Fuss about nothing or geniune cause for concern

I'm of course talking about the proposed boycott of the Oscars by a number of high profile black actors due to the lack of black nominees for the major awards.

Having not seen Will Smith's performance in Concussion I'm in no position to state whether or not his omission is warranted or otherwise. What I will say is that, in my opinion, Will Smith has never done anything remotely Oscar worthy but I fully understand why his wife feels the need to make a big deal out of it. Likewise, Spike Lee, the less attention focused on whatever travesty of a film he's currently producing, the better in my opinion.

However, is Hollywood racist, do black actors get overlooked for major roles/awards, do black actors want a film version of the Rooney Rule or should the Oscar be won on it's own merit?

I will say this though, I rarely agreed with the list of winners and as Billy Crystal said, it's little more than rich people giving each other gold statues

See that film last night? Denzil Washington? He's a brilliant actor. He's not my favourite actor of all time. My favourite actor of all time is Mr Sidney Poitier.

White Americans could point to black Americans partying when O J Simpson got off with murder....They could point to those moronic brothers producing that hilarious stereotypical film White chicks...They could point to Spike Lee's pathetic volley at Eastwood...

But they don't because they can't be bothered because they know you can be as racist as you like as long as white Americans are the butt of it..

When Smith stops being a one trick pony give him an Oscar...Give Sandler one too...

But yes give black people all the acting Oscars and then see how long it takes for them to moan about the choreography and Photography ones..

Get over it...

Good thread by the way...

The Smiths will be sat in their mansion watching the Oscars on their 100 inch TV while they are bathing in the money they have earnt from this racist industry. Got to feel for them, you really have.

In all fairness didn't Blue once win a MOBO?

I think Star Wars aside, Straight Outta Compton is the best film I have seen this year. The other 2 I watched were Gravity and the one with Matthew McConnaughay in space.

Like with a feminist you can never win...

Open a door for one...."I can open a door you know even though I'm just a woman!!

Don't open the door.."How rude typical male pig !!"..

If a lot of black artists were rewarded "Inverted racism..They are patronising us"..

"As black people we've had to struggle for everything we have."

So why do you want it handing to you on a f*cking plate now?

Imagine the uproar if the makers of "White Men Can't Jump" made a follow up "Black People can't act"

Black men can't swim would be more apt....

seanmichaels wrote:Black men can't swim would be more apt....

Not in the context of the thread it wouldn't Sean, but they could also make a film you'd love called "Asian people and Russians and some Argentinians pretty much all look alike to me especially that Kostya Tzsyu"

I remember having an argument with Strongback on the old BBC about that.

Wasn't there a year when Denzil Washington and Halle Berry both won Oscars? Denzil was for Training day - great film.

Washington only got the Oscar for "Training Day" cos Russell Crowe was being billy big balls pushing tv producers around because he wasn't allowed to read his poetry at award ceremonies etc and the Oscar committee decided he needed slapping down.

I also watched "Monster" that Halle won the Oscar for. Can't recall who she was up against but I thought her performance and the film itself were dreadful. However, what infuriated me more was her using the term "women of colour"in her acceptance speech...everyone is of colour you silly c*nt.

She moans about artistic integrity and then agrees to get her t!ts out in "Swordfish" only if they paid her an extra $300k.

DAVE667 wrote:Washington only got the Oscar for "Training Day" cos Russell Crowe was being billy big balls pushing tv producers around because he wasn't allowed to read his poetry at award ceremonies etc and the Oscar committee decided he needed slapping down.

I also watched "Monster" that Halle won the Oscar for. Can't recall who she was up against but I thought her performance and the film itself were dreadful. However, what infuriated me more was her using the term "women of colour"in her acceptance speech...everyone is of colour you silly c*nt.

She moans about artistic integrity and then agrees to get her t!ts out in "Swordfish" only if they paid her an extra $300k.

I think it was Monsters Ball that she won for - Monster was the one that Charlize won I think.

Adam D wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:Washington only got the Oscar for "Training Day" cos Russell Crowe was being billy big balls pushing tv producers around because he wasn't allowed to read his poetry at award ceremonies etc and the Oscar committee decided he needed slapping down.

I also watched "Monster" that Halle won the Oscar for. Can't recall who she was up against but I thought her performance and the film itself were dreadful. However, what infuriated me more was her using the term "women of colour"in her acceptance speech...everyone is of colour you silly c*nt.

She moans about artistic integrity and then agrees to get her t!ts out in "Swordfish" only if they paid her an extra $300k.

I think it was Monsters Ball that she won for - Monster was the one that Charlize won I think.

Whatever, they all look the same

Adam D wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:Washington only got the Oscar for "Training Day" cos Russell Crowe was being billy big balls pushing tv producers around because he wasn't allowed to read his poetry at award ceremonies etc and the Oscar committee decided he needed slapping down.

I also watched "Monster" that Halle won the Oscar for. Can't recall who she was up against but I thought her performance and the film itself were dreadful. However, what infuriated me more was her using the term "women of colour"in her acceptance speech...everyone is of colour you silly c*nt.

She moans about artistic integrity and then agrees to get her t!ts out in "Swordfish" only if they paid her an extra $300k.

I think it was Monsters Ball that she won for - Monster was the one that Charlize won I think.

You're right, my excuse is that I was busy being apoplectic.

I see they're pressuring Chris Rock to step down as host of the Oscars. Yeah, like he's gonna turn down the easiest money he'll make all year.

I think Will Smith should stop doing these high brow roles and get back to what he does best. He would have cleaned up at next years Oscars if he'd signed up for Independence Day 2. I can see Bill Pullman winning it now. Some great acting in the trailer. 'I see them in my dreams'.....

I think Smith should extend himself and test his boundaries......

Maybe go for a role where he plays a loving husband and makes humorous wisecracks through a movie

Perhaps he could do remake of Tropic Thunder and this time, reprise the Robert Downey jr role and "white up"

There is a paucity of great actors at the moment and Will Smith is not one of them, I have yet to see a performance of his worthy of nomination let alone winning so it's all a bit silly. It seems to be a retaliation to Di Caprio being red hot favourite to finally win one ignoring that his films are generally very good and he is a big part of that.

Of the films i've watched this year i'd take out Rredmayne replacing him with Hanks but that's about it whereas best supporting looks about right with the exception of Stallone. As for the women they're probably spot on too, much ado about nothing really.

Will Smith confirms his non-attendance.

Really? If it bothers you so much Will, why not sell your sh!t, pack up and move the f*ck out of Hollywood and go join a hippy commune somewhere. Oh and take your f*cking annoying c*nt of a son with you. Really fella, some black people haven't been nominated to get an award?

Newsflash, not fifteen minutes away from the theatre where the Oscar's will be held, there'll be black people who are homeless, desperate for help from various physical and mental ailments, there'll be young black youths being shot over drug feuds or dying from drug overdoses....but you aren't getting a little gold statue. C*NT!

I've never really understood the fuss about the Oscars.  I can understand how the average celeb-obsessed f*ckwit can feel a massive tingling downstairs when they see someone famous having a gloat on a red carpet but cannot fathom the credibility the awards themselves have.  They represent Hollywood, a f*cking suburb in a city, not cinema itself as people seem to think, they don't even represent American cinema.
It's not exactly a revelation to say they're self-indulgent and subjective but when you consider some of the crap that has won it's bizarre that they're not more of a laughing stock.  I won't bore myself by compiling a list but will mention Nicolas Cage, Braveheart and Angelina Jolie and rest my case.

I lost all interest in them when they overlooked Barton Fink Galted.

To show my appreciation for your impeccable taste I shall now call it The Barton Fink.

Like you I am not sure why so much stock is put in the Oscars. Firstly, as you have said they frequently get it wrong, sometimes horrifically so, Ordinary People beating Raging Bull being a prime example, but even allowing for this it is all a bit of a circle jerk isn't it. How insecure are actors when the multi million dollar wages, lavish praise of fans the world over and ridiculous lifestyles where their every whim is catered for is not enough to tell them they're doing a good job they need to meet up at countless award ceremonies and reassure each other. Absolute bell ends to a man.

Obviously this does not include John Goodman or John Turturro who are awesome.

Rowley wrote:Like you I am not sure why so much stock is put in the Oscars. Firstly, as you have said they frequently get it wrong, sometimes horrifically so, Ordinary People beating Raging Bull being a prime example, but even allowing for this it is all a bit of a circle jerk isn't it. How insecure are actors when the multi million dollar wages, lavish praise of fans the world over and ridiculous lifestyles where their every whim is catered for is not enough to tell them they're doing a good job they need to meet up at countless award ceremonies and reassure each other. Absolute bell ends to a man.

Obviously this does not include John Goodman or John Turturro who are awesome.

Excellent post, Jeff, even without the final flourish. I may adopt it as my official opinion on the oscars - and I will credit it to Rowley in a manner which would suggest to the listener that they know who Rowley is. Of course, being unsure whether it's pronounce "Rowley" or "Rowley" I shall be forced to alternate between ascribing it to "Rowley" and ascribing it to "Rowley".

One good thing about the Oscars is that they give run-of-the-mill f*ckwits like Patricia Arquette and Halle Berry the chance to make global c*nts out of themselves with their acceptance speeches.

Galted wrote:

Rowley wrote:Like you I am not sure why so much stock is put in the Oscars. Firstly, as you have said they frequently get it wrong, sometimes horrifically so, Ordinary People beating Raging Bull being a prime example, but even allowing for this it is all a bit of a circle jerk isn't it. How insecure are actors when the multi million dollar wages, lavish praise of fans the world over and ridiculous lifestyles where their every whim is catered for is not enough to tell them they're doing a good job they need to meet up at countless award ceremonies and reassure each other. Absolute bell ends to a man.

Obviously this does not include John Goodman or John Turturro who are awesome.

Excellent post, Jeff, even without the final flourish.  I may adopt it as my official opinion on the oscars - and I will credit it to Rowley in a manner which would suggest to the listener that they know who Rowley is.  Of course, being unsure whether it's pronounce "Rowley" or "Rowley" I shall be forced to alternate between ascribing it to "Rowley" and ascribing it to "Rowley".

One good thing about the Oscars is that they give run-of-the-mill f*ckwits like Patricia Arquette and Halle Berry the chance to make global c*nts out of themselves with their acceptance speeches.

What? Their films don't do that enough?

Rowley wrote:Like you I am not sure why so much stock is put in the Oscars. Firstly, as you have said they frequently get it wrong, sometimes horrifically so, Ordinary People beating Raging Bull being a prime example, but even allowing for this it is all a bit of a circle jerk isn't it. How insecure are actors when the multi million dollar wages, lavish praise of fans the world over and ridiculous lifestyles where their every whim is catered for is not enough to tell them they're doing a good job they need to meet up at countless award ceremonies and reassure each other. Absolute bell ends to a man.

Obviously this does not include John Goodman or John Turturro who are awesome.

I would also add Steve Buscemi to this list of people who should get Oscars for being great.

Personally I'd rename the Oscar's the Lebowski's

As has been stated above, damned if you do, damned if you don't. The Oscars is just a big ceremony for the film industry where they all slap each other on the back, tell each other they're wonderful and give out some crappy looking prizes. It's dripping with money and narcissistic a-holes who constantly strive for attention.

I haven't seen Concussion or Straight Outta Compton so can't comment on the roles/films that "should have" been nominated but I honestly think getting an Oscar isn't all that. Let's not forget that last year's Best picture was Birdman, very possibly one of the worst "great" films I have ever scene - one which is specifically for the film critics and actors alike to self-congratulate on how brilliant they all are. They nominated Clint Eastwood for his "meh" performance in Unforgiven mainly because they cocked it all up previously by not even giving him a nomination for such brilliance as Pale Rider.

Does all the racism furore mean that Cheryl Boone Isaacs should be labelled an "Uncle Tom"???

If anyone can play the race card it would be Morgan Freeman who coincidentally I felt gave a better performance in Unforgiven than Hackman but didn't receive a nomination whilst also missing out for Shawshank Redemption.

Eastwood's performance in Unforgiven was good I thought Bounce but he was unfortunate to be outshone by the three big supporting actors in that film.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:If anyone can play the race card it would be Morgan Freeman who coincidentally I felt gave a better performance in Unforgiven than Hackman but didn't receive a nomination whilst also missing out for Shawshank Redemption.

Eastwood's performance in Unforgiven was good I thought Bounce but he was unfortunate to be outshone by the three big supporting actors in that film.

His performance was adequate, he gave himself all the good lines which he didn't always deliver very convincingly, especially the "it's a hell of a thing killing a man, you take away everything he's got, and everything he's ever going to have" bit (apologies if I didn't get it word for word) and a few others. Gene Hackman stole the show for me.

ET & Napoleon Dynamite didn't feature very many blacks. F*cking disgrace.

I would be interested to ask those not attending how they would react if all nominees were black? Would they boycott then? If so and well known white actors did not attend how would they or the press react? Not well me thinks. Probably like most interested in the Oscars I could not care less what their race/sexuality/blah/blah.......life is to short to be bothered.

Ice Cube summed it up perfectly on Graham Norton the other night

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ice-cube-talks-oscars-controversy-its-just-ridiculous-w162376

The great George C Scott summed up the Oscars perfectly (when refusing his best actor award for Patton).

He called it a “two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.”

As soon as you're placed at the back of the theater and not the front it's time to get up and take the... thirty years younger painted tart you're with to Burger king...

No point in trying to paint a happy grin on your face when some conceited muppet is holding your prize..

Ice Cube may feel differently when he's overlooked for an Oscar for best supporting actor and trumped by Will Ferrell.

They need a FOBO awards ceremony

Why not have a Black Oscar ceremony ????

We have Black police associations...We have the society for black lawyers..things like that....

If you aren't willing to give Will Smith's groundbreaking role in Wild Wild West credit then stuff you....We will !!

seanmichaels wrote:They need a FOBO awards ceremony

MOFOBO - Music or Film of Black Origin
FOMOBOFO - Friends of Music or Film of Black Origin

I'd like to join and I could be a FOMOBOFO bro

Ross Perot was doing great as an independent in the 1992 Presidential election until he did a rally in a black area and said the words "George Bush doesn't care about you people!!"

There was uproar in black communities because he said "You people"...I'm sure he didn't mean it as an insult as there were whites present there too...

Killed his momentum.....

Think some black people in America have to realise you only live once....Get on with it and stop looking for trouble when it isn't there !!.

Dey sho be a truculent race don' dey?

I'm a little surprised at this. If nothing else the Sony Pictures hack proved beyond doubt that there is no racial bias in Hollywood

Plenty of racial bias about............There are some people who try to justify a black man hitting a white woman...aren't they Kingraf ??

"Homie just bitched for a minute it happens".......

Those in glasshouses....

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Plenty of racial bias about............There are some people who try to justify a black man hitting a white woman...aren't they Kingraf ??

"Homie just bitched for a minute it happens".......

Those in glasshouses....

Get undressed in the basement?

Guess that's some kind of British line I'm not accustomed with....

Sleepwalked and found myself in the garage once or twice.....

Only winding Kingy up.....No malicious intent.....There never is..

Adam D wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Plenty of racial bias about............There are some people who try to justify a black man hitting a white woman...aren't they Kingraf ??

"Homie just bitched for a minute it happens".......

Those in glasshouses....

Get undressed in the basement?

Are wary of picking up dropped coins?

Charlie Chan eat your heart out...

Well they say those people will eat anything.

Who says it?

Racists

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Plenty of racial bias about............There are some people who try to justify a black man hitting a white woman...aren't they Kingraf ??

Could be worse... I could have groups about the "Genocide" of white South Africans on my facebook account. Think its what you would call a "silent beating"

Maybe for one year they can have a "Best supporting to a best supporting actor category"

Perhaps the board should take a hardline stance against these allegations of racism. I can see it now

"The award for the best black actor goes to.....MATT DAMON...f*ck you Will Smith and the horse you rode in on!!"