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"Milk"
We're supposed to be in the midst of political change, at least according to the papers. We're at the dawn of reunification, a new land where red states and blue states are abolished and Americans finally become one. But after watching the 81st Annual Academy Awards last night, it seems reconciliation and a time for healing is pretty much one-sided.
There are three points of contention with the results of last night's ceremony and, no, it doesn't have much to do with Sean Penn's acceptance speech or BillMaher's smug soapbox for his documentary Religulous. They used their time to express their opinions, which for the most part is healthy. What I have problem with is the blatant shunning of obviously better films for the betterment of their precious ideology and disrespect towards one of their own.
Not sure what I'm talking about? Here are some examples:
Waltz with Bashir, the heavy favorite from Israel, lost to the Japanese film, Departures, for best foreign language film.
Waltz with Bashir is about a young Israeli solider whose reoccurring nightmares have an odd connection to an Israeli mission in Lebanon in the '80s. Departures focuses on an out-of-work cellist that takes up a job at a funeral parlor. These are two distinctly different films and for good reason.
While Departures is good, it wasn't nominated in prestigious awards shows like the BAFTAs, Critics Choice or the Golden Globes. This is not the case for Waltz with Bashir, which won the best foreign film of the year at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice plus was nominated in the BAFTAs. No disrespect to director Yojiro Takita but Departures' last win was at the Kinema Junpo Awards. (Huh?) It also failed to capture a best picture nomination at its local awards ceremony, the Asian Film Awards.
Picking a relative unknown over a clearly better film is shameful and shows a naked bias. It's odd enough that the movie was nominated but it's downright preposterous that it beat Waltz with Bashir. The reason? Well sir, I believe it has to do with the Academy's clear anti-Israel agenda.
Yeah, that sounds nuts. There must be a better reason than that, right?
Milk wins best original screenplay over In Bruges.
Even ardent liberals will tell you that Milk, though powerful onscreen, was a lightweight on paper. Dustin Lance Black's story, based on the rise of gay activist Harvey Milk, was good. No doubt about it. The movie was great too but here's the catch: it was the least qualified in the category. In Bruges meanwhile, written by playwright Martin McDonagh, was smart, literate and most of all, entertaining. Passing it over for Milk shows that the Academy cares a lot more about social issues than the actual films they are supposed to vote on. Hell, even if any other picture won, it would still ring more true than what transpired last night. I callbullplop.
Silence from the auditorium when Charlton Heston's image was shown during the video montage of those no longer with us.
The other two might be quibbles but this moment was downright shameful.
During the video of images from those within the movie industry that have died the previous year, the crowd clapped politely for each person. Some, who were more famous (i.e. Roy Scheider, Harold Pinter, Ricardo Montalbán, etc.) had an extended clip and drew more applause from the Kodak Theatre. Makes sense. But when Heston's image appeared, complete with clips from notable features like The Ten Commandments and Planet of the Apes, the entire auditorium was silent. You could hear a pin drop or Ben Lyons asking inane questions. Then when the next image appeared, applause magically reappeared.
Heston, who was an outspoken advocate of gun-rights and president of the NRA, was notoriously despised by the Hollywood community. He was also the victim of a hit-and-run journo-assault from Michael Moore in Bowling for Columbine. Needless to say, the man wasn't exactly loved by his colleagues.
The man has earned respect. An icon within the industry, his death was barely noted in the mainstream press. Hey, that's cool, the press is probably a different matter anyway, but to be disrespected in that fashion in a moment where those in the industry are supposed to honor those who are no longer with is was disgusting. H-town, you can disagree with the man all you want, (in fact I do for most issues) but give the man the credit that he has earned and is owed. He was in Soylent Green, people! SOYLENT GREEN! It doesn't get much better than that.
UPDATE: The Atlanta Movies Examiner, Ryan McNally, posted a great response to this article so if you're jonesin' for the counter-view, here it is.
Comments
Well said. Penn represents the new Hollywood. Do what we want & you'll be rewarded for it. Politics has been part of the voting process at the Academy Awards for years and very few see it.
Dontcha just love Bill Maher promoting himself too! What a lame attempt at self promotion of his movie. ROFL. Noticed it kinda fell flat too. HA!
Oh, but I can't include my real name on my comment out of fear of being criticized by the "others".
Hey B, who are the "others?" They sound ferocious.
Anti-Israeli bias? The Academy?? The group that's always voting for movies with Holocaust themes and the like? What an absurd statement.
In fact, your column is a (bad) joke, considering how facts are distorted to fit your twisted agenda.
For instance, never mind the fact that "Waltz with Bashir" is anti-war and shows Israelis committing brutal acts. In other words, if the Academy were *really* anti-Israel, they'd have gladly voted for it.
Have you actually seen the movie, or you just read (half of) the synopsis somewhere?
As for "Departures," it's won the top award at the Montreal Film Festival, and it's up for 6 Japanese Academy Awards, including best film and best director. It's also received excellent reviews.
But then again, when truth doesn't match your biases, why not twist it so as to make a point, however inane? Is the foaming-at-the-mouth right so desperate that it has to accuse the Academy -- The Academy!!!! -- of being anti-Jewish?
MILK won best screenplay awards from the Boston, San Francisco, and Southeastern film critics. It also was nominated by various groups, from the British Academy to the Broadcast critics. AND it won the Writers Guild of America best screenplay award. So, clearly a lot of people didn't think that Dustin Lance Black's screenplay was "lightweight." Perhaps you were bothered by his pro-gay rights speech? Bigots everywhere were suffering seizures...
Now, politics has always been a part of the Academy's voting process.
Only someone totally ignorant of Academy history will think it's a new phenomenon caused by liberals. From "All Quiet on the Western Front" -- a time when anti-war sentiment was high -- to "Mrs. Miniver" -- when Hollywood was fighting WWII along with the British.
And finally ... Charlton Heston, however undeservedly, *was* applauded. Put on your hearing aid next time you watch the Oscar show.
Or just try to be -- at least a little? -- less dishonest next time your write about film culture.
Hi Ivan - Thanks for the thoughtful response. I do appreciate the time you put into it and besides the name-calling and broad assumptions about my political views, I enjoyed it very much. If it's okay (thanks, I knew it would be) I'd like to issue a response back.
"Anti-Israeli bias? The Academy?? The group that's always voting for movies with Holocaust themes and the like? What an absurd statement. In fact, your column is a (bad) joke, considering how facts are distorted to fit your twisted agenda."
How were my facts distorted? My opinion perhaps, but my FACTS?
"Anti-Israel" is not the same as "Anti-Jewish." Constantly throwing trophies at Holocaust movies doesn't show an Israeli bias on either side (except for an inerrant bias towards Holocaust movies), especially a pro-Israel bias since the state didn't even exist at the time. Perhaps you are confusing the Judaism faith with the country?
"For instance, never mind the fact that 'Waltz with Bashir' is anti-war and shows Israelis committing brutal acts. In other words, if the Academy were *really* anti-Israel, they'd have gladly voted for it. Have you actually seen the movie, or you just read (half of) the synopsis somewhere?"
War is a brutal and beastly thing. Brutal acts are committed on everyone, sometimes in uniform and sometimes not, from both sides. I never said 'Waltz with Bashir' was a pro-Israel film. In fact, it's about as pro-Israel as "Platoon" (or any Vietnam movie for that matter) was pro-American and yeah, I saw it.
So you're saying that if the Academy was REALLY anti-Israel, then 'Waltz with Bashir' would have won because 'Waltz with Bashir' was in fact, an anti-Israeli movie?
"As for 'Departures,' it's won the top award at the Montreal Film Festival, and it's up for 6 Japanese Academy Awards, including best film and best director. It's also received excellent reviews. But then again, when truth doesn't match your biases, why not twist it so as to make a point, however inane?"
And your "truth" does? It was my opinion, an editorial, not "the news." Just because you have a different worldview than me doesn't make me wrong.
It's a good movie. In fact, if you read back what I originally wrote, I said exactly that. I was merely saying that 'Departures' wasn't included in some of the more prestigious shows during the awards season and for it to be, not only nominated (I could say the same thing for 'The Reader, mind you) but to win, appears suspect to me.
"Is the foaming-at-the-mouth right so desperate that it has to accuse the Academy -- The Academy!!!! -- of being anti-Jewish?"
Sir, it appears that I am not the one "foaming-at-the-mouth" here. Also, why do you assume you know my politics? And to clear the record, I never said anything about the Academy being anti-Jewish.
"'MILK' won best screenplay awards from the Boston, San Francisco, and Southeastern film critics. It also was nominated by various groups, from the British Academy to the Broadcast critics. AND it won the Writers Guild of America best screenplay award. So, clearly a lot of people didn't think that Dustin Lance Black's screenplay was 'lightweight.'"
Correct, a lot of people didn't think that Dustin Lance Black's screenplay was lightweight. So many,in fact, that it won. What's your point?
"Perhaps you were bothered by his pro-gay rights speech? Bigots everywhere were suffering seizures..."
Why would you assume that? Again, why do you think you know my politics so well? You don't. Sir, again, reread my article. My feelings about 'Milk' are contained in there.
"Now, politics has always been a part of the Academy's voting process. Only someone totally ignorant of Academy history will think it's a new phenomenon caused by liberals."
I agree with you.
"From 'All Quiet on the Western Front' -- a time when anti-war sentiment was high -- to 'Mrs. Miniver' -- when Hollywood was fighting WWII along with the British."
You are correct.
"And finally ... Charlton Heston, however undeservedly, *was* applauded. Put on your hearing aid next time you watch the Oscar show. Or just try to be -- at least a little? -- less dishonest next time your write about film culture."
Well, I put on my hearing aid (it looks like a Bluetooth earpiece so nobody would know!) and re-listened to the segment. I heard a few claps that quickly died down after it appeared that the rest of the auditorium was not joining in. I'm so busted.
I'm intrigued though. Why don't you think Heston deserved applause?
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