The Green Book

[+ stevenkesslar]

Your and @Kenny ’s replies don’t make his face-making-try-and-walk-out-off-show any less disrespectful to his fellow artists.

 

I don't disagree with you. The polite and gracious thing to do would have been to sit there. Arguably, even to sit there and APPLAUD.

 

That being said, why am I not surprised that Spike Lee isn't going to define himself as the polite Black guy in the room?

 

There's something to be said about even that, on a symbolic level.

 

When Hattie McDaniel became the first Black to win an acting award, she could not sit at the table with the other stars. They had to pull in favors even to let her sit in the back of the award room - even in LA. Her famous line when she was attacked for her role as the subservient Black is that she'd rather make a living playing a maid than being a maid. And behind the camera she did some groundbreaking work tearing down racially restrictive covenants on where Blacks could live in LA.

 

So on a symbolic level, there is something fitting about Spike Lee being a little shit and storming to the back of the room and apparently trying to leave the auditorium, and then going back to his seat and bitching with the first Black to win an Oscar for screenwriting for a film titled - wait for it - Get Out.

 

How ironic is that?

Edited February 25, 2019 by stevenkesslar

[Kenny]

One big disappointment, regarding the relentlessly mediocre "Bohemian Rhapsody:" The name of fired director (and gay sex-predator) Bryan Singer was studiously avoided as the (relentlessly mediocre) movie took home four Oscars. Opportunity lost.

 

Would that someone, preferably star Rami Malek, had pointed out that Freddie Mercury offered an inspiring life-story about how to discover gay pride, while Bryan Singer offers a shameful story about becoming a predator. It would have done a world of good, especially for the perverted beliefs promoted by the Mike Pences of the world.

[+ stevenkesslar]

https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...worst-best-picture-winner-20190224-story.html

 

I think these paragraphs from the LA Times article relates pretty well to judging Spike Lee's performance:

 

It’s strangely troubling that Ali — who won his first supporting actor Oscar for 2016’s “Moonlight,” an achingly beautiful portrait of gay black masculinity — has now won another award for playing a gay black man in a movie that has so little respect for his identity. There’s an even ghastlier irony in the fact that the academy that broke new ground by giving its highest honor to “Moonlight” two years ago has now seen fit to bestow the same prize on a movie that is “Moonlight’s” complete aesthetic, emotional and moral antithesis.

 

Vulture’s Mark Harris aptly described “Green Book” as “a but also movie, a both sides movie” that draws a false equivalency between Vallelonga’s vulgar bigotry and Shirley’s emotional aloofness, forcing both characters — not just the racist white dude — to learn something about themselves and each other.

 

It’s a tactic, Harris noted, whose echoes can even be found in a terrific older movie (and best picture winner) like “In the Heat of the Night,” and it exists mainly to reassure any audience that might be uncomfortable with a black man gaining the moral high ground.

 

You can argue that Ali was as much a lead actor as Mortensen, and that it's an insult that one was nominated for a supporting role, and the other for a lead role. That being said, Ali won. And now he's one of only two Black actors to win two Oscars, I believe. And if there's a statement to be made by his two wins, it's that he's a very good actor and he can portray very different characters in emotionally searing performances.

 

And Ali's two award-winning performances are not the antithesis of each other. Dr. Shirley was a fighter, and the movie showed him fighting. The movie was actually ABOUT him fighting racism, albeit in a subversive way. It was not inappropriate to have Rep. Lewis basically bless the film. But it is fair to say the way that Green Book and Moonlight were made was pretty much the antithesis of each other.

 

I agree with the LA critic that there was a false moral equivalence in Green Book. The movie was set up to be a feel good movie for White people - which is probably why somebody like Farrelly (There's Something About Mary) was chosen to direct it. In fact, it should be mentioned that Spike Lee was nominated as Best Director, and Peter Farrelly wasn't. There's some justice in that.

 

It doesn't surprise me at all that Spike Lee would, in effect, publicly and loudly call bullshit on what he sees as a false moral equivalence. His one word answer to a question in the press conference covered it: "Facts."

 

From the LA critic:

 

Still others will be tempted to identify a stubborn strain of Trumpian anti-intellectualism among “Green Book” lovers who dug in their heels in defense of a much-maligned favorite.

 

They may have a point. I remain optimistic that, as with “Crash’s” ill-remembered victory, the coronation of “Green Book” will turn out to be not a re-entrenchment but a calamitous fluke — the academy’s last concession (for now) to that portion of the white moviegoing audience that still believes stories of justice and progress will always have to be negotiated on their terms. As Shirley tells Vallelonga early on in “Green Book”: “You can do better.” His rebuke might just as well extend to the movie he’s in and to a voting body foolish enough to honor it.

 

To dredge up my rear view mirror analogy, I think that last paragraph is spot on. Whether you call it a "fluke" or a "last gasp" of a certain kind of sentiment, Green Book will probably be remembered as an entertaining and palatable symbol of what we were leaving behind. Not what lies ahead.

Edited February 25, 2019 by stevenkesslar

[+ stevenkesslar]

One big disappointment, regarding the relentlessly mediocre "Bohemian Rhapsody:" The name of fired director (and gay sex-predator) Bryan Singer was studiously avoided as the (relentlessly mediocre) movie took home four Oscars. Opportunity lost.

 

Would that someone, preferably star Rami Malek, had pointed out that Freddie Mercury offered an inspiring life-story about how to discover gay pride, while Bryan Singer offers a shameful story about becoming a predator. It would have done a world of good, especially for the perverted beliefs promoted by the Mike Pences of the world.

 

Thank you for mentioning that.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody also deserves mention in the "Why Am I Not Surprised?" or "Really? But What The Fuck Did You Expect?" award category.

 

There's no shortage of critical hit pieces on Bohemian Rhapsody saying it dishonors Gays by downplaying Mercury's in-your-face homosexuality and misrepresenting when he was diagnosed. I actually didn't even see the movie, which I now regret, so I can't make a judgment about it.

 

I did see Dallas Buyers Club, and I thought that was sad. I always liked Matthew McConaughey before that, mostly as ripped eye candy in rom-coms. The movie soured me on him, because it seemed like it misrepresented the AIDS crisis in order to be Oscar bait for him. What particularly bothered me is the way the movie made the FDA and government the enemy, and as far as I can tell lied about the swindler McConaughey portrayed, to make him a hero and earn him an Oscar.

 

At the end of Dallas Buyers Club, before the credits rolled, there was a disclaimer about AZT. It hit the nail on the head about the movie's factual distortions. So after I saw it I came home and read a bunch of articles about it. And I think it's fair to say the movie just rewrote history. To my knowledge, no LGBTQ organizations went after it for massive distortion. In fact, they mostly applauded it for making an AIDS victim and a drag queen objects of sympathy.

 

So to me that was a very clear lesson. If you expect movies to be about reality, don't go see most movies. Even if they are based on facts, they are mostly works of art, with opinions and biases. And as long as it moves the culture train mostly forward, it's all good to most people.

 

In this regard, I have the perfect movie-going companion in Dane Scott. We saw Green Book, Beale Street, and Selma together, which are all of the same ilk. He mostly took them at face value, as entertainment, and was moved by all three of them - as was I. But when I watch movies, my mind is acting the way you would guess from my writing. It doesn't shut up.

 

So after the movie Dane can summarize his reaction in about 60 seconds of emotionally laden words, like about how he was moved or he cried. And I could talk for an hour if he let me. So I learned to shut up. I'll just go home and spend a few hours reading about it.

 

My point in bringing that up is that all these movies served their purposes quite well, I think. Some of it depends on how much the director wants to entertain, or challenge. And some of it depends on how much the viewer wants to be entertained or moved, and how much they want to be challenged.

 

Dane asked me to go see Bohemian Rhapsody, and I didn't bother, mostly because it got mediocre reviews. I think he saw it the way Hollywood did: as the story of a Gay icon and hero, plain and simple.

 

Of course, the other thing that should go under the "Really? But What The Fuck Did You Expect?" category is that no one should be surprised that Steven Kesslar is going to overthink everything.

[+ WilliamM]

I mostly agree about "Driving Miss Daisy." I am glad Jessica Tandy won Best Actress that year.

 

She worked with many interesting people on and off Broadway from Marlon Brando (Streetcar named Desire) to a naked Maxwell Caulfield (Salonika)

[Populist Fury]

I lost all faith in the Best Pic category after Shitcago won over The Pianist 16 years ago. The following 3 years had even worse outcomes. -_-

 

Fargo & Network not winning in their respective years was beyond criminal too. The entire awards show should been cancelled after Rocky won best pic.

[+ stevenkesslar]

Tourette’s. Definitely Tourette’s.

 

Nope.

 

Kenny doesn't look at all like Eric Cartman. Must be something else.

 

I think Cartman should get an Oscar, if you ask me.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91fiAjoC4Ao

 

I lost all faith in the Best Pic category after Shitcago won

 

That does it. Give me you Gay card. You've lost it, permanently.

[Kenny]

“Chicago” was genius. Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere couldn’t dance, so mostly they were shot from the hips up. Jazz hands!

[+ stevenkesslar]

Catherine Zeta Jones

 

She worked her ass off for "I Can't Do It Alone," I read. Maybe not a pro dancer, but she imitated one well.

 

Marshall definitely got great performances out of all his leads. The whole movie was electric.

[+ purplekow]

My response to all this is: What did you expect.

These films are nominated and the winners determined by members of the Academy. Slowly changing, the Academy is still mostly old white men. That many of the winners and many of the nominations express increased diversity speaks toward the slow change in the population of the academy and the even slower changing of the ideas of those old white men.

So to all of you critics out there I say, your expectations can be what you want but the results are still based on the people making the decisions being mostly older, mostly straight, mostly white men. Given that, I think you see progress being made in the kind of movies being nominated and the kind of roles being rewarded.

Was I the only one to notice how many women won awards, how many non white people won awards?

So perhaps the old white men are not running to meet your expectations, but they are walking as fast as you could expect and that is progress. Eventually, they will no longer be the bloc making the decisions and perhaps Beale Street would win rather than be nominated, perhaps Spike Lee could stop being so Spike Lee and just relax. I know it seems as though progress is not happening fast enough, but it is happening and that makes me an optimist about a world I will likely never see. The wheels of justice turn slowly and so do the wheels of progress.

[+ WilliamM]

Concerning "Chicago," I like the Broadway cast recordings a lot. And, it was the only time I saw Gwen Verdon in person. So yes, I also disagree with negative comments. But I did not see the film. Should have

[Populist Fury]

That does it. Give me you Gay card. You've lost it, permanently.

 

 

Even if Far From Heaven was my #1 movie that same year??????

[+ stevenkesslar]

That does it. Give me you Gay card. You've lost it, permanently.

 

Even if Far From Heaven was my #1 movie that same year??????

 

I might cut you a break if you sing Razzle Dazzle for me while we watch a Bernie Town Hall together.

 

 

Give 'em the old razzle dazzle

Razzle Dazzle 'em

Give us the law to all get Medicare

And we'll forget you've got such bad White hair

Give 'em the old hocus pocus

Green New Deal 'em

More free college, less carbon dioxide

In 2020 I do foresee

Bernie will win, along with Tulsi

Razzle dazzle 'em

And kiss Trump's ass goodbye!

Edited February 26, 2019 by stevenkesslar

[longtime lurker]

“Green Book,” a feel-good movie about the comedy-laced struggles of a white bigot to accept the humanity of an exceptional Other in the apartheid American South, wins Best Picture.

 

As today’s LA Times put it in a blistering column by their film critic (who is not white): The worst movie to win since “Crash.”

 

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-oscars-green-book-worst-best-picture-winner-20190224-story.html

 

That article lost me. Too much colorful, windy talk even though I myself tend to be colorful and windy.

 

I think the easiest way to analyze this movie's win is to compare it to what won 10 years ago, 20, years ago, 30 years ago, etc. In other words, compare it to...

 

Slumdog Millionaire (it is sad that we only have this and Gandhi to represent "Bollywood")

Shakespeare In Love (yeah, this is one we have ALL watched twice... although I hardly think Saving Private Ryan was all that better)

Rain Man (who would of thought a feel good movie about two dudes driving long distance in a car would win? This one kept them White Bruthers though)

The Deer Hunter (probably my second least favorite winner next to Braveheart)

Oliver! (and 2001: A Space Odyssey was that year's First Man)

Gigi (i.e. Arthur Freed musicals win as long as they are set in Paris)

Hamlet (still liked Henry V better, but at least it marked Brit Hollywood's first win)

You Can't Take It With You (the one Frank Capra comedy everybody today forgets)

Wings (the first "gay"... no, they are only war buddies... winner. Benefit to that year is that Sunrise was considered a co-winner of sorts and the director there was quite gay)

 

... and, if there is a ten year cycle, next year's winner may be just a little more fondly remembered. Well... we don't remember Broadway Melody all that well except in That's Entertainment! compilations, but we also got Gone With The Wind, All The King's Men, Ben-Hur, Midnight Cowboy, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Driving Miss Daisy (hey, we are still discussing it!), American Beauty and The Hurt Locker.

Edited February 26, 2019 by longtime lurker

[Kenny]

perhaps Spike Lee could stop being so Spike Lee and just relax.

If Spike could relax and stop being Spike, the incremental change you have noticed would not be happening, and “BlackkKlansman” would not be such a great movie.

[MikeBiDude]

If Spike could relax and stop being Spike, the incremental change you have noticed would not be happening, and “BlackkKlansman” would not be such a great movie.

BTW my comments on Spike’s “unsportsmanlike conduct” aside I did really like “Blackkklanman” and it was my downloaded-for-flying iPad movie just ahead of “Green Book” when I traveled last week...in anticipation of Oscar night.

[Kenny]

The Academy changed its Best Picture voting system in the wake of the scandalous omission of “The Dark Knight” from a nomination a decade ago.

 

Now, a complicated “preferential ballot” is used, and it has changed the selection dynamic. It’s explained here:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/how-oscar-s-preferential-ballot-works-could-produce-a-best-picture-shocker-1189677

[+ WilliamM]

@longtime lurker, Why did you dislike The Deer Hunter so much? It speaks to a particular time and place. I agree that the film has major flaws when seen now (unlike Wings, which still relevant).

[+ stevenkesslar]

The Academy changed its Best Picture voting system in the wake of the scandalous omission of “The Dark Knight” from a nomination a decade ago.

 

Now, a complicated “preferential ballot” is used, and it has changed the selection dynamic. It’s explained here:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/how-oscar-s-preferential-ballot-works-could-produce-a-best-picture-shocker-1189677

 

It's essentially ranked choice balloting. A process like that seemingly rewards films that are widely liked as opposed to deeply liked. That would explain Green Book winning over a film like Black KKKlansman. By definition, films that are viewed as "edgy" won't win.

 

But that also would have suggested that La La Land would have won over Moonlight. And yet it didn't.

 

And what explains poor Glenn Close not winning? Never star in a movie in which you are mean to a rabbit? If we can forgive penis flashing and Muslim bashing, surely we can get over that someday, can't we?

Edited February 26, 2019 by stevenkesslar

[longtime lurker]

@longtime lurker, Why did you dislike The Deer Hunter so much? It speaks to a particular time and place. I agree that the film has major flaws when seen now (unlike Wings, which still relevant).

 

Saying it was my second least favorite among Best Pictures is not quite the same as saying it was my least favorite movie. I did not hate it completely. Saw it three times to try to change my mind. I preferred Coming Home over it, although that film may have only been slightly better. Thought the Cascades looked odd posing as the Appalachians. Not into deer hunting, but I later learned that no wapiti were killed in its making. One of them actually was a star in insurance TV commercials that same decade. Mostly it just felt too over the top in its method acting. Or maybe it was just me and my tastes. We can not love all of the same stuff.

 

Braveheart just wasn't my cup of tea. Wings really had some outstanding aerial shots. Can only imagine how spectacular they were on a large movie screen compared to TV.

[+ stevenkesslar]

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/oscars-best-and-worst-best-pictures/2/

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/oscar-best-picture-winners-ranked-from-best-to-worst-according-to-critics-2018-2#2-rebecca-1940-90

 

http://collider.com/best-picture-winners-ranked/#the-best-years-of-our-lives

 

Three different lists of Best Picture winners. If it proves anything, it's how subjective it is.

 

That being said, Driving Miss Daisy (and Crash) just doesn't hold up all that well on any list.

[manTOman]

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/oscars-best-and-worst-best-pictures/2/

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/oscar-best-picture-winners-ranked-from-best-to-worst-according-to-critics-2018-2#2-rebecca-1940-90

 

http://collider.com/best-picture-winners-ranked/#the-best-years-of-our-lives

 

Three different lists of Best Picture winners. If it proves anything, it's how subjective it is.

 

That being said, Driving Miss Daisy (and Crash) just doesn't hold up all that well on any list.

 

Yet The Shape of Water is relatively high on all the lists. Boy did I hate that. But it's art not sports, so it is vey subjective and difficult to judge.

Still The Shape of water sucks!

[+ keroscenefire]

The best Best Picture in recent years I think is Moonlight..such a great film with beautiful visuals, a somewhat oblique storytelling style (in a good way) and characters whose stories are not often told in film. I was really rooting for Roma for the same reasons, but the addition I guess of it being in foreign languages made it to much of a challenge for the academy voters.

[tchm]

That being said, Driving Miss Daisy (and Crash) just doesn't hold up all that well on any list.

 

Ahh... those critics. They didn't like it when the Black man was the driver. Now, they hate it when the Black man is the passenger. Confused bunch, aren't they?

[Kenny]

That being said, Driving Miss Daisy (and Crash) just doesn't hold up all that well on any list.

 

Ahh... those critics. They didn't like it when the Black man was the driver. Now, they hate it when the Black man is the passenger. Confused bunch, aren't they?

Uh, that’s not what the critics are saying.