Oscar voter reveals what they really feel about the latest list of nominations.
The Hollywood Reporter recently ran an article that describes a conversation with a long-time member of the highly coveted film Academy. The member wished to remain anonymous and based upon the things he or she said, you can see why:
First, let me say that I’m tired of all of this talk about “snubs” — I thought for every one of [the snubs] there was a justifiable reason. What no one wants to say out loud is that Selma is a well-crafted movie, but there’s no art to it.
The Academy judge also addressed the recent accusations calling the members racist.
If the movie had been directed by a 60-year-old white male, I don’t think that people would have been carrying on about it to the level that they were. And as far as the accusations about the Academy being racist? Yes, most members are white males, but they are not the cast of Deliverance — they had to get into the Academy to begin with, so they’re not cretinous, snaggletoothed hillbillies.
In addition, the Academy judge argued that it was really upsetting for the cast and crew to “show up in T-shirts saying ‘I can’t breathe’.
If the movie isn’t that good, am I supposed to vote for it just because it has black people in it? I’ve got to tell you, having the cast show up in T-shirts saying “I can’t breathe” [at their New York premiere] — I thought that stuff was offensive. Did they want to be known for making the best movie of the year or for stirring up sh*t?
Which seems pretty hypocritical to me, considering the Academy judge then compliments the ‘American Sniper’ for “stirring up sh*t.”
American Sniper is the winner of the year, whether or not it gets a single statuette, because for all of us in the movie industry — I don’t care what your politics are — it is literally the answer to a prayer for a midrange budget movie directed by an 84-year-old guy [Clint Eastwood] to do this kind of business.
It shows that a movie can galvanize America and shows that people will go if you put something out that they want to see. With regard to what it did or didn’t leave out, it’s a movie, not a documentary. I enjoyed it, I thought it was well done, and I can separate out the politics from the filmmaking.
The Academy judge also provided some advice for aspiring actors. It is more important how you act in interviews than how you actually act in the movie.
I’m voting for [Birdman‘s] Michael Keaton because I love him and for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is he seems like a completely sane person who lives in the middle of the country and works when he wants to work. I’ve loved every interview that he’s done. He seems grateful, not particularly needy, and I don’t know when he’ll ever get another chance at this; the other nominees will.
For an inside look at the mind of an Academy judge, check out the full article here.
But, what do you think? Who do you think is going to win an Oscar? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!
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