Academy Award Nominations 2004 -- Reaction and Aftermath
Hey folks.
Now that the nominees for Oscar 2004 have been announced, what are your thoughts? Which films are you rooting for. Which of the 5 Best Picture/Actor/Actress nominees will have the most longevity (both consciously and spiritually) over the years.
And...the REALLY BIG QUESTION: Are you upset that TPOTC was snubbed in the major categories? I'm attaching a link to a fellow critic is livid over the whole issue. She and I even got into a fender bender over her thoughts (http://churchofthemasses.blogspot.com/2005/01/sinning-against-holy-spirit-oscar-noms.html)
Share your thoughts...
Chris Utley
Now that the nominees for Oscar 2004 have been announced, what are your thoughts? Which films are you rooting for. Which of the 5 Best Picture/Actor/Actress nominees will have the most longevity (both consciously and spiritually) over the years.
And...the REALLY BIG QUESTION: Are you upset that TPOTC was snubbed in the major categories? I'm attaching a link to a fellow critic is livid over the whole issue. She and I even got into a fender bender over her thoughts (http://churchofthemasses.blogspot.com/2005/01/sinning-against-holy-spirit-oscar-noms.html)
Share your thoughts...
Chris Utley
posted by Greg Wright at 11:16 AM
13 Comments:
TPotC really wasn't one of the top 5 films of the year. Didn't even make my honorable mentions.
Sideways is what I'd like to win Best Picture, but I expect it will likely be $1M Baby (not a bad choice) or The Aviator (a film I liked, but not the best of the bunch.) Both Sideways and $1M Baby have significant spiritual dimensions.
I know Chris is pulling for Jamie Foxx for best actor, but I was very impressed with DiCaprio (and it almost hurts me to admit it.) His best work since Romeo and Juliet and possibly since his early days of What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Basketball Diaries (his best work to date). Eastwood was tremendous in $1M Baby, as was Cheadle in Hotel RwandaAs for best actress, Imelda Staunton was in a league of her own this year. The rest of the field is quite good (and I'm very pleased that Catalina Sandino Moreno was recognized), but to me it's not even close.
Barbara has got a long track record of being on the "right" side of the culture debate. She stands for excellence in art, and for changing Hollywood from the inside rather than throwing stones from the outside. She also puts her money (and everything else) where her mouth is, and her commitment to her ministry is pretty astounding.
Having said that, I often disagree with her assessment of what's good film and what's not. At the Return of the King press junket, for instance, she couldn't find enough time to talk about why Peter Jackson's movie stunk. Now, I'm biased on that score, obviously, but I did think Barbara's reaction was overstated.
I also found her assessment of the Oscar noms overstated. But in addition to being a critic (and a very respected professional, too, for what that's worth), she's also something of a provacateur. Her mission is to rattle cages and wake up the dead.
Our mission at Hollywood Jesus is quite a bit a different, however -- we're NOT primarily provocateurs, and neither are we really critics. We're advocates of Christian spirituality in art, and we speak primarily to those who have already awoken and are looking for some positive encouragement.
Do I feel bad aobut trying to find some way of avoiding negativity about Two Brothers or Christmas with the Kranks? As a "critic," yes. As a minister, not at all.
Does Barbara take this into account in her comments? No, and this is where I think she could be faulted -- though I'm not concerned enough about it to "call" her on it. I don't think I've been "sinned against." But I do think she shows unnecessary (and unwarranted) disdain toward ministries like that of Hollywood Jesus.
At the same time, Chris, I think you misunderstand what Barbara's trying to do: she's not attacking the Oscar noms primarily on the basis of moral content, though she uses the moral content as the means to point out how TPOTC has been slighted. She's attacking the Oscar noms on the basis of the artistic merit of the films -- and, for the most part, I agree with her that the noms this time around are rather lacking in the department of excellence. (But I can agree with Jeffrey Overstreet that there's room for debate on that point.) So from that standpoint, I do think your "hypocrisy" call for the "shit" comment was inappropriate.
From my perspective, I'm not at all surprised that TPOTC is missing from the noms -- any more than I'm surprised that America's Heart and Soul is missing. But I don't personally think it's part of any grand anti-Christian agenda in Hollywood. In the first place, movies with straight-forward positive messages are never going to be popular with Hollywood's opinion-makers (and that's because they don't play to the tragic artist's sensibilities, not because they reflect a Christian agends). Second, Hollywood's snubbing of Michael Moore this time around is also a good indicator of what's going on with TPOTC: Hollywood just gets TIRED of relentlessly self-promoting "artists."
And let's face it: that's what Gibson became in the year leading up to the release of TPOTC. To a certain extent, of course, the self-promotion was in the service of promoting the story of Christ; but Gibson is a little over the top in his paranoia and martyr complex.
The bottom line: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts WANTS everybody talking about the Oscars, and from that standpoint they're always going to nominate (and vote) in ways that are surprising and controversial.
How much talking about the nominations would we be doing, after all, if they had been utterly predictable?
Not much, and that's bad publicity. And remember, that's what it's ALWAYS about.
Just a note to say that the Arts and Faith Film Critics' Circle (that both Chris and I are a part of) has announced it's awards for 2004 films.
This is the first year in a long time where the field is wide open. There are even some who believe that DiCaprio and Cheadle have a good chance to upset Foxx in Best Actor. My mind's still made up...however if Cheadle were to take the prize, I will still feel proud.
Best Actress is looking more and more headed towards Hilary Swank's direction as the awards get closer. I can't make a prediction about Best Supporting Actor (another wide open field), but I think Virginia Madsen should definitely take Best Supporting Actress.
Best Picture is anybody's guess. My personal choice of the 5 is "Ray", I haven't seen (yet) "Finding Neverland". While "The Aviator" was good, I feel it's a 3 star movie and not a 4 star movie. "Sideways" was the front runner until a sudden wave of unexplained backlash swept upon the film. That may explain the shocking ommission of Paul Giamatti in the Best Actor race.
And then there's "Million Dollar Baby". The writer of the blog that I've linked below posted a whole new blog that practically condemns the film because of its controversial 3rd and final act. That act has pretty much swept the film community...let alone the nation...into a fierce debate. If "MDB" walks away with the Best Picture Oscar, expect your friendly neighborhoood Christian film critics to probably call upon the Lord to rain fire and brimstone all over Hollywood. I have more to share on this issue, but I'll share my points in the "MDB" forum.
Regarding "The Passion Of The Christ": There's no need for us in the Christian community to be upset over it's ommission for the major categories. There isn't an award big enough for this film. I've said it many times, but the treasure that awaits Mel Gibson in Heaven far surpasses box office fortune and Academy Award recognition.
From Benn ...
I was saddened to see Paul Giamatti left out of Leading Actor for "Sideways", but I'm not sure who I would've left out ... Depp for "Finding Neverland"?
Also surprised to see Alan Alda nominated for Supporting Actor for "The Aviator" in what I thought was quite a cliche role.
Happy to see "The Incredibles" screenplay and "Before Sunset" screenplay get nominated.
Jim Carrey, in a masterful piece of contra-casting, should receive special honors for being able to portray a BORING man who suffered anomie, in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. His performance was far, far from boring, and displayed his mastery of the craft. The late Christopher Reeve did similarly in portraying both Superman and Clark Kent in contrasting characters. Also "kudos" to Jim for his adventurous reach in extending his limits.
Bruce C. Meyer
if jamie foxx doesn't win for ray it will be the biggest theft since denzel didn't win for malcolm x.
(though i would still be happy for the often underrated don cheadle should he win)
The fact that the Passion of the Christ wasn't nominated for an academy award shows the incredible bias Hollywood has against Christianity. However, the eternal rewards that will come as a result of the TPOTC will far exceed anything that man can come up with. The film lives on in the hearts and lives that were touched by the film. That is something that couldn't be said about "Sideways" and some of the other films nominated.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
We at Hollywood Jesus do not believe that Hollywood is biased against Christianity. Other Christian film websites may wish to declare that Satan is in control of Hollywood and is promoting an anti-Christian agenda. Not us.
We believe that God is using Hollywood films to manifest the truth that He speaks through the Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 1. God has made His glory and presence manifest in all things. The issue, as Paul says, is whether or not we (in this specific case, the screenwriters, producers and directors) choose to acknowledge God for giving them the ideas and visions for the films in which they create.
It's our job as a team to point out the God moments in film: whether the characters are searching for Him, fighting with Him, or eventually acknowledging Him for their gifts and talents. The 5 Best Picture nominees are loaded with moments like these.
Art is a reflection of our everyday lives. Every weekend we spend 2 hours at theatres near us watching characters go through struggles and anguish that are similar to our own. The world is crying out for salvation. These films serve to raise the question. Through our work here, we continue to point to Christ as the answer.
Well said, Chris!
I second the 'well said Chris" As a mother of three teens, (one who is in college pursing a degree in film as literature,) i am always looking for ways to connect my kids culture with their faith. As a therapist and teacher, it is the media that so often supplies the metaphors for entering the struggles and angst that gnaw at each of us, and we can connect and converse in the language of a commonly shared visual scene. If we pause long enough to look, (and think) there are a plethora of connections to the realities of life and the difficulties of living that hollywood addresses. I am thankful for this, since film/music/visual media is the language of the times. Far too often christians are afraid to address the stark truths of living in this fallen world and it is hollywood, or indie films that courageously portray the poignant truth and invite discovery, reflection and conversation of the necessity of a life of faith. The more that i can connect these for my kids, my clients, myself, the more avenues i have for understanding that there we can find glimpses of the sacred everywhere.
Best Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Best Director: Clint Eastwood
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx (YEAH!)
Best Actress: Hilary Swank
Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett
Best Original Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways
I'm glad for all the winners (except for 1) in the major categories. They all deserved to win.
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