Oscars 2011 Winners

[Dr Handsome]

I only just realized this weeks episode would be the annual Battleship Pretension: Oscar Extravaganza and that making this thread would eliminate the need for a dedicated episode thread. I guess it'd be best just to use this as the thread for episode 206. Let's get to it, here's a complete list of winners:

Best Picture - King Speech
Directing - Kings Speech
Actor - Colin Firth
Actress - Natalie Portman
Supporting Actor - Christian Bale
Supporting Actress - Melissa Leo
Adapted Screenplay - Social Network
Original Screenplay - The Kings Speech
Foreign - In a Better World
Animated - Toy Story 3
Cinematography - Inception
Editing - The Social Network
Documentary - Inside Job
Documentary Short Subject - Strangers No More
Score - The Social Network
Song - Toy Story 3
Effects - Inception
Art Direction - Alice in Wonderland
Costume Design - Alice in Wonderland
Makeup - The Wolfman
Short Animated - The Lost Thing
Short Live Action - God of Love
Sound Editing - Inception
Sound Mixing - Inception

First let me get something off my chest: I wish the Academy Awards were a better ceremony, sure, and that it recognized a much larger slice of cinema than it already does-- but if nothing else it highlights some of the best films of the year and, say what you will about the actual broadcast, still represents a standard of quality in film. I’m not beyond complaining but it’s worth noting both it’s constant influence on the medium and on the public perception of cinema.

Now let’s start complaining already...

I can’t say I was surprised by the selection but I personally don’t think The Kings Speech deserved picture or director. It’s a fine film but not I wouldn’t call it the best.

Anne Hathaway and James Franco were enjoyable enough but I’m hoping to see an actual comedian host next year’s ceremony. James Franco has some unusually funny line readings though.

I’m still bitter about Scott Pilgrim and seeing that brief clip of Jackie Weaver made the near lack of Animal Kingdom hurt all the more.

Seriously, a chance to stand on stage is more than they usually give the honorary award recipients.

[Insert Joke About [Insert Celebrity Here] Being Banksy Here]

[siege121]

I think I went into The King's Speech with a "prove it" attitude and in many ways it won me over but not enough for it to deserve best picture or best director. Can anyone tell me what exactly was the film about? Where is the ambition, the danger, the edge that sets it apart from every other similar movie? I can't see it. It is a perfectly fine film but that's all it is: fine.

That said, I really don't care that much as I think the Oscars are merely a way to bookmark films of note for future generations and the actual winners don't really matter.

[Dr Handsome]

I've always seen the nominees and wins as just another end-of-the-year best-of list. I'm not saying it's wrong to have strong opinions about 'em but in the end it's another arbitrary list which, despite all our quibbles, highlights some of the best films of the year.

[deadpool]

I always see the oscars as a way to sell DVD's in a way. If you put best picture over the top then more people would see it. I don't think that is the main purpose of the oscars but it is a usefull way to use them. In terms of the kings speech winning I'm dissapointed but not suprised based on what the acadamy useally chooses. I don't useally care about the oscars because they don't repersent the types of film I watch but I defnitetly respect and sometimes enjoy the oscars. In terms of the hosts I feel that Franco was off that night. I don't think he cares for the oscars that much and that showed in his preformance. I know he is a funny comedien and a great addliber. Anne Hathaway was really good and tried to compensate for Franco. I hope this preformance does not make them give up on young hosts.

As for future oscars I would like to see a new catagory for studio of the year. What studio had the overall best year in quality. Also in terms for next years hosts I would like to see someone naturally funny like Will Ferell, Seth Rogen or heck even Kevin Smith if they could keep up with the bleeps.

[vulpix]

Feb 28, 2011 13:41:13 GMT -5 Dr Handsome said:

I can’t say I was surprised by the selection but I personally don’t think The Kings Speech deserved picture or director. It’s a fine film but not I wouldn’t call it the best.

Mar 2, 2011 14:26:24 GMT -5 siege121 said:

I think I went into The King's Speech with a "prove it" attitude and in many ways it won me over but not enough for it to deserve best picture or best director. Can anyone tell me what exactly was the film about? Where is the ambition, the danger, the edge that sets it apart from every other similar movie? I can't see it. It is a perfectly fine film but that's all it is: fine.

I sometimes feel like I may be the only person on the Internet who didn't mind Tom Hooper winning best director and The King's Speech for best picture. I'll concede that other films offered greater technical challenges for the directors involved; however, I think there's something to be said for telling a relatively simple story like that of The King's Speech incredibly well. What could have been a dry, forgettable period piece was told with such levity and charm--something attributable at least in part to direction--that it became something much more.

It may be a conventional film on the surface, but every aspect of the story is told so well that the humanity and emotion involved becomes transcendent. For that reason, I thought it was well deserving of its Oscar wins.

[Dr Handsome]

You know-- I'm not going to say it wasn't well deserved. I may not have agreed with the results but the amount of negative commentary I've given off (on here, among friends) makes it sound like I thought it was an outright terrible film. Certainly not the case.

I think what I've really got a problem with is the predictability of the results. It just seems that if The Social Network were the "simple story told well" it wouldn't have even been on the academy's radar-- instead they're recognizing the same period-costume-drama they've always recognize.

But like I said: I can usually take these Oscar results with a grain of salt.