Oscars Wrap Up

Normally, wrapping up the Oscars is exciting and fun, but there was just nothing to talk about this year.  Ha!  By now we know all of the winners, and here are my thoughts about the telecast.

I thought Jimmy Kimmel was funny and did a great job.  I liked all the cute bits about the candy and the tour bus.  He did a GREAT job poking fun at overrated Meryl Streep and Matt Damon alike.  I loved the montages of acceptance speeches (I once wrote an article about memorable Oscars speeches which you can read here.)  The idea of actors and actresses watching movies and talking about their inspirations was beautiful and not overdone.  Justin Timberlake set the tone right from teh beginning - can we get that guy an honorary Original Song Oscar?

It was a night of fun, even if the In Memorium montage featured the name and occupation of a person who died, but showed the picture of a very alive colleague.

My take on the winners:

Best Picture - I really loved Moonlight.  Envelope gaffe aside, it was a pleasure to see that film receive recognition, and I'm sorry that they didn't really get their moment in the sun.  I would have also loved to see Hidden Figures win the prize.  Like everyone, I was shocked to the core that the wrong winner was announced.  I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for the LLL producers to have to put on their big boy pants and hand over the awards to other people.  But they did it with grace.  My heart especially goes out to Marc Platt (who I know a little bit), and who had a very similar experience at the Tony's as the producer of Wicked the year Avenue Q won.  (Not exactly the same, but similar.)  Jimmy Kimmel and Warren Beatty all handled the situation with class, and though I'm so sorry for the LLL folks, it proved once again that the more powerful stories are going to win.  Last year when we all thought The Revenant would win (a good, but not important movie), Spotlight pulled it out.  I'm starting to trust Oscar voters more and more.

Actor in a Leading Role - Well, add this to the percentage of time that the SAG winner did NOT match the Oscar winner.  A rarity indeed.  Casey Affleck was the frontrunner for most of awards season.  I had trouble deciphering why Denzel Washington didn't at least smile or nod when Affleck acknowledged him.

Actor in a Supporting Role - Mahershala Ali won, deserved it, and has given a series of wonderful acceptance speeches at every show.  What a class act.  I think his five day old baby was happy to give him the night off.

Actress in a Leading Role - Emma Stone was gracious and a shoo in.  

Actress in a Supporting Role - VIOOOOOOOOLLLLLLAAAAAAA!  I have supported her since her nomination for The Help, which she lost to Octavia Spencer for the same film.  Which also starred Emma Stone.  These three peas in a pod deserve the recognition they've gotten.  Now Viola's manager better be figuring out how to get Viola that Grammy so she can join the other EGOT winners.  And, she has officially joined my "favorite Oscars speeches of all time" list.

Animated Feature - I really hope that you'll see this film.  It has an important message about mistrusting the other, and what happens when the government foments fear among its citizens.  This film was a truly politically relevant film.

Cinematography - La La Land was a shoo in.  

Costume Design - It's nice to see that this category remains true to itself every year, and almost never follows the obvious "big film" choices.  However, if we're really awarding the best costumes, I stand by my assertion that Florence Foster Jenkins deserved it.  Check out the images online, you'll see what I mean.

Directing - Damian Chazelle spoke so beautifully, I almost don't feel badly about myself that he is only 31 and has already accomplished so much.  I loved how he acknowledged all of the important people who helped him achieve his vision.  PS, if you don't already know this - Mandy Moore is a choreographer who you can see on So You Think You Can Dance.  Not the Mandy Moore from This is Us.

Documentary Feature - There is no question that OJ was an unbelievable filmmaking accomplishment.  But 13th was the most important documentary of the year.

Documentary Short Subject - This year's batch was so strong it could have gone to anyone.  But these heroes from The White Helmets deserve recognition not just for the over 80,000 people they've rescued, but also for reminding certain people that ordinary humans value life, no matter where they are from. A rare moment when a Holocaust related story doesn't win.

Film Editing - Ugh, Hacksaw Ridge.  Ok, war movies win this a lot.  But seriously, could everyone stop acting like we love Mel Gibson again?  Seriously, it's distasteful.  How is it that we live in a world where Lena Dunham is more hated than Mel Gibson?  When did earnest and sometimes self righteous become more egregious than racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-semetic, misanthropic... oh wait, never mind. I know when.  Moving right along.

Foreign Language Film - Guys, I'm sorry to tell you that this was a political choice.  The Salesman was quite good, but it wasn't the most moving or the most impactful.  Land of Mine was a much stronger story, and A Man Called Ove was a much more touching one.  While we are at it, though the sentiments of the speech that the director sent were laudable, they failed to mention that Iran has some of the most stringent rules about travel there (if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, you can't enter the country), and their human rights abuses are atrocious.  I suppose his life would have been in danger had he spoken openly about that, but let's keep his remarks in context, shall we?

Makeup and Hairstyling - Suicide Squad was a very mediocre film with great makeup.  Star Trek was a good movie with great makeup.  But, ya know, ok.  Suicide Squad for the win.

Original Score - La La Land was a lock from the beginning.  But I loved the speech that Justin Hurwitz gave.  Loved.

Original Song - City of Stars from La La Land is a good benign choice, but I gotta tell you, if my kids don't learn an instrument, they aren't skipping out on the JCC soccer team.  But now I'm thinking that they could win an Oscar and take me to the show, so I'm torn.

Production Design - I honestly think that Fantastic Beasts should win, but I can see how that last section of the movie really won the Oscar for LLL.

Animated Short Film - Piper has been my favorite since I saw it in the theater.  It was just too cute to ignore.  It's been a long time since I got this one right, so I was thrilled to see it win.

Live Action Short Film - I have to be honest, Sing is one of the last films I would have chosen for the big win, but it does have a strong values message.  I still really hope that you'll see Timecode.  Do everything you can to see it.

Sound Editing - The whole Arrival movie is about sound and language and these complicated layers.  I didn't expect the win, but I can see how it was chosen.

Sound Mixing - Seriously?  Hacksaw Ridge?  War movies are the second most chosen after musicals in this category.  (and it's a Cinderella story of finally winning after 21 nominations.) Still, if you're not going with LLL, can my beloved Star Wars get some love?  I was a little bit confused last night because I had read an article that 13 Hours was removed from consideration at the last minute due to illegal campaigning, but it was still announced in the package. Can we get some clarification on this?

Visual Effects - I know Jungle Book was an amazing feat, but go back and watch Dr. Strange.  I saw nothing like it last year.  It really deserved the win.

Adapted Screenplay - Moonlight had the rare screenplay and best picture win.  It was wonderful.

Original Screenplay - We knew Manchester by the Sea was going to win this category, particularly since Kenneth Lonergan actually wrote that dialogue to overlap on itself.  That's a rare thing.

Thank you to all you readers, tweeters, retweeters, reposters, and lovers of film.  We'll see you next year!

Passengers - 2 nominations and Hail Caesar - 1 nomination

Passengers
Music (Original Score) - Thomas Newman
Production Design - Guy Hendrix Dyas (Production Design) and Gene Serdena (Set Decoration)

This is the story of thousands of people in cryosleep on a spaceship traveling to colonize a new frontier from earth.  Without explanation, one of the passengers, Jim Preston, is awakened early and the loneliness is overwhelming.  Even with a spaceship filled with every kind entertainment, when you're totally alone, it's pretty easy to tire of those diversions.  So, Preston devises a plan to wake up another passenger.  Doing this has its consequences - being roused 90 years before arrival at the destination functionally means that it's highly unlikely that either of them will actually see the place their trying to go.  Once she has gotten her bearings, he must then decide whether to tell her that the malfunction that woke her up was not the same as his, and this dilemma could have a tremendous impact on their long term relationship.  They two are the only people in the world, so he must weigh his options carefully.

Truly one of the best parts of this fun film was the production design.  The set decorators and production designers did an amazing job of letting their imaginations soar without limits to envision what a high priced traveling spaceship might look like in an age where that kind of dream is possible. It's a movie worth seeing and enjoying.

Hail Caesar
Production Design - Jess Gonchor (Production Design) and Nancy Haigh (Set Decoration)

You've never seen the behind the scenes of old Hollywood like this, is what the Coen brothers would like you to think.  The story follows a studio professional whose job it is to keep the veneer of celebrity larger than life and scandal free to the adoring public.  One of the many issues with which he is struggling is that the studio's largest star has been drugged and kidnapped off the set of a huge, high budget film, and is being ransomed for $100,000.  He's got an Esther Williams genre star who is knocked up with no husband.  He's got gossip columnists sniffing around every day to see what they can pick up.

The film is comical but it's just not very funny.  There's little that is memorable about it, and as I write this, I am struggling to remember anything that really stood out for me.  Yes, the production design is old Hollywood, larger than life, and reflects sets like Ben Hur and Neptune's Daughter (two movies that most people reading this surely won't remember), so the clay available to mold by the production designer and set decorator was ripe for excellence.  But even the over the top characters are just cliche enough to be forgotten.  I'm an ardent fan of the Coen brothers, but this film just didn't get it done like so many of their others have.

Deepwater Horizon - 2 nominations and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi - 1 nomination

Deepwater Horizon

Visual Effects - Craig Hammack, Jason Snell, Jason Billington, and Burt Dalton

Sound Editing - Wylie Stateman and Renee Tondelli

Deepwater Horizon recounts the true story of the devastating British Petroleum (BP) oil spill off the coast of Louisiana, and the very brave professionals who both tried to prevent the spill and rescued each other from the fallout.  Perhaps the greatest demonstration for the need for regulations in America, this film captures what happens when a corporate entity prizes money above safety.  With little oversight of the regulations that do exist, companies take more and more risks seemingly without regard to the potential consequences.  At its heart, this film is a great action movie ably led by the always terrific Mark Wahlberg.  But the movie takes the time to let us know the characters, their families, their backstories, and the very real dangers they faced.  As always, we must remind ourselves that filmmakers have no obligation to the actual facts as they occurred, so those who love the film and are outraged by it, must also take the time to find out how much of the story was inspired by actual events, and how much was adding entertainment and imagination to how the events could have happened.  Nonetheless, I was not expecting to like the movie and I liked it very much.  Of note were the visual effects which required a tremendous level of complexity so that the viewer could almost feel what the people portrayed experienced.  It was well worth the time and the popcorn.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Sound Mixing - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush, and Mac Ruth

Another in our "inspired by true events" stories, 13 Hours recaps the events of September 11, 2010 in Benghazi, Libya, where the American ambassador and three others were murdered as Libya was becoming a failed state.  Nearby, in a secret CIA outpost, former military contractors stood ready and waiting to help the overrun embassy as they were being attacked.  The siege lasted all night, and these brave men did what they could to usher as many people to safety as possible, and as we know, they didn't all survive.  

I was expecting this film to be much more political than it was.  In fact, the only reference to politics made in the film is a single comment recalling that Congress had cut the funding to embassies around the world, and therefore, this embassy did not comply with the regulations set for minimum standards to ensure personnel safety.  It was not the fortress it was supposed to be, and woefully understaffed for such a dangerous region.  I dearly hope that we have learned this lesson all too painfully, and that the other embassies in these kinds of regions will receive the funding they need to prevent further tragedy.

My main criticism of the film (not of the soldiers, not of the heroes) is that so much of it portrayed the battles, and not enough time was devoted to the story.  There was a very little bit where each of the incredible men with magnificent skills were on video chats with their families, and another small bit about how some of them knew each other.  I promise my criticism reflects a desire to know more about the people and who they are (or were).  Once you've seen many minutes of shooting at each other, it's very clear that the battle was grueling.  The people who fought bravely really deserved more depth.  I think they earned it.  

Allied - 1 nomination and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - 2 nominations

Allied 

Costume Design - Joanna Johnston

Allied is the story of a World War 2 Canadian spy, Max Vatan, who works for the British government. When partnered in Morocco with another spy, the beautiful Marianne Beausejour, the two pull off the assassination of the German ambassador and several prominent nazis.  In the midst of the operation, they fall in love.  They return to Britain and begin a more normal life together, while he continues to work for military intelligence.  Suddenly, some intel is delivered to Vatan's superiors that his wife isn't who she says she is, and that she is actually a spy working for the Germans.  Vatan believes in her innocence, and does everything he can to prove that she is trustworthy.  It's a fun film with great intrigue and suspense, and the costumes are indeed beautiful.  Period pieces always do well in this category.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Costume Design - Colleen Atwood

Production Design - Stuart Craig (Production Design) and Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration)

We are back in the magical world of Harry Potter, long before young Potter is born.  In these early days, magical people in New York have been threatened by a dangerous magician and outlaw. Meanwhile, Newt Scamander has arrived in the United States on his way to deliver a beast to an environment where he is more suited to live.  Scamander also discovers an insane protestor against magic (though she is right that it exists) who has been oppressive to the foster children in her care, only causing one of those magical children to build up a powerful and deadly rage that threatens not only her, but the city, as well.  

Not since Avatar have magical creatures appeared so fantastic on screen.  The world of beauty that is created in Fantastic Beasts is unbelievably captivating.  I was surprised that this film didn't receive a visual effects nomination just for the beasts!  The genius of the costume and production designs are that they are both period pieces (always do well in these categories) AND set in a world of magic, which I'm sure allowed these talented artists to go wild with imagination limited only by whatever budget constraints they were given.

Now, I'm a serious Potter fan so this world doesn't quite live up to the main tome of J.K. Rowling books, but it is the nearest facsimile thereof and I highly recommend it.

Sully - 1 nomination

Sound Mixing - Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman

Surely you already know the story of Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger who heroically landed a plane in the Hudson to save all of the passengers on board after birds flew into and knocked out several of its engines.  This film dramatizes that landing and the investigation that took place in its aftermath by the National Travel Safety Board.  The story shows officials' suspicions that the landing was actually a result of pilot error.  It's an intense film and the best part of the movie was when they showed what transpired in the cockpit while the emergency was taking place.  Tom Hanks was on everyone's "will be nominated for Lead Actor" list.  I wouldn't have been surprised to see it on a possible Best Picture list.

But here's the part that you only find out when you do a little research on your own.  The bulk of the story focuses on what feels like a witch hunt to prove that the pilots were at fault. The dramatic hearings squarely depict seemingly disappointed NTSB officials who, upon realizing that there was no pilot error, must begrudgingly admit that he is innocent of the charges.  This never happened. There was indeed an NTSB investigation as is required of all flights that have disastrous or near-disastrous endings.  By all accounts, the report that the NTSB issued following the investigation praised Sully for saving the passengers and crew. And the simulations that are depicted in the film to demonstrate pilot error?  Well, in real life, they only predicted an ability to get to another airport in about half of the attempts.

I know I say this with at least one film every year.  Narrative movies are not documentaries.  Filmmakers have no obligation to show you the events as they occurred.  They have no obligation to do research, to show a balanced view of the actual story, or to deliver anything other than entertainment.  (I say this now and well in advance of my forthcoming review of "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi," which will surely be more controversial.)  To take biographic films as gospel of real life events is an error in judgement.  

So, while I enjoyed the film and the sound mixing is terribly well done,  I am glad that this film didn't become the official narrative of the amazing Sully Sullenberger.  The truth of his story will always be more impressive and more heroic than this film could ever depict.