Page 27 - Film
P. 27
FILM
more public interest. Film critic Leonard Maltin has
been vocal about the amount of money circulating
the award campaigns. In a personal Youtube video
labeled “Hustling for Oscars; Enough Already”
he slammed the award season in Los Angeles as
“tiresome” and compared it to a political campaign
that runs for months and that his fellow critics were
continually writing about the same stars and flms.
His most agreeable point is that the smaller flms,
including his favourite flm of the year Mud (2013),
fail to land nominations because they are unable
to compete with the extensive award campaigns of
the larger flms. Interestingly, even small scaled flms
such as Philomena now have a sizeable advantage
for awards consideration because they are promoted
by Hollywood producers like Harvey Weinstein, who
have helped publicise the flm.
The Coen brothers snub is even more bizarre
considering the rewarding history that they have
had with the Academy. They have been nominated
for over a dozen Oscars and have snared four wins,
including Best Picture and Director awards for No
Country for Old Men (2007). Notably, their last two
flms True Grit (2010) and A Serious Man (2009) were
nominated for Best Picture but went unrewarded.
What an opportunity it would have been to reward
Image Source one of their most personal flms and a celebration
of artistic uniqueness than to select Inside Llewyn
more valuable to Hollywood than the Coen brothers Davis for a Best Picture nomination. The flm is set
who consistently strive for uniqueness? in New York, 1961 during the era of folk music. It has
the Coens’ own personal imprint by asking how far
When he last hosted the Oscars Billy Crystal joked: an artist is willing to stretch themselves for their one
“Nothing can take the sting out of the world’s economic passion. Working in an industry that regularly stifes
problems like watching millionaires present each creativity and originality, the flm is a refection of
other with gold statues.” If the Academy still stands their own strives and frustrations to remain unique
for anything more than the overblown spectacle we and personal to themselves. The flm’s title character
enjoy parodying then it should to promote smaller Llewyn Davis is fxated on a solo music career after a
flms that are not box ofce powerhouses but can tragedy involving his former singing partner Mike. He
utilise the ceremony as an opportunity to generate couch surfs and travels through freezing conditions
Independent Media Inspiring Minds 27
more public interest. Film critic Leonard Maltin has
been vocal about the amount of money circulating
the award campaigns. In a personal Youtube video
labeled “Hustling for Oscars; Enough Already”
he slammed the award season in Los Angeles as
“tiresome” and compared it to a political campaign
that runs for months and that his fellow critics were
continually writing about the same stars and flms.
His most agreeable point is that the smaller flms,
including his favourite flm of the year Mud (2013),
fail to land nominations because they are unable
to compete with the extensive award campaigns of
the larger flms. Interestingly, even small scaled flms
such as Philomena now have a sizeable advantage
for awards consideration because they are promoted
by Hollywood producers like Harvey Weinstein, who
have helped publicise the flm.
The Coen brothers snub is even more bizarre
considering the rewarding history that they have
had with the Academy. They have been nominated
for over a dozen Oscars and have snared four wins,
including Best Picture and Director awards for No
Country for Old Men (2007). Notably, their last two
flms True Grit (2010) and A Serious Man (2009) were
nominated for Best Picture but went unrewarded.
What an opportunity it would have been to reward
Image Source one of their most personal flms and a celebration
of artistic uniqueness than to select Inside Llewyn
more valuable to Hollywood than the Coen brothers Davis for a Best Picture nomination. The flm is set
who consistently strive for uniqueness? in New York, 1961 during the era of folk music. It has
the Coens’ own personal imprint by asking how far
When he last hosted the Oscars Billy Crystal joked: an artist is willing to stretch themselves for their one
“Nothing can take the sting out of the world’s economic passion. Working in an industry that regularly stifes
problems like watching millionaires present each creativity and originality, the flm is a refection of
other with gold statues.” If the Academy still stands their own strives and frustrations to remain unique
for anything more than the overblown spectacle we and personal to themselves. The flm’s title character
enjoy parodying then it should to promote smaller Llewyn Davis is fxated on a solo music career after a
flms that are not box ofce powerhouses but can tragedy involving his former singing partner Mike. He
utilise the ceremony as an opportunity to generate couch surfs and travels through freezing conditions
Independent Media Inspiring Minds 27
