Internal Conflict & Streep's Third Oscar
Monday, February 27, 2012 at 8:19PM My own personal history with the Oscar stretches back to the early 80s but there's so much self-mythologizing about it that I sometimes get confused about when I finally figured out What It Was. I know with certainty that the first ceremony I was aware of was in Spring 1983 because I had seen Gandhi, Tootsie and E.T. with my parents. But if I watched I remember nothing from that ceremony. My first sure Oscar ceremony memory was watching Shirley Maclaine win Best Actress for Terms of Endearment (which I hadn't seen). I remember being excited for Maclaine who I already loved but I don't remember why (probably TV airings of musicals?) and I remember being super excited by Meryl's Silkwood clip. Before I ever knew Meryl Streep as an actress -- her movies were always rated R and I wasn't allowed to see them -- I knew her as The Great Oscar Winning Actress. I think my first Meryl movie in the theater was Out of Africa (1985) and I desperately wanted her to win her third Oscar now that we were well acquainted.
Meryl finally wins her third
When they called my name I had this feeling I could hear half of America going 'OH nooooo, oh come on. why Her? Again?' You know? But whatever.
First, I'm going to thank Don because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives you've given me. And now secondly, my other partner, 37 years ago my first play in NYC i met the great hairstylist and makeup artist Roy Helland and we worked together pretty continuously since the day we clapped eyes on each other. His first film with me was Sophie's Choice and all the way up to tonight when he won for his beautiful work on The Iron Lady thirty years later EVERY SINGLE MOVIE IN BETWEEN. And I just want to thank Roy but also I want to thank -- because I really understand I'll never be up here again -- I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends. I look out here and I see my life before my eyes. My old friends. My new friends.
Really this is such a great honor but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendship and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together. My friends thank you, all of you, departed and here for this, you know, inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you.
I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited. I waited through backlashes, box office poison, comebacks, astounding technical biopic work (Cry in the Dark), and mysteriously moving original creations (The Hours), through thrilling musical/comedy (Postcards from the Edge), improbable rebirth as box office mega-sensation (Devil Wears Prada), less thrilling musical/comedy (Mamma Mia!). I wasn't always rooting for her but I was always rooting for her if you know what I mean.
My heart danced a bit when she spoke, just a bit since I was upset. And I laughed at her psychic opening (you know that's true!) and teared up at what sounded like a lifetime achievement speech which is what it essentially was. Meryl finally won her third.
Be careful what you wish for.
Two great actresses. Only one statue.
Though I've desperately wanted Meryl Streep to have a third Oscar -- who deserved a third more? -- it became suddenly tied up with my single biggest Oscar pet peeve (the Academy's relentless all-devouring soul-crushing belief that biopic mimicry is the highest form of acting) and tied up with the defeat of a new(ish) actress who I genuinely think is one of the greats... just without the roles to continue proving it.
Though I find roughly half of the regular charges of racism levelled at the Academy tiresome and ill thought out (it has to be about the movies that are released and the performances inside of them or it holds no water -- that's all Oscar has to choose from!) it's hard not to look at Viola's loss and bemoan Oscar's (and Hollywood's) resistance to women of color.
Here we had a great actress headlining a major blockbuster hit, giving an astoundingly deep, moving performance and singlehandedly elevating her movie into the substantive kind that gets nominated for Best Picture (we can argue all we like about how "substantive" The Help is and how much other actresses contributed but it's Viola that gave the movie its only sharp edges and its soul and made it however substantive that it is). She also managed to win a few key awards and stay in the press for months and months and months on end.
It's hard to imagine all those plusses and still coming up empty-handed on Oscar night, especially in favor of a previous winner in a movie that no one likes. It's also hard to imagine a year like Viola had not being followed by major offers for major roles but so far... crickets. And this last is more anger-making than an Oscar loss, and something we'd all hoped an Oscar win might've helped to overcome... though this is perhaps wishful thinking; Hollywood is as resistant to great black actresses as the Oscars which reflect them.
In some ways you can argue that it's just the luck of the draw. Meryl was always going to win a third. It was just a question of when. But it's hard to look at the way Meryl's third was shoved aside for a Movie Star Queen doing her best but hardly statue-worthy work just two years ago, and it's hard to look at other performers who've sailed to Oscars with ease that aren't anything like Viola Davis's caliber.
In Halle Berry's Monster's Ball Oscar-winning speech she spoke movingly of her historic moment as the first Best Actress of color.
This moment is for Dorothy Dandrige, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It's for the women who stand beside me Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox, and it's for every nameless faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened."
Did the door quietly swing closed again?
Reader Comments (246)
Nate- please don't think that I think that you're just mad because you got Best Actress wrong. Sorry if I came off that way, I am just mortified at your reaction to her winning. You of ALL people always make it clear how much Streep has been nodded and lost to inferior work. And even this year you were predicting her earlier on. Please listen to me and understand- minus SAG, Streep had EVERYTHING SHE NEEDED to win this third Oscar. This was not a left-field decision. She had the Drama Globe, BAFTA, New York Film Critics, London and a slew of smaller precursors. Please explain to me how this is considered an upset. Was Marion Cotillard an upset then over Christie? She didn't win SAG (and her film wasn't as liked as Away from Her, but still managed to win Best Actress...and Best Makeup, just like The Iron Lady). Was Alan Arkin? Where was the bitching when Alan Arkin defeated Eddie Murphy? Or Tilda Swinton? So many claimed she wasn't an upset because the awards season was so split, the Michael Clayton star had it in the bag. Really? Last time I checked she only had the BAFTA- yet still won Oscar. Wheres the complaining SHE won?
I think the only reason people are so angry Streep won is because she's Meryl Streep, sadly. Had this been any other actress I doubt it would have been so upsetting. But because Streep took a deserved third trophy home, and defeated a strong contender, she's suddenly not deserving, even though TIME magazine of all hailed it the best performance of the year. But the academy is racist for not bestowing Viola Davis a \"pity\" award for being black? Because none of yall can really say Davis was better then Streep performance wise. You keep saying Davis should have won because she's a black woman, and they needed two Lead African American actresses to win. Bullshit. Same happened when critics gave reasoning why they were choosing Sandra Bullock to win in 2009- it was never her performance, just her star personality. And then she won and look how bad it looks today. Thank God Oscar voters actually voted for the performance and not the politics. And so what if Streep had Harvey help her? SO the hell what? Viola Davis was campaigning her ass off on Oprah and millions of other circuts the last time I checked. But because Meryl has 2 Oscars, she's not allowed to campaign as well? She should just be happy to be nominated and keep losing, be the bridesmaids AGAIN so another actress \"who may never have another chance\" can take their lone trophy and then disappear while Streep comes back to the ball and has to lose repeatedly. I don't think so honey! This time Streep finally got the Cinderella story all these other ladies got to do every year. Its 2012. Someone who always gives consistently brilliant performances and often is the best in her category DESERVES to finally win the golden man and not just sit on the bleachers. Sorry if you can't handle it because your 'flavor of the month' didn't win. And if you have so much faith in Davis as an actress, you should know she'll be back soon. But waiiit-- then you keep saying there are few roles for black women her age, so she should have won on Sunday for playing...a maid. The most stereotypical role you can win for as a black woman. But your white guilt buttons would be pressed nicely, since that would let you rest knowing the academy did \"the right thing\" by feeling sorry for the struggling black woman and giving her the award for political reasons and not because she truly gave the best performance.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Meryl Streep has been taken advantage of for decades now, that she will always be back next year and always have another chance. Well guess what? SHE FINALLY FINALLY got to come back and actually walk away with the gold instead of just walking away.
Jason Travis you're son a of bitch.
@Jason Travis - "Because none of yall can really say Davis was better then Streep performance wise." I can. Both of them used similar techniques (accent, physicality, etc.), only Davis made it look effortless (i.e. you focused on the character, not on her actorly tricks), whereas Streep made it look like so much WORK. Seriously, as good as she was on some level, she made it look exhausting. And even the most positive reactions to Streep's performance seem focused on those tricks, not any deep probing of character. Therefore I preferred Davis and thought she was better.
"You keep saying Davis should have won because she's a black woman." Bullshit. If you look at Nat's Actress page, he clearly loves Davis' performance. He never once said she should win because she's black. The issue of her race comes up when talking about the future of her career. The simple truth is that as a woman of color she will have less opportunities then the Streeps, Bullocks, Roberts' and Mirrens of the world.
(BTW, Nat, I know you don't need someone else defending you, you're perfectly capable of that yourself. I just thought I'd chime in.)
After watching Isabelle Huppert in White Material, I really want Meryl to win her 3rd Oscar with a brilliant director like Claire Denis (or other brilliant directors). I know Meryl can choose whatever she wants to do, but watching Huppert working with Denis (and Brillante in Captive and Haneke again in Amour) and constantly challenging herself, I am just a bit disappointed she won going the route of mimicry. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy when she won, and her speech! I really don't think Davis is the best (yes, she elevates a bland movie with a powerful performance) when Dunst, Theron, Olsen and...
Swinton!!!! (Nat, can you write an article about THAT injustice??? esp after 3 great LEAD performance)
Oh, Nat, thank you for not being bitter and snarkly like some other blogs about Davis' loss (I"m looking squarely at you, Awardsdaily.com!!) and writing a fair article.
I agree with Jason Travis. Streep won on merit, pure and simple. The reason people hate Streep so much is because she does her job effortlessly, with ease.
Well Mr. Dj- I'll put a record on for you and say I never said Nate was saying she should win because she was black. As you can see, we're on page 4 of comments, and plenty of people keep mentioning Viola's race.
For the person calling me a son of a bitch, thank you for resorting to name calling- something always nice to be told when speaking your opinion. I notice no one could talk about how any other actress who would have won Globe-Drama, BAFTA and New York would be considered head to head with Davis, but because it was Streep once again her bridesmaids appeal sunk in and you thought "oh she'll have another chance, Viola won the SAG so its over." Sucks when it doesn't work out that way. The Oscar voters actually voted by themselves this time, instead of getting on the very big bandwagon of fans that wanted The Help star to prevail . Its fine to want her to win because you thought she gave a better performance, but don't knock us if we think the same about Streep.
Jason Travis, Viola Davis is not a "flavor of the month," you ass. She would have been a perfectly fine and deserving Oscar winner, and the fact that you're trolling as bitterly as you seem to be for both Meryl Streep and that piece of shit film "The Iron Lady," as well as attacking Nathaniel unfairly, that tells me all I need to know about YOU.
Ugh, useless Meryl trolls.
"Viola Davis lost that Oscar, not because she didn’t give a stellar performance, but because she spent the entirety of her campaign DEFENDING it! On nearly every outlet that featured the actress in the run-up to the Oscars, from Tavis Smiley to the Newsweek Roundtable and others, Viola was forced to address the “controversy” surrounding her choice of playing Abilene and the flaws of the movie..."
www.wisesenator.blogspot.com
Ryan- I was not attacking Nate. I spoke a few things directed towards him but for the most part my blogs are geared towards the body of people who are angry Streep won for no other reason I can see other then they can't bare the fact she has 3 now and were so used to seeing her lose year after year. I cringe to think what would happen if Streep had trumped Bullock in 2009- I can only imagine the petty Sandra fans saying "Sandra was robbed!!!!! She's better then Meryl! She's so cool and had that great movie Proposal too..."
When I said 'flavor of the month' I was referring to the fact that often the Oscar voters will lean towards the woman who may never get a chance again (eg Sandra Bullock) and then once they win you don't see them for a while. Even Kate Winslet's win was seen as "its her last chance, Streep will be back". Only Helen Mirren in the 2000s really seemed to earn her trophy from Streep, and Zeta-Jones in supporting. But I think with the case of Davis it just was a very VERY close race to the finish. And a lot of people are bitter because once SAG happened, they thought it was over. Stop thinking SAG= Oscar. It doesn't all the time. Most of the time, yes. But not all of the time. And ironically the last two women to be the exception to that rule (Cotillard, Kidman) both won Globe and BAFTA prizes before winning Oscar. But apparently when Streep did it, it was ignored on the blog sites and considered a done deal. That's all I'm saying.
She lost the Oscar being older male white voters aren't voting for her--on top of Harvey (The Devil) Weinstein getting his fucking way. I hope he dies before Overrated Hammy Cunt (OHC).
I do not know why people are angry with Jason Travis? If you look at it...why was Viola considered a frontrunner anyway? Was that just in LA?Cause she won no critics awards! Meryl just won a SAG in 2008 so her chance of winning that was slim but really the SAG is a very young awards show....Was she a frontrunner because Awards Daily told us so?
Meryl won a third for being in a film that was not nominated for Best Picture...won without being directed by auteur director...won in a strong year....all things MOST people said that HAD to do to ever think of winning again...Don't you understand....you are dealing with Meryl Streep... there are no rules.
And as for more nomininations...Oscar will not tire of Streep...After winning 2 in the early 1980's she still went on to get 4 nominations that decade after her win for Sophie's. I am sure Oscar wasn't trying NOT to nominate her.....
*not being
because
@/3rtfull
OHC = Are you referring to Meryl Streep?? I don't know but I laughed so hard when I read that.
Yes Golden. That's been make nickname for her for sometime now.
*not make
my
I like virtually every actress from Streep's generation more than Streep. Why does she get all the good roles?
She did not deserve a third Oscar. The "overdue" talk was ridiculous....so many amazing actors have not even been nominated once, and many of Meryl's nominations (Doubt, Julie & Julia, The Iron Lady, Devil Wears Prada, Music of the Heart, One True Thing, Ironweed, French Lieutenant's Woman) were undeserved.
I'm with Jason Travis - he says the truth as one and only here. :) Read Sasha Stone's blog (for example) and see if the Davis' race wasn't the main factor that was mentioned all the season as the reason why she SHOULD win. Even Davis mentioned it continuously.
And besides that: I wonder why no one sees that Spencer won! I mean - she's black, isn't she? They might have chosen Berenice Bejo or Jessica Chastain. But they chose Spencer. How this makes them racist? Because it's best "supporting" role - it's worthless?
I'm kinda glad that they stopped giving Oscars for the race. The quality of the role is the most important thing here. And they chose the best of the nominated roles. Pure and simple. Leave with it!
Thank you Jamie, I appreciate it. Its just hard for some people to fathom that this indeed was a real race, and not like recent years where the Oscars just rubber stamped what SAG had to say.
There are a bunch of fuckers at this site for their entitled queen. Harvey bought her Oscar. Deal with it.
Thank you someone- as you can see, my analysis of Davis and the race card are not being hurled at Nate (who never mentioned it), but more or less to the body of Davis supporters as a whole, including Sasha from AwardsDaily, and yes Ms. Davis herself.
Good pointing out that Octavia Spencer won- have we forgotten? In fact, in my opinion, Spencer stole every scene she was in when she was sharing it with Viola. While Viola often was sitting looking muted or restrained, Spencer added more pep and spice to her character, thus my eyes couldn't help but to watch her instead.
Regardless of personal taste, we all need to stop getting so angry at Streep for playing the awards circuit that SO MANY OTHER actresses do every year. We expect her to sit back and say "Well I don't need to campaign, I'll let the work speak for itself." Apparently that doesn't work though, or she would have won for Julie & Julia. But instead she lost to....Sandra Bullock, who did what? Played the campaign trail. SO this year I think Meryl thought "Okay, you wanna play hard ball, let's go." And still managed to do it gracefully and not forcefully, where as I think Davis started out okay but then started letting the whole "you'll make history" nonsense sink in and it elevated to levels of redundancy. I think Spencer played it better by always mentioning her movie and the WORK as a whole, and not just her image as a black actress. She allowed voters to watch her performance and not her image. Just my opinion.
The only ugly troll I see on this board is 3rtfull. He whines loudly and continously. Such drivel.
I never could understand why people don't like Harvey Weinstein. He's film producer, he has money to promote his films - and he does it. Nothing wrong with it. And the Academy has 6000 members. All of them vote as they like. Weinstein doesn't threaten them, doesn't blackmail them. They do what they want. They want to vote for Weinstein's movies - their choice and it's not his fault. And I'm kinda glad that they voted for Streep and Dujardin (brilliant in "The Artist") this year, for Firth last year, for Waltz two years ago etc. If all those roles have Weinstein as supporter - that's fine with me.
People who hate him are simply stupid - that's the only explanation for me. :P
Streep was the best in that lineup, and it's great that she won again. Take your bitter ass elsewhere, 3rtfulkjdfll. It's either haters or trolls with nothing in between on here. Honestly!
Octavia is number 5 in the Academy giving overweight African-American female performers for being sassy. Who gives a fuck? Viola losing means Best Actress is for whites only.
Viola should have won over Meryl. Period.
That said, many actresses I think deserve an Oscar may never get one...Julianne Moore? Laura Linney? Annette Bening? Glenn Close for pity's sake? Viola still has some time, and the roles will come.
/3rtfull is right. Meryl is an overacting accent generator who has yet to give a great performance since the early 80s.
Meryl should have won over Viola. Period.
And I once more have to agree with Jason Travis. Spencer stole every scene from Davis. And not only her was better than Davis in "The Help" but also Jessica Chastain and Bryce Dallas Howard. Davis was my number four. SUPPORTING actress number four, I must add. And SUPPORTING actress number four might have won with LEADING actress number one (that is Meryl). Thank God it did not happen.
And the only thing it proves is that Academy is wiser than I sometimes think (surely not that leading actress is for white people - I wonder why leading actress is something different than leading actor and why everybody whines that they did not give it to Davis but don't remember that they gave Oscars for leading roles to Berry, Washington, Whitaker and Foxx in this century). But hey - probably people like you, 3rtfull, think that being a woman and being black is double tragedy - being black man is better. And that is why black women should be treated differently. I sometimes wonder who is racist: the Academy or rather the people who think that black people should be rewarded because they are black!
(sigh) 3rtful if the Best Actress race was for whites only, Halle Berry would have lost to Sissy Spacek in 2001 like some pundits had predicted. But she won, and there you have it.
It was just a very close race in the end. It could have gone either way. Many Davis supporters don't understand this and think that Streep never had a chance, despite all the indicators showing she did- they just wanted to be in the dark for it.
You complain that Best Supporting Actress went to "another overweight African American female for being sassy", which makes me think you're angry Spencer won for a stereotype, right? So then why would Viola Davis winning Best Actress be any different? She would be winning for playing a maid, which is...a stereotype too. Make up your mind why you wanted Davis to win. Was it because of her race, or because you thought she gave the best performance? When you mention things like "Best Actress is for Whites Only", it makes you come off like you only wanted Viola to win because she was black, and not because of merit. That is what I am talking about. For those saying I am a son of a bitch, or an ass, of everything else I have been called for simply speaking what I see right here, right now- say what you must, its not going to stop me from calling people out for making contradictory statements. Again Nate- see what I mean? I was not referring to you, but to others that are making this blatantly about everything else but Davis's performance. At least Streep fans like me are actually wanting her to win for her performance, and is something we often mention before all the other Hollywood politics that come in afterwards.
We have been waiting a long time for Streep to finally prevail for a deserved performance, and not come in second place. It's been a very long time. I'm so happy the day finally arrived.
Viola Davis should have won the Oscar over Meryl Streep b/c Davis gave the best performance of the year. The Oscar shouldn't have been handed to Davis because of her skin color, but for her talent.
There Jason Travis, all spelled out for ya nice like. Simple Meryl trolls need ideas written out in digestible bites.
Yup. I did want her to win because she's black. A dark skin character actress in the vein of Tyson and Woodard finally breakingthough. Of course I felt like someone died when she lost. All the Streep supporters can fuck. You don't deserve anyone not named Meryl Streep. Stop watching Jessica Lange, Anjelica Huston, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon, Juliette Binoche, Juliette Lewis, Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sigourney Weaver, Mia Farrow, Gena Rowlands, Ellen Brustyn, Bette Davis, Judy Davis, Judy Garland....I could go on there's a world of women outside of Meryl Streep who are superior or equal to her...fuck it. Your bitch won...Harvey bought it and she won. Just like he bought it for Dench and Paltrow.
/3rtfull: You're coming across as a delusional person. I would've expected a bit more class from you, but this thread really has brought out the ugly in you. If Viola Davis were to read your comments, she would be disgusted by you. You can do better than resorting to name-calling, can't you?
Nat: did you title this post the way you did because you knew beforehand what was going to happen in the comment section?
Jones, I'm beyond the point of being polite with the fanbase who've been a bunch of children about the whole thing.
We don't "deserve" to watch anyone but Streep? Come again? How do you figure that? Because there are people out there that think Streep was great and earned her Oscar for "The Iron Lady" on merit?
Scratch that. You don't have to answer. You're an idiot. I shouldn't expect a satisfying answer.
I wonder HOW Davis' performance was "the best of the year" - and I really don't know. Streep was better than her. Close was better than her. Tilda Swinton in "We Must to Talk about Kevin" was better than her. Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia" was better than her. Yeah - they are all white. :0 So what? If there was "Academy Award for best black leading actress" - than Davis would win this. But - unfortunately for her - the award is called "Academy Award for leading actress" - and there's nothing about color! And Dunst and Swinton were not nominated unfortunately. If they were and Streep wins - I would be disappointed for Dunst because she was the best this year. But Dunst wasn't nominated - and Close was a few inches behind Streep - so Streep should have won this and I'm glad she did it. :)
And hey! It doesn't mean that I like the idea that Close, Weaver or Farrow doesn't have any Academy Awards. No, I don't like it all. Close should have won twice in the 80s (for "Fatal Attraction" and "Dangerous Liaisions") but the Academy did it wrong back then. Fortunately this year they were right. :)
ctc -- eat a pussy
Oh my god. This comments thread has gotten HILARIOUS.
And even if Streep is "overrated" (that's your opinion, not mine) than how it is her fault? :) The Academy nominates her every 2-3 years because they want to nominate her. And I'm not too suprised that they want - because show me any great Sarandon's, Farrow's or Weaver's performances in the last ten years? None. And Streep always show her class and talent. Maybe her performance in "The Iron Lady" is not the same caliber as Bette Davis in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" or Taylor in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" or Close in "Dangerous Liaisons" - I have to agree with that - but still is twenty times better than Davis in "The Help".
Wow so much posting about this, its just an Oscar you guys. Meryl won for a variety of reasons, but I imagine a major factor for it was Harvey Weinstein's brilliant campaign for her. Love him or loathe him he knows how to get someone an Oscar if he puts his mind to it. A good campaign only works when the Academy is ready to buy into it (hello Sandra Bullock).
I don't begrudge Meryl this win, by all accounts its the type of performance that is total awards bait, and maybe we should have all seen it coming. I am sure Davis will not measure her career by this loss, but by the work, by being able to convey the truth and tell stories, that is her passion and you can see it from all the intelligent interviews that she has given in the past year. The same goes for Meryl who appeared truly humbled by winning.
Viola might be seen as 'owed one' in the future, but that does not automatically mean she will win in the future, because as pointed out her getting that type of lead role again is less likely in the future because of her race, it doesn't mean she had to be rewarded this time because of her skin colour, but it makes you feel sad that this was likely her best shot. Plus, look at Pfeiffer, Benning, Moore, and Close and it is clear that some of the greatest actresses of the last 20 years have not won an Oscar. Meryl now has three, does that mean those other actresses are less talented or have not given as many award worthy performances in their careers, I would argue no they are pretty much on the same level, and just as legendary.
Wow, people are LOSING. THEIR. SH*T. on this topic!
I haven't had so much fun since Crash won Best Picture and all the Brokeback Mountain widows had epic meltdowns (for days and days, it was like the gift that kept on giving).
Jason Travis, I don't know if you are deliberately trolling or not, but I've been LOLing for a good while now at your getting the peeps all riled up. Do not let them stop you! When they're calling you an asshole is because you're doing it right!
You remind me of what I did back in the Gold Derby forums back in the Crash/BMM days, when I started calling the Brokeback widows racists for hating Crash, and that they only liked BBM because it featured an all-white cast and the only latino relevant to the plot was a man-whore Jake Gyllenhaal hooked up near the Mexican border. Another great line came from a fellow Crash troll who said that they hated Roger Ebert (the most prominent Crash supporter at the time) because he had dated Oprah, a plus-sized African American woman. XD
Btw, TIME Magazine naming Streep best of the year so is this year's equivalent of 2005's Ebert picking Crash as Best Picture! XD
Now, dear JT, I say you take it to the next level and say that all the Meryl haters are mysoginists, because we all know that Streep is a pretty and classy lady, while Viola Davis might very well be a man in a whig! Extra troll points if you manage to squeeze Rick Santorum somehow in your argument (a troll should ALWAYS play Republican, it gets people rabid).
Why not? I'm sure you're white trash. Go back to Big Hollywood.
/3rtfull, calling me names just because I'm in the 1% won't change anything! I can't help it if you simply don't like women, and therefore hates Meryl! Now that it's been known that Viola Davis has a penis, she shouldn't even been nominated as an actress to begin with!
I still say she makes a very worthy Best Actor contender, though. Surely she was better than Clooney, at least.
3rtfull, keeping it classy, I see.
You're still an idiot. Keep up the good fight, buddy. Stay pressed.
Why not? - There's the difference between Davis losing and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN losing. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN SHOULD have won - and Davis should have not.
Please, Nathaniel, close this thread. Nothing good will come from here anymore.
wow! Some comments are really harsh! I'm French, living in Paris, and quite honestly every Frenchies, here, knew that La Streep would win the award! For us it was Streep vs Close, and I read again the critics, all the articles sayd exactly the same thing, the movie is crap (not at all my opinion) and that Streep was just phenomenal and that she should win the Oscar! But I never read in a French critic regarding The Help that Viola Davis was that good! And when I talk about her to some friends they all ask me Viola who??
I'm totally confused and I don't understand why you're so pissed off that Miss Streep won, she won NY, the globe and a Bafta, and we can't forgot that since last february there was a lot of communiction regarding The Iron Lady, I still remember the buzz on the net when the first picture was edited! That was something!
it was a really intersting race this year, but, and this is just my French opinion, I'm really glad that this Oscar went to this great actress!
ctc -- you are still a faggot.
@brandz
"Many, many (pundits included) criticized Streep for portraying the awful Maragret Thatcher. I think that is why many disliked the film, and even Streep's performance. It was about political beliefs rather than the best performance. I grew up during the Reagan/Thatcher years and hated every minute of it. But to drag ones political views into judging an acting performance is just plain riduclous. Streep's performance was towering. I think peoples judgements were clouded (especially liberal pundits and bloggers) because Streep had the courage to play a despised political figure."
No, she hasn't been criticised for portraying a despised historical figure. She's being criticised for doing such a crappy job of it in a God-awful film that white-washes Thatcher. Hers was probably the worst of the five nominated performances. And there was no courage involved in accepting to take part in such blatant award-bait, just shameless desperation for a third Oscar.
Haha! Out and proud, 3rtfull. So on top of you being a world-class idiot, you're also a homophobe. Good to know, buddy!