If Martin Scorsese doesn’t win tonight the remaining four nominees will have the potential of having just as many as Mr. Scorsese. “The Wolf of Wall Street” could not have captured the time with the frenetic pace and masterful enthusiasm than any of the four other non Scorsese nominees and that Mr. Scorsese doesn’t have at least four Oscars is a true disgrace. But, if the Academy wants to correct an injustice this film would be a great place to start; however, since a finger wagging Academy member confronted Mr. Scorsese and suggested he should be ashamed of himself its highly unlikely but Hollywood is made of dreams, right? Steve McQueen made “12 Years a Slave” a visually stunning picture of the horror of this nation’s history. He made the surroundings contrast the horror with its beauty and the gothic feel of the South. Alexander Payne didn’t win for films with more depth than “Nebraska” but he shot a film in black and white that brought a beauty to the midwest seldom portrayed. David O. Russell is going to have a few more Oscars than Mr. Scorsese someday but it sadly won’t begin with this film. The technological breakthroughs Alfonso Cuaron achieved in “Gravity” will be the 21st Century’s Directing 101 starting point. The film was short but he worked hard to get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time. My heart says Martin Scorsese and my head says Viva Mexico!
Tag: The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Adapted Screenplay-Heart Picks and Head Picks
I would be very disappointed if Richard Linklater (or Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke) won an Oscar before Matthew McConaughey did. I would also have rather had wanted to see “Lone Survivor” get the nod over “Before Midnight.” Billy Ray’s script for “Captain Phillips” was probably not calling for accents to be lost over the course of the film and maybe it dealt with the eventual heroes the Navy Seals. The wrong script about Navy Seals was chosen again. “Philomena” was masterful and a serious toned with moments of levity fueled by sarcasm by its male star and co-writer Steve Coogan. John Ridley’s adaptation of”12 Years a Slave” recounted a story many Americans wish wasn’t in our history. It’s comedic counterpart of last year, “Django Unchained” was a winner in the original category and it makes me wonder what the Academy will do eventually. The best most exhaustive screenplay was “The Wolf of Wall Street” and a return to form of the master, Terrence Winter. If we saw Mr. Scorsese film the scene it all began and ended with Mr. Winter’s words.
My heart Terrence Winter and my head John Ridley.
The Oscars: Best Picture Prediction of My Heart and Head!
Oscars: Heart and Mind Picks
The Golden Globes do one thing perfectly year in and year out; they encourage winners for films in a specific category. The Emmys sometimes get the nominations miscategorized between comedy and drama but they also encourage more winners. The Oscars encouraged more nominations for the Best Picture statuette but what they have really done is create the possibility for more losers. It would be ideal if the Oscars took the longtime lead of the Golden Globes and categorized them into comedy and musical and drama. But, they haven’t and they probably won’t. Change is hard to introduce to a membership that feels like they have the best awards year after year.
So, sometimes there are a few closely contested races and if we use last years nominees as an example “Lincoln” seemed to be the favorite going in and Ang Lee won Best Director for “Life of Pi” and “Argo” due to tremendous momentum coasted to a win and may have been the result of Ben Affleck’s glaring snub for director.
This year there is a familiar tone to the race. I believe it’s a four horse race with the possibility of an upset between the following films: “12 Years a Slave,” “Gravity,” “American Hustle” and the momentum film and latest released “The Wolf of Wall Street.” “Dallas Buyers Club” is a film that may have won any other year and “Frozen” should have been nominated and may not win its animated category.
“12 Years a Slave” was a tremendously amazing film to watch in quiet horror in a dark theatre but what it did for me was beg the question: “Was it better than last year’s “Django Unchained?” I don’t think so. “Gravity” seemed more real than the footage shown of actual space missions and it was such a groundbreaking film technically it will earn its place in Hollywood history but at an hour and a half was it too short for its own good? David O. Russell will win an Oscar someday it just may not be this year. The film was an epic’s length and it was another back to back Oscar trivia answer for at least one nomination in all the major categories which hadn’t been done since Warren Beatty’s “Reds” in 1981 and Mr. Russell is an actors director and that should mean more than it does at Oscar time. However, the elephant in the room is the momentum of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Martin Scorsese is going to be remembered for directing some of the best films in American history about American periods of history. His lone win for “The Departed” a film unworthy of a second look compared to : “Raging Bull,” “Good Fellas,” “Taxi Driver” and “The Aviator” to name a few. ‘Wolf’ captured the time period it was about perfectly. It is a long film and does have nudity and curse words but the core of the picture was the accurate depiction of American greed and I wish people had been more mindful of the times and loosened up a little.
My heart picks “The Wolf of Wall Street” and my head picks “Gravity.”
Awards Season: “The Wolf of Wall Street” Adapted Screenplay
Awards Season: “The Wolf of Wall Street” Adapted Screenplay
Awards Season: “The Wolf of Wall Street” Adapted Screenplay
For your consideration & reading enjoyment.
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