Linkages: Wondrous Women, Chilly Lesbians, and Academy In-Fighting
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 12:43PM 
Atlantic one of the best defenses of Carol's 'coldness" that you'll read. And as I've been saying since October... "If this is chilly, bring on winter."
Awards Daily has the nominations for the Canadian Screen Awards with Room and Felix & Meara (Canada's Oscar submission) leading the way. Perhaps Canadian readers can tell me about this one: How is it different than the long running Genies?
Comics Alliance Wonder Woman get a "brassy" logo... which looks exactly like how you'd expect since that W on her breastplate is fairly iconic
Pajiba Wonder Woman has also released a couple of very brief clips including a campy look "disguise" will glasses that will remind you instantly of Lynda Carter librarian sexy look on the TV show. Unfortunately Wonder Woman looks as dark and gloomy as the other DC movies... it's a problem when you have to constantly brighten every still in Photoshop just so you can even see it.
The Retro Set looks at Broken Lance, that interesting 1954 western we discussed a few months back
Amiresque Amir's "Best of" choices for the film year. A reminder to me that I really should have seen Queen of Earth
The Directors Cut Auteur Paul Thomas Anderson interviews Oscar-nominated Adam McKay on The Big Short
YouTube The Suicide Squad gets a new trailer w/ Margot Robbie looking like the obvious standout
Oscar Fights & Carol Honors after the jump...
The #Oscars. The White BET Awards. https://t.co/8qjLR0uysI
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) January 15, 2016
The Ongoing Oscar Brouhaha
The Envelope documents the continued fallout over the Oscar nominations and how the pleas to boycott from Jada Pinkett Smith (whose two time Oscar-nominated husband was passed over this time around) have put other celebrities in a bind as well as angered some much-less privileged actors (Aunt Viv and Alexis Arquette in particular aren't having it). Apparently people are even asking Chris Rock to step down which... well contracts and basic professionalism probably won't allow for that. The Envelope also spoke to the woman who started the #OscarsSoWhite tag last year. (She has a lot of interesting things to say and she seems knowledgeable about the process.) Meanwhile individual Academy voters are getting defensive since no one likes to be called awful names. Then there's this awful defeatist article at The Guardian where they claim that nothing will change. That's a conclusion that's frankly insane because the Academy has been getting MORE diverse (not less). Another fact that's gone missing in the uproar: Things have been improving in multiple areas...
DIVERSITY STRIDES IN PAST 10 OSCAR SEASONS (2005-2014)
• 50% of the Best Director wins have gone to someone other than a white men: a woman and three men of color, one of them twice (Ang Lee)
• 40% of the Supporting Actress winners have been women of color (Hudson, Mo'Nique, Spencer, and Nyong'o)
• Two men of African-descent were nominated for Best Director (Daniels & McQueen)... tripling the all time number
• Seven men of color have been nominated for Best Actor which is about equal to or better than any similar stretch of time.
• More black songwriters have been nominated since at any time since the 1980s.
• First black winners in the following categories: Best Documentary, Best Adapted Screenplay (twice over), Best Documentary Short, and Best Picture
• First Asian winners in the following categories: Best Animated Short, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song (twice over)
• First Mexican winners in the following categories: Best Director (twice over), Cinematography (thrice over)
My point in sharing this is there are reasons to be optimistic though it's obvious in our political climate with the angriest shouters on either side (Sanders/Trump) getting the most traction that people prefer to be pessimistic. But yes, it's 100% true that these past two years have not been kind to actors of color in terms of Oscar cred and Best Actress is still a particularly troubling area. Halle Berry remains the only winner and few black women are asked to lead motion pictures and even when we get a great actress who any sane person would think could become an Oscar perennial Hollywood doesn't know what to do with them (Viola & Lupita are easy recent versions of Angela Bassett in the 90s -- obvious star... so where are the film carrying roles?).
Anyway we've always hoped here at TFE that Hollywood would start practicing more diversity in their hiring practices (which would obviously shift Oscar nominations) but my personal dream is that one day this diversity discussion can become less virulent and more inclusive. This quote from Lupita Nyong'o is smart about reframing the discussion as "calling for change in expanding the stories that are told and recognition of the people who tell them".
If it's not about diversity in general you miss out on the fact that this year's best film was queer and missed Best Picture and Best Director which should have been easy gets...
Seriously contemplating an Oscars meme with Mean Girls quotes over nominees. @chrisvfeil @nathanielr pic.twitter.com/QX536mbNtX
— Anne Marie (@WeRecycleMovies) January 19, 2016
Chris's "Rachel McAdams is Flawless" post from yesterday inspired a meme on twitter #OscarMeanGirls - so check it out.
Finally...
The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (full disclosure: two of our writers here are members) have announced their "Dorian Award" winners for 2015. You can see the complete list here but the important thing to know is that Carol won a bunch including Cate Blanchett for Best Actress. It also took both of the top prizes "Film of the Year" and the "LGBT Film of the Year" which are two separate categories with Carol as the only crossover nominee. Film of the Year nominees looked alot like Oscar's list since Carol competed against The Big Short, Brooklyn, Mad Mad Fury Road, and Spotlight. As for the LGBT Film of the year, Carol beat The Danish Girl, Freeheld, Grandma and Tangerine to that less competitive title. (Not sure how Freeheld and The Danish Girl made it into that list but to each their own when it comes to "best".) The only multiple winners besides Carol were over on television where Empire took two prizes (Best Actress and Campy Show of the Year) and Transparent three honors (Comedy, LGBT Show of the Year, and Best Actor)
Reader Comments (23)
Bassett was on fire in Spike Lee's new movie.
Lupita's lack of work since her Oscar win is the biggest indicator that there is a huge disconnect between studios and the average moviegoer. Her performance/Oscar win are among the most universally praised I can think of in recent history and the general public seems to be enraptured with her, so why aren't studios and directors tripping over themselves to CREATE vehicles for her?
I'm not Canadian, but my understanding is the CSA is a merger of the previous separate film.(Genie) and TV (Gemini) awards.
I am all for keeping this diversity discussion rational, and focused on the reforms that can be taken, along with respect for progress that has been made.
1) I do think the Academy should go back to 10 best pic nominees, that would immediately help broaden the range of films.
2) Advocacy does change things, and should be based on data wherever possible. Mark Harris published some fascinating statistics on the membership of the Academy yesterday on twitter.
3) A film called "Desert Hearts" which was a love story between 2 women, directed by Donna Deitch. This little indie hit got a Jury prize at Sundance, and an Indie spirit award. Made in 1985 released in 1986, it didn't have a chance at the kind of release or awards attention "Carol" got.
Progress over the last 30 years hasn't been quick, but it has been steady, and it has made a difference.
4) Let's not turn this into a blood sport, let's look at ways to fix the problem.
Re: Wonder Woman - the glasses may look a bit Lynda Carter, but the scenes of her fighting and on a horse are PURE XENA. Seriously XENA. They should have given Lucy Lawless a cameo part as a bit of a thank you.
I hate the way they have drained all colour out of it, way too dark.
You definitely should see Queen of Earth. It will be interesting to see where Katherine Waterston's career goes from here.
I agree that we should return to 10 Best Picture nominees - and members should vote for 10 nominees instead of 5. We would get a more interesting variety of nominated films, and members would be forced to watch more films to fill their ballots.
Nathaniel, See Queen of Earth ASAP! It's on Netflix instant. Elisabeth Moss and Katherine Waterson will shoot up right to the top of your film bitch finalists. Nods to Polanski and Bergman, women on the verge of nervous breakdowns, women who lie to themselves, great actressing. This film has it all!
OMG. You frequent the Gossip Life? I frickin' love that site.
Juicy Julie -- lol no. it's the first time i've ever seen it. but i love alexis arquette so i was clicking round and saw that.
Suzanne -- but would we get an interesting variety or would all the "expected" movies just rise up because they were in 8-10 on peoples ballots because they don't see enough. Imagine a lot of "trumbo" and the like.
Nathaniel - maybe it was just a product of the years they tried it, but in 2009 and 2010, when people were forced to nominate 10 movies, the results were pretty awesome in how they reached beyond the usual Oscar films - Up, Toy Story 3, 3 small films directed by women including The Kids Are Alright, Precious, A Serious Man, District 9. And all over the course of only 2 years!
The rumor is I've read is that they changed the process because voters thought having to list 10 films was too much work. Sigh.
Nathaniel - I agree with Suzanne here, 2009 & 2010 were better because there wasn't a "top 5" preferential ballot. This encourages choices that are not consensus choices. They should go back to that it would have given more chances for "Carol" and "Compton" which were on the bubble. Reforms can work, no need to be defeatist.
Other links regarding diversity: Best explanation for why Rey toys were missing - Disney & Lucasfilm - http://sweatpantsandcoffee.com/what-we-love/sweatpants-pop-culture/rey/
#the fword video contest, original 2-3 minute video shorts requested for
$5000. prize sponsored by Ms.foundation, 2 of the judges will be Connie Britton and Laura Benanti - https://thefword.splashthat.com/
I would love to see someone on the TFE staff or readership take a crack at this, and maybe win.
That Alexis Arquette post is pretty terrible on her part. Just tacky and full of rumors and nothing concrete. Bad way to advocate for something else. She's owed whatever comes her way from them.
Best Actress is still a particularly troubling area. Halle Berry remains the only winner and few black women are asked to lead motion pictures and even when we get a great actress who any sane person would think could become an Oscar perennial Hollywood doesn't know what to do with them (Viola & Lupita are easy recent versions of Angela Bassett in the 90s -- obvious star... so where are the film carrying roles?).
I'm numb to this issue. I have taken solace in the right white girl (Brie Larson, Chastain) winning the prize to keep me from being Mr. McBitch About Everything.
One for the road Nathaniel: Hollywood is a patriarchal white supremacy.
Re: Canadian Screen Awards
Bruno's right. From the wikipedia page:
The new awards were first presented in 2013 as the result of a merger of the Gemini Awards and Genie Awards—the Canadian Academy's previous awards presentations for Canadian television and film productions. They are widely considered to be the most prestigious award for Canadian entertainers and filmmakers, often referred to as the Canadian equivalent of the "Oscars."
Please see Queen of Earth! Moss is just terrific.
Forgive me if I'm perpetuating an Academy myth but could the voters write in for Idris Elba? He's probably the most egregiously snubbed of the actors and a win wouldn't have been out of the question if he had been nominated.
I guess getting 3000+ members to ignore the ballot paper would be tough, but if it's possible I'm surprised there ian't some back office negotiations working on it.
@ BJT: Bette Davis benefitted from write-in because the Academy relaxed their rules for a couple of years. But no more.
Todd Haynes really should have been nominated for a best director Oscar
Morgan -- some of that is well documented truth though... at least the Six Degrees of Separation part of it. Basically you hear strange not flattering stuff about the Smiths (and it's not like every star gets that treatment... must stars have a phase where there's a lot of rumors and then things calm down and they become just stars... like Brad Pitt for instance) all the time though so they must have made a lot of enemies on their way up.
Morgan -yes it was tacky and misplaced. The next time Woody Allen speaks about a concerning issue I will ignore what he is saying and accuse him of child molestation.
LadyEdith- great post let's talk about ways to improve instead of pointing fingers or being defensive. Those Academy members really don't get the issue at all. No one is saying that she is a racist. Wtf.
Suicide Squad trailer: If the reports of it being PG-13 are true (I want to take those reports with a grain of salt, but it's WB, and they can't make any of these without at least one massively and obviously stupid decision), the trailer is basically doing everything in it's power (short of actually releasing a Red Band) to make that idea look as boneheaded as it sounds.
There was a discussion on CBC radio last night about the diversity issue and all the presenters were convinced, CONVINCED, that the snubs of Idris Elba and Micheal B Jordan were malicious and intentional, and the people on the panel all involved in film criticism of some sort from what I gather. It saddened me because yes sure there are issues that need to be addressed rationally, but the Academy is not this monolith and I don't think anything is done in a malicious way. They also all seemed to ignore the 13-14 years prior to 2014 when POC in the acting categories were getting more nominations and wins than ever before. I guess the point is, no matter how this discussion is framed now there is definitely an image and belief among many that the Academy is out of date and out of touch and that needs to be fixed.