Oscars What A Joke (2 Viewers)

[Warrior]

You're just going to have to take it up with 1998 Academy and tell them how to run their industry peer awards.

Great idea; are we done now or do you want to take another shot, let me know either way.

 

[Scott]

Wayne, are you and your folks ever pulling for Mel Gibson at the Oscars? I really liked Apocalypto.

 

[wayne556517]

Wayne, are you and your folks ever pulling for Mel Gibson at the Oscars? I really liked Apocalypto.

Me no dont know about my "Folks".............

 

[Spitfrnd]

As the picture faded away and the house lights came up the first time I saw SPR, I sat in my chair and felt like I had just gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, I was spent, emotionally and physically, I was drained.

As I found the strength to get up and walk down the aisle, towards the front of the theater was a group of older gentlemen, some in wheelchairs, all wearing hats signifying they were VFW's from WWII, Korea, etc.

Not a single one of them had a dry eye, they too were overcome after what they had just seen, but for different reasons than myself.

My guess is some of them were on Omaha Beach or other such Hells on earth.

Why don't you ask any of those gentlemen which was the better movie, SPR of SIL Bill.

To me, the sign of an excellent movie is one that reaches out and grabs me, pulls me in for two hours, chews me up and spits me out.

SPR did just that to me; I can count on one hand the number of movies that had that sort of effect on me.

The Departed did that to me as well; I know you don't like Leo, so we'll leave it at that.

Best director in my eyes means he directed the best picture.

Like what you want to like, watch what you want to watch and have your own opinion of what rates as a great movie.

We agree to disagree and lets just leave it at that; comparing SPR to SIL is apples to hand grenades..................

George, this need not be an emotional discussion since there is much difference between preferences and craft. Besides, while there is no need for friends to agree on everything, it is useful for them to understand why they don't at times.

No one, certainly not me, is denying the emotional impact of SPR, or even its craft for that matter. It is a cinematic tour de force and a pretty good story to boot. I have said that I appreciate it that quite well, find it enjoyable and emmersive to watch and always quite sobering as well. Is it the best picture I have ever seen, no. Did I like or agree with the underlying premise of the story, no, I frankly found it a bit simplistic and offensive and a disservice to all our brave lads who did fight and die for the liberation of Europe and the preservation of our free civilization.

Funny that you mention asking those who fought about whether it deserved to be best picture. I thought I had mentioned before that my own father was one of those and he didn't want to watch it at all. Many of his friends were pleased with the attention but felt the same way. The realism of the first scene was just too much for many who had actually experienced something like that. Does that mean I think it was overdone, no, it is useful for those who have never fought in combat to really see as best a movie can convey, a bit of what it can be like. Do I like watching that part, again no, any more than I would have like watching close ups of the slaughter of the captured Germans in BoB. Was it too much, interesting question really and one reason why it may have not been the best choice for BP, that and the questionable moral premise, true or not, of the main theme.

It is true that some people rate best picture on the emotional reactions it provokes in them. To that extent, SPR was a corker. But in all fairness, their are other measurements. I do think it is fair to rate pictures on how their overall impact, emotion, intellectual, amusement and the desire to see them again and again. To me that makes the story perhaps more important than any other single element though direction, acting, cinematography, sound track and score and even special effects all serve their part.

For that reason, I must humbly disagree that the best picture always has the best director. There are too many examples where that is not true to mention but the reason is more important. A failure by any of the key movie roles, especially director, can kill a movie or elevate one but to me the best picture is simply better than the sum of its parts. The director is one but only one of those parts. Otherwise, we could just have one award and simply invite the director to participate with the producers in receiving one of the little men for BP. It is not that simple really.

It is axiomatic that we will like different things but we should be able to appreciate those things that we do not like. I appreciate the Departed although I will probably never watch it again. Leo grates on me, such is my taste, nothing more. Who deserved best picture (or the other oscars) is so complicated and subject to so many variables that it is rare that anything approaching a consensus is possible. No doubt many of us, you and I included, can find many years where we would agree on the big seven: picture, director, actor, actress, supporting for each and story, and many others where we don't. No academy votes are unanimous so why should ours be.

I certainly don't begrudge you your appreciation for SPR, it is well worth it. I simply don't agree that its failure to be the BP was so unwarranted. We can still be friends though.

 

[Scott]

My father was in a nursing home after a stroke so he had his senses but had a hard time communicating. My brother brought SPR in on VHS to show him but we didn't get much feedback from him. He arrived in Europe just after D-Day with the 3rd Army and was wounded by Oct. of 1944. The stroke really made his old shoulder wound weaken and he hardly used his left hand.

I remember that the show JAG used to give him a smile. Now THAT show got some Emmies!

 

[Rob]

Couldn't agree more George. Can't remember being so moved and stunned in the Cinema as I was by the opening scene of SPR (The closing scene was pretty darned good too). I remember my dad asked us to take him with us and he came out of that cinema obviously shocked. I know nothing of the politics behind the scenes at the Oscars and have zilch interest to be honest, but Shakespeare in love was an enjoyable costume romp, Saving Private Ryan was in a different league and should have won hands down. As has been said it took War films and tv series to a whole new level with its realism and graphic depiction of what was done for our freedom. Great shame it didn't win. However on the upside it has gone down as perhaps THE classic War film and I've a feeling will be remembered long after SIL is forgotten.

Any bets for next year's winners? I see Meryl Streep is being mentioned for a nomination for her role as Thatcher, man that woman still provokes debate, just last Saturday at the show I saw a guy with a t-shirt ' I still hate Thatcher' ! {eek3}

Rob

As the picture faded away and the house lights came up the first time I saw SPR, I sat in my chair and felt like I had just gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, I was spent, emotionally and physically, I was drained.

As I found the strength to get up and walk down the aisle, towards the front of the theater was a group of older gentlemen, some in wheelchairs, all wearing hats signifying they were VFW's from WWII, Korea, etc.

Not a single one of them had a dry eye, they too were overcome after what they had just seen, but for different reasons than myself.

My guess is some of them were on Omaha Beach or other such Hells on earth.

Why don't you ask any of those gentlemen which was the better movie, SPR of SIL Bill.

To me, the sign of an excellent movie is one that reaches out and grabs me, pulls me in for two hours, chews me up and spits me out.

SPR did just that to me; I can count on one hand the number of movies that had that sort of effect on me.

The Departed did that to me as well; I know you don't like Leo, so we'll leave it at that.

Best director in my eyes means he directed the best picture.

Like what you want to like, watch what you want to watch and have your own opinion of what rates as a great movie.

We agree to disagree and lets just leave it at that; comparing SPR to SIL is apples to hand grenades..................

 

[45thdiv]

Hi George,

I just want to weigh in here about the best director/best picture awards. While I agree with you that the director makes the movie, the producer is the one who got all the talent together to make the film. The best picture award goes to the Producer(s) of the film. So they are really two seperate awards.

I do agree with you that SPR should have also won best picture as well.

Matthew