….Rock Hudson in Toburk…….IIRC, James Garner played an American that had joined the RCAF in The Great Escape…….Both characters in the English Patient were Canucks………Nick Nolte in Hotel Rwanda…….Brad Pitt’s “brother” in Legends of the Fall joined the Canadian Army…..Bogart in the “African Queen”……….James Caan played a Canadian midget sub commander in a war flick (Can’t remember the title)……One of Russell Crowe’s first films, For the Moment is centred around the Commonwealth Air Training Plan………Gary Cooper in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer….etc etc….

I fail to understand this neuroses many Canadians suffer from…….

[Wilber]

A war correspondent releasing a pigeon. Bravo. A Canadian parachute battalion also landed in Normandy. It's not a neurosis, it's just unfortunate that Americans don't think a movie about the second world war without an American involvement is marketable if there were no American service men involved. Perhaps they are right. Peter Jackson is doing a remake of the Dambusters but he is a Kiwi and there were some of them involved in the raid. Hope he doesn't screw it up as the original was very good. Garner may have played an American who joined the RAF in the Great Escape and there may have been one in the actual escape but there was certainly no Steve McQeen character as the Americans had been moved to a separate camp long before the escape took place. There were eight Canadian escapees though, six were executed by the Gestapo. It is a good movie though and fairly accurate for a movie.

The worst historical ripoff I can think of has to be U571. The Brits had good reason to be choked about that one. The only historical accuracy is that an enigma machine was recovered from a U Boat. It ends there.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Wilber

[Guest Derek L]

A war correspondent releasing a pigeon. Bravo. A Canadian parachute battalion also landed in Normandy. It's not a neurosis, it's just unfortunate that Americans don't think a movie about the second world war without an American involvement is marketable if there were no American service men involved. Perhaps they are right. Peter Jackson is doing a remake of the Dambusters but he is a Kiwi and there were some of them involved in the raid. Hope he doesn't screw it up as the original was very good. Garner may have played an American who joined the RAF in the Great Escape and there may have been one in the actual escape but there was certainly no Steve McQeen character as the Americans had been moved to a separate camp long before the escape took place. There were eight Canadian escapees though, six were executed by the Gestapo. It is a good movie though and fairly accurate for a movie.

The worst historical ripoff I can think of has to be U571. The Brits had good reason to be choked about that one. The only historical accuracy is that an enigma machine was recovered from a U Boat. It ends there.

Yes, but as I mentioned, it is an American World War II film, in which the Commonwealth Contribution is rolled in with the Brits……………It’s not the Americans fault that a Canadian film company didn’t make a “box office blockbuster” about Canadians in say the North Atlantic or Italy or the exploits of Billy Bishop or Vimy Ridge……….The Australians made Gallipoli……..The British made numerous war films…….I’m sure the we’ve made some, just can’t think of any offhand…..

[bush_cheney2004]

A war correspondent releasing a pigeon. Bravo. A Canadian parachute battalion also landed in Normandy. It's not a neurosis, it's just unfortunate that Americans don't think a movie about the second world war without an American involvement is marketable if there were no American service men involved. Perhaps they are right.....

Would you invest $10 million in 1962 dollars to make a war film for the U.S. market without any Americans in it. Can you name any Canadian made WW2 films that do better justice to the topic ? This does not include the more recent TV docudramas from Brian McKenna, which have their own fictions, which is worse than an omission.

IIRC, the Americans have spent millions making other war movies without American involvement, such as Dr. Zhivago.

[bush_cheney2004]

.I’m sure the we’ve made some, just can’t think of any offhand…..

LOL! I tried to google up something but there is nothing on the kind of scale you describe. I wonder why not ?

[Guest Derek L]

LOL! I tried to google up something but there is nothing on the kind of scale you describe. I wonder why not ?

There's no market here for a film with a budget along the lines of Private Ryan or Longest Day...........I’m not diminishing the Canadian contribution to various conflicts, it’s just that most Canadians aren’t interested……..Look at the debates we have over 65 fighters or bumper stickers supporting the troops on municipal garbage trucks……..

Such a movie would surely upset a large portion of the population as “glorifying war” and “Harper’s militarization of the populace”………….A movie depicting Vimy Ridge, the Battle of Ortona or Kapyong, with the budget along the lines of Private Ryan or Platoon would be a worthy story to be told on the big screen……Hell, make-up a love triangle and some kick-ass CGI, and we could make lemonade over a loss like Dieppe ala Pearl Harbour

[Wilber]

Would you invest $10 million in 1962 dollars to make a war film for the U.S. market without any Americans in it. Can you name any Canadian made WW2 films that do better justice to the topic ? This does not include the more recent TV docudramas from Brian McKenna, which have their own fictions, which is worse than an omission.

IIRC, the Americans have spent millions making other war movies without American involvement, such as Dr. Zhivago.

I only blame Americans when they take credit for the accomplishments of others. I don't have a problem with the way Americans were portrayed in the Longest day. I realize there is a financial consideration when making these movies, making a big budget movie about Canadian war contributions a non starter. The market just isn't big enough. Perhaps this is why the Free French contribution in the Longest Day was far larger than it was in reality. 60+ million prospective customers in France, less than a third of that in Canada.

I've never thought of Dr. Zhivago as a war movie, rather a story that took place during war.

It's interesting that a movie like Master and Commander, The Far Side of the Earth, while it did well in the awards, made far more money outside of the US in spite of the fact the novel had HMS Surprise chasing a US frigate into the Pacific instead of a French privateer. The movie was changed to be less offensive to a US audience. Perhaps it shouldn't have been. Even so, the best movie of its genre ever made but I doubt there will be a sequel. Russel Crowe has said he would like to do one though.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Wilber

[Guest Derek L]

I only blame Americans when they take credit for the accomplishments of others. I don't have a problem with the way Americans were portrayed in the Longest day. I realize there is a financial consideration when making these movies, making a big budget movie about Canadian war contributions a non starter. The market just isn't big enough. Perhaps this is why the Free French contribution in the Longest Day was far larger than it was in reality. 60+ million prospective customers in France, less than a third of that in Canada.

I've never thought of Dr. Zhivago as a war movie, rather a story that took place during war.

It's interesting that a movie like Master and Commander, The Far Side of the Earth, while it did well in the awards, made far more money outside of the US in spite of the fact the novel had HMS Surprise chasing a US frigate into the Pacific instead of a French privateer. The movie was changed to be less offensive to a US audience. Perhaps it shouldn't have been. Even so, the best movie of its genre ever made but I doubt there will be a sequel. Russel Crowe has said he would like to do one though.

That was a great movie....I'd love to see a sequel

[Wilber]

That was a great movie....I'd love to see a sequel

Have you read the novels? Best historical fiction ever, IMO. Once you get used to the characters speaking 18th century English.

[Moonlight Graham]

The oddity of the Oscars hit me after that decade-too-late-Spike-Lee-light movie Crash won over Brokeback Mountain in 2004.

[ed.: ital.]

both are absolutely brilliant films.

The Oscars are just another awards show, trying to rank artists by some kind of subjective measure by "experts", when of course art is always a subjective experience. There is no such thing as a "best picture". A film winning Best Picture or any other award doesn't change its content or merit in any way whatsoever. Some Hollywood snobs liked it better than others, who cares...

Awards shows that take themselves much too seriously, like the Oscars and Grammy's, are ridiculous IMO. I still watch them because they entertain, but I also vomit a little in my mouth when these ego-manic stars get up and recite the fake tears and lines in their acceptance speeches that they have rehearsed in their trailors for weeks while on the set of their latest films. These are professional actors after all

I like watching the smaller folk win awards, like sound editors and short-film directors, because I know they aren't often acting when they make their acceptance speeches, and they get their 15 mins of fame.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Moonlight Graham

[Guest Derek L]

Have you read the novels? Best historical fiction ever, IMO. Once you get used to the characters speaking 18th century English.

Yup...not for a while though....My father is retired RN and loves Aubrey and Hornblower.......

[Wilber]

Yup...not for a while though....My father is retired RN and loves Aubrey and Hornblower.......

I like them both but for me, O'brian is #1.

[Guest Derek L]

I like them both but for me, O'brian is #1.

I haven't read all of the Hornblower books, but the old man served briefly on the HMS Indefatigable, sharing the same namesake as one of Horatio's ships....

[bush_cheney2004]

I only blame Americans when they take credit for the accomplishments of others. I don't have a problem with the way Americans were portrayed in the Longest day. I realize there is a financial consideration when making these movies, making a big budget movie about Canadian war contributions a non starter. The market just isn't big enough. Perhaps this is why the Free French contribution in the Longest Day was far larger than it was in reality. 60+ million prospective customers in France, less than a third of that in Canada.

I don't know why it doesn't happen in Canada, but the French and British even provided troops as film extras for Longest Day. I guess the Canadians were too busy.

I've never thought of Dr. Zhivago as a war movie, rather a story that took place during war.

It's a "war movie" to the Russians.