My thoughts on the Oscars !!

[George Bellefontaine]

I know you like Westerns, George and I think you're going to love the "True Grit" remake. It was excellent.

Yes, I plan on purchasing it. It will be interesting to have both the remake and the original in my collection. I wasn't keen on them doing a remake on this but after what I read ( how the Cohen brothers pretty much follow the Portis novel, almost word for word ) I found myself highly intrigued and eager to do a comparison between the original and the remake.

[Gump]

I definitely agree with that, Paul.

I haven't seen any of the big winners. In fact the only one I did see was The Kids Are All Right and both Anette Benning and Mark Ruffalo lost out in their nominations. Too bad, because I really felt Anette was overdue.

I know you like Westerns, George and I think you're going to love the "True Grit" remake. It was excellent. I saw "The King's Speech" too and it was a good movie, but I thought True Grit was better.

The 1969 version was up against Midnight Cowboy and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid...competition was a little stiffer.

[madmac]

I have 1 name for next years awards........CRAIG FERGUSON !!. He would bring the house down !!. He could even bring his skeleton sidekick if he wants !!

[P-Dub]

Hosting is a tough job, but I don't think this dual host is the best option. I would rather see just one person there to just present the films and actors and others that are nominated. I feel the night is for them and not for the host to shine. In fact, I'd rather a host just get down to business and get on with the awards. But that's just me.

[Bob]

You are right, Madmac. Comedians make the best hosts. It would be better for the veiwers if the hosts were always people that had stand up comedy backgrounds. We've had Bob Hope, Billy Crystal, Woopie Goldberg, Robin Williams, Chris Rock, all do a good job. Personally, I'd vote for Larry the Cableguy anytime over someone like Alex Baldwin or just about any other dramatic actor I can think of.

[Chris D]

I think all the hoopla about the Oscars and Academy Awards is FAR too overdone. I think there should be just a few categories each year--Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, Best Director, and then a separate smaller awards ceremony with multiple technical awards like Best Special Effects, Best Photography, Best Sets, Best Costumes. But not all this other crap and fluff, ESPECIALLY the red carpet BS that happens. Totally unimportant.

As for this year, as we've discussed in other threads, I thought 2010 was rather poor overall for films. Having seen both Social Network and King's Speech (and many other 2010 films) I'm okay with King's Speech winning for that particular year. Is it Best Film-level quality in a typical year? personally, I don't think so, but I too often diverge from award selections.

[madmac]

I too liked "The American". And Bob....your right on the "You try it" comment. It must NOT be easy. I just think that the Oscar people have to try and get hosts that can entertain the audience. Comedians can do that and have done that best in the past ( ie..Bob Hope). Billy Crystal walked out on the stage last night like he owned the place. That's the kind of confidence they need as a host to the Oscars. It's too big a night for mediocrity!.

[George Bellefontaine]

My favourite film of the past year, though, wasn't nominated--The American. So I'm obviously not "in tune" with the Oscar voters.

I definitely agree with that, Paul.

I haven't seen any of the big winners. In fact the only one I did see was The Kids Are All Right and both Anette Benning and Mark Ruffalo lost out in their nominations. Too bad, because I really felt Anette was overdue.

[Ovation]

Didn't watch the Oscars (nor have I seen all the nominated films) but I have to disagree about The Social Network. I found it both well-written and well-directed (as I have found all of the David Fincher films I've seen), as well as well acted. But, different strokes…

However, I would have voted for True Grit (among those I did see, at any rate). My favourite film of the past year, though, wasn't nominated--The American. So I'm obviously not "in tune" with the Oscar voters.

[Bob]

I try to see every nominated film at the theaters each year. If I happen to miss some then I watch the DVD's I get from the Oscars.
I had two big problems with the Oscars this year. First of all, for me, 2010 was the worst year for quality films in recent memory. Of those nominated, I personally only liked "The Kings Speech", "The Fighter", and "True Grit". The second problem was upping the number of films nominated for Best Picture to 10. If they keep it up the Oscars will end up like the Golden Globes. There will be so many catagories and nominations that it will have as much meaning as the soccor trophies handed out to every team and every child that bothered to show up to a game.

On a side note, through DVD's you can discover little independent gems that should have been nominated, but were ignored. "Get Low" and "A Man A Woman and a Noodle Shop" are two examples of films that though produced in 2009, I don't beleive that they were released in the U.S. until 2010, and were far superior to "The Social Network". I thought that "The Social Network" was a very poorly written and directed movie.

Hosting the Oscars is a very difficult job. There isn't much prep, it is overly scrutinized, and even the people that are good at it don't want the job. I think just a simple statement that either you liked the host or didn't care for the host is enough considering how unimportant it is the overall picture of world affairs. But, every Monday morning everyone becomes a critic and the jabs are cruel and over the top as if the host personally caused all hunger, poverty, and sickness in the world.

To the critics, I say, you try it.

[madmac]

:T

By and large, justice was served at the Oscars. My biggest concern was all the attention and nominations the "Social Network" got. Not that it's a bad film by any means but, it was simply 'ok' as far as films go. I mean, I liked it but best picture??. I think not!!. Other than that, it generally went fine. The hosts were marginal and actually quite amateur. James Franco?? What were they thinking!!??. A mannequin would have been marginally worse!. I have not seen "The king's speech" or "Black Swan" yet because I'm mainly a dvd guy so I cannot comment on the film.

So sound off on your thoughts about the Oscars !!