Last night's biggest shockaroo came when Precious scribe Geoffrey Fletcher won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, which no pulse-taker had even fantasized about as a remote possibility. It wasn't in the cards, and yet it happened.
Up In The Air co-screenwriters/non-collaborators Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner. Fletcher got all sniffly as he conveyed his heartfelt thanks, and all I could think as I watched was, "This isn't entirely about you, bro. This is obviously a 'we love Geoffrey Fletcher and Precious' award', okay, but only partly."
It's also...in fact, I suspect it was mainly a "we're not going to give this award to Jason Reitman for regarding his Up In The Air co-writer Sheldon Turner as an irritant during much of the campaign season, particularly when Up In The Air won the Golden Globe Best Screenplay award, so we're going to give it to Fletcher instead. We like his screenplay and the film, but this is mainly about not wanting to give the Oscar to Reitman."
When Fletcher's name was called out the reaction in the room (or in my room, at least, at 92Y Tribeca) was one of total surprise. We're talking MAJOR SHOCK WAVES. Reitman and Turner were definitely seen as having been snubbed.
Up In The Air came out of Telluride and Tribeca with a serious Best Picture headwind, and yet the air started to hiss out of the balloon when The Hurt Locker began winning with all the critics and guilds, and particularly when Avatar stomped into the picture in mid December. But Up In The Air is/was still an excellent film. And so a sentiment seemed to grow that the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar should go to Up In The Air co-authors Reitman and Turner as a makeup award.
My immediate thinking was that Reitman did himself in with (a) that inelegant display he put on at the Golden Globes when he ignored Turner as he thanked the HFPA for the Up In The Air Golden Globe award for Best Screenplay, and (b) that slight air of entitlement that people seemed to get from him.
After the Globes debacle there was a slight judgment current I kept hearing and feeling to the effect of Reitman might be a bit of an ay-hole. I regret to say that I heard that word a lot. That and "dick." I didn't agree with it, just to be clear. Reitman probably shouldn't have radiated a frosty vibe toward Turner, but it didn't seem like any criminal offense to me.
DVR capture of Reitman after the announcement of Avatar's Best Picture win at the Golden Globes. Up In The Air is a beautifully made, very touching and (I think) profound film about America here-and-now and what we all need and want. Everyone knew or accepted that it was being regarded as one of the top two or three, and no one seemed to dispute -- even as the Avatar steamroller began to happen in December -- that while UITA had fallen back in the Best Picture race that Reitman & Turner would at least get a compensation Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay....at least that.
But no. Something happened. What I suspect is that "Reitman is a bit of an ay-hole" happened. Particularly Reitman's look of glum concern when Avatar won at the Golden Globes -- remember that photo? I'm saying all this, mind, as a sincere admirer of Reitman and Up In The Air. I have no problem with the guy. I accept that any willful creative person is going to exhibit a touch of assholery every now and then -- it just goes with the territory and isn't that big of a deal. I condemn him not.
In Contention's Kris Tapley, another admirer of Up In The Air who's interviewed Reitman once or twice, says the following:
"I frankly don't remember his 'look of concern' at the Globes (which could have just as easily been concern that The Hurt Locker didn't win), and he didn't ignore Turner on that stage, either. In fact, after they unfortunately played Turner off the stage at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Reitman's position was Turner should speak first from that point on.
"I think two things happened. First was the dust-up surrounding writing credits, which became so pronounced and overstated as to reflect a sheen of animosity, when there was none. That may have found its way into the overall Academy consciousness.
"Second, and most importantly, I think Reitman is getting put in his place after reaching a high level of success so early in his career. This has always been a notion in the ether, but it really rang true for me when I was watching the Best Director category. All of those clips of people talking about the respective nominees. He looked like an absolute baby in the midst of all of that, a true wunderkind.
"And I also think it's clear the Academy had a level of admiration and respect for Precious. It seemed palpable in the room."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 8, 2010 at 6:57 AM
comment #1
JHR
says ...
I think the win for PRECIOUS here is more about the genuine support for that film than anything about Reitman and the writing credit tiff.
Face it - support for UITA peaked pre-release, and AVATAR peaked in January - but the real momentum shifted towards THL, and to a lesser extent, PRECIOUS, in the last few weeks.
Posted by JHR
at March 8, 2010 8:17 AM
comment #2
JD
says ...
Reitman has always come across as incredibly arrogant -- and I don't think his constant Michael Mann-bashing is earning him any respect. Like it or not, awards are always at least partly a popularity contest... and he's almost impossible to like.
Posted by JD
at March 8, 2010 8:20 AM
comment #3
Eloi Manning
says ...
Up In The Air deflated because it was nicely-made and entertaining enough, but it was so incredibly middlebrow that it doesn't leave a lasting impression. Everyone seemed to be won over by it on first viewing, but it faded from the memory faster than any of the other big contenders.
Posted by Eloi Manning
at March 8, 2010 8:23 AM
comment #4
paul_kolas
says ...
There was definitely some sort of "Up in the Air" backlash vibe last night. Was it just me, or was George Clooney seriously pissed off - as opposed to mock pissed off - when Martin and Baldwin were doing their front row nominees kiss up? Maybe Clooney knew his movie was doomed to be shut out and was in a funk because of it. He seemed to look into the camera more playfully later in the show. I find it interesting that when the critics seem to have a consistent anointing of year end awards that it leads to the Academy following suit more often than not - "Slumdog Millionaire" last year and "No Country For Old Men" the previous year. Of course you have the shockers like "Crash" and "Shakespeare in Love" too, but when "The Hurt Locker" started to reap the awards, the Academy felt a "duty" to follow along, although I think they got it right. It was so great to see Bigelow win. I imagine the Coens are feeling pretty good about their "True Grit" right now. Bridges is going to make a memorable Rooster Cogburn.
Posted by paul_kolas
at March 8, 2010 8:26 AM
comment #5
Michael
says ...
Reitman's 'Smoking is bad!' take on The Insider is a Disqualifying Statement moment as far as I'm concerned. Pretty much everything he says from now on has to be given an appropriate amount of inspection.
Posted by Michael
at March 8, 2010 8:36 AM
comment #6
MOGUL
says ...
Clooney was definitely annoyed. Yes, later in the telecast he tried to put up a better face, but there were too many shots of him looking distracted or bored. And he wasn't the only celeb acting that way. I thought the entire show had a strange, disjointed, go through the motion kind of vibe.
Posted by MOGUL
at March 8, 2010 8:39 AM
comment #7
markj
says ...
Everytime i've heard Reitman speak i've thought to myself: "what an asshole". Especially when he dissed The Insider and The Wild Bunch.
Posted by markj
at March 8, 2010 8:39 AM
comment #8
fishhead
says ...
"After the Globes debacle there was a slight judgment current I kept hearing and feeling to the effect of Reitman might be a bit of an ay-hole. I definitely heard that word a lot. That and "dick." "
This is what I've gleamed from reading or watching any interview with Reitman. And I am a very big fan of UITA. He's young having made 2 very good movies ( I didn;t care for Juno but loved Thank you for Smoking) and will have a long career in front of him, so I doubt this will be his last merry-go-round, but yes, I think people think of him as entitled and a little bit of an asshole.
Posted by fishhead
at March 8, 2010 8:40 AM
comment #9
Telemachos
says ...
I thought it was a weird and poor choice -- yet oddly telling -- that all the other Best Director nominees got a video introduction from a peer and a co-worker, but Reitman got an intro.... from his dad.
I agree with Jeff's basic statement: I think Reitman's behavior throughout the award season did him in. I saw UITA at a guild screening (not the WGA) and from the Q&A discussion afterwards, you would've thought the movie was his passion project; that he had convinced his dad to get the rights, that he was the sole creative person involved in adapting it for the screen, etc. It was incredibly disingenuous, and I can also imagine this was his general stock answer given to Q&As at other guild screenings. I know WGA members who were very pissed off at his general approach, and I wouldn't be surprised if he lost a good chunk of votes from the writers in general.
Posted by Telemachos
at March 8, 2010 8:46 AM
comment #10
BurmaShave
says ...
I wonder if it had anything to do with the cowardly reworking of Kirn's novel, or maybe the fact that it was maybe the third best of the nominees, and that if they hadn't given it to PRECIOUS they should have given it to IN THE LOOP.
Posted by BurmaShave
at March 8, 2010 8:52 AM
comment #11
moviesquad
says ...
UITA was a "Lifetime movie of the week" type of film that was aimed squarely at middle-aged, male film critics instead of middle-aged, housewives.
Jeff was the biggest pusher of the Oscar potential of UITA, and it was completely shutout once most people saw the film and realized there was no there, there.
Posted by moviesquad
at March 8, 2010 8:52 AM
comment #12
PCP
says ...
I agree with Jeff on this.
But this does show the oscars are a joke since they are way more subjective than you'd think.
why should the below matter when we are judging the best in a category and not anything else:
(a) that inelegant display he put on at the Golden Globes when he ignored Turner as he thanked the HFPA for the Up In The Air Golden Globe award for Best Screenplay, and (b) that slight air of entitlement that people seemed to get from him.
Posted by PCP
at March 8, 2010 9:02 AM
comment #13
nodirectionhome
says ...
HURT LOCKER was not deserving of any its awards last night, again its spectacle over quality. Every news article leading up to the ceremony last night criticized on how each show has now become a time for comeuppance; its no longer a celebration of the present but recreating its own history. Im finished with the whole charade.
Posted by nodirectionhome
at March 8, 2010 9:20 AM
comment #14
Krillian
says ...
Up in the Air was in my Top Ten until the last two minutes of the movie. Glad Hurt Locker won, glad Bigelow won, glad Bridges won, glad Waltz won, still need to see Precious...
Posted by Krillian
at March 8, 2010 9:27 AM
comment #15
BurmaShave
says ...
well don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you. I'd be lying if I said I thought THE HURT LOCKER was a Best Picture winner when I saw it back in August, but it was still very worthy. People trying to turn this into another CRASH are babies of the first order.
Posted by BurmaShave
at March 8, 2010 9:28 AM
comment #16
Robert Cashill
says ...
UP IN THE AIR is a terrific movie, one I look forward to watching again when it hits DVD tomorrow. I'm sorry it lost, and sorrier still that the embarrassing "Precious steals a bucket of chicken" clip preceded its adapter's win.
Posted by Robert Cashill
at March 8, 2010 9:31 AM
comment #17
Geoff
says ...
Clooney wasn't annoyed at the beginning of the telecast. They shouldn't have been cutting to his face so often - he had a gag with Alec Baldwin coming up and you can tell he was trying to have some deadpan quality.
When Alec Baldwin finally glanced at Clooney's face for the gag, they (in the control room) didn't cut to Clooney's face on time and messed up the whole bit. Timing is everything and they fucked it up for Alec.
Horrible direction last night
Posted by Geoff
at March 8, 2010 9:35 AM
comment #18
Mo'Nique Waltz
says ...
the BEST moment of the night was watching that spoiled brat JR stew after losing. sSo glad they snubbed his vapid, smug, shallow dumbass fucking movie. Good for PRECIOUS (a movie I'll probably never watch).
Posted by Mo'Nique Waltz
at March 8, 2010 9:42 AM
comment #19
Gabe Rodriguez
says ...
Up in the Air was the best film of 2009 in my estimation, but that's irrelevant here. You've been firmly planted in the anything-but-Precious camp for the entirety of awards season, Jeff. And while you're generally sure to include a quickie stab at acknowledging any contender from team Precious as legit, it's always an obligatory nod dropped directly in the thick of categorical dismissal.
You have obviously not read Sapphire's "Push" (of that much I am sure), so any real discussion of Fletcher's achievement in adapting a screenplay really is beside the point. Sure, Reitman & Turner were the safest bets to win, but in terms of actual merit in the category, Fletcher's "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" is a remarkable feat of scripting the impossible: the illiterate interior dialogue of Precious as she struggles to articulate into words the reservoir of thoughts and feelings she's been incapable of expressing before educating herself. Read the book and try to see the forest for the trees here: Fletcher's script speaks for itself as the BEST adapted screenplay.
Reminding the Academy of its inextricable roots in Sapphire's original with every mention of the movie's full title, "Precious" announces its foundation as an adaptation right out front, encouraging maximum comparison between Sapphire's "Push" and Fletcher's "Precious" as the sole basis of Academy consideration. I know how repugnant you found Mo'Nique's refusal to put her entire life and career on hold for 4 months, but just as Mo'Nique's impossibly monstrous matriarch on screen spoke for itself as the extent of her Oscar campaign, Fletcher's win is owed not to a Reitman backlash but to "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" being the best screen adaptation in years. It's refreshing to see a rare exception to the usual Academy rule of voting as directed by campaign politics.
Posted by Gabe Rodriguez
at March 8, 2010 9:45 AM
comment #20
OtownRog
says ...
JWells hit it right on the head. He did himself in.Magnify that "slight air of entitlement" by the number of press and others he showed that to, and well, a FIVE MONTH Ocar campaign went straight into the crapper.
Posted by OtownRog
at March 8, 2010 9:53 AM
comment #21
PCP
says ...
The best part about the awards show last night ... after re-evaluating everything ... tom hanks naming the best picture and then it was over. Another over-pretentious popularity contest and/or let-my-vote-count-simply-to-shock
Posted by PCP
at March 8, 2010 9:54 AM
comment #22
Josh Massey
says ...
I think Reitman is being punished for his flat line reading in Ghostbusters II.
"Clooney was definitely annoyed."
I think it was the night's flatest joke, and that's saying something. Obviously, there was an arranged gag where Baldwin and Clooney were supposed to be pissed off at each other, but it just came off as Clooney being a jerk. Which sucks, because he was just playing along.
Posted by Josh Massey
at March 8, 2010 10:00 AM
comment #23
Floyd Thursby
says ...
If the Oscars are all about momentum, Ghost Writer has no chance at anything next time?
Posted by Floyd Thursby
at March 8, 2010 10:05 AM
comment #24
corey3rd
says ...
the novel Thank You For Smoking came out in 1994 - a little bit before The Insider's "true story" even happened.
Jason screwed up with his inability to just play nice with the other writer. As award season wore on, Up in the Air crowd did seem more bitter and frustrated rather than enjoying the ride.
Posted by corey3rd
at March 8, 2010 10:07 AM
comment #25
PCP
says ...
Ghost Writers has no chance next time because it was released in Q1
Posted by PCP
at March 8, 2010 10:14 AM
comment #26
Robert Cashill
says ...
Great response Gabe, really--but I doubt many Academy voters took the trouble to compare/contrast any of them. What's in the air about this or that film definitely matters, and the ground shift on AIR definitely favored another candidate. My biggest problem with PRECIOUS is that whole chunks of it teeter on the verge of John Waters-ian camp, and if Fletcher toned it down to make it palatable for the screen good on him.
Posted by Robert Cashill
at March 8, 2010 10:23 AM
comment #27
Gordn27
says ...
I'll tell you the reason I picked "Precious' to win Best Screenplay -- there's often one movie that's shut out, and Clooney has bad luck. Tilda Swinton is the only thing keeping this from being the third Clooney-centric movie to get completely shut out after a buttload of nominations. There's something about Clooney, I suspect he has strong support from a minority of Academy members, but not enough.
I had thought they were setting it up to go with 'An Education', but then, as the weeks went on, 'An Education' seemed to have no legitimate support either, whereas 'Precious' was still this small largely beloved little gem. Seemed perfect for an Academy dark horse -- especially when you remember he's now the first black Oscar winning screenwrtier.
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 10:25 AM
comment #28
Mike
says ...
I've only seen Reitman speak a handful of times and yes he makes it hard to like him.
I thought it was particularly telling that on the red carpet last night Vera Farmiga spouted that she was pulling for Bigelow. And was thoroughly embarrassed after she realized what she said.
Also gotta agree with an earlier post about the show. The worst directed Oscars telecast I've ever seen.
Posted by Mike
at March 8, 2010 10:28 AM
comment #29
Gordn27
says ...
"I thought it was particularly telling that on the red carpet last night Vera Farmiga spouted that she was pulling for Bigelow."
Clooney managed to slightly avoid that -- he said something like "I know Vera and Anna have pretty much no shot -- I have definitely not shot -- but just being nominated will be great for their careers."
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 10:30 AM
comment #30
liveforever
says ...
Reitman came off as very kind and sincere/appreciative during his appearance on the BS report (Espn's Bill Simmons podcast). Whether that was just an act or not, I don't know, but I definitely liked him a lot more after hearing his appearance.
As for the Oscar's. Look, if Reitman lost because he looked pissed at the Globe's for losing, then, you know, fuck the Oscar's. Because that is the very definition of petty.
The Oscar's will continue to piss people off as long as they take things into consideration like "who is due" and anything other than evaluating the five actual performances/screenplays/direction, etc.
Lastly, the show was so bloated and poorly directed. The dance sequence and horror tribute were totally unnecessary and would have cut some time off the 3.5 hours that it disgustingly turned out to last.
Not sure how long the Bafta's are when airing live in England, but on BBC America it clocks in at 2.5 hours and it's 10,000 times better of a show vs. the Oscar's. (Modern music as the presenters come out, no unnecessary segments, no speeches cut off).
Posted by liveforever
at March 8, 2010 10:45 AM
comment #31
CMAC
says ...
"I had thought they were setting it up to go with 'An Education', but then, as the weeks went on, 'An Education' seemed to have no legitimate support either, whereas 'Precious' was still this small largely beloved little gem. Seemed perfect for an Academy dark horse -- especially when you remember he's now the first black Oscar winning screenwrtier."
Thanks for pointing that out Gordon27. I said to my spouse last night that I was pretty sure he's the first African American screenwriter to win. Has anybody else been talking about this..?
Posted by CMAC
at March 8, 2010 10:48 AM
comment #32
Colin
says ...
Gordon kudos for calling Precious's win three weeks ago. I definitely didn't see that coming.
And btw Turner's draft of Up in the Air was shite. If Reitman has any feelings of ill-will against him I support it.
Posted by Colin
at March 8, 2010 10:48 AM
comment #33
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
Is UitA losing screenplay really that much of a shock? I tell you what was a bit surprising to me...Tarantino not winning the best Original Screenplay Oscar...ugh, that one still grates a little!
Hurt Locker is a very nice film, and I have no problem with it winning Best Picture (no, it's not Crash), but Inglourious has the superior original script in my eyes, and it's not even really that close.
Oh well, it was always a bit of a divisive film...perhaps now I'll consider it a little underrated now (which most truly great movies are, anyway).
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 8, 2010 10:48 AM
comment #34
Mark
says ...
Can anyone name any instance where winning an Oscar was actually a good thing for the party involved? Regarding the quality of future work, the only Oscars that people should want to win are for the short categories, best foreign film, and probably documentary. All other categories, oscar=kiss of death.
Posted by Mark
at March 8, 2010 10:54 AM
comment #35
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
As for Reitman, the jury's still out, I think. There's definitely a bit of nepotism in the air, but at the same time, he is still very young, especially for a director.
I believe his next project (or next couple, really) will really sort of determine what sort of director we're dealing with here. I'd argue that he hasn't really found his directorial "voice" yet -- certainly not the way Tarantino did with PF, P.T. Anderson did with BN, or Spike Jonze did with BJM around the same age, but there's still plenty of time.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 8, 2010 10:56 AM
comment #36
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
What exactly do you mean, Mark? I'm not sure about the screenwriter/director side, but winning an Oscar almost always means bigger paydays for actors/actresses (not to mention that they won't have to worry about finding acting work of some kind for the rest of their careers...usually!).
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 8, 2010 10:59 AM
comment #37
Tyler
says ...
"Ghost Writers has no chance next time because it was released in Q1"
Which is exactly the reason the award season is of no value. If movies from the entire year can't be considered of equal importance, than it should not be called "best of anything." How can anyone value choices of people who can't remember anything beyond the previous 3 months? Also, all the various pre-Oscar awards are destroying the importance of the Oscar itself. Get rid of most of them! They make the Oscar telecast pre-determined and boring.
Posted by Tyler
at March 8, 2010 11:00 AM
comment #38
Mike
says ...
Can anyone name any instance where winning an Oscar was actually a good thing for the party involved?
I know the Oscar seems to be a momentum killer but one happy ending that comes to mind is Kathy Bates. I think the Oscar initially got her a lot of parts she would not have gotten if her resume didn't include an Oscar.
Posted by Mike
at March 8, 2010 11:21 AM
comment #39
corey3rd
says ...
Tarantino lost best screenplay when people saw that mess he had shopped around. Although there should be an award for the executive that there's no reason to make this a two part film
Posted by corey3rd
at March 8, 2010 11:26 AM
comment #40
mccool
says ...
Mike / Cit ....
Just glancing at the best actress/actor winners from the last 10-15 years ... it's undeniable that a vast majority of the winners (of course there are a few exceptions) did their best work before the award and either stagnated after or disappeared altogether.
Posted by mccool
at March 8, 2010 11:29 AM
comment #41
Mark
says ...
CitizenKaned - the money that oscars bring, also bring the curse of downgraded quality. What have Crowe, Coppola, Cody, Monahann, Kaufman written since winning their writing Oscars?
Since winning his Oscar, is Kevin Spacey, e.g., more or less interesting? Who really won 11 years ago when Paltrow beat Blanchett? Hunt over Winslett?
Some exceptions, of course. The exposure given to Seymore Hoffman, Cotliard, etc.
Posted by Mark
at March 8, 2010 11:30 AM
comment #42
Gordn27
says ...
"Can anyone name any instance where winning an Oscar was actually a good thing for the party involved?"
Geoffrey Rush, Adrien Brody... it's not often, but it happens. It certainly helped P.S. Hoffman become faux-bankable enough to get a series of small movies made that probably wouldn't have been.
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 11:36 AM
comment #43
Gordn27
says ...
Colin - thanks. Not sure it was three weeks ago; I thought 'Up in the Air' looked good for the goose egg from the start, but I hadn't firmly settled on 'Precious' until this week -- the Spirits finally settled it for me. But maybe I mentioned it in passing at some point during the transition from 'An Education' to 'Precious'. It suddenly clicked as *exactly* the kind of thing they do.
Ever since Brody, I've had an odd knack for picking the total dark horse, but always losing the pool on the "too close to call" categories [and I've gotten Best Picture wrong three times in five or six years].
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 11:40 AM
comment #44
Colin
says ...
You mentioned it in the In the Loop post.
The screenplay categories really did me in this year. Missed it by two categories.
Posted by Colin
at March 8, 2010 11:42 AM
comment #45
Gordn27
says ...
Kaned - I'm with you on Basterds; as soon as 'Hurt Locker' won that, though, I knew my pool was fucked, because that meant it was going all the way. I always get messed up on one of the screenplay awards, because I forget the basic rule -- whatever wins Best Picture will win screenplay if it's nominated, and the other category goes to a movie that gave an actor a good, strong role. (That's not 100%, just a basic trend that I think holds up in general.)
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 11:44 AM
comment #46
Gordn27
says ...
Colin - oddly, I only got around to updating my online ballot with it yesterday morning. I would've been really annoyed if you remembered me calling it, and I had been thinking about it but didn't actually do it; it was probably the only really good call I had last night.
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 11:47 AM
comment #47
Mark
says ...
Adrien Brody? For real? He's a shining example of why not to win an Oscar. Has he done anything memorable since? I'd rather he do another Bread and Roses rather than King Kong.
People get an Oscar, get an ego, do Studio pics, don't take chances, lose hunger, etc.
Posted by Mark
at March 8, 2010 11:55 AM
comment #48
DetectiveMills
says ...
Clooney wasn't angry....his buzz wore off. There's videos and pics of Clooney drinking out of his flask on the red carpet. I know when my buzz wears off, I just get kinda tired and mellow. Sandra Bullock backstage said she was going to talk more about Clooney throwing her into the pool, but "he just seemed so tired and I didn't want to do that to him." Dude's gonna be 49 in a couple months. He's tired.
Posted by DetectiveMills
at March 8, 2010 12:00 PM
comment #49
reverent and free
says ...
What about Sean Penn. After winning for Mystic River he's generally been picking classy projects, and hasn't made an altogether bad one except All The King's Men.
Posted by reverent and free
at March 8, 2010 12:09 PM
comment #50
Glenn Kenny
says ...
Shorter Wells: "Where does Geoffrey Fletcher get off giving an acceptance speech? Is he too stupid to understand that they're not really giving the award to HIM?"
Also: Nice use of "Bro." You should call Fletcher that if you ever meet him. Or just use it to address the next African-American male you run into on the street. Bro.
Posted by Glenn Kenny
at March 8, 2010 12:15 PM
comment #51
Eloi Manning
says ...
"Dude's gonna be 49 in a couple months. He's tired."
That made me laugh. You make it seem as if he should be looking for a retirement home soon.
Posted by Eloi Manning
at March 8, 2010 12:27 PM
comment #52
Ron Cossey
says ...
Congrats to Geoffrey Fletcher, but it's too bad for Sheldon Turner -- I met him a couple of weeks ago at the WGA Nominees panel discussion, he seems like a nice guy, and Reitman should have given him his due, as he did win the WGA arbitration for co-writing credit.
Posted by Ron Cossey
at March 8, 2010 12:49 PM
comment #53
Gordn27
says ...
"Has he done anything memorable since?"
He's really strong in 'Brothers Bloom' and 'Darjeeling Limited'. I'd put those high above 'King of the Hill' and certainly 'Summer of Sam'.
He largely just works with really interesting directors, albeit on some of their worse movies (Shymalaman and Jackson, I mean).
Posted by Gordn27
at March 8, 2010 12:50 PM
comment #54
televisiontears
says ...
Glenn, it's been thirty-six years since a black person said "bro".
Posted by televisiontears
at March 8, 2010 12:52 PM
comment #55
HarryMoseby
says ...
Everybody talks about the Academy like it's a monolithic entity, instead of a mass of voters that's about as predictable and loevel-headed as the one that votes for political candidates, and though it may be nice to win an Oscar, it's no insult not to win one. As for Jason R., it's no reason not to vote for him, but he did seem to do everything he could to alienate potiential voters, short of display his hairy legs, and no way could he have pulled that off.
Posted by HarryMoseby
at March 8, 2010 1:04 PM
comment #56
JBM...
says ...
@Ron Cossey: I'm pretty sure the Up in the Air residuals and the awards won will do just fine for Turner -- that and his choice of assignments brightening considerably beyond pointless X-Men spinoffs and thrillers about serial killers who strike during tornadoes.
Posted by JBM...
at March 8, 2010 1:49 PM
comment #57
Renfield
says ...
What's "Up" now, BRO?!!!!
Posted by Renfield
at March 8, 2010 2:23 PM
comment #58
Eloi Manning
says ...
If Reitman sorted out his shit beard and hair, people make take him more seriously.
Posted by Eloi Manning
at March 8, 2010 3:05 PM
comment #59
lipranzer
says ...
I certainly don't care about Reitman's "glum" look after AVATAR won - I know it's good sportsmanship to pretend to be happy when someone else wins, but it was honest. And as Jeff points out, a little arrogance on the part of a director comes with the territory. I'm more pissed at Reitman because of his constant bashing of Michael Mann and THE INSIDER, and his treatment of co-writer Sheldon Turner.
Having said that, I am sorry UP IN THE AIR got shut out completely, although the award I would have given it were I a member of the Academy was Vera Farmiga over Mo'nique. Nothing against Mo'nique's performance, but it was for playing a character we've seen a lot before. We really haven't seen the type of character Farmiga played in a mainstream comedy/drama before, and she played it to perfection.
Posted by lipranzer
at March 8, 2010 5:40 PM
comment #60
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
"What have Crowe, Coppola, Cody, Monahann, Kaufman written since winning their writing Oscars?"
In Monahan's case, two solid thrillers (Body of Lies and Edge of Darkness).
In Kaufman's case, one ambitious-as-hell script that he probably should have handed to a director with a lighter touch. I don't think he's going away, and I can almost guarantee he'll be nominated for writing again at some point.
In Coppola's case, she's just going to kind of keep on keeping on. Doing her thing. I wasn't particularly fond of Marie Antoinette, but it was what it was. I really don't think LiT was really all that much "better," frankly.
I've always found Crowe to be overrated, frankly. But a lot of people respond well to his movies. Almost Famous was as good of a time to reward him as ever.
Cody -- who the hell knows, ultimately. She's a wild-card. I could see her writing another Oscar-nominated screenplay just as easily as I could see her out of the industry entirely in 10 years.
Writing is a funny thing, there's really no guarantee that you'll ever be able to equal what you have produced in the past. Your list of winners is obviously selective, and I can play that game, too...why not consider the longevity of the careers of Francis Coppola ('70), Paddy Chayefsky ('71, '76), Robert Towne ('74), Woody Allen ('77, '86), Jane Campion ('93), Quentin Tarantino ('94), Coens ('96), Tom Stoppard ('98), Almodovar ('02), Paul Haggis ('05...not sayin' he's great, just sayin' his success hasn't seemed to dwindle).
These are all important names to cinema and film history. They've continued to make important (and yes, not-so-important) contributions for years -- if not decades. And I could provide the exact same kind of examples for actors (who are even less in control of their destiny and at the mercy of the fates than writers are!).
Winning an Oscar does not make your future work irrelevent. I buy the fact that it might sap some of your creative drive (after all, there are a lot of creative types that get into the industry to be personally validated in some kinda way), but if you take your work seriously, winning a prestigious award can be the best thing to ever happen to you, in terms of opening up doors to working with talented people that might not have ever considered collaborating. The tricky thing is knowing which doors to open, and when.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 8, 2010 7:12 PM
comment #61
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
^Ugh @ those two "franklys" so close together. Oh well.
Frankly, I don't give a damn, etc.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 8, 2010 7:13 PM
comment #62
JBM...
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Posted by JBM...
at March 8, 2010 7:19 PM
comment #63
Noiresque
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Manning: Up In The Air deflated because it was nicely-made and entertaining enough, but it was so incredibly middlebrow that it doesn't leave a lasting impression
This was my view. UITA has the tone of a film created specifically for Oscar season. It was all a bit too tasteful, a bit too clean. The ending wasn't one of uncertainty, so much as not an ending. And Clooney's character basically had an asshole job, inspite of his self-proclaimed professional scruples, so honestly, who cares?
Vera Famiga did wonders with her role. The "think of me as you with a vagina" brassiness telegraphed her character from the start and with a less sensitive actress would have been boring as hell. I actually found the use of real life firing stories rather tasteless.
markj: Everytime i've heard Reitman speak i've thought to myself: "what an asshole". Especially when he dissed The Insider and The Wild Bunch.
How can a director not like The Wild Bunch? That's like not liking Johnny Cash.
Posted by Noiresque
at March 8, 2010 11:30 PM
comment #64
Gordn27
says ...
Kaned - I think it helped Bill Condon too.
Posted by Gordn27
at March 9, 2010 4:11 AM
comment #65
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
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That's funny, I scrolled down really fast and thought you said "Bill Conti" jokingly (even though it would have been 100% true, too).
I was just scrolling through the list of Original Screenplay winners before, but absolutely with Condon, as well as Zaillian. Stephen Gaghan was able to turn his writing Oscar into a directing calling card -- albeit with the help of Soderbergh and Clooney.
There are a million reasons why people appear to "fall off" in showbiz (the axiom "time waits for no man" holds true in any facet of life, but about a hundred-fold in Hollywood). I just think trying to pinpoint any ultimate success or failure on the presence of a little golden man is rather silly.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at March 9, 2010 6:00 AM
comment #66
EdHavens
says ...
Sorry, Jeff, but at least one pulse-taker saw the possibility of a Precious upset... me. Granted, I too picked Up in the Air to win, but the voting trend numbers I run for my annual Oscar handicap articles showed Precious had a real chance to win.
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