Academy Awards Best Picture 2016

bush_cheney2004 · February 29, 2016

Yeah, bot Spotlight was a contender for the "real" awards.

OK...all those people only busted their asses for "real" awards. The Pakistani documentary on honour killing was never watched at all.

Got it....

kimmy · February 29, 2016

I doubt the idea of getting a little gold trophy was really the motivation for much of the ass-busting, whether you were working on a "serious" movie, or an action-adventure thriller, or a documentary about a serious issue.

On the other hand, the little gold trophy might help direct some viewers towards that documentary. I think that's the real value of the Oscars. It can still be a way to bring attention to projects that deserve more recognition.

-k

bush_cheney2004 · February 29, 2016

I doubt the idea of getting a little gold trophy was really the motivation for much of the ass-busting, whether you were working on a "serious" movie, or an action-adventure thriller, or a documentary about a serious issue.

"Serious" movie is a subjective opinion....box office receipts are objective reality, and they go way up for films with Oscar nominations and wins.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/oscars-2016-academy-awards-box-office-money-worth-a6897246.html

kimmy · February 29, 2016

"Serious" movie is a subjective opinion....box office receipts are objective reality, and they go way up for films with Oscar nominations and wins.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/oscars-2016-academy-awards-box-office-money-worth-a6897246.html

What the Academy voters consider a "serious movie" has been studied and analyzed to some degree. It's true that Oscar nominations can turn into dollars, which has unfortunately become a money-making strategy by cynical producers who think they can exploit the predictability of Academy voters to make money off of the kind of people who base their movie-going decisions on such things. Perhaps the upcoming changes to the Academy Awards voting eligibility will change that.

-k

kimmy · February 29, 2016

I only caught the closing moments of the show... how did Chris Rock do?

-k

August1991 · February 29, 2016

Yeah, bot Spotlight was a contender for the "real" awards.

Most of the awards voters are withered old fossils who don't know what "sound editing" is, how it's done, or which of "The Force Awakens" or "Fury Road" had superior sound editing, even if they had watched either of those movies, which is pretty doubtful.

-k

kimmy, in all honesty, what do you know about "sound editing"?

It happens that I've done enough editing in my life to know that colour editing is really hard, video edits are hard and sound editing is art. The best edits are invisible.

=====

"... withered old fossils..." Kimmy votes for Team A, young six-packs.

Edited February 29, 2016 by August1991

August1991 · February 29, 2016

I only caught the closing moments of the show... how did Chris Rock do?

-k

Me too, I didn't watch it. But I'll get my European friend's comments (she loves this American stuff) - and then I'll watch the youtube takeaways.

Edited February 29, 2016 by August1991

kimmy · February 29, 2016

kimmy, in all honesty, what do you know about "sound editing"?

It happens that I've done enough editing in my life to know that colour editing is really hard, video edits are hard and sound editing is art. The best edits are invisible.

I don't know anything about "sound editing". Neither do the vast majority of the Academy voters. Neither me, nor the vast majority of the voters who decide the award, know enough about the subject to judge the category on its merits. That was the point I was trying to make. Maybe "The Martian" was actually an extraordinary achievement in sound editing because of technical obstacles that neither me nor any of the voters actually know anything about. Who knows? Certainly not me... certainly not the people who voted.

If Fury Road wins the Sound Editing Oscar, what's your reaction to that? "Yay! I liked that movie!" "Boo! I hated that movie!" "Their sound editing was well done, although I think The Force Awakens deserved it more based on the technical difficulty of..." "um... ok?"

"... withered old fossils..." Kimmy votes for Team A, young six-packs.

I vote for having voters who are active in the industry and relevant to it, as opposed to octogenarians who received lifetime voting privileges in the 1960s and only watch movies nowadays if Woody Allen was involved.

-k

bush_cheney2004 · February 29, 2016

I don't know anything about "sound editing". Neither do the vast majority of the Academy voters. Neither me, nor the vast majority of the voters who decide the award, know enough about the subject to judge the category on its merits. That was the point I was trying to make. Maybe "The Martian" was actually an extraordinary achievement in sound editing because of technical obstacles that neither me nor any of the voters actually know anything about. Who knows? Certainly not me... certainly not the people who voted.

Your post reminds me of the people who have absolutely no interest in the credits that roll at the end of a film. They don't even know what a Foley artist or studio is. Or how hard sound and lighting can be on location. Or even the hundreds of animators needed for their CGI cartoon experience.

I always stay in my seat.....reading them till the very end. Somebody's parents would appreciate that.

August1991 · February 29, 2016

I don't know anything about "sound editing". Neither do the vast majority of the Academy voters....

But the Academy sound voters know something about sound.

Look, kimmy, I'm not defending the Academy voting system - any more than I would the US electoral system. But if you are going to criticize one or the other system, at least admit that it's not a Soviet Politburo system where Brezhnev always wins.

Too often nowadays, too many people think that Colgate or Crest are only brand names, big corporations "same difference". Well, these people are dead wrong: The freedom to choose makes all the difference in any civilised society.

Edited February 29, 2016 by August1991

August1991 · February 29, 2016

... They don't even know what a Foley artist or studio is. Or how hard sound and lighting can be on location. Or even the hundreds of animators needed for their CGI cartoon experience.

I always stay in my seat.....reading them till the very end. Somebody's parents would appreciate that.

In Montreal, I have a Foley artist friend - usually broke, so I pay. Unbelievable what she does to make noise; regular corporate videos have sophisticated sound now.

====

Light. Walking by my metro station last week, there were large lights on the outside of the building. They were filming "Quantico".

Edited February 29, 2016 by August1991

Moonlight Graham · February 29, 2016

My vote was for Ex Machina, but it wasn't nominated. Spotlight was the best of the bunch of those I saw, I'm glad it won. Martian was fun but a bit tacky and corny with the acting and dialogue, The Revenant was disappointing for me, the directing was absolute crap I can't believe it won. Straight Outta Compton was better than both of those films. This year wasn't a good year for quality Oscar-worthy films, and very slim pickings in the acting department. I mean, freaking Leo won.

Argus · February 29, 2016

OK, it's a little early but I'm calling it now, "Race" will win best picture next year. I haven't seen any movies yet, but I have seen the trailer so....

Race was certainly the theme of the Oscars last night. Chris Rock is given a lot of credit for handling it so deftly, but he's a comedian and no one in a room full of liberals is going to deny the existence of racism.

The fact is racism doesn't exist in Hollywood any more than it does in the rest of the country, probably less. If there are few Blacks chosen for good roles it's for the same reason there are few fat people or old people or unattractive people chosen for good roles. Hollywood is about fantasy, and more specifically, the fantasy of middle class people in their teens and twenties who mostly happen to be white, and who go to movies a lot.

When focus groups of such people are shown pictures of various potential actors they don't shout down the black guy, they just don't generally prefer him over some better known white guy. It's not about race but prejudice, and the prejudice black actors feel is nothing compared to what older women feel, or fat people or unattractive people. Hollywood is not a reflection of America, it's a reflection of a fantasy America where everyone has the best plastic surgeon money can buy.

BC_chick · February 29, 2016

If there are few Blacks chosen for good roles it's for the same reason there are few fat people or old people or unattractive people chosen for good roles.

So, basically, what you're saying is black is unattractive.

Argus · February 29, 2016

So, basically, what you're saying is black is unattractive.

What I said was that its not as attractive to middle class teens and twentysomethings as white.

It's about focus groups. They're shown a bunch of pictures. They chose what they like MOST. Which is usually people who are MOST like them.

In reality, probably most Whites don't find Blacks AS attractive. If you examine the facial characteristics which are most prized in our largely white culture, they mostly don't line up very well with the characteristic negroid facial features.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Argus

cybercoma · February 29, 2016

The technical awards aren't actually about technical excellence, they're consolation prizes for pictures that won't win any of the major awards they're nominated in.

-k

Way to crap on those people's jobs.

cybercoma · February 29, 2016

Your post reminds me of the people who have absolutely no interest in the credits that roll at the end of a film. They don't even know what a Foley artist or studio is. Or how hard sound and lighting can be on location. Or even the hundreds of animators needed for their CGI cartoon experience.

I always stay in my seat.....reading them till the very end. Somebody's parents would appreciate that.

Speaking of this, it's mind blowing that The Revenant was shot entirely with natural light. Well deserved cinematography award too.

BC_chick · February 29, 2016

What I said was that its not as attractive to middle class teens and twentysomethings as white.

It's about focus groups. They're shown a bunch of pictures. They chose what they like MOST. Which is usually people who are MOST like them.

In reality, probably most Whites don't find Blacks AS attractive. If you examine the facial characteristics which are most prized in our largely white culture, they mostly don't line up very well with the characteristic negroid facial features.

I could argue about our exposure to what is considered beautiful, but for argument's sake, I won't.

So what you're saying is that the industry isn't 'any more racist as the rest of the country' (as quoted below), but blacks aren't offered as many good roles because their features aren't as attractive as white movie stars.

Good on you for at least trying to find a 'reason' for the racism, but there are lots of articles that show that blacks do get a lot of roles, but a disproportionate number of nominations.

Here is a good read about all the good movies that were overlooked:

http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/oscar-nominations-2016-diversity-white-1201674903/

To add insult to injury, white people involved in these movies do get the nominations. SNL did a parody of this last month (which was aired again Saturday) where white actors with small speaking parts were getting nominations even though black actors performed dramatic scenes in which the small speaking role garnered a nomination.

Thing is, the numbers don't add it. It can't be a coincidence and it's not about beauty ideals.

It's about the academy being compromised of mainly old white people.

The fact is racism doesn't exist in Hollywood any more than it does in the rest of the country, probably less.

Smallc · March 1, 2016

Anyone who says 'negroid' features are not attractive needs to talk to a teenage girl about Ice Cube's son.

Argus · March 1, 2016

So what you're saying is that the industry isn't 'any more racist as the rest of the country' (as quoted below), but blacks aren't offered as many good roles because their features aren't as attractive as white movie stars.

Good on you for at least trying to find a 'reason' for the racism, but there are lots of articles that show that blacks do get a lot of roles, but a disproportionate number of nominations.

They generally don't get the good roles. Chris Rock touched on that when he said there could be special nominations like, for best 'friend'. The star will have a black friend, but the black guy won't be the star.

The good roles they do get are often in the type of movies which the mainstream don't see. Compton being an example of a movie which would have been extremely popular among the Black community, but not so much among middle class whites, especially older ones.

overthere · March 1, 2016

Speaking of this, it's mind blowing that The Revenant was shot entirely with natural light. Well deserved cinematography award too.

Agreed, the cinematography was top notch in The Revenant.

But I thought the movie was average, in part because Leo was miscast in this role. He just is not 'tough enough', he is not the kind of hardbitten man that would first be in that situation in the first place, then to survive. Not believable. Tom Hardy would have been, barely.

The lead character survived things that were simply not survivable, and I don't mean a bear attack. I mean floating down rivers in midwinter, and then managing not to freeze to death despite having no dry clothes or a fire in very cold temperatures. I have lived in those climates and worked in some really remote places. A person would last about 5 minutes tops in the water before being unconmscious. Your limit without heat on exiting would be 15 minutes perhaps. Not Leo, who must have had the body fat of a walrus to survive that. I guess that is not his fault, but that of writers and producers huddled around a heated pool in Beverly Hills trying to imagine what it is actually like in cold weather.

One Award I really liked was for Supporting Actor Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies. Pretty ordinary movie, except for his subtle and powerful turn.

BC_chick · March 1, 2016

They generally don't get the good roles. Chris Rock touched on that when he said there could be special nominations like, for best 'friend'. The star will have a black friend, but the black guy won't be the star.

The good roles they do get are often in the type of movies which the mainstream don't see. Compton being an example of a movie which would have been extremely popular among the Black community, but not so much among middle class whites, especially older ones.

First, I disagree about the audience of Straight Outta Compton. NWA had crossover appeal (all my white suburban friends and I used to listen to them) and many of the same crowd, now middle-aged, did see the movie.

But even if the only people who saw it were black, who cares, the movie was a major motion picture and it was done very well.

The awards aren't based on the movie's audience, they're supposedly for the movie.

overthere · March 1, 2016

My vote was for Ex Machina, but it wasn't nominated. Spotlight was the best of the bunch of those I saw, I'm glad it won. Martian was fun but a bit tacky and corny with the acting and dialogue, The Revenant was disappointing for me, the directing was absolute crap I can't believe it won. Straight Outta Compton was better than both of those films. This year wasn't a good year for quality Oscar-worthy films, and very slim pickings in the acting department. I mean, freaking Leo won.

Agree that this was a below average year for the movies nominated, though pretty decent in general for movies released that did not make the Oscar list.

I saw all eight of the Nominees, and I thought all of them were pretty good, none of them are worse than average, but none of them are going to make all time great lists either. I agree Ex Machina was worthy of a nomination, but Straight Out of Compton was kind of pointless for me and a movie that could have been much better than it was in the end.