Why Avatar and Inglourious Basterds Lost
by Jaden
photo credit: Philippe Put
It is always so frustrating to see the most creative and advanced filmmakers throughout time get snubbed at the Oscars. Why does it happen?
Is it because the voters of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are old fart knockers? That’s what the folks over at Time and CNN are saying on which I will expand from the inside.
Sure, we love our grandparents, and there are no other people I love to have conversations with more than people who are over the age of 50 who have some sense in them, but when it comes to enjoying cutting edge innovative films, older people generally don’t much care for them, they just want a good story. If statistically Academy voters’ ages skew high, then, yeah, the awards will not represent what the masses like.
In addition to age, another point brought up is watching the movie at home versus in the theater. Let me explain what happens in Hollywood.
In Hollywood, entertainment related people, the kind of people who would be voting or any person who works in the film industry at all, usually they do not pay to go to the movies, unless they really want to financially support some small film or because the movie has a big buzz of greatness. Hollywoodians either go to the premier screening, or go to a free screening at the union halls (Writers Guild, Directors Guild, or Actors Guild), or they wait to get a free copy of the nominated movies delivered to their home.
Watching the nominated film DVD mailers at home, which not too long ago were still going out as VHS tapes, Academy voters do not see the way the film was intended to be watched and heard in the cinema.
Avatar is not the kind of film to watch at home. It is a monstrous cinematic 3D giant whose story is good, but a little corny. Watching Avatar at home, you might feel underwhelmed because the way the film envelopes you in the theater aurally and visually, would be lacking.
As for Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino is unquestionably one of the top three most ingenuitive, talented, and breakout writer/directors out of the past two decades. It is common for geniuses in the arts and sciences to go without the recognition they deserve in their lifetime because most people are not ready for them. Tarantino always includes a lot of violence and gore that may turn off a number of more conservative folks as well.
Box Office intake speaks for the public as to what they thought was the Best Picture of 2009: Avatar! Avatar, as of today, has reaped 2.6 BILLION dollars in less than two months! Inglourious Basterds has pulled $313 million in four months. The Hurt Locker has made 21 Million in a half year. Money talks.
To be fair, let’s not ignore that there are other factors that go into why a movie does well at the box office, like marketing being the main reason whether people know about a movie or not, which costs a lot of money, and how widely distributed in theaters as to whether people have access to see the film. Even excellent small films get word-of-mouth, though, that helps them propel to amazing box office heights.
All that said…. F*%K IT! Who cares?
For the first time in 82 years of Oscar giving history, a woman has finally won Best Director and Best Picture, Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker. Hallelujah for that! And you never seen a foxier 58-year-old! Shoot.
Since I wrote the post Sexist America, Racist Hollywood over a year ago, much has changed. We have our first Black president and our first female to win Best Director at the Oscars and that in itself is something to celebrate.
As to whether or not they were the most deserved or best qualified for their wins, time will be the revealer of that.
What are your feelings about the Oscar winners and losers?
You can read my picks here:
Jaden’s Picks for the 82nd Academy Awards
Jaden’s Picks for the 82nd Academy Awards
Here are the Nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards!
For whom would you vote?
Best Picture
- “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
- “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
- “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
- “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
- “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
- “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
- “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
- “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
- “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
- “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers
JADEN’S PICK: “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
Writing (Original Screenplay)
- “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
- “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
- “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
- “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
- “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
JADEN’S PICK: “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
- “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
- “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
- “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
- “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
- “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
JADEN’S PICK: “District 9″ Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
(Precious is a close runner up though.)
One of the nominated movies, I won’t say which one, I thought was the worst movie I have seen in ages and can’t believe all the accolades it is getting. Strong concept, but nothing interesting happens in the whole dang movie. All the main characters are snobby, empty, boring, nauseating, no redeeming qualities, and so full of themselves, which seems to reflect upon the writer/director; material winners, soul losers. Talk about uninspiring! Uhg.
Point is, always forge ahead because there is a market for you somewhere at the top, whatever your topic or style is, even if certain people think you suck sulfur vapors, other people will think you are the greatest thing ever. Never be derailed by someone who doesn’t like your work. We all have different tastes.
JADEN’S ACTOR PICKS:
Let me also add some knockout performances this year by…
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Most Famous PG Underwear Scenes in Cinema: Readers’ Choice
by Jaden
As a follow up to: Most Famous PG Underwear Scenes in Cinema, the following PG panties scenes have been selected by the Screenwriting for Hollywood readers.
The first two favorite PG underwear movie scene selections, Charlie’s Angels and Weird Science, are from Melissa of Writing Forward.
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Writing credits: Ivan Goff, Ryan Rowe, Ed Solomon, John August, Ben Roberts
At the time the modern Charlie’s Angels movies came out, people in Hollywood expressed all sorts of discontent over nothing really in particular, just saying blanket statements like, “It was alright, not that great.” I don’t understand this. The stunts, cinematography, music, and playful characters thoroughly entertained me. I figure it must be a Hollywood thing.
This panties scene of Cameron Diaz, playing as character Natalie Cook, is one of her signature moments in cinema that make us adore her.
Cameron’s character has a dream that she is like Marilyn Monroe or Madonna, doing the Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend / Material Girl formal and fabulous dance with many handsome suited men.
She wakes up in a good mood.
Wearing Fruit of the Loom’s superhero boys’ underwear Underoos, Cameron Diaz makes her bed and dances goofily around her room in front of the mirror. A delivery man comes to the door.
Weird Science (1985)
Weird Science was written and directed by 1980s movie superstar John Hughes.
1980s bombshell Kelly LeBrock plays Lisa, the creation of two high school nerdy boys.
If I remember correctly, and someone correct me if I am wrong, the image enclosed here of Kelly LeBrock in her panties is the moment she first comes on scene and comes into real life, which further illustrates a young man’s lust for girls in panties and how nudity and hardcore sex scenes are not necessarily as sexy as underwear scenes.
The next best movie underwear scene selection, There Will Be Blood, is from Shane of Understanding in a Car Crash.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Shane wrote:
Although it’s not the type of underwear we are used to… Daniel Day Lewis as Daniel Plainview swims in the ocean and then sits out in the sun, on the beach, with his ‘brother’. Both men are wearing “britches” I guess you could call them? Like those old pajamas that you unbutton the back in order to restroom. He made long johns look GOOOOOODD.
As often is the case with memorable underwear scenes, the details about it are not written into the script.
In There Will Be Blood, the script does not mention their undergarments in this scene, but writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson brought forth the fine details of this impressionable image regardless.
The script reads:
“They rise up, naked, out of the water and move to their clothes and their HORSES. HOLD THIS MOMENT.”
The next three sexy PG panties movie scene selections, Crossroads, Hollow Man, and Deep Blue Sea, are from Tom.
Hollow Man (2000)
Hollow Man is an interesting concept for a script, written by Andrew W. Marlowe and Gary Scott Thompson, directed by Paul Verhoeven.
“Elisabeth Shue is Linda Foster, a scientist who is working on a serum to make people invisible. When another scientist tries the serum and becomes invisible his colleagues figure another way to bring him back to the normal world.” – M Sanchero
In this particular scene shown, Elisabeth Shue is sleeping when the invisible colleague, whose personality is also affected by the serum, starts having his way with her.
Tom writes about this scene, “very hot.”
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Directed by Renny Harlin, Deep Blue Sea was written by Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers.
Saffron Burrows plays Dr. Susan McCallister who gets into her panties to electrocute a shark.
People refer to this scene as a classic Hollywood gratuitous panties moment in film, but Tom and many other men love it; no need for explanation, just get the girls into their panties.
Crossroads (2002/I)
In searching for this image of Britney Spears in panties from the Crossroads movie, I saw way too many paparazzi fully-shaved-beaver shots of her. Apparently the girl does not ever wear underwear, so doing a lingerie movie scene for Britney was certainly of no moral issue as it is for some other actresses.
Crossroads was directed by Tamra Davis and written by Shonda Rhimes. Women love lingerie too.
And The Nominees Are…
Here are the Screenplay, Actor, and other Nominations for the 81st Academy Awards that will air February 22, 2009.
______________wireimage.com___________________'Tis Kiss-Off season: Brad Pitt and Sean Penn duke it out.
Adapted screenplay
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
- “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
Original screenplay
- “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
- “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
- “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
Best motion picture of the year
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
- “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti and Redmond Morris, Producers
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, Producer
Performance by an actor in a leading role
- Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
- Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
- Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
- Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
- Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
- Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
- Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
- Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
- Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
- Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
Best animated feature film of the year
- “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
- “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton
Achievement in art direction
- “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
- “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt
Achievement in cinematography
- “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle
Achievement in costume design
- “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
- “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky
Achievement in directing
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle
Best documentary feature
- “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
- “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
- “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
- “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall in association with Red Box Films Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
- “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal
Best documentary short subject
- “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
- “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
- “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
- “The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde
Achievement in film editing
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens
Best foreign language film of the year
- “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
- “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
- “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
- “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
- “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel
Achievement in makeup
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
- “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Alexandre Desplat
- “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
- “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
- “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
- “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Best animated short film
- “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
- “Lavatory – Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
- “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films), A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
- “Presto” (Walt Disney), A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
- “This Way Up” A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes
Best live action short film
- “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
- “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
- “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
- “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
- “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank
Achievement in sound editing
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Glenn Freemantle and Tom Sayers
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
- “Wanted” (Universal), Wylie Stateman
Achievement in sound mixing
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
- “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt
Achievement in visual effects
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan
PLUS the WINNERS
of the
Screen Actors Guild Awards
January 25, 2009
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
SEAN PENN Harvey Milk “MILK” Focus Features
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
MERYL STREEP Sister Aloysius Beauvier “DOUBT” Miramax Films
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
HEATH LEDGER Joker “THE DARK KNIGHT” Warner Bros. Pictures
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
KATE WINSLET Hanna Schmitz “THE READER” The Weinstein Company
Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Motion Picture
“SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” Fox Searchlight Pictures
RUBINA ALI Youngest Latika
TANAY HEMANT CHHEDA Middle Jamal
ASHUTOSH LOBO GAJIWALA Middle Salim
AZHARUDDIN MOHAMMED ISMAIL Youngest Salim
ANIL KAPOOR Prem
IRRFAN KHAN Police Inspector
AYUSH MAHESH KHEDEKAR Youngest Jamal
TANVI GANESH LONKAR Middle Latika
MADHUR MITTAL Oldest Salim
DEV PATEL Older Jamal
FREIDA PINTO Older Latika
Screen Actors Guild Awards 45th Annual Life Achievement Award
James Earl Jones
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“THE DARK KNIGHT” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
| WADE ALLEN RICK AVERY DEAN BAILEY RICHARD BURDEN FRANK CALZAVARA MARK CHADWICK BRIAN CHRISTENSEN GEORGE COTTLE TOBIASZ DASKIEWICZ JUSTO DIEGUEZ MARIE FINK JEAN-PIERRE GOY MARK HARPER ADAM HART JAMES HEISNER SY HOLLANDS |
TERRY JACKSON PAUL JENNINGS LUKE KEARNEY MATT LeFEVOUR RICK LeFEVOUR TOM LOWELL TONY LUCKEN DANIEL MALDONADO JON MALDONADO JAMES MAMMOSER KEVIN MATHEWS TOM McCOMAS TIM McHENRY NATALIE M. MEYER RICK MILLER MARK MOTTRAM |
CHRIS NOLTE ANDY NORMAN CARL PAOLI LINDA PERLIN BRIAN PETERS SCOTT PHILYAW BUSTER REEVES KEN REMER RICHARD RYAN JEFF SHANNON KEVIN SORENSEN JODI STARNES TOM STRUTHERS TODD ROGERS TERRY JIM WILKEY RICH WILKIE |
And the Oscar Goes to… Milk!
by Jaden
“And the Oscar Goes to… Milk!”
Better get used to hearing that because I think it might be said many times come February 22, 2009 when the spotlights stir up the smog in Hollywood for the Academy Awards that honor achievements in film.
Director! Actor! Editing! Sound! Screenplay! I expect Milk to be up for awards in each of these categories and more.
Milk is one of those rare films that has something important to say about politics and humanity — doing it with remarkable eloquence and beauty.
The images of Milk are not flickering merely to help you get through two more hours of your dreary life, the pictures confront your values, challenge your moral structure, make you feel uneasy in your plush red chair, and demand that you question yourself.
Learn more about Milk:
Milk Drops Keep Falling on My Head
Moral Milk for Gus Van Sant and Sean Penn
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