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Posted: **Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:20 pm**

Oh, and could Sherry Lansing look anymore like a skeleton?

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:21 am**

I thought Iwo Jima was the best of the nominess for best picture, but The Departed was second best and Scorsese probably needed it more. Nothing disappointing there. It looked like he got pissed at not being allowed on the stage when it won best picture, though. The producer accepts for that? Lame.

Half Nelson looks stupid.

I'm so glad Little Miss Sunshine didn't win any more than it did. Screenplay is bad enough, since both Pan's Labyrinth and Letters From Iwo Jima had far better screenplays; I haven't seen The Queen, but I would be surprised if its script wasn't better too. I was glad to see Pan's Labyrinth do pretty well, although Children of Men might've deserved cinematography. Pan was an obvious pick for both of the other categories it was nominated in, though.

Also, was Forest Whitaker really good in Last King of Scotland? I haven't seen that one either, but the clips make it look like yet another nomination solely based on the actor's ability to scream. There were some pretty excellent performances in Iwo Jima, but none were nominated.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:11 am**

obloquy wrote:Half Nelson looks stupid.

Jesus Christ. You don't have to post everything your brain farts out, you know.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:17 am**

Matt wrote:
obloquy wrote:Half Nelson looks stupid.

Bresson is difficult as a motherfucker
Jesus Christ.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:13 am**

Matt wrote:
obloquy wrote:Half Nelson looks stupid.
Jesus Christ. You don't have to post everything your brain farts out, you know.

I think you meant "does not!!!" Instead of spelling out why your reaction to my harmless (useless? sure.) comment is ridiculous, I'll just leave it at DOES TOO!!

I think you might find a lot more people than you think disagreeing with you, kinjitsu, if you make the claim that Bresson is not difficult. It was a clever attempt to spark a clusterfuck, though. Maybe you'll get your wish.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:18 am**

flyonthewall2983 wrote:
MichaelB wrote:It probably helped that it was the year that Fellini won an honorary Oscar and Clint Eastwood won multiple times for Unforgiven. The headline was "Clint dedica il suo trionfo a Sergio Leone", which roughly translates as "well done Clint, but you know as well as we do that if it hadn't been for that great Roman Sergio Leone you'd still be playing TV cowboys".
I think for Clint, and I can't speak for him of course, but it seems like in any TV biography of him or otherwise, he tends to hold Don Siegel in higher regard as a director that influenced him directly than Sergio and rightly so. Sergio made him a star, but Don made his image diverse, and because of Dirty Harry, a bigger star.

Well, doesn't he speak for himself at the end of Unforgiven when he writes "For Sergio and Don"?

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:20 am**

obloquy wrote:Half Nelson looks stupid.

Also, was Forest Whitaker really good in Last King of Scotland? I haven't seen that one either, but the clips make it look like yet another nomination solely based on the actor's ability to scream. There were some pretty excellent performances in Iwo Jima, but none were nominated.

I think people are getting upset at you because you are basically dismissing two films YOU HAVEN'T SEEN.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:39 am**

obloquy wrote:I thought Iwo Jima was the best of the nominess for best picture, but The Departed was second best and Scorsese probably needed it more. Nothing disappointing there. It looked like he got pissed at not being allowed on the stage when it won best picture, though. The producer accepts for that? Lame.

How was Letters from Iwo Jima the best if you haven't seen all the nominated pictures? I haven't seen Babel yet, but I assure you The Departed didn't win because it 'needed' it. Of all those nominated for Best Picture, it was by far the most successful film of the year at the box office.

He wasn't pissed about not being allowed on stage, unless you mean the fact that they narrowed down the list of eligible producers to just one, excluding him, but I doubt that's what was on his mind. If anything, his only visible reaction was to what Graham King said about him directing Nicholson and how it was 'another story'. That got some kind of reaction or look from Marty, but that was it.

If anything, he was astounded that they called out his picture for the last Oscar, and he just wanted to be there to witness the proceedings, instead of backstage joshing with his billionaire buddies. That could wait. Personally, I wish he had won two that night, but I don't know the reasoning used in taking him off the eligibility list. BTW, I saw Iwo Jima, and its reception is totally overblown. Yes, it's infinitely better than Flags, but what isn't?

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:44 am**

Little Miss Sunshine.

EDIT: Ok, I'll lay all my cards on the table. Little Miss Sunshine AND Jennifer Hudson.

-Toilet Dcuk

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:00 am**

obloquy wrote:
Matt wrote:
obloquy wrote:Half Nelson looks stupid.
Jesus Christ. You don't have to post everything your brain farts out, you know.
I think you meant "does not!!!" Instead of spelling out why your reaction to my harmless (useless? sure.) comment is ridiculous, I'll just leave it at DOES TOO!!

Useless? Harmless? Who cares? It's against the rules, so you don't have a solid leg to stand and complain on:

the obviously unread rules wrote:Don't troll. Don't post provocative statements just to get a response. If you need attention that badly, walk down the middle of a busy street. You'll get lots of attention. Also, if you don't like a film (or whatever the topic under discussion is), no one really needs you to comment on that fact and disappear. If you must post your disapproval in a thread, at least back it up with some reasoning.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:12 am**

To get back on topic: I think Scorsese directed the hell out of The Departed. It was slick, wonderful stuff, perfectly coordinated, structured, and executed--but most importantly, it was exciting, like seeing someone take pure pleasure in the practise of their talent.

I know many people will complain that he should have won for this or that film, and indeed he should have on a couple of occasions. But this cannot discount his win for The Departed because the awards are not, or should not, be given for past achievements. They are given for the current achievement as judged against other current achievements. And though it may not be his best movie, even by far, it still can be the best of this current year, and that in itself is enough to make it worth that statue.

I haven't seen all the nominated Best Pictures, but I am glad Scorsese won the award, not because he deserved it in the past, but because he deserved it for the startling work he put into The Departed. He deserved it because someone deserves a reward for orchestrating such a joyous example of artistic prowess. And on top of it being genuinely surprising, I am pretty amused to see people calling the movie drearily conventional considering most of its main cast (spoilers) are suddenly and summarily murdered, and in which the concept of heroism and its rewards is sorely tested.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:19 am**

Mr_sausage wrote:To get back on topic: I think Scorsese directed the hell out of The Departed.

Me too, but in the pejorative sense

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:24 am**

domino harvey wrote:
Mr_sausage wrote:To get back on topic: I think Scorsese directed the hell out of The Departed.
Me too, but in the pejorative sense

I don't think that phrase can be used in a pejorative sense (at least not without some obvious modifier).

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:49 am**

I didn't dismiss any film that I haven't seen. I said Half Nelson looks stupid. Commenting on clips and trailers is common practice around here so what's the big deal? Are we only allowed to spout praise?

He wasn't pissed about not being allowed on stage, unless you mean the fact that they narrowed down the list of eligible producers to just one, excluding him, but I doubt that's what was on his mind. If anything, his only visible reaction was to what Graham King said about him directing Nicholson and how it was 'another story'. That got some kind of reaction or look from Marty, but that was it.

There was a really brief shot of him right after the announcement and he looked upset. It was pretty quick so I may have misread his face. That's all I was referring to.

Of all those nominated for Best Picture, it was by far the most successful film of the year at the box office.

I guess I don't really know how the Oscars work. Is box office success one of the factors for nomination or selecting the winner?

How was Letters from Iwo Jima the best if you haven't seen all the nominated pictures?

Obviously it was the best of those that I've seen. I was pretty open about not having seen them all so I didn't think I would need to qualify my opinion with redundant information.

I haven't seen Babel yet, but I assure you The Departed didn't win because it 'needed' it.

I didn't mean to imply that that is why it won; I meant that I felt Scorsese needed to win and didn't feel any bitterness about that decision, despite preferring Iwo Jima somewhat. I did love The Departed.

I think people are getting upset at you because you are basically dismissing two films YOU HAVEN'T SEEN.

Is the second film I am supposed to have dismissed The Last King of Scotland? I don't think my evaluation of the clips of Forest Whitaker count as a dismissal of the film. I was questioning whether he really deserved the acting award, quite without sarcasm. Are these clips not actually representative of his performance? If they are, then they look like a million other nominees I have seen in the past that were nominated for what amounts to not much more than screaming and bawling. If not, I stand corrected.

I hate to break it to you guys, but opinions are all over this forum. Somebody's falling down on their elitist (Bresson bullshit), snide duty to mock those posters.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:57 am**

"Best Original Screenplay" is usually one of the only awards with integrity. But Little Miss Sunshine is an undeserving win, in my opinion at least.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:37 am**

King of Kong wrote:"Best Original Screenplay" is usually one of the only awards with integrity. But Little Miss Sunshine is an undeserving win, in my opinion at least.

Didn't Crash win it last year? Not exactly full of integrity there.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:55 am**

yes, but, Eternal Sunshine the year before, Lost in Translation the year before that, and Talk to Her the year before that.

The history of the category reads as a much better selection of great films as opposed to best picture's history, IMO.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:10 am**

Mr_sausage wrote:
domino harvey wrote:
Mr_sausage wrote:To get back on topic: I think Scorsese directed the hell out of The Departed.
Me too, but in the pejorative sense
I don't think that phrase can be used in a pejorative sense (at least not without some obvious modifier).

Well, I think Anderson directed the hell out of Magnolia, and you better believe I mean that in the most pejorative possible sense

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:11 am**

flyonthewall2983 wrote:I think for Clint, and I can't speak for him of course, but it seems like in any TV biography of him or otherwise, he tends to hold Don Siegel in higher regard as a director that influenced him directly than Sergio and rightly so. Sergio made him a star, but Don made his image diverse, and because of Dirty Harry, a bigger star.

We're not talking about facts, we're talking about headlines aimed at Romans!

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:33 pm**

SncDthMnky wrote:yes, but, Eternal Sunshine the year before, Lost in Translation the year before that, and Talk to Her the year before that.

The history of the category reads as a much better selection of great films as opposed to best picture's history, IMO.

Having a slightly better track record than the best picture award doesn't save it from being a farce in its own right.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:18 pm**

SncDthMnky wrote:The history of the category reads as a much better selection of great films as opposed to best picture's history, IMO.

Then that settles the Woody Allen debate.

1977 Annie Hall - Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
1978 Interiors - Woody Allen
1979 Manhattan - Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
1984 Broadway Danny Rose - Woody Allen
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo - Woody Allen
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters - Woody Allen
1987 Radio Days - Woody Allen
1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors - Woody Allen
1990 Alice - Woody Allen
1992 Husbands and Wives - Woody Allen
1994 Bullets Over Broadway - Woody Allen, Douglas McGrath
1995 Mighty Aphrodite - Woody Allen
1997 Deconstructing Harry - Woody Allen
2005 Match Point - Woody Allen

Those are his 12 Oscar nominations, not counting the two he won for Annie hall and Hannah and Her Sisters. And only three times did he have a co-author.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:50 pm**

The directing in The Departed was interesting but not spectacular. And I must say that I do not think the Academy gave him the award for this film, it was for his body of work. He has made far better films which have not been commercial. It is only when he becomes a commercial director that he is a winner.

Granted, we are all putting too much stake in these awards considering the Oscars were established in order to prevent unionization in Hollywood. When talking Oscar one must always keep the commercial in mind because each of the 5 nominees had generated well over 100 million dollars in earnings.

Furthermore I would like to argue for the removal of the word independent film, or art film from any discussion of the Oscars. In today's climate with the boutique divisions there really is nothing that classifies as an Indep. film. I mean Little Miss Sunshine was written by an industry insider and geared to win Sundance. Unfortunately for all, American film lacks any vision or voice.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:17 pm**

filmnoir1 wrote: I mean Little Miss Sunshine was written by an industry insider

Being Matthew Broderick's assistant makes one an "insider"?! And all it took was five years to get the financing in place for the movie to be made. Good thing Ardnt was lucky enough to get a no-name husband and wife directing team behind the camera.

Damn, Broderick's phone must be ringing off the hook! Because there is nothing Hollywood likes more than screenwriters. Especially screenwriters with such compelling connections to megawatt stars

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:57 pm**

Dayton and Faris are pretty well known in the music video scene, they took their time getting around to making a movie

Posted: **Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:17 am**

domino harvey wrote:Dayton and Faris are pretty well known in the music video scene, they took their time getting around to making a movie

Is there a list of their videography somewhere? I'm pretty sure that they did some videos for The Smashing Pumpkins and some other '90's alt-rock acts.

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