I love movies. I love watching movies, at the theatre, along with other like-minded people who appreciate going to the cinema. I love opening nights for huge event movies, like Endgame. I also love a quiet Wednesday night for a smaller, yet equally formidable, movie like Jojo Rabbit.
There have been many things to take issue with the last few years. And sadly, these are now trends and should not be ignored.
- I will never understand how a movie can be nominated for Best Picture AND get several other main category nominations and yet, its director, is nowhere to be seen. Example: Little Women gets a nod, 2 of the actors get nods and NO nomination for Greta Gerwig. Hollywood, your sexism is showing big time.
- I have never, and will never, understand how a director can ALWAYS be nominated. If you’re telling me that every single movie that Martin Scorcese has released is worthy of a nomination, I will tell you that you live in a dream world. That is like saying EVERY Stephen King is equally good, or EVERY Turner painting is equally beautiful. It is a ridiculous commentary. Every film should be judged on its own merit, every director on his work on THAT film. Just because you get Al Pacino in your movie, doesn’t make it Oscar-worthy. Oh and, that horse s**t he spewed this year about Marvel movies not being real cinema? I could write a book about my feelings. I will only say one thing. When he makes a movie that becomes the highest grossing movie ever, and gets everyone cheering, laughing and crying, not to mention going back to see multiple times, then he has the right to talk. Until then, just sit there and make your boring, typical movies about the mob.
- I was thrilled to see first time nominations for Taika Waititi and Rian Johnson in the screenplay categories. They gave us 2 of the most original and superb pieces of cinema this year. Jojo Rabbit and Knives out were just great. And having Jojo Rabbit nominated for best picture is also one of the positive parts of this year’s nominations.
- Multiple nominations for the same actor should not happen for 2 reasons: 1. Give others a chance 2. It splits the vote and that person never wins anyway. Imagine if Scarlett Johanson had only been nominated for Jojo Rabbit. That would have left a wonderful spot open for, say, Awkwafina in the Best Actress category, also allowing for diversity in that category, as right now we are looking at a very white show.
- Supporting actor category: sorry, is this the 80s? The 90s? There are so many wonderful young actors right now. Why aren’t their performances acknowledged? Example: any of the cast of Parasite. Or is the idea that if you are performing in another language, your acting is not good enough to be rewarded? I am trying to wrap my head around this category and I just can’t.
- I don’t understand the crazy affection everyone has for Joker. Never had any interest in watching it, as the Joker has always been a very unappealing character for me. That is a personal comment and has nothing to do with the movie itself. I have not watched and have no interest in watching it. It doesn’t help that I have always disliked Joaquin Phoenix as an actor. No particular reason – just never found him appealing.
- Also, didn’t we have a thing a few years ago? Remember? #Oscarsowhite ? Yeah, so … apparently that is a permanent thing now. Just when you think they understood and change is coming, you get this year. The lack of diversity in the nominations is really quite astonishing. And to make it worse, the lack of female names, in the non-gender specific categories, is also shocking. Or is it?
Finally, the Oscars have become a fun event that I love watching for the spectacle of it all. The dresses, the speeches, etc. I do not mean any of my comments as a slight to those nominated. I am certain that their performances are worthy of their nominations. But certainly, they can make room for some new, fresh, different looking faces. Given the state of our world, a little inclusion at this time would have made for a pretty good example, Hollywood. Practice what you preach. Otherwise, those great speeches will be just that … preaching.
And let’s face it, no one wants to sit through a sermon to begin with … how many of us will want to sit through one when you know the person giving the sermon is a racist, sexist know-it-all?
We're all stories in the end ... 