YOUR PHOTOS: Squirrel Appreciation Day
‘Open Marriage’: What does it mean?
PHOTOS: Weird coffins at London death festival
GQ’s ‘50 most powerful in Washington’ listOscars overlook some good pictures for best picture .jpg)
Peter Iovino - Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller and Malcolm McDowell as The Butler in Michel Hazanavicius's film ’The Artist.’
Text SizePrintE-mailReprints By Patrick Goldstein, LOS ANGELES — If you’ve been watching cable news much lately, you know the defining narrative of the 2012 campaign: Conservative activists and pundits are unenthusiastic about the Republican presidential aspirants on the campaign trail. Mitt Romney might be the front-runner, but his supporters seem more pragmatic than passionate.
And guess what? In conversations with members of the Motion Picture Academy in the past few weeks, they sound a lot like the GOP electorate. After surveying the probable Oscar best-picture nominees, they’re wondering: Is this the best we can do?
Loading...CommentsWeigh InCorrections?To hear them tell it, “The Artist” is the clear, Romney-like favorite to win best picture, especially after nabbing three Golden Globes. But like Romney, the film — a romantic fable about the silent-movie era that is itself mostly silent and in black and white — isn’t inspiring a wealth of accolades. “It’s stylish and original,” says one academy veteran. “But did it move me or haunt me or floor me? Not really. It’s delightful, but is delightful what you want in a best-picture winner?”
Voters aren’t that taken with the competition, either. “The Descendants” has earned some love for its well-observed look at a fractured family, but academy members aren’t persuaded that its story lines held together especially well. “War Horse” was dismissed as old-fashioned and overblown. “Midnight in Paris”: lightly likable. “Moneyball”: smart but unemotional. “The Help”: squishy and condescending. “Hugo”: gorgeous but lugubrious. “The Iron Lady”: a showcase for Meryl Streep, but a slight story. “The Tree of Life”: Yipes — what were critics thinking?
This grumbling isn’t unprecedented. Having endured a deluge of for-your-consideration ads, endless screenings and a steady stream of cocktail parties, academy members often have the Oscar blahs by mid-January.
Academy members also note that box-office-obsessed Hollywood studios are no longer in the business of making Oscar-worthy movies. “The Artist” is, for gosh sake, French. Try to imagine an unknown Gallic filmmaker squeezing in the door at a U.S. studio to pitch a film about the silent-movie era that would be in black and white. It’s the kind of movie that would never be bankrolled by a studio. (The Weinstein Co. is distributing it in the United States.)
Academy voters must share some responsibility. If there are so few inspiring best-picture candidates, isn’t it because the academy, without realizing it, has become insular and parochial about what it considers Oscar-worthy movies?
Many genres are almost entirely shut out of best picture consideration. Oscar voters seem to subconsciously disqualify films that aren’t weighty dramas, biopics or character-driven stories based on novels. In the 1930s and ’40s, the academy awarded best-picture statuettes to lighthearted crowd-pleasers such as “It Happened One Night” and “Going My Way,” which would be unthinkable today.
When historians look back at the run of sparklingly inventive Pixar films, from “Toy Story” through “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille” and “Wall-E,” they will find it difficult to believe that none came close to winning best picture. Scorsese is probably our greatest living filmmaker, but he didn’t win a best-picture Oscar until he was a senior citizen, largely because most of his films were gritty crime thrillers.
Worse, the academy routinely ignores the best work of filmmakers around the globe, relegating their movies to the best foreign-feature ghetto. “A Separation,” by Iran’s Asghar Farhadi, earned a 100 score from Rotten Tomatoes, but isn’t even a serious best-picture contender.
Academy members can complain about this year’s weak field. But perhaps it’s time they started broadening their creative horizons. When it comes to best picture, it should be open to all.
— Los Angeles Times
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
More about badges | Request a badge Culture Connoisseur BadgeCulture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
More about badges | Request a badge Fact Checker BadgeFact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.
More about badges | Request a badge Washingtologist BadgeWashingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
More about badges | Request a badge Post Writer BadgeThis commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum BadgePost Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Weather Watcher BadgeWeather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
More about badges | Request a badge World Watcher BadgeWorld Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Post RecommendedWashington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
Sign in hereYou must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Sign in hereComments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.
More about badgesGet a badgeTo pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers. + SHARE THIS DEBATE
WP Social Reader Hide this Friends' Activity Most Popular in lifestyle Most Popular in lifestyle Most Popular Right Now
Your Friends’ Most Recent Activity
View More ActivityPowered by
The Post Most: LifestyleMost-viewed stories,videos, and galleries in the past two hoursMost PopularCarolyn Hax: Newborn wedding-crasherAfter the death of Jack Kevorkian, Lawrence Egbert is the new public face of AmeDate Lab: Blind daters go where the wild things areAsk Amy: Theft victim points to likely suspectAt Melody Record Shop, sadness and a tinge of guilt as an era endsTop VideosMegaupload Shutdown, Impact on Cogent CommunicationsNASA satellite captures 'solar fastball' (0:09)Cain sings at rally with Colbert (2:35)Stephen Colbert: New attack ad targeting RomneyDoctor: Casey Anthony got pregnant after passing out (1:08)Top GalleriesSatellite images from around the worldCruise ship Costa Concordia runs aground off ItalyColbert, Cain hold joint rally in South CarolinaDead but not goneEye on entertainmentPost Newsletters & AlertsSign-up for e-mail newsletters and alerts and get the news you need delivered directly to your inbox. Going Out Guide: Dinner & DrinksGoing Out Guide: With The KidsAt HomeDC ScoutGoing Out GuideLean & FitMoviesTravelSee all Washington Post NewslettersFeatured Advertiser LinksMesothelioma cancer shatters lives. Find out what to do before the killer strikes the one you love.>>Actos gave you bladder cancer? You may be entitled to compensation. Learn how to file an Actos lawsuit.>>Join Pres. Obama. It's time to do it again.>>Are you in? Join Barack Obama's campaign now.>>Help Pres. Obama keep moving America forward.>>Join the 2012 campaign at BarackObama.com>>Looking to buy a home? Visit TWP Real Estate section for the latest open houses.>>Make Your Vanguard Investing More Profitable - Free Research Report Reveals Best & Worst Funds>>Top lifestyle Stories People Also ReadMost Popular Videos
Carolyn Hax: Newborn wedding-crasherCarolyn Hax 
After the death of Jack Kevorkian, Lawrence Egbert is the new public face of American assisted suicideManuel Roig-franzia 
Date Lab: Blind daters go where the wild things areChristina Breda Antoniades Ask Amy: Theft victim points to likely suspectAmy Dickinson 
At Melody Record Shop, sadness and a tinge of guilt as an era endsJessica Goldstein 
Carolyn Hax: A mother who needs to back off on expectations of a grown daughterCarolyn Hax 
A new ailment on the 2012 campaign trail: debate fatigueJason Horowitz 
@Work Advice: Karla Miller examines what could be a pattern of resigning women::unspecified:: 
Food critic Tom Sietsema looks into his mailbagTom Sietsema 
To protest SOPA, the strike was updated for the Internet ageMelissa Bell 
Stiff challenge: How Kim Jong Il and other leaders join the ranks of the preservedMonica Hesse 
Stephen Colbert, Herman Cain turn spotlight on super PACs in South CarolinaMelinda Henneberger Ways you can get us Mobile Apps Newsletter & alerts RSS Post Store Facebook Photo Store Twitter Washington Post Live The Washington Post Work for us Community Relations PostPoints Corrections/Suggestions Archive Contact the Ombudsman Report a problem Web site Make us your homepage Digital Guidelines Ask The Post Newspaper Subscribe Home delivery service e-Replica Advertise In the newspaper On the web site Mobile Events The Washington Post Company Post Company web sites Partners Slate Express Night Out Captial Business El Tiempo Latino The Root Foreign Policy Trove Post Tickets Capitol Deal Service Alley Post Master Class WP Live Student Advisor College Reviews © 1996- The Washington Post Terms of Service Privacy Policy Reprints and Permissions Help Contact Us Ad Choices 
No comments:
Post a Comment