Sure, there has already been a barrage of Oscars coverage out of Toronto, Venice, Telluride and now the Hamptons, but the truth of the matter is, very few actual people have seen these films.
For now, you can consider Awards Wiz to be your populist Oscar site.
Many of you are probably ahead of me, having already seen the likes of "Leave No Trace," "RBG," "Eighth Grade..." films I am behind on. Some of you have even seen "A Star is Born" which opened last night. (I will be seeing it in a few hours myself).
Many of you are probably ahead of me, having already seen the likes of "Leave No Trace," "RBG," "Eighth Grade..." films I am behind on. Some of you have even seen "A Star is Born" which opened last night. (I will be seeing it in a few hours myself).
There will come a time in December, after I have programmed my LGBTQ films for the Oxford Film Festival when I will more than likely surpass many of my readers in terms of viewing...at which time I will encourage you to seek out as many of these films as possible, whenever they arrive, and come late February I will join a select few who actually see every film nominated for the Oscars.
It's an interesting journey, which brings me to #1.
1. Stop defending offenses.
It's an interesting journey, which brings me to #1.
1. Stop defending offenses.
This time last year, the only real contenders I had seen were "Get Out" and "Dunkirk." As the season progressed I obviously saw everything, but felt I was always playing catch up and defense.
I watched while others claimed to be the only supporters of a "Get Out" BP nomination--Not true. I was there from the start as well, and thought it would win Best Original Screenplay, which it did.
Once I saw "Three Billboards" I joined an already existing group of people who had already seen it and loved it, finding myself immediately on a defensive against the ones claiming the film (and eventually its supporters) to be racist.
Side note - Imagine if filmmakers only created likeable, untarnished characters in film. Would we have had "Goodfellas" or even "Citizen Kane?"
Today, this first mission statement will find it's first test. I will have to fight the urge as I watch what will be a LONG attack on "A Star is Born." There will be an attack. I've been doing this long enough to know that. The only question is how?
Don't be surprised if the film underperforms at the box office this weekend. When Lady Gaga's "Artpop" was released I remember reading that it had potential to break records due to the overwhelming support of Gaga's fans. It didn't happen. Everyone is talking about "A Star is Born," but will they go see it?
I watched while others claimed to be the only supporters of a "Get Out" BP nomination--Not true. I was there from the start as well, and thought it would win Best Original Screenplay, which it did.
Once I saw "Three Billboards" I joined an already existing group of people who had already seen it and loved it, finding myself immediately on a defensive against the ones claiming the film (and eventually its supporters) to be racist.
Side note - Imagine if filmmakers only created likeable, untarnished characters in film. Would we have had "Goodfellas" or even "Citizen Kane?"
Today, this first mission statement will find it's first test. I will have to fight the urge as I watch what will be a LONG attack on "A Star is Born." There will be an attack. I've been doing this long enough to know that. The only question is how?
Don't be surprised if the film underperforms at the box office this weekend. When Lady Gaga's "Artpop" was released I remember reading that it had potential to break records due to the overwhelming support of Gaga's fans. It didn't happen. Everyone is talking about "A Star is Born," but will they go see it?
If we end up with a two way race between Spike Lee and Bradley Cooper, I'm sure the conversation will then turn to race. Why did they go with Gaga when they could've gone with Beyonce?
Trust me. It will happen.
There were times in early 2017 when I found myself apprehensive to share my love for "La La Land" amidst its absurd backlash, instead teetering on the line of defense of that backlash. I was afraid I would be called a racist because I liked it better than "Moonlight."
That might sound silly, but it happened to Sasha Stone and Ryan Adams the following year!
I had the same apprehension coming out for Timothee Chalamet's performance, mostly because I didn't want to rain on people's Gary Oldman parade. I found a better balance with that.
I hope that I am able to not defend offences this season and simply share my thoughts and my truth.
2. Learn from the past But don’t live in it
There are 24 categories at the Oscars, and although I have done ok in my predictions the past two years I have missed Best Picture three years in a row. I think I know why, but let's look at what I actually said after the Oscars after those ceremonies.
Trust me. It will happen.
There were times in early 2017 when I found myself apprehensive to share my love for "La La Land" amidst its absurd backlash, instead teetering on the line of defense of that backlash. I was afraid I would be called a racist because I liked it better than "Moonlight."
That might sound silly, but it happened to Sasha Stone and Ryan Adams the following year!
I had the same apprehension coming out for Timothee Chalamet's performance, mostly because I didn't want to rain on people's Gary Oldman parade. I found a better balance with that.
I hope that I am able to not defend offences this season and simply share my thoughts and my truth.
2. Learn from the past But don’t live in it
There are 24 categories at the Oscars, and although I have done ok in my predictions the past two years I have missed Best Picture three years in a row. I think I know why, but let's look at what I actually said after the Oscars after those ceremonies.
2016 - Let's look at Best Picture and Supporting Actor. I had gone with "The Revenant" and Sylverster Stalone, but the Academy went with original frontrunner "Spotlight" and Mark Ryalnce. (Side note - take note of what I said about "Birth of a Nation.")
Actor in a Supporting Role
Actor in a Supporting Role
OK...so, this one I also saw coming. I even wrote about it. I could feel the tides shifting for Rylance, who is fantastic in the role...but I couldn't imagine the Academy not awarding Stallone. But that's NOT how they operate, and I forget every year. They didn't give Mickey Rourke an Oscar because they wanted to give it to Sean Penn. Plain and simple. Same thing here. It has nothing to do with sentiment.
Picture
"Spotlight" wins. I was wrong. Big time. I was so sure that "The Revenant" was an Oscar-y movie, simply based on my feelings that I ignored how many people disliked the film. Dislike being the key word. The Oscars use a preferential ballot and the film everyone likes wins. That can be a film everyone LOVES too. But EVERYONE has to love it. I bet you that "Mad Max: Fury Road" was a bit closer than we all thought as well. Definitely something to take note of for next year. Although it seems we already have a frontrunner with "Birth of a Nation" a film almost no one has seen. But here's the deal. Hollywood and the Academy have a short term memory. And they vote for what they want to vote for. No matter the issue at hand.
2017 - Let's look at Best Picture and Costume Design. Everyone knows "La La Land" lost to "Moonlight" but one of the biggest shocks of the night was when "Jackie" lost to "Fantastic Beasts."
Picture
It became obvious early on that “La La Land” was in trouble. It was supposed to win Sound Mixing and Editing. And when it didn’t, the writing was on the wall. The sweep is dead. (Please remind me of this next year.)
The question is, when did “La La Land” become divisive? It certainly didn’t seem so from the start. It even won the PGA on a preferential ballot. But the post PGA backlash was fierce. It continued throughout the night, even after the loss to “Moonlight.” People I follow tweeted how fun it was to see the award snatched away from “La La Land.”
I don’t know why I was shocked and appalled because this is how it has been for years. The only year I can remember a film seeming to win based on merit alone was “12 Years a Slave.” If there was a takedown of “Gravity” I don’t remember it.
Picture
"Spotlight" wins. I was wrong. Big time. I was so sure that "The Revenant" was an Oscar-y movie, simply based on my feelings that I ignored how many people disliked the film. Dislike being the key word. The Oscars use a preferential ballot and the film everyone likes wins. That can be a film everyone LOVES too. But EVERYONE has to love it. I bet you that "Mad Max: Fury Road" was a bit closer than we all thought as well. Definitely something to take note of for next year. Although it seems we already have a frontrunner with "Birth of a Nation" a film almost no one has seen. But here's the deal. Hollywood and the Academy have a short term memory. And they vote for what they want to vote for. No matter the issue at hand.
2017 - Let's look at Best Picture and Costume Design. Everyone knows "La La Land" lost to "Moonlight" but one of the biggest shocks of the night was when "Jackie" lost to "Fantastic Beasts."
Picture
It became obvious early on that “La La Land” was in trouble. It was supposed to win Sound Mixing and Editing. And when it didn’t, the writing was on the wall. The sweep is dead. (Please remind me of this next year.)
The question is, when did “La La Land” become divisive? It certainly didn’t seem so from the start. It even won the PGA on a preferential ballot. But the post PGA backlash was fierce. It continued throughout the night, even after the loss to “Moonlight.” People I follow tweeted how fun it was to see the award snatched away from “La La Land.”
I don’t know why I was shocked and appalled because this is how it has been for years. The only year I can remember a film seeming to win based on merit alone was “12 Years a Slave.” If there was a takedown of “Gravity” I don’t remember it.
Costume Design
The Academy didn’t love “Jackie.” We saw that from the nominations. Now that we know “La La Land” wasn’t the sweeper some of us expected it makes sense that it didn’t win, considering contemporary design simply doesn’t take the prize. I picked “Jackie” over “Fantastic Beasts” based on the fact that no Harry Potter film had ever won.
And finally, last year. Let's look at Picture and Documentary Feature. I was one of the lone predictors of "Three Billboards," sure I would be right, and also wrong about "Icarus," which beat "Faces Places."
Picture
For the third year in a row, I missed the Best Picture win. I will say this about choosing "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." I had an opportunity to stand up for my belief that it is a very good film. I think the film actually stands a chance now that it didn't win, compared to the onslaught of hate it would've have received today and beyond.
I said that I wouldn't go against the SAG stat (something I did two years in a row), and I didn't. The SAG stat went down. This year, the PGA was more telling than any of the other stats. "Three Billboards" was the more divisive choice, and the PGA's preferential ballot gave us a warning.
I have said for months that Best Picture was down to "Three Billboards" and "The Shape of Water," and I still believe I was right. My friend Amy and I were chatting about the fact that I was one of the first people to switch to "The Shape of Water" earlier in the race, but I switched back over to "Three Billboards" after the BAFTA. Maybe even before. Passion wins with a plurality ballot, but divisive doesn't win with the preferential one.
Documentary Feature
Back to taste...the minor blunder happened in Documentary Feature with "Icarus." I felt similarly as I did with animated short that the Academy would have to award the artistry of "Faces Places" over the timeliness of "Icarus." I was wrong.
3. Beware of Twitter and Comments
Yesterday I came very, very close to deleting both my Facebook and Twitter accounts. There is a subsect of Oscar blogger that does most of their "work" on Twitter, many of whom are also instigating backlash. They have more followers than me, and that sometimes pisses me off. I also lost my mind a bit over negative comments about Mississippians after Trump made fun of Dr. Ford in Southaven, MS. What 's really ironic, is that the same people who were so outraged were doing the same thing to all Mississippians. TWITTER IS VILE. But, for now, I am still there because of a fear that if I do not stay engaged I will lose my readers. I think I might just keep cleaning up who I follow on both Twitter and Facebook and try my best to stay off unhealthy comments sections.
4. Learn something more about film and myself
I started Awards Wiz as a means to express myself. Once Sasha Stone allowed me to write for Awards Daily, it then became about more access to films. Along with #3, Twitter has, at times, had a bad influence on the reason I write. At times.
I feel my summer series, my Best Films Rewatch, took me back to my roots. It was nice to see that my stats were almost as high last month as last February, during the height of Oscar season, but checking stats can be really bad for me.
The best thing about the experience was what I learned about myself through the process of looking at why I loved my favorite films in the past and today, told through my experiences growing up and into the writer and person I am today. I hope to carry that over into this year's Oscar race.
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