Hello readers. I am back from my trip to Orlando, and there is much going on in the world of Oscar, particularly in Telluride and Venice.
Since I moved back to Mississippi in 2014 I have struggled with this time period. It feels as if I am chasing a running train. Also, the twitter hot-take has replaced actual reporting when it comes to these festivals, although we do have a few who take care to do both.
I can remember coming out of the "surprise" "Lincoln" screening at New York Film Festival and feeling as if I absolutely had to get my tweet out first to maintain any relevance in the Oscar conversation.
But we all end up in the same place.
A LESSON FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF TELLURIDE
There is a major lesson to be learned here. Good things come to those who wait. I love my colleagues who attend Telluride. I would have loved to go, but I also loved going to Orlando this week. These folks...the cream of the Oscar crop, absolutely begin the Oscar conversation at these festivals, and the buzz has begun in full force. Apparently we have three front runners..."First Man," "The Favourite" and "Roma."
But we also get a lot of confusion. One person tweets that Lady Gaga is merely "good" in "A Star is Born" while another piece summarizes her raves. "Boy Erased" is disappointing in one breath, a must see in the next. Is "Suspiria" bad? Or is it just not what people pigeonholed it to be from the teaser. Remember when everyone was talking about "Black Panther" two weeks ago? Where does it fit in now?
I am going to sit back and let everyone else play conjecture while I wait until I see the films to start to painting the landscape. I hope beyond hope that I can stay in my lane because (and here is the big lesson, folks) these wonderful people at these festivals told us two years ago that "La La Land' was the film to beat. Then they told us it was unbeatable. It wasn't until Sasha Stone, at the very last minute saw through the insanity of noise that "Moonlight" was going to take the top prize.
A LABOR DAY OSCAR CONTROVERSY and POPULAR FILM
I do want to say something about the "First Man" controversy...but by telling you a bit of a story from a family gathering yesterday.
My whole family knows I love the Oscars, obviously. We were sitting around the lunch table when we started to talk about the Popular Film category. Remember...my family, although they support my endeavors are not film people. In the least.
Dad was the one to bring it up first. He knew that my initial reaction was a bit negative to the Academy's recent decisions, but I have actually come around with the Popular film category. Here is how the conversation went:
Me
I actually don't have that much of a problem with the category anymore. I would love to see something like Crazy Rich Asians win.
Dad
The best movies never win.
Me
That's not necessarily true.
Dad
The films that the public like never win.
Me
Could happen this year. Maybe with Black Panther or First Man. My biggest issue with the changes is taking away the categories.
Dad
They have to have time for all of their politics
Me
That's not true. Last year they were defending the rights of women and speaking out against harassment.
Brother in law
First Man. (He says something I can't really hear about either not seeing it or that it's not good...) They cut out the flag. That's what it was all about.
Me
They didn't take out the flag. (I have no clue actually because, like him and the sources he got this opinion from, HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM!)
At this point my Mom and sister shut us down. But the damage is done.
Why do I tell you all this? Well...I have ignored controversy in the past. "La La Land" and "Three Billboards" had controversies they simply couldn't overcome, but I predicted them anyway.
Sure, "Moonlight" may have won because people thought it was better. But the fact that it wasn't nominated for the SAG ensemble--that was telling to the controversy. Looking back, it is as infuriating as this flag nonsense. We live in a world where hot-takes and think pieces can derail an Oscar race as well as an election. Whether they are coming from Indiewire or Fox News. They are doing the exact same damage.
Also, if you look at my Dad's comments you will see something else. We can't win these folks back to the show. It just isn't happening.
LOST IN TRANSLATION
Last night I continued my Best Films rewatch with Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation." The film won Coppola an Oscar for Original Screenplay. For some reason I had forgotten that the film was nominated for Best Picture. And at a time when only 5 films were nominated.
"Lost in Translation" was my favorite film in 2004. The chemistry between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson is swoon inducing, and in 2004 I was in a state of longing myself. I was finishing up a tour of "My Way," having returned to Omaha, NE for another contract with Nebraska Theatre Caravan. My life was in shambles in NYC, and I ran away to get away from it all. I saw the film while still in Omaha, and it touched me so intensely where I was in my life-completely lost.
Last night, my friend Elliot, a friend, filmmaker and writer brought up the fact that although the film has lots to admire,
"...it’s regrettable how it manages to “other” literally millions of people. It’s Tokyo, not mars."
I wanted to defend against this statement. After all, this is a best films rewatch after all...but he is right. It is a necessary tool to isolate both Charlotte and Bob from everyone else, including the other Americans in the story. Does that make it right? Does it take away from the films greatness? I'm not sure.
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