Oscar rant for 2020

Ok. Now it's time for another rant. This time about the Oscars. I watched the whole show yesterday and mixed emotions as usual. There were things I thought were good, but there were lots of terrible moments.

First, the opening number. I like the performer who sang in it but this whole number reminded me of 60s-80s era kitsch, the kind that were nixed when Billy Crystal hosted (he's always poke fun of those numbers). Apparently some Academy programmer felt the need to bring it back I guess, but it didn't work for me.

What they should have done is opened with that montage of the musical moments from movies and Eminem's performance. That would have made sense. Also someone should have emphasized musical moments from the last 30-40 years, since that montage included nothing from classic Hollywood, not even a Judy Garland movie.

In future years, they should do something different with In Memoriam. Maybe make it longer, 5-6 minutes. Who is really looking at their watch during that segment besides commercial advertisers?

This year, the montage-makers started a new trend by including two people on the same screen to speed things up. But come on, is that needed? I saw Katherine Burns on the screen with Terry Jones. I think it's nice that someone remembered her; she had one significant supporting role in the mostly-forgotten 1969 film Last Summer and was nominated for Supporting Actress. However,  she was in virtually nothing since then and hardly anyone knows who she is or that film credit. On the other hand Terry Jones had more prolific credits. What they need to do is honor one person and show a clip of their film and/or a title/logo of the movie with it so people know what movie they were associated with. The Oscars used to do this years ago and it was a good practice.

I think it's time to admit that most people watching the Oscars In Memoriam have no idea who half the people are. That's why you need to include more movie clips with the person's picture, and not just 1 second of them. Show the title and logo too. People - especially groups of people watching at a viewing party - like to go "ooh" and "ahh" and have their memories jarred with movies when they watch these clips.

And as far as who was left out..... Someone needs a talking to. Not honoring Michael J. Pollard or Valentina Cortese seems really brainless. Sure, they didn't have many prolific credits but they were  Oscar nominees at least. How Katherine Burns was left in while those two - as well as Luke Perry who was in the Tarantino movie - were left out is a mystery to me.

Maybe in future years, just eliminate that segment - is it really needed?

I don't know. I don't think it's necessary, but it is nice to be reminded of movie history a little. When else during the ceremony do you see clips from older movies? Or even veteran stars? It was great that Jane Fonda, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks made appearances, but what about some other movie legends?

Were Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig there to plug a movie? If so, someone should have said so. Same with Will Ferrell and Julia Louis Dreyfus (they are appearing in one opening soon). Without an announcer or presenter/host we're left in the dark as to why some of those people - TV stars mainly - are there.

I liked seeing Shia LaBeouf and his costar from The Peanut Butter Falcon, the young actor with Down Syndrome. But please, plug the movie at least. It's a good movie. Someone should have been there to champion it and say, "And here are the two stars of one of last year's pleasant surprises, etc"

I could go on but I think that's it for now. Rant over....haha

Rejected, and what it feels like to be rejected

Rejected

OK, so today's blog post isn't a review or summary of a film, but more personal thoughts about the subject of rejection, because I've had to face it this past fall.

One of the ways to connect with other bloggers is to join an association, and I tried to do that this year with a classic film blogger association, feeling that my blog qualifies. I was rejected. Basically was told that I don't fit in. I'll get over it, but it kind of stings a bit. I wouldn't have joined if I didn't think my blog was qualified.

Surely other bloggers are more lengthy and polished, and many in that association are professional writers, too. I'm not. Maybe that's why I don't fit in.

Some of my posts have been long and very well written, but I suppose they were written so long ago that the judges didn't have a chance to read them. I understand that.

When the committee informed me I wasn't ready to join, I was also informed that my style is regarded as microblogging, however I think of microblogging as what people write on Facebook or Twitter.

Hmmm. So what kind of blog do I have here? It's just me writing what I want, and sharing my thoughts about films. And I always hope to stir interest in some great finds.

It got me wondering exactly when I will be "ready" to join. When I'm 50 or 60 or 70 years old? And writing from my Assisted Living Center?

If you are reading this, thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy what you find here.

If you don't like this blog, and feel it's beneath you....then buh-bye...and...

!!!

Not too excited about the Oscars this year...

I know the Oscars are tonight, but for the first time in many years, I'm just not too excited about the show. Some of my favorite movies of the year weren't nominated or didn't get the recognition they deserve, such as Sicario, which I thought would be up for Best Picture and Best Actress for Emily Blunt and Best Supporting Actor for Benicio del Toro.

I also loved Inside Out, which may be my favorite film of last year; I thought for sure it would be nominated for Best Picture easily.

Also in my Top 5 of last year is The Stanford Prison Experiment; I haven't reviewed it yet on my blog, but the film was incredibly intense. More to come about that film in a few days.

I liked Mad Max Fury Road quite a bit, and I'll have a review of that movie on my blog soon, too.

But as far as action films, my favorite of 2015 was none other than Furious 7.  The movie ties together every previous movie so well. It's fast paced and humorous with exotic locations and a great soundtrack.  And very moving at the end. The main song "See You Again" should have been nominated for Best Song, and the film should have received some technical nominations such as Sound Editing or Visual Effects.

Also snubbed for Visual Effects is Jurassic World - that final battle sequence alone blew me away, with that whale-like dinosaur jumping out of the water going in for the kill. Why in is The Revenant nominated for Visual Effects? For a bear attacking Leonardo di Caprio?

There were also some small-scale, quieter films that came out earlier in 2015 that didn't make too many people's Top 10 lists. One was Mr Holmes, starring Ian McKellan as an older Sherlock homes attempting to solve his final case. I also was a fan of The Age of Adaline, and thought Harrison Ford was great in it-- even better than in Star Wars.  And finally, I really liked Mistress America, starring Greta Gerwig in a screwball comedy set in New York.

New Mel Gibson audio tape released....

Another tape has been released with more disgusting threats. The man who made The Passion of the Christ sounds like he is possessed by the devil.


I can't think of another movie star of his caliber (2-time Oscar winner, box-office megastar) who has completely exposed himself as being a loathsome, sickening, verbal abuser and infant abuser.

I cannot embed the audio, but you can listen to it online on the Radar Online website (warning: very strong profanity and disgusting language)

Go to the Radar Online website

Excerpt:

Oksana: You’re acting as a crazy man right now and you have been for many, many months. And you hit me, and you hit her (Lucia) while she was in my hands! Mel, you’re losing your mind. You need medication.”

Mel: You need a ------- kick up the --- for being a ----, -----, gold digging whore! With a ----- son! And I want my child, and no one will believe you! So ---- you!”

What do you think about all this?

In other news, a Pakistani couple face death by stoning after conviction for adultery.

Mel Gibson audio (phone call)

This whole incident reminds me of the final act of Ophuls' Le Plaisir, which is also about an artist who verbally abuses and threatens his lover.




If you haven't heard it, here is the phone call with Oksana Grigorieva.

Warning: This may offend those of you who love Mel Gibson.




Together, they have an 8-month old baby daughter. And this is how Gibson talks to his baby's mother?

"You make me want to smoke"

"You have no f___g soul"

"I need a woman"

"You f__g c___"

"f__ you"








Mel and his wife Robyn were married almost 30 years.

After nearly three years of separation, Robyn Gibson filed for divorce on April 13, 2009, citing irreconcilable differences.

Gibson was sleeping with Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, and she gave birth to their daughter Lucia on October 30, 2009.

In April 2010, it was made public that they had split. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched a domestic violence investigation against Gibson.

July 2010 - audio tapes were released of his threatening phone calls with Grigorieva.



Gibson is a multi-millionaire; he could buy himself anything he wants to.

The lesson to be learned in all this? Money just does not buy one happiness.