behold my copy and paste skills:
Is AMPAS Out Of Touch?
Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may have shot themselves in the foot with their selection of top Oscar nominees on Thursday, the Chicago Tribune suggested today (Friday). The newspaper observed that by selecting so many relatively obscure movies, the Academy seems to have guaranteed another low-rated Oscars ceremony. Entertainment writer Marc Caro noted that The Dark Knight, which took in $531 million at the domestic box office last year also garnered 94 positive reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website, compared with 60 percent for The Reader, which has grossed only $7.9 million. “Yet The Reader is a best picture (and director) nominee, and The Dark Knight is not,” Caro observed. Mediaweek analyst Marc Berman added: “The problem with the films this year is none of them are huge, mass-appeal hits.” Caro concluded that by denying recognition to films like Knight and Wall-e, the movie academy "risks confirming the suspicions of those who think it has grown out of touch with mainstream tastes."
from imdb.com
The Dark Knight was a good film, I just didn’t think it was as good as everyone made it out to be. I don’t know why there were/are so many DK fans. So many people were singing it’s praises, it reached the top of IMDB’s top 250 film list above films like The Godfather, The Good the Bad and the Ugly and Pulp Fiction, for fucks sake. Batman Begins didn’t reach any of those heights even though it was an incredibly accomplished film. Where were all the fans then? I feel the Heath Ledger thing was the difference, his untimely death and the buzz surrounding it was what made people elevate DK to a “masterpiece” status >:(
Also, regarding the Scorsese thing that was touched on earlier, I get really annoyed when people say the only reason he won it that year was because of pity that he didn’t win all those other times. I can’t think of anything more insulting towards one of the top 3 greatest filmmakers of today. If it was a pity Oscar, why the fuck did he win at all those other awards? Were they all showing pity too? Did all the voters meet in a room to discuss how they should all nominate and vote for him? Also, when people say they don’t like how he won it for The Departed which isn’t one of his greatest films. What the FUCK? What is the Academy going to do, nominate Raging Bull again? He won it that year because they thought it was the greatest film that year. They may have messed up before, but they didn’t mess up that time. How do you know that if he won for his previous films, that he wouldn’t have also won for The Departed? Nobody knows. Fuck all that “pity Oscar” bullshit >:(
Rant over.
[quote=“Ify”]
The Dark Knight was a good film, I just didn’t think it was as good as everyone made it out to be. I don’t know why there were/are so many DK fans. So many people were singing it’s praises, it reached the top of IMDB’s top 250 film list above films like The Godfather, The Good the Bad and the Ugly and Pulp Fiction, for fucks sake. Batman Begins didn’t reach any of those heights even though it was an incredibly accomplished film. Where were all the fans then? I feel the Heath Ledger thing was the difference, his untimely death and the buzz surrounding it was what made people elevate DK to a “masterpiece” status >:(
Also, regarding the Scorsese thing that was touched on earlier, I get really annoyed when people say the only reason he won it that year was because of pity that he didn’t win all those other times. I can’t think of anything more insulting towards one of the top 3 greatest filmmakers of today. If it was a pity Oscar, why the fuck did he win at all those other awards? Were they all showing pity too? Did all the voters meet in a room to discuss how they should all nominate and vote for him? Also, when people say they don’t like how he won it for The Departed which isn’t one of his greatest films. What the FUCK? What is the Academy going to do, nominate Raging Bull again? He won it that year because they thought it was the greatest film that year. They may have messed up before, but they didn’t mess up that time. How do you know that if he won for his previous films, that he wouldn’t have also won for The Departed? Nobody knows. Fuck all that “pity Oscar” bullshit >:(
Rant over.
[/quote]
Yeah The Dark Knight was hyped because of Ledger's death. I'm a Marvel man not much of a DC guy, but The Dark Knight is the best super hero movie ever made. And why wasn't The Wrestler nominated for Best Director, and Best Screenplay?
And the imdb top 100 is complete shit. I mean when you talk about film there really shouldn't be a list. There's really a little bit of everything, somedays you'll like Raging Bull better than Casablanca, and other days Casablanca will be better than Raging Bull. There are just way too many great films out there that I love, and they could never be listed from 1 to 100.
[quote=“Ify”]
Also, regarding the Scorsese thing that was touched on earlier, I get really annoyed when people say the only reason he won it that year was because of pity that he didn’t win all those other times.
[/quote]
if it wasn’t a pity oscar, then he should have got one for Raging Bull instead of the departed. and more than a 'pity oscar", I think it was a nod to his career. it’s very unlikely that scorsese will top his best films and it’s better to get him a price for a film he just made, even a weaker film one the Departed. than give him an oscar in 20 or 30 years, just before he dies (like they’ve done several times)…
[quote=“BioBasterd”]
Yeah The Dark Knight was hyped because of Ledger’s death. I’m a Marvel man not much of a DC guy, but The Dark Knight is the best super hero movie ever made. And why wasn’t The Wrestler nominated for Best Director, and Best Screenplay?
And the imdb top 100 is complete shit.
[/quote]
I myself am more a DC guy and even though DK has its flaws, this is maybe the best batman movie ever. i think everybody over hyped the film because by the end of the day very few people read comic books and all of a sudden, audience discover that a super hero story can be serious, super ambitious, political…
DK deals with capitalism, anarchy, worldwide economy, and the awful place that is today’s world… those are “important” topics according to the average viewer and film critics… hence the laughable comparisons that were made between DK and “serious” films like Godfather 2.
whereas the spiderman movies, even if spiderman 2 is a masterpiece and the best superhero movie ever made, are more like the ultimate entertainment films. the serious aspect of spiderman deal with the main character, what does it take to become adult, and deal with… great responsabilities…
and it’s so true, imdb top 100 list is like their starmeter. some weeks, you have the dumbiest people nb1 on the starmeter… that doesn’t make any sens!
[quote=“Geoi”]
I’ve never liked Meryl Streep. Not that I think she’s a bad actress, she’s brilliant, obviously. I just never liked her. She ruins movies for me. I don’t know what or why it is. But it is.
[/quote]
That crap you just said, made no fucking sense at all. Mind you, you’re the same idiot who thinks Simon Pegg is a talented actor… so I suppose making sense is not your forte.
[quote=“Cyd”]
That crap you just said, made no fucking sense at all. Mind you, you’re the same idiot who thinks Simon Pegg is a talented actor… so I suppose making sense is not your forte.
[/quote]
Haha. What makes you think you have some right to call me names like that? You ARE Pete disguised as a chick! Yea! I get to ignore you!
Yeah, please Cyd, calm down. You have no rights to insilt other users, even more when they’re not insulting you. And Geoi wasn’t talking to you, wasn’t judging you or insulting you. And btw, this statement is the same when it comes to administrator. You should relax with Seb too cause obviously you’re the one who’s desperate for news to insult him like that.
[quote=“tonyanthony”]
if it wasn’t a pity oscar, then he should have got one for Raging Bull instead of the departed. and more than a 'pity oscar", I think it was a nod to his career. it’s very unlikely that scorsese will top his best films and it’s better to get him a price for a film he just made, even a weaker film one the Departed. than give him an oscar in 20 or 30 years, just before he dies (like they’ve done several times)…
[/quote]
Are you KIDDING ME?? That is beyond ridiculous!! The Academy clearly thought The Departed was the best film that year. What you people don’t seem to understand is that The Departed wasn’t in competition with his other films, it was in competition with Babel, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen. According to your logic, a director should only be awarded an Oscar for his best film, not any others even if they are better than other films that year. So the Academy messed up on occasion according to many, you complain, shit happens. He then wins for The Departed and you complain still - you just can’t win. Your beef should only be with the Academy failing to give him the Oscar for Raging Bull, NOT with succeeding in giving him an Oscar for The Departed. It’s mind-boggling how you people can come up with this stuff.
[quote=“tonyanthony”]
whereas the spiderman movies, even if spiderman 2 is a masterpiece and the best superhero movie ever made, are more like the ultimate entertainment films.
[/quote]
:o
I can’t be arsed… :-</E>
i’m not mad at all – actually, i really don’t give a shit about the oscars… and i didn’t know what was the other films the departed was competing with… this was quite a mediocre year… the departed is just beyond average. william monahan is not a good writer…
and yes, in my logic, and in a perfect world, a director should be awarded for his best film. like when scorsese got a palme d’or for taxi Driver (thanks to sergio leone and costa gravas, the president of the jury that year was tenessee williams and he hated it) or like coppola got an oscar for Godfather 2 and a palme d’or for Apocalypse now (even though members of the jury that year pretend that the head of the festival forced them to give the palme to Apocalypse).
And heck yeah, spiderman 2 is the best super hero movie EVER!!
[quote=“cyber-lili”]
Yeah, please Cyd, calm down. You have no rights to insilt other users, even more when they’re not insulting you. And Geoi wasn’t talking to you, wasn’t judging you or insulting you. And btw, this statement is the same when it comes to administrator. You should relax with Seb too cause obviously you’re the one who’s desperate for news to insult him like that.
[/quote]
I have news about the movie, dear, I don’t need no ‘set report’. Do you think everyone in here feels the need to jump to attention over the slightest bit of news…
[quote=“Geoi”]
Haha. What makes you think you have some right to call me names like that? You ARE Pete disguised as a chick! Yea! I get to ignore you!
[/quote]
Or maybe more than one person finds you irritating. It’s not so hard to believe is it.
[quote]Batman Begins didn’t reach any of those heights even though it was an incredibly accomplished film. Where were all the fans then?[/quote]
Yeah that pisses me off too. I always said Begins is a masterpiece, and also after TDK I always said I like it better. I also prefer Ra’s Al Ghul as a villian, but of course The Joker was the right villian for TDK. I guess Heath’s death made it much more of an event movie.
[quote=“tonyanthony”]And heck yeah, spiderman 2 is the best super hero movie EVER!!
[/quote]
My list goes like this:
- Batman Begins 10/10
- The Dark Knight 10/10
- Spider-Man 9/10
- Spider-Man 2 9/10
I love how the origin storys are handled in both cases.
re: the origins, i’d choose batman begins over spiderman. the first half of spiderman is cool but the second half is ok, but not that great… on another hand, the story in batman begins is great from begining to end. batman is a character that has been reinvented so many times over the years, it was great to finally see an original take on him in a film (forget tim burton).
[quote=“Geoi”]
I’ve never liked Meryl Streep. Not that I think she’s a bad actress, she’s brilliant, obviously. I just never liked her. She ruins movies for me. I don’t know what or why it is. But it is.
[/quote]
Thankfully you’re probably the only person on the planet who feels this way. 
Not to disrespect your opinion or anything but I don’t understand how someone can feel that way at. all. But you don’t either so who knows what’s up with that…
<LINK_TEXT text=“http://www.nypost.com/seven/01232009/en … 151405.htm”>‘READER’ & WEEP, BATMAN</LINK_TEXT>
‘DARK Knight" fans can thank Harvey Weinstein - and Oscar voters’ historic weakness for Holocaust flicks - for yesterday’s shocking snub of “The Dark Knight” for a Best Picture nomination.
I’m not the biggest fan of the hugely popular comic-book blockbuster, but it’s a travesty “The Dark Knight” got edged out - and believe me, it did - by “The Reader,” a sleazy piece of Holocaust porn that even the New York Times dismissed as “fatuous.”
Some interesting bits about our boy Harvey Weinstein in there, too.
Eh, it’s a shame that Weinstein is so shady and I believe that he did all he could to put The Reader up for contention and this boded poorly for the Dark Knight, but seriously, what the fuck. First of all, who gives a shit about television ratings and how many people are going to watch the telecast, we’re supposed to somehow feel angrier now about the whole mess just because the Academy won’t get so many viewers? Boo fucking hoo, who gives a shit, let the producers and organizers of the telecast worry about ratings.
Second of all, if any picture was snubbed of the nomination it was The Wrestler and/or Revolutionary Road, NOT the Dark Knight.
Third of all, I saw The Reader last night. It’s a great film with an excellent performance from Winslet. What Lou Lumenick the author of that article says about her performance, i.e. being her worst is laughably absurd. The film is so much more than a Holocaust film although i do imagine having that as one of its sub-themes did help shady Weinstein promote it to the Academy.
Anyways, The Reader is an excellent film with powerful performances and themes and good direction. The book is superior and the story works better as a book but Winslet definitely deserves a nomination for her portrayal of Hannah Schmidtz, I’m hard pressed to say it’s superior to Meryl Streep’s turn as Sister Beauvier in Doubt, but i won’t be too upset if Winslet takes it even though I’ll be rooting for Streep.
Lead Actress is definitely what she is in The Reader, so all those other ceremonies and awards that placed her in the Supporting was blatant category fraud, with that said though this is the only time i wish the Academy committed category fraud and placed her in Supporting Actress.
Comparing her two performances and films of the year, I have to say that I enjoyed Revolutionary Road more than The Reader most of all because of the excellent script which should of been nominated instead of The Reader’s (its weakest department in my opinion). However Leonardo DiCaprio outshined Winslet in Rev. Road and she does a much better German accent than American, her performance in The Reader is slightly better than Rev. Road, it’s more subdued, more painful and ultimately more heart-wrenching.
There’s my Reader take, Rev. Road should of been nominated for all the same categories as The Reader instead of it, particularly Adapted Screenplay but they actually got it right when it comes to Winslet’s performances, regardless of shady Weinstein. And i’m getting sick and tired of this whining about The Dark Knight, fuck it was a good film but not much more than that, it’s overrated and oh my god the fanboys won’t watch the telecast!!! Fuck off already.
Thanks for your review of The Reader. I def wait to see that movie now. There ain’t much promotion about it in France, while they kinda talked more about Revolutionary Road, which is doing a great start for its first week here in France. But btw I checked out imdb, and saw that it wasn’t such a great audience success in the US, why that ? Or is that an imdb mistake, 6 millions dollars, is that all ???
It received poor reviews (60% on rottentomatoes) and is the lowest grossing film to be nominated for Best Picture in a long while. Dunno why, like i said it’s a great film. But those numbers will rise for sure, especially if Winslet wins.
Those numbers are correct.
Fantastic review. I loved the book, I read it very recently and ran to see the movie. I really enjoyed how they expanded on the older Michael(Ralp Fiennes) in the movie. I’d say it definitely deserves it’s spot in the best pic circle. A head above the dark knight if you ask me.
[quote=“Ify”]
Also, regarding the Scorsese thing that was touched on earlier, I get really annoyed when people say the only reason he won it that year was because of pity that he didn’t win all those other times. I can’t think of anything more insulting towards one of the top 3 greatest filmmakers of today. If it was a pity Oscar, why the fuck did he win at all those other awards? Were they all showing pity too? Did all the voters meet in a room to discuss how they should all nominate and vote for him? Also, when people say they don’t like how he won it for The Departed which isn’t one of his greatest films. What the FUCK? What is the Academy going to do, nominate Raging Bull again? He won it that year because they thought it was the greatest film that year. They may have messed up before, but they didn’t mess up that time. How do you know that if he won for his previous films, that he wouldn’t have also won for The Departed? Nobody knows. Fuck all that “pity Oscar” bullshit >:(
[/quote]
I said it when the film won and I still believe it. The Departed is a great film. It isn’t one of his greatest, but as Ify has already touched on - The Departed’s competition was the other films nominated that year (NOT Scorsese’s oeuvre). People of all ages enjoyed The Departed. It had a wide audience demographic, and I don’t believe for a second that it was either a nod to his career or a pity Oscar.
Right on. 8)