The Oscar Buzz Thread! (Oscar Nominees Announced!)

[Storm Raven]

In fact I'd gladly argue that every single film that won Best Picture in the last 25 years is a great film and is highly regarded to this day

You could argue it, but you'd have a hard time doing so. The Acedemy has had some good choices in that time span, but several of their selections are mediocre movies (Deer Hunter, The Last Emperor, Shakespeare in Love, American Beauty, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) or outright crap (Kramer vs. Kramer, Ordinary People, Terms of Endearment, Platoon, The English Patient, Titanic).

 

[Brown Jenkin]

[/b]

You could argue it, but you'd have a hard time doing so. The Acedemy has had some good choices in that time span, but several of their selections are mediocre movies (Deer Hunter, The Last Emperor, Shakespeare in Love, American Beauty, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) or outright crap (Kramer vs. Kramer, Ordinary People, Terms of Endearment, Platoon, The English Patient, Titanic).

We disagree on a bunch of these. Deer Hunter and American Beauty I thought were very good films. Kramer vs. Kramer and Terms of Endearment were at least above average. And Platoon I think is one of the best most powerful films of the last 25 years.

 

[Storm Raven]

We disagree on a bunch of these. Deer Hunter and American Beauty I thought were very good films.

We aren't talking about good films. We are talking about films that "will be remembered as classics" (the bar set by an earlier poster). They were okay movies, but nothing particularly special overall.

Kramer vs. Kramer and Terms of Endearment were at least above average.

I found both to be awful. Boring, unlikable characters, weak script, lousy filming, and so on.

And Platoon I think is one of the best most powerful films of the last 25 years.

It is an Oliver Stone masturbation fantasy with no plot, stock characters, and a weak message.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

[/b]

We aren't talking about good films. We are talking about films that "will be remembered as classics" (the bar set by an earlier poster). They were okay movies, but nothing particularly special overall.

From everything I have seen I am under the impression that Deer Hunter and Terms of Endearment are classics. American Beauty is still too new to make that judgement. As for Platoon I am certainly not alone in finding this a great movie.

 

[Taren Seeker]

Bah. No supporting actor or actress nods for RotK?

I'm seeing the way the wind is blowing here. RotK will get the same old awards (cinema, effects) and get stiffed on the rest.

My gut says Eastwood or Weir will get Director and Master and Commander will get Picture. (talking academy awards here...RotK will do well in the Globes)

 

[ASH]

I must be in the minority, but I thought Gladiator was boring. About 2/3 of the way thru I turned it off. I later forced myself to watch the end (couldn't stand to start over from the beginning), but I was thoroughly unimpressed.

I have to agree with you there.
I disliked Gladiator quite a bit and have never really cared for any Crowe movie. It dont know if it has anything to do with him, or if its just the movies he choses to be in.

I have not seen master and commander but my gut tells me that it will not win. Based more on politics than the movie.

After watching RotK I am upset that Sam(Sean Astin) did not get nominated for, at the very least, best supporting actor. His performance was incredible. It was worthy of best actor in my opinion. Its not like he is a new face... I mean he was in the Goonies!

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

From everything I have seen I am under the impression that Deer Hunter and Terms of Endearment are classics. American Beauty is still too new to make that judgement. As for Platoon I am certainly not alone in finding this a great movie.

Most definately! While ToE is a pile of sinking crap IMO, it is considered a classic according to most sources I've read. Same with the Deer Hunter, though it was at least a decent movie.

Platoon, well my dad and all his vetran friends thought it was amazing. I remember my dad crying in the theater when he took us to see it. It was the first 'nam flick to "get it" as he said.

 

[Mog Elffoe]

Platoon, well my dad and all his vetran friends thought it was amazing. I remember my dad crying in the theater when he took us to see it. It was the first 'nam flick to "get it" as he said.

Interesting. My father also served in Viet Nam (and has bullet riddled clothing and a medal or two still as a reminder) and he thought that Platoon was terrible. In his words it was, "A buncha crap."

OT, but the bullet riddled trousers mentioned above are absolutely amazing. After being air lifted out of heavy combat my dad noticed them and counted 36 holes. He wasn't hit once.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Interesting. My father also served in Viet Nam (and has bullet riddled clothing and a medal or two still as a reminder) and he thought that Platoon was terrible. In his words it was, "A buncha crap."

I think your father's reaction is the interesting one. All of the Vietnam vets I've ever talked to about the movie say it was the first movie to get the experience right. When the movie came out, I interviewed several vets who had seen the movie for a newspaper story. We have a large VA hospital here in town. Everyone I talked to said it was very realistic, and put them right there "back in the s***," as they called it.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I'm curious to hear others comment. So far, I've only seen two of the films nomainted for Best Drama (Seabiscuit and Master and Commander). But, both were very good and I'm glad to see they were not overlooked.

Well, I've seen all the drama nominees minus Cold Mountain, and all the comedy nominees minus Big Fish.

Among the dramas, RotK is the best, followed by Mystic River, then Master and Commander. Among the comedies, Lost in Translation is best followed by Finding Nemo, then Love Actually.