Warning: stream of consciousness and possible movie spoilers ahead.
I watched some of the Oscars last night. Frankly I didn’t care enough because many of the film scripts seemed to be written as a How Not to Write One. I know script writing is different from crafting novels but aren’t stories supposed to have a payoff at the end to reward us for watching? Manchester by the Sea is one example. The protagonist Lee, well played by Casey Affleck, is a sad, sad sack with serious issues stemming from a tragedy that left him stunted. We watch him flailing through life hoping that he might learn something by the end and then – that’s it. There’s no payoff for sitting through this two hour sad, sad drama, unless Lee’s inability to deal was the point. Such an ending might suffice in a book but it made for an unsatisfying ending for a film.
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Manchester by the Sea won for Best Script which goes to show either I don’t know what I’m talking about or the Oscars are too highbrow for me.
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I used to enjoy gown watching. Now I don’t even know who most of the actresses are (and actors for that matter). Must be getting old.
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I heard Justin Timberlake instead of Jimmy Kimmel did the opening number. Is that legal? Aren’t hosts supposed to sing?
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La La Land was the victim of its own hype. After garnering 14 nominations, I expected Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone to knock my socks off. While they did credible jobs, neither are singers or dancers (although Ryan did amazing key work) and I believe the awesome cinematography and retro-musical feel unfortunately highlighted this problem. Plus the songs didn’t leave me humming anything afterwards. I really wanted to like this movie, but it was Ho Hum Land for me.
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La La Land won 6 Oscars. I just don’t get it.
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Denzel Washington was robbed.
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Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty did a Steve Harvey. *snicker*
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Maybe my tastes are becoming too provincial and pedestrian.
I was glad that Moonlight won, although I didn’t find out until this morning because I shut the TV off in disgust as they announced the winner was LA LA Land. Still feeling a little freaked out by that. It was a fantastic film and also won a script writing award.
That said, I wasn’t going to see LA LA Land b/c nothing about any of the publicity for it interested me, and I boycotted Manchester by the Sea due the sexual assault settlement Affleck made, although normally it is the kind of movie I’d want to see. That decision was vindicated when it came out over the weekend that his production company donated to the Trump campaign. Glad I put $0 in those particular pockets …
Moonlight was very good, but I was SHOCKED it won Best Picture. Just didn’t imagine it was the type of movie the Academy would like. I didn’t know anything about Casey Affleck just before the Oscars. Sounds like a slimeball.
I didn’t think Moonlight could win either but I am so glad it did. I read somewhere that most Academy voters had it as 1 or 2, so I am glad that they recognized quality this time. Although I wish Hidden Figures had won at least one award.
I missed the Oscars, too. Unless I see the films, I’m not really interested.
And I’m with you about La La Land. The trailers were not remotely appealing to me. If I want to be nostalgic about old style Hollywood musicals, then I’ll watch on of them–My Fair Lady, Gigi, Funny Face, Flower Drum Song, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, West Side Story, Unsinkable Molly Brown, Gypsy, starring the likes of Donald O’Conner, Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, Ethel Merman, etc. Sighhh!
And what a kerfuffle the Oscar Ceremony had with the mixed up envelopes! It was most unfortunate and I feel for everyone all around. Though one reviewer I read indicated that the sight of the La La Land and Moonlight cast and crew embracing each other when the mixup was made known, was a lesson in graciousness.