Oscars 2016

[agalisgv]

Janet Hubert, former fellow castmate of Will Smith, critiques Jada Pinkett-Smith for her boycott.

Hubert believes the boycott is really because Pinkett Smith's husband and Hubert's former co-star, Will Smith, was not nominated for his role in Concussion....Hubert said while on Fresh Prince, cast members asked Smith to join them in asking for a raise and he refused, and she also got in a dig against his performance in Concussion. "Maybe you didn't deserve a nomination," she said. "I frankly didn't think you deserved a Golden Globe nomination with that accent, but you got one. Just because the world doesn't go the way you wanted it to go doesn't mean you can go out and then start asking people to start singing 'We Shall Overcome' for you." Hubert then called the Smiths out for having a "huge production company" that only produces for "your friends, your family, and yourselves. You are a part of Hollywood, you are a part of the system that is unfair to other actors, so get real."

http://theweek.com/speedreads/59999...-smith-jada-pinkett-smith-over-oscars-boycott

 

[manhn]

I always wondered why they recast Aunt Viv. The second one sucked. I guess Janet Hubert and Will Smith did not get along?

 

[agalisgv]

IIRC, she asked for a raise.

 

[VGThuy]

I actually did wonder if the Spike and Jada boycott was self-serving as both of them had horses in the race that came out without nominations. And I agree with everyone that the first Aunt Viv was so much better in every way than the second one, but I don't know how much I can blame the second actress since they didn't give her anything to really work with with unlike the first Aunt Viv who was written with much more characterization and had real devoted storylines. That said, Hubert has been VERY bitter about Will Smith since her time on the show.

 

[Vash01]

Good on them!!! I fully support their decision and hope more follow!

Me too. Someone had to speak up and this could be a start.

 

[Cachoo]

I like having the discussion because there is so much out there I don't know about film history, how the Academy sees films outside of the US etc....plus the issue about diversity in nominations. Since Jada/Will have a dog in this hunt maybe someone else should have stood up first but if people are afraid to say anything or at least start a discussion then nothing is solved.

 

[VGThuy]

Going back to movies NOT nominated. Did anyone see Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson of the Beach Boy's biopic? I thought Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks were quite excellent in it. It's one of the better biopics I've seen.

 

[Jay42]

I did some Googling about non-white Actors and Academy Award Winners and nominations.

Yul Brynner and Ben Kingsley are the only two actors of Asian decent to win for Best Actor. Ben Kingsley's award coming for Gandhi in 1982.
There has only been one woman of Asian decent who's been nominated and that was Merle Oberon in 1935.
Haing S. Ngor is the only man to win in Best Supporting Actor in 1984 and the last Asian to be nominated in BSActor was Ken Watanabe in 2003.
Miyoshi Umeki is the only actress to win in Best Supporting Actress in 1957. The last nominee in BSActress was Hailee Steinfeld in 2010 (she's a quarter Filipono.)

Jose Ferrer is the only Latino American to win for Best Actor in 1950. Last nominee was Demian Bichir in 2011.
Benicio Del Toro won for Best Supporting Actor in 2000 he was also the last Latin American to be nominted in 2003.
No Latin American woman has won Best Actress, there have only been three nominees, the most recent being Catalina Sandino Moreno in 2004. Lupito Nyong'o was in fact born in Mexico and there has been some debate over her nationality which led to her stating that she is both Kenyan and Mexican. Before that the last Latin American winner is BSActress was Rito Moreno in 1961.

I had to search Middle Eastern countries specifically before I realised that Wikipedia had put the only Middle Eastern person to be nominated under the Asian category. Shohreh Aghdashloo was nominated in 2003 for The House of Sand and Fog for Best Supporting Actress.

I wanted to stick to these specific groups because there is a pretty good knowledge base of Africa/British-African/African-American nominees and winners.

 

[Xela M]

Janet Hubert, former fellow castmate of Will Smith, critiques Jada Pinkett-Smith for her boycott.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/59999...-smith-jada-pinkett-smith-over-oscars-boycott

I told you guys Will Smith's accent in "Concussion" sucked! Thankfully someone else said it too. And I like Will Smith, but the Nigerian accent was terrible and not at all Oscar-worthy. The only person who may have a legitimate complaint is Samuel L. Jackson, but definitely not Will Smith

 

[MsZem]

I agree that Academy Award nominations in the acting categories, and very likely in other categories as well, could use more diversity. I also agree with those who point out that this is an issue that goes beyond black actors. The lack of opportunities and recognition for Asian and Latino actors has already been noted, and the limited opportunities for other actors as well; I would add actors with disabilities to that discussion. We've seen actors get nominated and win for portraying characters with physical and cognitive disabilities, but how many actors with disabilities have been nominated, let alone won? The only one I can think if is Marlee Matlin. You'd think that only able-bodied people can act.

More opportunities and recognition for diverse actors, in the broader sense of that word, would definitely be good.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I didn't think the Academy Awards was an affirmative action forum. Should there be quotas? And, only for blacks. The best actors in the best movies are who they are. And to say you or people were snubbed because they are black is racist, and puts the entire race conversation back about 10 years.

How many black people have won an Oscar?
To date, 44 African Americans have been nominated for (acting) Academy Awards. Besides the 12 African Americans who have won Academy Awards (some of whom have been nominated more than once), the following 32 African Americans have also been nominated as actors.

.
Black Academy Award Nominees and winners.

Really, Jada, get over yourself.

BTW - I have not watched the Academy awards since Debbie Reynolds did not win for "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"! Not every thing that doesn't turn out the way you want may not be because of the color of your skin.

 

[VGThuy]

That response is so funny in so many ways.

 

[Jenny]

So Jada and Spike are boycotting the awards. I don't know that it will help. But they have to do what they think is right. Until they changing the complexion of the voting body they might want to open the big acting categories up for more nominations.

Spike Lee has a slightly different take - in his mind it goes further than the voting body (which yes, is mostly white old men) to the movies that are making it to the screen in the first place.

“The Academy Awards is not where the ‘real’ battle is,” wrote Lee on Tuesday. “It’s in the executive office of the Hollywood studios and TV and cable networks. This is where the gate keepers decide what gets made and what gets jettisoned to ‘turnaround’ or scrap heap. This is what’s important. The gate keepers. Those with ’the green light’ vote.”

At the same time maybe one needs to look even further. Sure there are movies made because people believe in them, but in the end studios and production companies are businesses that want to make money, and therefore they make what the American public will put down their money to see.

 

[Jimena]

The thing is, blacks and Latinos go to the movies in higher proportion than whites (I'll find a link as soon as I can). So you already have an audience that's making money for you.

Example: I'm not into the Fast and Furious franchise but it's made a ton of money, it's hugely popular with black and Latino audiences and has a very diverse cast. The audiences are primed and ready. The studios are way behind.

Furthermore, the typical Oscar movie is small in budget and scope. Very few of them are blockbusters. They're made because of the prestige, not to make a ton of money. So why not make stories about racially and ethnically diverse people?

 

[pat c]

Spike Lee has a slightly different take - in his mind it goes further than the voting body (which yes, is mostly white old men) to the movies that are making it to the screen in the first place.

Yes, I agree. Follow the money. These people want a return on their investment, so they have a lot of influence. ie No, the love interest shouldn't be x.......re-write and re-cast. The story isn't what mainstream NA wants to see, so let's alter history. (one of my pet peeves.........if you're going to write about an event, keep it close to the facts. Or change the whole damned thing.)

At the same time maybe one needs to look even further. Sure there are movies made because people believe in them, but in the end studios and production companies are businesses that want to make money, and therefore they make what the American public will put down their money to see.

Yes, and it's cyclical. Action films from comic books? Let's have a few........

Furthermore, the typical Oscar movie is small in budget and scope. Very few of them are blockbusters. They're made because of the prestige, not to make a ton of money. So why not make stories about racially and ethnically diverse people?

Because the investors don't think it will sell and they don't want to see it. Does a group of predominantly older white men want to see films about how old white men perpetuated slavery? Took advantage of native people? etc. etc. Not really.

 

[Xela M]

Because the investors don't think it will sell and they don't want to see it. Does a group of predominantly older white men want to see films about how old white men perpetuated slavery? Took advantage of native people? etc. etc. Not really.

So how do you explain the critical success of The Revenant or that 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture?

 

[pat c]

I'm not saying it never happens.

But investors don't want a lot of risk usually, so they don't do art/controversial films on a regular basis. And I suppose there are favorite causes, directors, producers etc. I remember reading that Barbara Streisand isn't loved in Hollywood. She had a devil of a time trying to get Yentl and The Prince of Tides to the screen. Whereas I suppose someone like Scorscece might not have any problems at all getting funding.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Going back to movies NOT nominated. Did anyone see Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson of the Beach Boy's biopic? I thought Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks were quite excellent in it. It's one of the better biopics I've seen.

I loved it too. And I would have been pleased to see any one of those actors nominated. Especially Dano, he hit just the right note (sorry) without being OTT. (Cusack was also good, but I could see him acting -- with Dano it was a more natural performance.)

Of course part of the problem for nominating either Dano or Cusack would be that tricky lead vs supporting thing. In my mind they were both leads, but splitting the screen time, so ...

 

[Seerek]

Going back to movies NOT nominated. Did anyone see Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson of the Beach Boy's biopic? I thought Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks were quite excellent in it. It's one of the better biopics I've seen.

Yes, I think this film got really lost in shuffle because of its late spring/summer release date.

I liked the fact that they chose to strikingly contrast the two eras (1960s/1980s) to convey the "Cause/effect" of Brian Wilson's eccentricities. Dano's own piano skills/live singing added to the Dano's Wilson being a more immersed character than Cusack's IMO (though Cusack did caputre 1980s Wilson's growing detachment to the world quite well).

Scorsese lost me with his endless mafia films, and he seems to have switched to wall street/greed. (shrug) I am not questioning his skills, just his subject matter.

Not a popular opinion at all, but my favourite Scorsese film in the past 25 years is Hugo (and even that had some room for improvement). The Aviator would be second (even if a little overwrought).

 

[manhn]

I would love quotas. Besides, isn't having separate actor and actress categories a type of quota? The anger over it is deafening.

 

[Jay42]

Spike Lee has a slightly different take - in his mind it goes further than the voting body (which yes, is mostly white old men) to the movies that are making it to the screen in the first place.



At the same time maybe one needs to look even further. Sure there are movies made because people believe in them, but in the end studios and production companies are businesses that want to make money, and therefore they make what the American public will put down their money to see.

The thing is, the movies are making money. The same argument gets made over female led movies. But the proof is there, they make money, people want to see them.

 

[MsZem]

But investors don't want a lot of risk usually, so they don't do art/controversial films on a regular basis. And I suppose there are favorite causes, directors, producers etc. I remember reading that Barbara Streisand isn't loved in Hollywood. She had a devil of a time trying to get Yentl and The Prince of Tides to the screen. Whereas I suppose someone like Scorscece might not have any problems at all getting funding.

Scorsese's difficulties with getting Gangs of New York to the production stage, and then getting through the actual production, are pretty well-known. It is true that the budget and the scope of the production were much bigger than for either of Streisand's films. Risky, challenging projects can be difficult to get off the ground. Schindler's List was in development for years while Spielberg tried to find the right director, and it didn't have a big budget.

For all the attention being paid to the acting nominations, some of the other categories have been far less diverse.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Props to Aunt Viv!

 

[Xela M]

I'm not saying it never happens.

But investors don't want a lot of risk usually, so they don't do art/controversial films on a regular basis. And I suppose there are favorite causes, directors, producers etc. I remember reading that Barbara Streisand isn't loved in Hollywood. She had a devil of a time trying to get Yentl and The Prince of Tides to the screen. Whereas I suppose someone like Scorscece might not have any problems at all getting funding.

As someone who can't stand Barbra Streisand, I wouldn't blame Hollywood if it were true, but Scorsese is the worst example of the contrary because it's well known that he is NOT well liked by Hollywood at all and he has been snubbed by the academy for years for less deserving directors. Leo was even told in the past to stop working with him. Scorcese movies are just consistently of such high quality that there are always people willing to back him.

 

[Xela M]

Going back to movies NOT nominated. Did anyone see Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson of the Beach Boy's biopic? I thought Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks were quite excellent in it. It's one of the better biopics I've seen.

I loved it too. And I would have been pleased to see any one of those actors nominated. Especially Dano, he hit just the right note (sorry) without being OTT. (Cusack was also good, but I could see him acting -- with Dano it was a more natural performance.)

Of course part of the problem for nominating either Dano or Cusack would be that tricky lead vs supporting thing. In my mind they were both leads, but splitting the screen time, so ...

Ohhh I will definitely check it out. I often listened to the Beach Boys in my car, which drives my daughter insane

 

[pat c]

Scorsese's difficulties with getting Gangs of New York to the production stage, and then getting through the actual production, are pretty well-known. It is true that the budget and the scope of the production were much bigger than for either of Streisand's films. Risky, challenging projects can be difficult to get off the ground. Schindler's List was in development for years while Spielberg tried to find the right director, and it didn't have a big budget.

For all the attention being paid to the acting nominations, some of the other categories have been far less diverse.

Ahh, I don't follow the ins and outs of movie making as much as I used to. I didn't know that.
Yes, the only ones that seem to get easy big money probably are action flicks, especially the summer time releases.

As someone who can't stand Barbra Streisand, I wouldn't blame Hollywood if it were true, but Scorsese is the worst example of the contrary because it's well known that he is NOT well liked by Hollywood at all and he has been snubbed by the academy for years for less deserving directors. Leo was even told in the past to stop working with him. Scorcese movies are just consistently of such high quality that there are always people willing to back him.

i didn't know that. Why? (curious)

 

[Vash01]

Yes, I think this film got really lost in shuffle because of its late spring/summer release date.

I liked the fact that they chose to strikingly contrast the two eras (1960s/1980s) to convey the "Cause/effect" of Brian Wilson's eccentricities. Dano's own piano skills/live singing added to the Dano's Wilson being a more immersed character than Cusack's IMO (though Cusack did caputre 1980s Wilson's growing detachment to the world quite well).



Not a popular opinion at all, but my favourite Scorsese film in the past 25 years is Hugo (and even that had some room for improvement). The Aviator would be second (even if a little overwrought).

I loved Hugo and liked Aviator. I didn't care for his violent movies. Gangs of NY was OK, but mainly because of great acting.

 

[Gil-Galad]

I am sorry, but

4 different nationalities (USA - Lawrence and Larson, Ireland - Ronan, England - Rampling, Australia - Blanchett), and 4 different nationalities in supporting ladies as well (USA, UK, Sweden, Canada).

how is this diversity? Maybe in a world solely inhabited by skinny English/Swedish-speaking white people, this counts as diversity.

And what kind of explanation is that - hey, people of colour - what are you moping about - yes, there are only skinny white people, but they come not from one but three different english-speaking first world countries where the majority of people are white and one Swedish-speaking first world country, where the majority of people are white. Hooray!

I for one find the underrepresentation of people of colour on the small and big screen to be scandalous and dangerous. But market mechanisms will make sure that it will stay that way. And any insinuation that there simply aren't enough talented people of colour deserving of big roles and/or nominations makes my blood boil.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm still in love with Scorcese's treatment of Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence. It's still one of my faves. That, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, and Taxi Driver are my favorite films of his. I loved the film history lesson in Hugo. That felt like a love letter to early film:

 

[smurfy]

Scorcese - I loved 'Age of Innocence', 'Goodfellas' and 'Hugo'.

Re diversity - something needs to change, not sure how to do it. I do worry that all the attention is on acting/directing - but what about all the other areas too.
Re - discussion above - movie going and money - how rich is Tyler Perry? I do not follow him, but I believe his movies make $$ and he controls the process - smart man.

Will Smith - I saw 'Concussion' - not that special.
To me the biggest snub is 'Straight Outta Compton' - great movie and should be a best picture nominee!
When I see that 'Brooklyn' was nominated - I just can not compare. 'Straight..' was such a complex story and so well made. I think Brooklyn has one flaw that took me out of the film - the way Eillis acted near the end of the movie - just bugged me. Just one comment or extra scene would have fixed the issue.
JMHO