Oscars, Schmoscars!

[markgoodrich]

Once again the Academy proved the Oscars have very little to do with good movies.

 

Portman certainly won in a walk, and Bale, too, but to have left Winter's Bone, True Grit, Inarritu and Bardem, etc, etc, etc, out is proof of my comment. Once again the "feel good movie of the season" got all the gold. What baloney. (no, I haven't seen King's Speech yet, but I will, and I'll agree it's a good movie).

 

It should'a been Portman and Swan for best actress/movie, Bardem for best actor, and about a four-way tie for best director.

 

 

[beemerboy]

I switched back and forth between the Oscars and "Holmes on Inspection" on HGTV. I was struck by how bored James Franco looked at times and must have tuned in at some awkward times because the audience seemed flat. Anyway, based on who ended up winning and who didn't plus some of the asinine things that were said it looks like I didn't miss much.

[Whip]

Superman

[subvet]

peer groups in many other industries give out awards for excellence too.

 

With respect to the Oscars and other entertainment awards like the Oscars, I am sorry to say that I don't pay alot of attention to what are generally overpaid people who don't really contribute anything of value to society. (actors and athletes)

 

Sorry if that sounds selfish and closed-minded.

[RichEdwards]

I saw all the movies. And I agree that "The King's Speech" is the best. By quite a margin.

[flars]

"..."The King's Speech" is the best. By quite a margin..."

+2

 

I saw Black Swan also, and enjoyed it with reservations. My wife 'sort of' liked it, but was disturbed by it.

The King's Speech is, by far, the finest movie we have seen in years. I would have sat through it a second time if I had a larger bladder, and less back troubles.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

...I don't pay alot of attention to what are generally overpaid people who don't really contribute anything of value to society. (actors and athletes)

 

Society disagrees with you about the value of sports and acting. We watch lots of movies, television programs, and sporting events. Advertisers pay big money to make the TV programs and sporting events happen, and moviegoers shell out big bucks to make the movies happen.

 

The studios and sports team owners disagree with you about whether their performers are overpaid. The studios and sports franchises are money-making ventures; I doubt the performers would be able to command these salaries if their employers felt they weren't having a net-positive impact on their organizations' bottom lines.

[SeanC]

...I don't pay alot of attention to what are generally overpaid people who don't really contribute anything of value to society. (actors and athletes)

 

Society disagrees with you about the value of sports and acting. We watch lots of movies, television programs, and sporting events. Advertisers pay big money to make the TV programs and sporting events happen, and moviegoers shell out big bucks to make the movies happen.

 

The studios and sports team owners disagree with you about whether their performers are overpaid. The studios and sports franchises are money-making ventures; I doubt the performers would be able to command these salaries if their employers felt they weren't having a net-positive impact on their organizations' bottom lines.

+1

 

Also, the actors and athletes are just the tips of the icebergs. Behind each one of them are hundreds of artists, craftsmen, tradesmen, specialists, laborers, administrators, assistants, etc. Both sports and movies are multi-billion dollar industries, in fact, so obviously there is a great deal of value to society. We value story-telling, athletic competition and entertainment in general, and as a species, I think we always have. I mean, no one knows the names of the ancient Greeks who sewed togas or chanted in the chorus, but thousands of years later and we still know the names Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides, Plato et al.

[moshe_levy]

Mitch-

 

From a strictly economic point of view, it's impossible to argue with what you say. Remember when Nike's stock tumbled on the news of Michael Jordan's first retirement? One player can command the fate of a multi-billion dollar international corporation, not to mention pack arena after arena full of paying customers. His salary is "high" only when one doesn't consider the breadth and depth of his economic influence.

 

But there's more to life than strict quantification of economic principles. Sports and acting are part of our leisure lives. My kids' teachers, to me, have a tremendous impact on our lives now and into the future. A highly paid actress can make something on the order of 700x more for one picture than my kids' teacher makes all year. Same with many other professions we encounter every day. Some obviously important professionals are paid on a scale which when viewed by some through a moral or ethical lens, as opposed to strictly economical, makes no sense.

 

It's hard for some people who struggle to make ends meet each month to understand how a clearly responsible figure like Charlie Sheen can make what they will never earn in a lifetime for filming one 30 minute sitcom. You can argue it from economics only - not from moral or ethical bases. That says a good deal about our priorities, in my opinion.

 

I think Neil Peart summarized this issue into a great Rush song called "Nobody's Hero." Highly recommended. Lyrics, which to many hold true, follow:

 

I knew he was different in his sexuality

I went to his parties as a straight minority

It never seemed a threat to my masculinity

He only introduced me to a wider reality

As the years went by, we drifted apart

When I heard that he was gone

I felt a shadow cross my heart

 

But he's nobody's hero

Saves a drowning child

Cures a wasting disease

Hero...lands the crippled airplane

Solves great mysteries

Hero...not the handsome actor

Who plays a hero's role

Hero...not the glamour girl

Who'd love to sell her soul

If anybody's buying

Nobody's hero

 

I didn't know the girl, but I knew her family

All their lives were shattered in a nightmare of brutality

They try to carry on, try to bear the agony

Try to hold some faith in the goodness of humanity

As the years went by, we drifted apart

When I heard that she was gone

I felt a shadow cross my heart

 

But she's nobody's hero

Is the voice of reason against the howling mob

Hero...is the pride of purpose

In the unrewarding job

Hero...not the champion player

Who plays the perfect game

Hero...not the glamour boy

Who loves to sell his name

Everybody's buying

Nobody's hero

 

As the years went by, we drifted apart

When I heard that you were gone

I felt a shadow cross my heart

 

But he's nobody's hero

Saves a drowning child

Cures a wasting disease

Hero...lands the crippled airplane

Solves great mysteries

Hero...not the handsome actor

Who plays a hero's role

Hero...not the glamour girl

Who'd love to sell her soul

If anybody's buying

Nobody's hero

 

 

-MKL

[tallman]

"and we still know the names Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides, Plato"

 

One of the best front four to ever play in the NFL.

[Ohio48]

...I don't pay alot of attention to what are generally overpaid people who don't really contribute anything of value to society. (actors and athletes)

 

 

 

The studios and sports team owners disagree with you about whether their performers are overpaid.

 

Yea, yea right, that is why the NFL is looking at a lockout, and soon the NBA will also look at a lockout. Not because there performers are making to little money my good man, but to DAMN much money.

[subvet]

...I don't pay alot of attention to what are generally overpaid people who don't really contribute anything of value to society. (actors and athletes)

 

Society disagrees with you about the value of sports and acting. We watch lots of movies, television programs, and sporting events. Advertisers pay big money to make the TV programs and sporting events happen, and moviegoers shell out big bucks to make the movies happen.

 

The studios and sports team owners disagree with you about whether their performers are overpaid. The studios and sports franchises are money-making ventures; I doubt the performers would be able to command these salaries if their employers felt they weren't having a net-positive impact on their organizations' bottom lines.

 

I guess for me it's the media access aspect of those industries that turn me off. At the risk of turning the thread political, we seem to demonize corporations that are highly profitable yet bring equal value to all areas of our lives, AND employ alot of people, yet we don't seem to apply similar yardsticks to highly paid actors and athletes. If movies, non-public service TV and sports went away tomorrow, I can't really think of how it would have any impact on my life. Maybe it's the non-sports fan thing about me coming out.

 

Where is the annual awards show for every day heros, charitable causes, and the people who's lives are affected in a positive way by those things? Am I missing something? (maybe I need to watch more TV )

[upflying]

The recent Superbowl was a stark reminder why I don't watch current movies. It seems like very other commercial was for a soon to be released movie. Based on the brief movie trailer in the 15 or 30 second commercial snippet, all of today's movies is some sort of computer generated animation of extraterrestrial violence and/or space wars. Each seemed like some sort of spin-off of a video game..another type of entertainment I am not interested in. Instead of acting we have animators sitting at a computer providing us with their version of "computainment". Didn't watch the Oscars, don't care, don't know anyone and unless they are over 70 years old, I never heard of any of the artists.

 

 

 

 

[Shaman97]

The Academy Awards' show would be more palatable if I didn't have to endure the 'Thank Yous' to every person the actor has encountered on their way from High School Drama class to Hollywood.

 

 

[markgoodrich]

The recent Superbowl was a stark reminder why I don't watch current movies. It seems like very other commercial was for a soon to be released movie. Based on the brief movie trailer in the 15 or 30 second commercial snippet, all of today's movies is some sort of computer generated animation of extraterrestrial violence and/or space wars. Each seemed like some sort of spin-off of a video game..another type of entertainment I am not interested in. Instead of acting we have animators sitting at a computer providing us with their version of "computainment". Didn't watch the Oscars, don't care, don't know anyone and unless they are over 70 years old, I never heard of any of the artists.

 

 

 

 

Bob, the movies I consider the best of the year had no computer baloney in them, other than a tiny bit in Black Swan. In no order, I recommend "Biutiful", "Black Swan," "Winter's Bone," "Fighter," and the new "True Grit." There were many others I enjoyed during the year, but these were on the Best Picture list. Of course, the winner was without much CGI, I imagine.

 

I agree with your sentiment about movies made from video games...I don't get it. But then, Bob, we be geezin'.

[Roadwolf]

I saw all the movies. And I agree that "The King's Speech" is the best. By quite a margin.

 

Saw it yesterday and it was indeed quite the movie... highly recommend.

[Matts_12GS]

My grandfather's name was Oscar.

 

I miss him.

 

Most of the movies and TV shows out there today... Not so much.

[pbbeck]

The recent Superbowl was a stark reminder why I don't watch current movies. It seems like very other commercial was for a soon to be released movie. Based on the brief movie trailer in the 15 or 30 second commercial snippet, all of today's movies is some sort of computer generated animation of extraterrestrial violence and/or space wars. Each seemed like some sort of spin-off of a video game..another type of entertainment I am not interested in. Instead of acting we have animators sitting at a computer providing us with their version of "computainment". Didn't watch the Oscars, don't care, don't know anyone and unless they are over 70 years old, I never heard of any of the artists.

 

And the award for Grumpiest Old Man goes to...

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I guess for me it's the media access aspect of those industries that turn me off. At the risk of turning the thread political, we seem to demonize corporations that are highly profitable yet bring equal value to all areas of our lives, AND employ alot of people, yet we don't seem to apply similar yardsticks to highly paid actors and athletes.

 

The entire sports/entertainment industry would not be possible without the efforts of these unique individuals, and per Sean's post, I'll wager those industries employ a lot of people - ranging from the actors to the set crew to the construction companies who build movie theatres and sports stadiums, and the workers who staff them.

 

If movies, non-public service TV and sports went away tomorrow, I can't really think of how it would have any impact on my life. Maybe it's the non-sports fan thing about me coming out.

 

If you don't watch movies or sports, then OK, I can see that those things have no value for you. But that's a far cry from declaring that they have no value to the rest of us.

 

Where is the annual awards show for every day heros, charitable causes, and the people who's lives are affected in a positive way by those things? Am I missing something? (maybe I need to watch more TV )

 

27 Oscars were awarded on Sunday night to a field of 6000 academy members, recognizing only the most exceptional performances. Similarly, there are any number of military and non-military awards for heroism and exceptional service, for example the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor. The ceremonies may not be as big a media event as the oscars, but they happen. CNN for example markets their CNN Heroes effort pretty heavily.

[WURTY]

Thank Heaven the Winternationals were on Espn

 

[subvet]

The entire sports/entertainment industry would not be possible without the efforts of these unique individuals, and per Sean's post, I'll wager those industries employ a lot of people - ranging from the actors to the set crew to the construction companies who build movie theatres and sports stadiums, and the workers who staff them.

 

can't argue with you there

 

 

If you don't watch movies or sports, then OK, I can see that those things have no value for you. But that's a far cry from declaring that they have no value to the rest of us.

 

I guess it was more of a rhetorical declaration Mitch. I think I got immensely more satisfaction and enjoyment from watching my kids compete in sports, music, scouting, etc...when they were growing up, as well as other means of getting a sports or entertainment fix. (try minor league baseball, your local playhouse, etc...)

If all the stuff you see on TV went away, we'd still have something to fill that part of our lives with

 

 

Similarly, there are any number of military and non-military awards for heroism and exceptional service, for example the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor. The ceremonies may not be as big a media event as the oscars, but they happen. CNN for example markets their CNN Heroes effort pretty heavily.

 

 

a good start...if they can replace one of the weekly Country Music Award shows with something like this, they'd be heading in the right direction.

[RonStewart]

There is no accounting for taste. The corollary is that there is no point to criticizing somebody else's taste. It has taken me a while to realize it, but critcizing people for riding Harleys, fawning over celebrities, watching mixed martial arts or driving Japanese cars is (at best) pointless. Their thing is their thing. If it makes them happy (and doesn't hurt anybody else) then, fine.

 

People like to watch movies. They pay for it. They pay even more for the popcorn. People make big money. Fine. Not your thing? Fine too.