Best Ever Albums

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Applerill — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 14:57:41 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 04/28/2021 18:57

CA Dreamin wrote:

Understandable. There are a few potential talking points here regarding how films depict smaller communities, or how films reflect the viewer's sociopolitical views. But yeah, understandable if we prefer not to go there (because agreed it is complicated). So I'll finish off by saying I hope your road to Covid recovery is going smoothly.

Actually, I don't know if I talked about this already, but I think I learned something this Oscar season with Promising Young Woman. We often like to assume that the problems "Oscar-bait" movies have are specifically there because of the greed and myopia of trying to win such a universal award. But with PYM, it seems like it never dreamed of winning Oscars when it was in development, which makes me now feel like problematic movies like that are just that way because making consistent movies is hard. Maybe this is obvious to everyone else, but it's new to me.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

BARDAMU — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 14:16:55 GMT

Author: BARDAMU

Posted: 04/28/2021 18:16

I didn't watch the Oscars.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

CA Dreamin — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 13:16:48 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 04/28/2021 17:16

Understandable. There are a few potential talking points here regarding how films depict smaller communities, or how films reflect the viewer's sociopolitical views. But yeah, understandable if we prefer not to go there (because agreed it is complicated). So I'll finish off by saying I hope your road to Covid recovery is going smoothly.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Applerill — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 17:43:24 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 04/27/2021 21:43

Yeah, maybe I was way too harsh, though I WAS in lots of legitimate pain from COVID while watching it, so it was hard for me to get disability off my mind. Looking back, it WAS really powerful, even if lots of disability activists I follow couldn’t help but notice some sort of connection between Crip Camp losing and Anthony winning (though apparently he has autism, so at least that’s SOME rep)

I guess one thing I should say is that, more than before, I felt like it was hard to figure out how I felt about so many of the noms this year. For instance, Sound of Metal DID warm up on me a lot, mostly because of its amazing atmosphere, but as I thought about it more, the little political issues (like the Deaf community being painted as a cult, and the allegations against the lead, and the way it feels more like an immersive video game for hearing people than an experience for Deaf ones) never really went away. I hope this does NOT get into a messy discourse about it (as I said, I’m tired of talking about these movies), but it definitely shows how movies are so complicated, and it’s so hard for them to not be flawed in some way while still being interesting.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

CA Dreamin — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:20:24 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 04/27/2021 19:20

I watched The Father yesterday and I'm confused on where this interpretation is coming from:

Applerill wrote:

Okay, this opinion might ruffle some jimmies, but while it WAS beautifully shot and acted, The Father was genuinely one of the most eugenicist movies
I’ve ever seen. It literally uses the format of the Rooney Mara breakup scene in The Social Network to frame disability as something that old white abusive men have and nobody else, and that disability is a burden on society that keeps girlbosses like Olivia Coleman (who are NEVER disabled, and whose whiteness and straightness and thinness doesn’t matter because she’s a woman) from living their lives normally. And it’s sorta sad to see so many abled people frame their reviews this way: “I had a grandpa with this disability; that was really hard for me when he couldn’t remember my name or get me the presents I wanted.”

This takes itself more artistically seriously than a lot of ableist Oscar bait, but it still ultimately focuses on making abled people feel good for being allies than anything else. I know things like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly aren’t perfect either, but at least that movie focused entirely on the disabled person’s legacy.

ALSO, it’s worth noting that there are a LOT of people (several of whom I know personally) who have this sort of memory loss young because of things like depression or DID or Down Syndrome, which makes the connection here between Alzheimer’s and “lol ok boomer” all the more egregious here

How did you see The Father as a pushing an ableist agenda? How did you see it as an ableist film in general? I did not see The Father at all as a statement on disability on the macro level. It was about one specific disability...dementia. And yes, it certainly can be a burden on the family, depending on the severity. Olivia Colman's performance captured the stress of what it's like to be trapped between extremely difficult decisions, none of which will have a positive outcome. I agree her character was thin. And I also happened to notice her character was white and straight, however I don't see why that's relevant here. Would it have made a big difference if her character was black and lesbian? I can see your point that disability tends to be portrayed in film by white men, and I 100% agree that film needs more diversity. Nevertheless, I don't see how Hopkins's whiteness and maleness matter, because the film is only here to show us how rough dementia can be, and that its victims deserve sympathy.

I think my biggest issue with this interpretation is the line "ultimately focuses on making abled people feel good..." At no point did I feel good while watching this movie. Not in the slightest. Same goes for the few people I've spoken with about this movie irl. If people walked away from The Father thinking to themselves "Damn, I feel good that I'm not in Anthony Hopkins's shoes but I support people with disabilities", while Applerill implies that's the takeaway the movie was going for, then they are all wrong. That's a narrow way of looking at it. For one, it's disrespectful to those who have been through Hopkins's and Colman's experiences. Secondly, for those who haven't, that interpretation ignores the possibility they may someday be in those positions. The gloomy thought that I, or a loved one, may come down with Alzheimer's and dementia at some point in life was running through my head while watching. From what I've heard and read, that was the general reaction from viewers, which I'm pretty sure was what the filmmakers were aiming for, not to make "abled people feel good" but to make everyone feel depressed. I'm glad we found common ground in our views on Nomadland and Promising Young Woman, but I'm sorry I think the above interpretation is just garbage, unless it's expanded on in a more persuasive manner.

Ditto to jnfbn and Hayden on Hopkins's deserving of the award.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Hayden — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:04:40 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/26/2021 20:04

jnfbn wrote:

awarding hopkins for one of the best acting performances of this century (and all times) is the best thing the academy has done in recent years... Boseman's performance was great, Ahmed was phonomenal too but Hopkins did some things that twitched my mind while watching. The Father winning the screenplay is another great thing. Tbh it should've won picture /or Sound of Metal.

PYW winning screenplay seems like a joke but as haydn said, expected fully. I somewhat liked that film and some dialogues but its not a good screenplay.

Mank winning cinematography is a joke. B&W doesn't automatically mean good cinematography people...

Glad this film/awards season is off. Film twitter wore me out.

Hopkins winning will hopefully age well after the initial shock. It was the best performance.

And Mank looked weird. Think it was the new camera. Cheap flecks of dust/scratches was a little film-schooly. I'm not sure it really looked that great either. One of (if not the) best aspect of Nomadland was it's cinematography. Should have won with ease.

Quote:

To be honest, I think when the show doesn't go according to plan, that's when it's interesting and worth remembering. Remember La La Land and Moonlight? That was freaking hilarious. This year's ending wasn't funny; it was just anti-climactic. But you know, sometimes life imitates art. Some movies have a twist at the end. Others don't have a dramatic ending.

It was a very strange sour note to end on. Somewhere between embarrassing/sad, unlike La La Land/Moonlight which was a bit more embarrassing/happy/weird. What a dour note to leave the show on. Phoenix knew it. I think he opened the envelope backstage.

The BP not being the last award will hopefully never happen again. 🙄

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

jnfbn — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 15:44:41 GMT

Author: jnfbn

Posted: 04/26/2021 19:44

awarding hopkins for one of the best acting performances of this century (and all times) is the best thing the academy has done in recent years... Boseman's performance was great, Ahmed was phonomenal too but Hopkins did some things that twitched my mind while watching. The Father winning the screenplay is another great thing. Tbh it should've won picture /or Sound of Metal.

PYW winning screenplay seems like a joke but as haydn said, expected fully. I somewhat liked that film and some dialogues but its not a good screenplay.

Mank winning cinematography is a joke. B&W doesn't automatically mean good cinematography people...

Glad this film/awards season is off. Film twitter wore me out.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

CA Dreamin — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 13:25:21 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 04/26/2021 17:25

Every year it's the same thing...internet outrage over the Oscars. And I just don't get it. I've held nothing back about my dislike for Nomadland and my desire to see a non-Disney/Pixar movie win BAF for a change. When Nomadland won, and Wolfwalkers lost to Soul, I didn't feel the slightest grudge or disappointment. Because that's the Oscars for you. Disappointing fans for 93 years. At what point do people accept it, and stop caring so much?

Anyway, I worked yesterday and got home when there was only actor, actress, and picture remaining. My household was watching so I figured what the heck, I'll watch the last 20 minutes. Interesting choice to have BP before the acting categories, but it quickly became apparent they were going for a dramatic finish for a Boseman Best Actor award. This was why McDormand's Actress speech was so brief. For one, she had just been on stage and gave a monologue about Nomadland for that film's BP win, what more did she have to say? And yeah, she wanted to set the stage for the late Chadwick Boseman.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Hayden — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:55:16 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/26/2021 12:55

Bizarre thing that was.

That song, actor, actress trio of whammies is odd to get my head around. Really surprised McDormand won. Might have to finally figure out who HER is. Feels like I see her name nominated for 5+ Grammies every year, and now she has an Oscar, and I honestly don't know if I've heard a song by her (I'm not quite sure I actually watched the credits for Judas tbh...). Best Song this year should have been Wuhan Flu or Ja Ja Ding Dong, and I'm not kidding.

Very glad Soul won score. Disappointed Two Distant Strangers won. Mank didn't deserve cinematography either, but whatever. And (don't hate me) glad Hopkins won. Wasn't fussed about PYW winning screenplay, but it was bound to happen.

Production was wack. Who decided on Best Picture not being last? 🤔

However, at the end of the day, no matter what can be said about this year, I think this is legitimately one of the best quartet of acting winners in a long time. Sophisticated (if that's the right word) choices. They weren't super flashy performances or anything, just really solid acting. The fact Youn Yuh-jung walked away with an Oscar is wild.

I imagine Charli is.... not happy though 🤣

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

EyeKanFly — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:34:40 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 04/26/2021 11:34

Applerill wrote:

I'm just gonna be happy to not have to talk about 2020 movies anymore.

No new posts 12 hours after the ceremony ended? Seems like everyone else feels similarly 🤣
(though I would absolutely not mind talking about Soul some more)

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Applerill — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 20:19:59 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 04/25/2021 00:19

I'm just gonna be happy to not have to talk about 2020 movies anymore.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Hayden — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 14:32:36 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/24/2021 18:32

Quote:

Called it Cool . Though I didn't realize the combo was actually Guiliani and his zipper, not Guiliani and Bakalova, but whatever.

I swear it was Bakalova/Rudy 😲 I think that changed (maybe so Bakalova didn't win a Razzie, etc).

And Ziegler being signalled out feels very unfair for her age... not entirely sure I would have done that, no matter the circumstances of the film.

CA Dreamin wrote:

As for the Oscars, I'll predict:

BP - Nomadland
BD - Chloe Zhao
BA - Chadwick Boseman
BA - Carey Mulligan
BSA - Daniel Kaluuya
BSA - Youn Yuh-jung
BAF - Soul
BIF - Another Round
BDF - Time

I'm the exact same, except I think My Octopus Teacher will win doc. Best Actress and Supporting Actress are the two most exciting categories right now. Everything else is kinda... locked.

Want to win? These:

BP - Minari
BD - Chloe Zhao
BA - Hopkins
BA - Kirby
BSA - Kaluuya
BSA - Youn Yuh-jung or Bakalova
BAF - Soul
BIF - Another Round
BDF - My Octopus Teacher
&
OS - Minari
AS - The Father
LShort - The Letter Room (or ANYTHING but Two Distant Stangers)
AShort - Opera (or ANYTHING but Yes People)
Song - Ja ja Ding Dong smacks everyone out of left field.
Sound - Sound of Metal
Cinematography - Nomadland
Makeup & Costume - Emma.
Editing - Sound of Metal

See how it goes. Whatever they whip up for a show is already sounding quite weird.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

CA Dreamin — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 13:44:23 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 04/24/2021 17:44

CA Dreamin wrote:

20 bucks says Bakalova and Guiliani will win Worst Screen Combo. People criticize the Oscars for being too political (which they are) but the Razzies are equally (if not more) guilty of the same thing.

Called it 😎 . Though I didn't realize the combo was actually Guiliani and his zipper, not Guiliani and Bakalova, but whatever.

Hayden wrote:

As for Bakalova/Rudy, I think I'd only give you 1/1 odds on that bet :lol:, they'll win. And I'm cool with the Razzies being political. By all means, it's kinda funny. The pillow guy is probably going to win too.

And Hayden called the Pillow Guy award 😎 . Who is the pillow guy anyway? Eh.

Not much to say about the Razzies except Glenn Close didn't win for Hillbilly Elegy, so here's hoping she doesn't win the Oscar.

As for the Oscars, I'll predict:

BP - Nomadland
BD - Chloe Zhao
BA - Chadwick Boseman
BA - Carey Mulligan
BSA - Daniel Kaluuya
BSA - Youn Yuh-jung
BAF - Soul
BIF - Another Round
BDF - Time

And who I want to win:

BP - anything but Nomadland
BD - David Fincher
BA - Riz Ahmed
BA - Carey Mulligan
BSA - Paul Raci (I haven't seen Judas, so I'm biased towards Paul Raci, but it'd be cool to see either Stanfield or Kaluuya win, I heard their performances are excellent)
BSA - Youn Yuh-jung
BAF - Wolfwalkers
BIF - Collectiv
BDF - Collectiv

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

BARDAMU — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 15:02:49 GMT

Author: BARDAMU

Posted: 04/14/2021 19:02

Applerill wrote:

Okay, this opinion might ruffle some jimmies, but while it WAS beautifully shot and acted, The Father was genuinely one of the most eugenicist movies
I’ve ever seen.

🙄

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

EyeKanFly — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 21:19:12 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 04/12/2021 01:19

Applerill wrote:

Okay, to be fair, it IS much better than Green Book in most ways.

Haha ok well that makes me feel a little better about its nominations. Green Book was... not worthy of anything except for I guess Mahershala Ali's supporting oscar. Although even Ali seemed to acknowledge that his win was a snub to others.

Still probably not going to watch The Father but I appreciate the commentary (I've also appreciated the commentary on Promising Young Woman, which I also probably won't watch...thrillers usually aren't my thing...). I watched Green Book with my family since my mom loves Viggo ( 🙄 ), and we were all peeved about its best picture win.

I get the impression that The Father probably won't win BP, but it seems Colman and Hopkins probably have good shots in their respective acting categories.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Applerill — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 17:43:49 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 04/11/2021 21:43

Okay, to be fair, it IS much better than Green Book in most ways.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

EyeKanFly — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 13:29:15 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 04/11/2021 17:29

Applerill wrote:

This takes itself more artistically seriously than a lot of ableist Oscar bait, but it still ultimately focuses on making abled people feel good for being allies than anything else. I know things like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly aren’t perfect either, but at least that movie focused entirely on the disabled person’s legacy.

Nothing more Oscar bait-y than movies focusing on (pick 3-4) cis/white/abled/men feel good about being "allies" to (pick at least 1) LGBTQ+/black or brown/disabled/women or gender non-binary people.

I haven't seen The Father but Green Book 2 years ago made me feel very similarly.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Applerill — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 11:57:40 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 04/11/2021 15:57

Okay, this opinion might ruffle some jimmies, but while it WAS beautifully shot and acted, The Father was genuinely one of the most eugenicist movies
I’ve ever seen. It literally uses the format of the Rooney Mara breakup scene in The Social Network to frame disability as something that old white abusive men have and nobody else, and that disability is a burden on society that keeps girlbosses like Olivia Coleman (who are NEVER disabled, and whose whiteness and straightness and thinness doesn’t matter because she’s a woman) from living their lives normally. And it’s sorta sad to see so many abled people frame their reviews this way: “I had a grandpa with this disability; that was really hard for me when he couldn’t remember my name or get me the presents I wanted.”

This takes itself more artistically seriously than a lot of ableist Oscar bait, but it still ultimately focuses on making abled people feel good for being allies than anything else. I know things like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly aren’t perfect either, but at least that movie focused entirely on the disabled person’s legacy.

ALSO, it’s worth noting that there are a LOT of people (several of whom I know personally) who have this sort of memory loss young because of things like depression or DID or Down Syndrome, which makes the connection here between Alzheimer’s and “lol ok boomer” all the more egregious here

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

AgainstMeAgainstYou — Sun, 4 Apr 2021 03:52:10 GMT

Author: AgainstMeAgainstYou

Posted: 04/04/2021 07:52

Hayden wrote:

Wait... just to clear things up, that was your comment on my Letterboxd review for the film, right?

Ohhhhh, fuck. I forgot about that. Yeah, that was me. I think I hate it more with the passage of time though.

Re: 2020 Films and Oscars

Hayden — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:50:43 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/31/2021 19:50

CA Dreamin wrote:

(is the Canada vs. US a coincidence? joking).

I'll get on the rest of you post in a sec, but this just reminded me— I also think Fennel made the mistake of setting this in the States. I'm not sold she did a whole lot of research on the American school or justice systems 😐 (the entire 'you're too old to go back to school' dialogue for a character who by all means is kinda... the average age of doctoral students? That was odd).

Whatever anyone's opinions, it's unquestionably a conversational film. Whether or not people liked it, I enjoy reading how people think about the film as a whole and their reactions.

Quote:

Best Picture or Best Screenplay? Nah, there are better choices for those. But I wouldn't mind seeing Mulligan win.

Best Actress could be a major shock this year, but ultimately I see Mulligan winning. (I'm personally rooting for Kirby).

Fennel will also win screenplay.

Also, to anyone who hasn't watched Promising Young Woman, I apologize for all the spoilers 😨