Oscar Gets One More Correct
The Academy Awards have grown into something I love to watch with disdain for the results. The Academy has been off more than on in the past decade, awarding Best Picture to some of the greatest misses.*
Of course, the question remains, what exactly is a Best Picture? To a movie snob, it's a film** that lasts by lingering in the audience's memory, one that ignites thought and conversation, and belongs on a DVD shelf. More often, the Oscars have distributed the award to a picture that isn't quite as memorable. Let's take a look at the last few years.
1994
"Winner": Forrest Gump
Memorability: "Life is like a box of chocolates," "Run, Forrest, run!!" and Bubba Gump restaurants.
True Winner: Pulp Fiction or The Shawshank Redemption
Reason: Pulp Fiction is the Nirvana of modern film--everybody's gotta like it. Tarantino's hit Inspired cool-guys-with-guns movies for years, influenced independent film's styles, and made it a common practice to have non-linear storylines.
The Shawshank Redemption is easier to watch (right Mom and Dad?), and after multiple viewings, the intelligent viewer gets more out of it each time. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as a team can beat a retard any day.
1995
"Winner": Braveheart
Memorability: The castration scene, blood splattering the camera, mooning with quilts, "...they can never take our freedom!"
True Winner: The Usual Suspects
Reason: Braveheart was going to win among the dismal nominees that year. Although James Cromwell's "That'll do, pig. That'll do" is a winner, The Usual Suspects is watched almost as much as Pulp Fiction. Kevin Spacey's performance, the script, the twist, and the discovery of clues during subsequent viewings give it lasting potential.
1996
"Winner": The English Patient
Memorability: Does anyone really remember this? Plane crash and introducing Ralph Fiennes as a hottie (in flashback) to Anglo-philes.
True Winner: Fargo
Reason: It's a Coen Brothers' movie! Fargo is equipped with excellent dialogue, memorable, interesting characters, a great mixture of humour and drama. It really introduced us to William H. Macy and Frances McDormand, and white has never looked so beautiful. The extra treat is Steve Buscemi gets it even worse than in previous Coen Brothers' movies.
1997
"Winner": Titanic
Memorability: Boat sinks. Leo dies. Attempts at acting abound.
True Winner: L.A. Confidential
Reason: With an excellent script from an intriguing book, L.A. Confidential has duality everywhere. The good guys have their own shadiness, and seeing the 3 characters struggle with their inner-demons allows for rich performances by each actor (Spacey, Pearce, and Crowe were all snubbed). The scene when the villain reveals his identity triggered copycat scenes in movies everywhere, most recently The Bourne Supremacy.
1998
"Winner": Shakespeare in Love
Memorability: Something about Romeo and Juliet. Gave English teachers everywhere a better option than Luhrmann's R+J. Judi Dench wins Oscar for two minutes of screentime.*** Introduced Joseph Fiennes to Anglo-philes.
True Winner: The Thin Red Line
Reason: Saving Private Ryan overshadowed Terrence Malick's WWII film, The Thin Red Line. But Malick's film said more about war (which I've volunteered to never be a part of) than Spielberg's. By the way, Private Ryan has a major screenplay flaw within its bookends.**** In Malick's film, it was revealing to hear similarities and differences between the characters' narrations. It was also great to see stars limited to smaller roles, allowing lesser-knowns to be spotlit more. Also, the film let us know that Jim Caviezel had the compassionate eyes to play Jesus...though in Passion they were closed most of the time, due to the flogging.
1999
Winner: American Beauty
Memorability: Mena Suvari covered in rose petals. "I rule!" The plot twist. The score (giving Thomas Newman more work around Hollywood). The color red. The misunderstood joint-rolling scene. And of course, the video of the plastic bag, swirling about, caught in a wind.
True Winner: Sorry Ryan, it's still American Beauty, though Magnolia was good. Oscar got this one right.
Reason: Everyone, including Suvari, played their part superbly. The script was entertaining, spots of humour scattered throughout the drama. The dialogue was concise, revealing characters fears, secrets, desires. Demonstrated that dramas could have a comedic side, thus, making a giant step in a new genre that is now more commonly called the dramedy.
Oscar score so far: 1 out of 5. Not very good.
2000-2004: The Sequel!--to be seen in next blog
*thank you Devo album title
**there are 3 types (films, movies, flicks [more to be explained in another blog])
***multiplied by four, actually
****the debate between these 2 films is another future blog
Of course, the question remains, what exactly is a Best Picture? To a movie snob, it's a film** that lasts by lingering in the audience's memory, one that ignites thought and conversation, and belongs on a DVD shelf. More often, the Oscars have distributed the award to a picture that isn't quite as memorable. Let's take a look at the last few years.
1994
"Winner": Forrest Gump
Memorability: "Life is like a box of chocolates," "Run, Forrest, run!!" and Bubba Gump restaurants.
True Winner: Pulp Fiction or The Shawshank Redemption
Reason: Pulp Fiction is the Nirvana of modern film--everybody's gotta like it. Tarantino's hit Inspired cool-guys-with-guns movies for years, influenced independent film's styles, and made it a common practice to have non-linear storylines.
The Shawshank Redemption is easier to watch (right Mom and Dad?), and after multiple viewings, the intelligent viewer gets more out of it each time. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as a team can beat a retard any day.
1995
"Winner": Braveheart
Memorability: The castration scene, blood splattering the camera, mooning with quilts, "...they can never take our freedom!"
True Winner: The Usual Suspects
Reason: Braveheart was going to win among the dismal nominees that year. Although James Cromwell's "That'll do, pig. That'll do" is a winner, The Usual Suspects is watched almost as much as Pulp Fiction. Kevin Spacey's performance, the script, the twist, and the discovery of clues during subsequent viewings give it lasting potential.
1996
"Winner": The English Patient
Memorability: Does anyone really remember this? Plane crash and introducing Ralph Fiennes as a hottie (in flashback) to Anglo-philes.
True Winner: Fargo
Reason: It's a Coen Brothers' movie! Fargo is equipped with excellent dialogue, memorable, interesting characters, a great mixture of humour and drama. It really introduced us to William H. Macy and Frances McDormand, and white has never looked so beautiful. The extra treat is Steve Buscemi gets it even worse than in previous Coen Brothers' movies.
1997
"Winner": Titanic
Memorability: Boat sinks. Leo dies. Attempts at acting abound.
True Winner: L.A. Confidential
Reason: With an excellent script from an intriguing book, L.A. Confidential has duality everywhere. The good guys have their own shadiness, and seeing the 3 characters struggle with their inner-demons allows for rich performances by each actor (Spacey, Pearce, and Crowe were all snubbed). The scene when the villain reveals his identity triggered copycat scenes in movies everywhere, most recently The Bourne Supremacy.
1998
"Winner": Shakespeare in Love
Memorability: Something about Romeo and Juliet. Gave English teachers everywhere a better option than Luhrmann's R+J. Judi Dench wins Oscar for two minutes of screentime.*** Introduced Joseph Fiennes to Anglo-philes.
True Winner: The Thin Red Line
Reason: Saving Private Ryan overshadowed Terrence Malick's WWII film, The Thin Red Line. But Malick's film said more about war (which I've volunteered to never be a part of) than Spielberg's. By the way, Private Ryan has a major screenplay flaw within its bookends.**** In Malick's film, it was revealing to hear similarities and differences between the characters' narrations. It was also great to see stars limited to smaller roles, allowing lesser-knowns to be spotlit more. Also, the film let us know that Jim Caviezel had the compassionate eyes to play Jesus...though in Passion they were closed most of the time, due to the flogging.
1999
Winner: American Beauty
Memorability: Mena Suvari covered in rose petals. "I rule!" The plot twist. The score (giving Thomas Newman more work around Hollywood). The color red. The misunderstood joint-rolling scene. And of course, the video of the plastic bag, swirling about, caught in a wind.
True Winner: Sorry Ryan, it's still American Beauty, though Magnolia was good. Oscar got this one right.
Reason: Everyone, including Suvari, played their part superbly. The script was entertaining, spots of humour scattered throughout the drama. The dialogue was concise, revealing characters fears, secrets, desires. Demonstrated that dramas could have a comedic side, thus, making a giant step in a new genre that is now more commonly called the dramedy.
Oscar score so far: 1 out of 5. Not very good.
2000-2004: The Sequel!--to be seen in next blog
*thank you Devo album title
**there are 3 types (films, movies, flicks [more to be explained in another blog])
***multiplied by four, actually
****the debate between these 2 films is another future blog
posted by matty at 3:51 PM
4 Comments:
Let me preface this with the fact that I have never seen The Thin Red Line. However, I was really not happy when Shakespeare in Love won for Best Picture. Among other faults, it just wasn't that good.
I become more and more disillusioned with the Oscars as time goes on. Their track record is horrid.
Brilliant? Suck up...certainly informed analysis, and I definitely agree with you in most of your examples, but...
Maybe it's a woman's perspective (don't dare use the term 'chick flick') but I think that a Best Picture has to be more than innovative and stylish. "The Usual Suspects" was certainly both of those things, but still a very cold movie. What was the point? Who cared? Is the point to feel smarter than everyone else because you get it? Sorry, but that does not get my vote. Admittedly, Oscar too often goes too far the other way in choosing movies that are beyond schmaltzy, but there does have to be that human element (look at your defense of 'In the Bedroom')to make a Best Picture.
-The Counselor
counselor...
first off, are you allowed to even be reading my blog, let alone post on it? did you get permission? ;)
second, The Usual Suspects was by far the more memorable film from that year. It added life to the crime thriller drama. It's a film that has yet to be duplicated, though Memento is the best written thriller since. Emotionally it comes off cold, as you say, yet so does previous winner Pulp Fiction. Both aren't terribly strong in human element, but both are stylistically superb and both had an influence on story in film. Both challenged common film narratives, thus making it a lasting picture.
soybrain...bend over for this...
i do think Magnolia's good. always have. the acting is excellent (Tom Cruise included), stories intriguing, the falling frogs brilliant. it's a completely interesting and engaging 3 hour motion picture.
MUAH.
cool the counselor's back. thought that was over....who know's, maybe we will get a few blog's about it.. but back to the topic, think matty's dead on with most of his review's. good job.
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