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By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

BYOB Oscar Week

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33 Responses to “BYOB Oscar Week”

  1. Pete B. says:

    Anyone else annoyed that IMDB.com decided to do away with their message boards? Sometimes I got more info from the comments than I did the regular features.

  2. Triple Option says:

    The instances for me of finding out more info didn’t warrant the time spent slogging through the bitter racist and misogynistic posts. Plus, there was no telling what was true or not. There were more than a couple of instances where I know people made up things to try to win an argument but I knew from first hand experience that they were lies. I mean sure it’s the internet take everything with a boulder of salt but too much was suspect. I never commented but I rarely found thought provoking threads.

    I would read the reviews after seeing a film, especially if I found the movie rancid but critical buzz and other WOM seemed to be exceedingly high, just to see what they saw that I didn’t or if anyone else felt it was overrated as I did. Occasionally I’d hope to find an answer to a question I had about the film where something seemed glaringly obviously missed but it would be rare that that issue was discussed or my answer sufficiently answered. Maybe I could have asked myself but judging by too much of what I had read, I wouldn’t have expected a helpful or thoroughly considered answer.

  3. brack says:

    I can’t agree with you more Triple Option. I felt dirty after reading those message boards, some of which was worse than any porno I’ve ever seen. Mostly just filled with folks full of hate. No thanks.

  4. Hugobolso says:

    I posted for almost 16 years on IMDB. Maybe the quality of the message let me down. But still with trolls, there weren’t as big as the media say, and definitely more inoffensive than twitter. So I can understand the decision, except that none could said about a bad word from I’m not your negro, the Casey Affleck scandal, and other things related to Amazon movies and stars.

    Seriously, that’s the whole reason, not the message, not the demographic vote.-

  5. EtGuild2 says:

    My only real use of IMDB boards came down to tracking movies that had release delays/trouble–MARGARET, NAILED, BLACK WATER TRANSIT, Terrence Malick, etc. For that it was useful…but not sure whether that made it worth it.

  6. David Poland says:

    My question isn’t whether the boards were good or bad… but what does it say that a major player is shutting down the exchange of speech. Isn’t imdb big enough to curate the conversations? “

  7. Glamourboy says:

    Back to Oscar talk…I saw Kubo and the Two Strings and it is by far the best of the animated films….I actually couldn’t sit through Zootopia and don’t understand the love for that film. Kubo and Moana are worlds better.

  8. Sideshow Bill says:

    Yes, Kubo all the way. Laika is 4 for 4 with me. Paranorman is a favorite. They’re doing interesting stories and innovative work. They deserve the recognition (and better box office).

  9. Sideshow Bill says:

    I finally watched Hacksaw Ridge today. I was surprisingly moved by the film, especially as a non-believer and as someone tired of Gibson’s recurring martyr/Christ figure themes. I don’t know if he’s “redeemed,” whatever that means. But he made a damn good, old-fashioned war film that I really enjoyed. Still not above Arrival or Moonlight though.

    Gotta cram this week and watch Manchester and Fences. Shouldn’t be too hard.

  10. EtGuild2 says:

    Finally have my Top 10 for 2016!

    1. Elle
    2. American Honey
    3. Silence
    4. The Witch
    5. Everybody Wants Some!
    6. Krisha
    7. Nocturnal Animals
    8. Take Me to The River
    9. Paterson
    10. Indignation

    Honorable mentions: 20th Century Woman, Jackie, The Wailing, Tanna, The Invitation, The Walhberg/Berg True Events duology, Deadpool

    Didn’t See: Toni Erdmann, The Salesman, Neruda, Aquarius

  11. Sideshow Bill says:

    I haven’t seen Krisha yet. It’s that good, eh? I’ll put it on my list. I’d never heard of Take me To The River (aside from the music doc). I’ll add that as well.

    TY for the info EtGuild.

    My Top 10 favorite films of 2016:

    1. THE WITCH
    2. GREEN ROOM
    3. HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
    4. ARRIVAL
    5. THE INVITATION
    6. MOONLIGHT
    7. THE LOBSTER
    8. HELL OR HIGH WATER
    9. ELLE
    10. I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE

    Runner ups: Midnight Special, The Nice Guys, Deadpool, Swiss Army Man, Dr. Strange, Kubo, High Rise, Rogue One, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester By The Sea, Fences

    Jury prize to 2017 release I saw: February (aka the Blackcoat’s Daughter)

    WORST: 31, Suicide Squad, ID4:RESURGENCE

  12. EtGuild2 says:

    If you combine lists, 35% of the Top Tens are A24 movies, with two others in honorable mentions haha. Give those guys some Indie Spirits please!!!

  13. Sideshow Bill says:

    A24 is on quite a roll. I’m not one to favor one company over another –I go where the good stuff is– but it’s too the point that if it has their name on it I’ll give it a go.

  14. Stella's Boy says:

    1. Moonlight
    2. Hell or High Water
    3. Arrival
    4. Swiss Army Man
    5. The Invitation
    6. The Lobster
    7. The Witch
    8. Nocturnal Animals
    9. The Nice Guys
    10. Elle

    Honorable mention: Blood Father.

    A24 rules.

  15. Triple Option says:

    Can you guys please explain the love for Elle? As a thriller, the gaps in logic made some 80s slasher films look as reasoned as Kierkegaard. For eroticism, I’d place it somewhere between National Geographic and the lingerie section of the JC Penny’s catalog. And insight into the human condition…? What did I learn here? Be sure to tell your fam if you like to occasionally succumb to the whims of your rape fantasies.

    Apart from the line, “Neither one of us is drunk enough to have this conversation now,” my only lasting impression of this film is that Paul Verhoeven’s name needs to be added behind Roman Polanski and Gary Glitter as artists never to be allowed to set foot on US soil again. It reminded me of something I’d watch late at night in my dorm room during Skinemax free preview weekend. This would be the one on at midnight or 1AM Sunday night/Monday morning and I’d watch and be just as disappointed thinking, “Damn! I missed all the T&A!”

    Only this was worse because there was no Police Academy installment to wash it all down with.

  16. Triple Option says:

    OK, Christian. I saw the Oscar Nominated Shorts. Fire away!! I have to say, I think the live action films were better than the animated ones. 4/5 live action films I liked. Or at least thought they had something going for them.

    I’m not sure if any of the animated ones knew how to stick a landing. Maybe the elongated Chevy Citation ad but even that wobbled down the stretch.

    It’s probably totally unfair but I have to confess that when the Disney title card came up atop of Piper some little ball of resentment-covered contempt stirred up inside me sorta like seeing Duke getting a soft bracket seed or NE getting roughing the passer calls on every 3rd down incompletion inside Gillette Stadium. First thought, “how many people on staff do they have sitting around saying ‘how do we make it more cutesy?'” Next thought, why do they feel the need to buy their way into this? I wondered if it’s so Pavlovian at this point do they have to go through the whole price negotiation process or do they just naturally reserve a spot and Disney just sends quarterly checks to keep them on retention?

    After seeing it, though, I changed my tune. Slightly. It wasn’t bad, not high gloss overrated but thoroughly ‘meh.’ And they gotta know that, too. Any praise that film gets is the adult equivalent of a participation trophy. Smile all you want, you smug sons&daughters of bitchez but I guarantee you you play that film for the general public the first question they’ll ask you out in the lobby after will be, “is this your first film?”

    (To be clear, ire directed at Disney machine who developed this, not those who actually labored on the short itself — I’m sure Wonder Bread has hired its share of chefs from Le Cordon Bleu.)

  17. Movieman says:

    Speaking of A24 (I share the love), how did they miss out on “I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore”?
    The Coen Bros. comparisons aren’t off base, but it felt more like something from 1974 to me.
    The ’74 version would have been distributed by WB, directed by Richard Rush (or Howard Zieff: take your pick) and stared Barbara Harris and maybe Bud Cort.
    Liked it a lot, and Melanie Lynskey is typically awesome.
    Another feather in the cap for Netflix.

  18. EtGuild2 says:

    Re: ELLE. I thought it was one of the funniest movies of the year (I’ve never uncomfortably laughed more, ever), and more importantly upended genre conventions in a way only Paul Verhouven could. It was starkly anti-feminist and feminist. It slyly altered notions of victimhood as a singular outlier. And it was fronted by the most memorable psychotic character since Anthony Hopkins in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. More extraordinary, for me at least, is that by the end of the movie I was rooting for a functioning sociopath who felt no need to explain away her terrible actions, or her bizarre affinity for being raped. Very, very tricky territory that I can’t ever imagine being replicated.

  19. EtGuild2 says:

    One thing that hasn’t been mentioned at all is the Documentary category, and how in the WORLD “Life, Animated” stands beside four outstanding pieces of work and got in over masterpieces like TOWER, ZERO DAYS, CAMERAPERSON and WEINER. If there’s a truly outrageous nomination this year, “Life, Animated” is it.” Unsanctioned Disney mania?

  20. Sideshow Bill says:

    EtGuild wrote Re: Elle

    ” More extraordinary, for me at least, is that by the end of the movie I was rooting for a functioning sociopath who felt no need to explain away her terrible actions, or her bizarre affinity for being raped. Very, very tricky territory that I can’t ever imagine being replicated.”

    Same. It was similar to the experience I had with There Will Be Blood though I wasn’t outright rooting for Plainview. But I was completely absorbed in a character who is a total sociopath.

    Movieman, I watched I DON’T FEEL… last night. Was really looking forward to it and it didn’t disappoint. It was a lot of fun with a really great turn by Lynskey. Felt a lot of empathy for her character. It was a bit clunky here and there but as a first time feature it’s a good one.

  21. Movieman says:

    Glad you liked it, Bill. Yeah, the violent tonal shifts were a little jarring at first, but I think that may have been the point.
    Btw, it should have been, “starred Barbara Harris and…,” not “stared.”
    Grrrr.
    I bet the ’74 version would have been pretty groovy, too.

  22. Ray Pride says:

    Netflix financed I DON”T FEEL with no intention of theatrical.

  23. Stella's Boy says:

    Well-said re: Elle Ethan. I completely agree with all of that. Exactly how I feel about it.

  24. Movieman says:

    What’s up w/ Netflix climbing aboard the new Scorsese/DeNiro mob movie?
    Is it simply Netflix flexing their muscles to show everyone they’re legit players and here to stay?
    Or was there really difficulty finding financing w/ a major studio?
    Seems unfathomable that a Scorsese/DeNiro mob pic wouldn’t be considered a (fairly) safe bet by the majors.

  25. EtGuild2 says:

    Scorsese always has budgetary problems, and he has two major money losers in the last 5 years (one of which was gestating for a long time just like this mob movie), despite the fact they were great films in my opinion. Still, STX Entertainment appears not willing to let go of IRISHMAN without a fight.

    Thanks Stella. And re: Verhoeven making another movie…there’s no guarantee he does, but I honestly hope he doesn’t come back to America. It’s been 20 years since STARSHIP TROOPERS, and I think BLACK BOOK and ELLE are among his very best, so why bother?

  26. Sideshow Bill says:

    Macon Blair is a really interesting guy. He was great in Green Room as a kinda sympathetic Nazi. Blue Ruin he was even better, one of my favorite sad-sack characters ever. Lynskey did a good job of making her character sympathetic without being totally pathetic. She’s a functioning sad-sack. Elijah Wood has taken some interesting turns post Frodo. He was good too.

  27. Movieman says:

    Ethan- Are you referring to “Vinyl”?
    Certainly not “The Wolf of Wall Street” which grossed $392-million worldwide.

  28. Movieman says:

    OK, I re-read your post and you wrote “great films,” so clearly you weren’t referring to “Vinyl,” lol.
    “Hugo”? That actually did $186-worldwide (which is better than I imagined it had).
    “Silence” was definitely a money-loser, but didn’t it cost under $40-million? So, not exactly a “Heaven’s Gate”-scale disaster.
    Maybe I’m naive. But I would’ve imagined every major would be lining up to finance a new Scorsese/DeNiro mob flick.

  29. EtGuild2 says:

    Yeah, but even if Paramount only spend $15 million on SILENCE’s P&A, the film is about $48 million in the hole right now. And if you split the disagreement on HUGO’s budget at about $160 million, the thing was probably a $40 million+ write-off. The majors seem wary at this point, and given Scorsese took 26 years to make SILENCE, and used his WOWS cachet to do so, it seems like he wants to get moving on it and needs Netflix to do it quickly.

    I don’t know that STX has the capital to invest $90 million+ in a Scorsese film, or afford even a $20 million loss if a Bob DeNiro flick somehow turns out not to be good.

  30. EtGuild2 says:

    Aaaaand…even if it was mostly MOONLIGHT (but also love for THE WITCH), A24 took 7 of 13 Indie Spirits in the main ceremony. SPA NIGHT deservingly won the Cassavetes award for micro-budget film. What a year for the minority gay experience!

  31. leahnz says:

    the spirit award winners were mostly multiple sad trombones for me, pretty much none of the movies/people i was rooting for won (as usual)

    (‘the witch’ winning over the sublime ‘the fits’ is some next level bullshit, as is the most nom’d ‘american honey’ getting skunked, what a bummer. i liked ‘moonlight’ a lot but sheesh. thinking about AH and ‘moonlight’, very different in many respects but they share some striking similarities in theme and form, most notably the lead characters’ intensely isolated, quiet longing as performed so beautifully by sasha lane and hibbert/sanders/rhodes, their pathos and inner worlds mostly unspoken, so heart-wrenchingly conveyed with the eyes – watching, looking, longing from the detached vantage of a lonely, fragile soul. AH is the one that’s really stuck in my head after the passage of time, arnold’s meticulously-rendered, vivid, contradictory world so real and pulsing with energy and youth and uncertainty, i’m anxious for star going forward but i think she’ll be ok as she gets to know herself better and grows into her natural strength and resilience, i’m more worried for little/chiron/black, who feels so lost within himself)

  32. Sideshow Bill says:

    I’d never heard of the Fits until today. Looks good. I will check it out. TY leahnz.

    When it comes to The Witch I’m like JSP with Marvel Movies, admittedly, so I was happy with the wins.

  33. EtGuild2 says:

    I agree about AH. THE FITS kind of baffled me…I really think not having grown up as a girl negatively affected my response to it.

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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

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