Over the past few months the Oscars, and Hollywood in general, are being criticized again for their lack of diversity. With so few nominations for Black actors and actresses despite movies that were headliners such as "Concussion" and "Straight Outta Compton"
| Rock didn't hide from the Elephant. |
Rather than comment on the actual controversy, I'd like to comment on what happened at the theater itself. It felt on some level uncomfortable for those celebrities in the room to feel somewhat guilty about their craft. No matter who was about to pick up their trophy, there seemed to be an air of tension and that one should say something to attempt to diffuse the situation and spread the idea of love and appreciation.
Awards shows are on many levels a facade in the first place, and we all know it. How do you really judge a performance such as DiCaprio this year in the The Revenant vs Cranston in Trumbo? It's all subjective, the things we think that are dramatic, that are funny, may not be to someone else. The stories are different, but maybe no less important.
Still, I thought Chris Rock did an excellent job navigating some very rough waters. Not wanting to bite the hand the feeds him, yet still insisting that there be more opportunity for black and minority actors.
As white winner after white winner took home an Oscar presented seemingly often by a black presenter (including best picture which, incidentally, features no prominent dark skinned roles), one couldn't help but feel how each winner wanted to acknowledge something positive yet be sympathetic to a very real problem that exists within their community.
In the middle, Rock had a "man on the street" type piece where he asked people near a Compton movie theater about the movies and about the controversy. The piece missed the audience mark, but was one I found that represented how much certain communities are simply not interested in certain Oscar movies. I too had never really heard of Spotlight, and had someone surprised me on the street, 2 weeks ago the only movies on my mind were Star Wars and the Leonardo movie.
In fact all I heard about going into the show were The Revenant and The Martian because of the star power behind those two in Matt Damon and Leo.
Eventually as Gold Confetti rained down in the air it seemed as though everyone had come together, that everyone that had watched this experience was exposed to the very real issue of race relations in America and was better for it. I wondered if this best picture winner was markedly better than Straight Outta Compton, which was one of my favorite movies in the past few years.
While I must agree with most critics that it was a tremendous movie, it was no better or worse than Straight Outta Compton, though they do both share a similar theme.
Both movies deal with an outsider theme. Outsiders trying to stop or topple the system. While one could certainly be judged as more serious, and with more known and experienced actors, both stories felt authentic and well produced. If I were a critic, I would recommend both equally, yet without it being nominated, Hollywood is suggesting that is not the case.
I'm hoping that just like the movies, Hollywood will eventually practice the equality it has preached about.
Equality is bullshit, make better movies and you will win awards.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention of all the minorities, blacks win more oscars than any other group. Where is the outcry for asian awards and latino actors?
First of all anonymous troll of the internet, I'm a big believer in equality. It's that concept more than any other that current day America was built on. That I have every opportunity as you do to speak my mind. It's what allows you to have equal space on this board as I do, and we'll let our peers decided who has a better argument.
ReplyDeleteThe main crux of this article is that there was an acknowledgement during the live event as I saw it between the audience (Who would be mostly the nominees) and Chris Rock. It was a metaphor for coming together. You appear to be trying divide.
And believe me I'm sure the same thing is true for the other minorities in America here. Watch Aziz Ansari's Master of None about Indian Actors. I'd also invite you to watch John Oliver's take on it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XebG4TO_xss
But another key point you skip is "Make Better Movies" Straight Outta Compton was a success on every level, beating out heavy blockbusters at the box office, while also scoring high with critics (It has similar or higher scores than "The Revenant") and I watched both Mad Max and Spotlight (which won by the way). But neither film would I say is superior to "Compton" and it's cultural significance is important, especially given a year where there is serious debate being held regarding the operation of our justice system.
Not to mention the work with sound should be recognized and the effort to make you feel you like you heard their sound for the first time all over again.
If people aren't going to be recognized for the work, the things that they attempted to achieve then it feels like it doesn't matter, it creates a disincentive to work.
And it doesn't need to win necessarily, because in the end, it IS all subjective. But to not be nominated for anything seems like a human error or bias rather than based on any kind of merit.