“Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, ‘Rain Man,’ look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Count toothpicks to your cards. Autistic, sure. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, ‘Forrest Gump.’ Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain’t retarded. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard.”
And this year’s big acting Oscars go to two actors who avoided Full Retard.
The real travesty is the Best Picture award.
Birdman is masturbatory Hollywood catnip, a movie about movies and theatre, and the terrible creative struggles true artists go through as they try to escape the cloying weight of their fanbase’s more prosaic desires. It’s showy and fretwanky and needy and has a terrible, terrible ending.
Boyhood, on the other hand, is a masterpiece, about real life. About as far removed from the movie bubble as it’s possible to get while still being a Hollywood product.
In twenty years time people will look back on last night and wonder how on earth Birdman won, in much the same way they wonder how Forrest Gump pipped Pulp Fiction.
To borrow a quote from elsewhere; Birdman is a film about a man trying and failing to create something as good as Boyhood.
OOAA
It’s been a great few months for film. I’m lucky enough to live close by to a cinema that charges just £4 a seat for all screenings and so I’ve seen just about all of this years runners and riders.
I think Birdman a worthy winner although I have to say that the most enjoyable film of the season for me was The Imitation Game which has come away relatively short handed. We had a major family outing to watch Birdman and we all absolutely loved it.
I’ve no complaints about the Best Actor performance of Eddie Redmayne, although I am not representative of the views of the rest of my household who still think he’s a pretentious twat.
Where we are unanimous is that we all found Boyhood to be ridiculously long. The first 45 minutes or so I enjoyed, but it got very very very dull afterwards. An interesting achievement undoubtedly, but ultimately dull.
Still Alice has passed me by and so cannot comment but I would have been very happy to see Reese Witherspoon win for her performance in Wild.
JK Simmons award for Whiplash is absolutely spot on.
£4? Blimey – sounds like heaven.
I thought Whiplash was great. Campy and enjoyable, and didn’t take itself too seriously. Brilliant ending, as well, which is not something that can be said of many films these days.
I saw both Birdman and Boyhood. They were my 1/2 for last year, although which was 1 and which 2 could change day by day.
My cinemagoing girlfriend, who picks up a lot more subtle nuance than I, also loved them. I think we both walked out of both those movies and just said “wow”, went for a drink and talked about them.
I think the way I’m looking at it is “at least it wasn’t American Sniper”.
Not seen Birdman or Boyhood yet but I’m sure you are right, Bingo.
Then again, who really expects the Academy to get it right?
DuCool will be please to see that his film of the year, the wonderful Ida, won best foreign film. Well deserved.
Yes, I was pleased to see Ida win. I haven’t seen Leviathan, as it doesn’t open in Stockholm until next month. I assume Leviathan is really good, too, as I’m a huge fan of Zvyagintsev (probable spelling error).
Being a year behind the times, I have just caught up with Calvary last night. What a powerful film. A sort of modern Power and Glory done as a black comedy. Brilliant central performance from Brendan Gleeson that I would have nominated for a last year’s Oscar.
Leviathan and Calvary are both fantastic.
Seen both Boyhood and Birdman, both wonderful films I enjoyed hugely. I don’t really care which one won the Best Pic Oscar, because it’s all fluff anyway. On the other hand, I’m pleased the equally wonderful Julianne Moore won for her magnificent performance. I am but a poor, bare, forked animal – so sue me.
I haven’t seen Birdman and have mixed feelings about it. My instinct is negative though I’m certainly intrigued. I’d be very surprised if it approached Boyhood for greatness.
I saw both Leviathan and Ida. While the former is brilliant in many ways, there was something relentless – and a bit forced – about its bleakness. I’m glad Ida won. I thought it was exquisite, luminous and unforgettable. I’d gladly watch it again, unlike Leviathan.
I haven’t seen Still Alice (not sure it’s opened in the UK yet), but I tell you what, Julianne Moore might easily have bagged an Oscar nomination for her magnificently deranged turn in Maps To The Stars. She’s beyond great.
Oh dear. Can’t say as I care really. Huge fuss and blanket coverage of an event featuring films and performances which most people haven’t and probably will not see.
If it all prompts a few people to go and see something different then great, but still feels a bit strange.
Sorry, but the Oscars is just the narcissistic back-slap fest to end all narcissistic back-slap fests. It’s where the people who like to play with the dress-up box get to tell each other how cool they are. Why are we bothered? Let them have their party and we can just watch the movies and make up our own minds what we like [though recommendations from da Massive are always welcome :)].
Boyhood is equally a self congratulary as Birdman in its conception and execution but unlike Boyhood it is not arse clenching dull.
I thought most of awards were pretty much on the money but its a ridiculous night always topped off with ‘hey, gays, women n blacks should be treated equally, m’kay?’. Yes, well done Hollywood, have a biscuit
Most big cinema chains have half price days. With Odeon l points I saw Whiplash n Birdman in one afternoon for £6
I generally just sneak in through a fire exit and then spend the whole weekend wandering from screen to screen until I’ve seen everything/they kick me out, whichever is the sooner.
On the downside, my hair is always full of popcorn and I did accidentally see Gone Girl.
Birdman felt like watching the world’s longest guitar solo. Boyhood was like listening to Spiderland.
Any more for any more?
Birdman = drum solo, shirley. And the one and the end of Whiplash at that
Boyhood was just not my tempo
Redmayne and Jones saved the Hawking flick from.BBC Sunday night cosy drama hell as did Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game. How that fact ridden mess got best screenplay is a mystery
I must confess I haven’t seem all of Imitation Game. The trailer (with its “but what if I can never have those feelings for her” and Keira Knightley, maths genius) put me right off.
Calm down Massive! The Oscars were presented by Doogie Howser M.D.
Y’all can just ask for a second opinion..
Whiplash: An Officer and a Gentleman. With jazz.