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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Oscars Thread

Reader Interactions

240Comments

  5. 5.

    Elizabelle

    Cheryl Rofer, for best supporting blogger. For the win.

    I plan to see Phantom Thread.

  6. 6.

    Elizabelle

    @Suzanne: Has Harrelson not won yet? That is an oversight. He’s terrific in everything I have ever seen him in. Makes the movie.

  8. 8.

    donnah

    Jimmy Kimmel seemed toned down and scoldy. But the sets are stunning and Meryl Streep is radiant in red. I watch every year because I love the gowns. We didn’t see all the nominated films this year, but we did enjoy a few of them.

    I’ll be munching popcorn and enjoying the show.

  10. 10.

    Shell

    Woulda liked to see the beginning. Temporarily without a tv and bummed to find I cant live-stream it.

  16. 16.

    Mnemosyne

    I love that Laura Dern wears her glasses to these things. I like to think that her white dress is a tribute to Carrie Fisher.

  20. 20.

    Elizabelle

    Mary J. Blige. This is actually a quite good song. I usually have little patience with the song nominees …

  21. 21.

    Mnemosyne

    @Shell:

    The funniest part was that the person who gives the shortest acceptance speech will win a Jet Ski. As modeled by Helen Mirren in Vanna White mode.

  26. 26.

    Mnemosyne

    @raven:

    So did Viola Davis. I’m wondering if there’s something weird about the surface of the stage that’s making women worry they’ll wipe out on their high heels.

  31. 31.

    Doug R

    Looks a little blocky, hope it’s just a satellite fuzzy link.
    Commercials are crystal clear of course.
    :(

  32. 32.

    lamh36

    @womensmarch
    Follow Follow @womensmarch
    More
    [email protected] is the first person in #Oscars history to be nominated for Best Song AND Best Supporting Actress in the same year.

  33. 33.

    guachi

    I saw Three Billboards and Shape of Water and I thought Sam Rockwell did the best acting job of the three nominated from those two movies.

  36. 36.

    Steeplejack

    @donnah:

    Popcorn! I just realized I have popcorn. (I don’t usually buy it.) Must go nuke some in the microwave.

  38. 38.

    guachi

    Also, Phantom Thread had to win Costume Design. It wasn’t even my kind of movie but the costumes were crazy good as well as being a very important part of the story. They had to be good.

    Makeup – I saw none of the movies but I can’t see how Darkest Hour wouldn’t win. It probably got every vote.

  40. 40.

    Elizabelle

    For Shell: this might be a link to the JKimmel opening monologue.

    From The Hollywood Reporter.

    I was actually looking for their recent recap on Envelopegate from last year. Main takeaway: Nobody like Faye Dunaway. She may be a pain in the ass, for the ages.

  42. 42.

    lamh36

    @Yarrow: Viola Davis is a BAD walker in heels…PERIOD…I’m a fan of hers, so I watch everytime she presents stuff…and yeah…she just walks really badly anywhere (she’s what we call pigeon toed) so if the stage was also messed up…then that plus her natural walk would make her seem wobbly for sure.

  43. 43.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?

    @Steeplejack:
    Geniune movie popcorn can’t be beat. Too bad that, the candy, and the drink are godawfully expensive. I remember when tickets were about an hour’s worth of work on minimum wage.

  46. 46.

    Elizabelle

    @lamh36: I would hate to have to walk in heels. I guess it’s why the actresses bring home the big bucks … they are tortuous.

  49. 49.

    zhena gogolia

    @Elizabelle:

    It was this big deal that Gal Gadot wore flats with one of her gowns (they were sparkly sandals). It seems to me just sensible.

  52. 52.

    donnah

    My husband makes popcorn in a whirly-pop pan and I dress it with butter, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and black pepper. It’s delish!

    I loved seeing Eva Marie Saint, who looks fantastic for 93 and seemed to be sharp as a tack, too.

  55. 55.

    zhena gogolia

    I was just about to turn it off, but they said LMM is next. After that, I’ll just experience it through the prism of BJ.

  58. 58.

    Patricia Kayden

    @lamh36: I never noticed that she walked badly when I used to watch HTGAWM. Hope no one falls and hurts themselves tonight.

  61. 61.

    Doug R

    Patrick Stewart got the technical awards. Steven Speilberg is not letting on if he has pot.

  62. 62.

    Elizabelle

    Haven’t seen The Phantom Thread, but I wonder if it is at all based on famous London fashion designer Charles James.

    Unfortunate fact, I think Harvey Weinstein licensed his label a while back, maybe for soon to be former wife Georgina Chapman.

    Anybody wearing Marchesa tonight on the red carpet?

  63. 63.

    Gin & Tonic

    @? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?: Where do you get genuine movie popcorn? At the movie theaters in my area, they’ll sell you a bag of pre-popped popcorn delivered in plastic bags, which they drench in artificially butter-flavored oil. It’s as close to real popcorn you can make yourself as Burger King is to a Michelin 3-star restaurant.

  65. 65.

    guachi

    Dunkirk for sound? Are they high? The sound was nothing but LOUD!!! and more LOUD!!!!

    Boo!!! First error of the night.

  67. 67.

    Gaffa

    @? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?:

    The refreshments at American movie theatres are expensive because that’s literally the only thing the owners can make profit off of. On average, your local theatre chain might keep one dime from each ticket purchased; the rest goes straight back to the distributors, marketing campaign, and the producers. Ten cents a ticket does not keep the lights on at a multiplex, let alone pay even minimum wage for the workers there. Thus, $10 bags of popcorn.

  69. 69.

    pamelabrown53

    @zhena gogolia:

    I’ve been waiting for enough time to elapse before I begin watching so I can fast forward through the commercials. Gotta say not feeling it. May just read my kindle instead.
    ETA: any good gowns?

  76. 76.

    guachi

    @raven:

    The other problem I had with Dunkirk’s sound is that it was 5.1 sound and it wasn’t as enveloping as the soundscape in Bladerunner, for instance.

  77. 77.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Where do you get genuine movie popcorn?

    …A movie theatre? That’s only ever where I’ve gotten it, except the microwave stuff.
    It’s horrible for you, but that and the candy and drink have always been apart of the experience for me.

  79. 79.

    guachi

    I thought all the Production Design nominees were great and I’d have voted for Beauty and the Beast. The creation of a fantasy was really beautiful.

  80. 80.

    lamh36

    hate it or love it…The Shape of Water sets, art designs and filming were GORGEOUS!, IMHO..

  85. 85.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?

    @Gaffa:
    Wow. Never knew that. Luckily for me, I can get discounted tickets from my union as long as I go to Cinemark and AMC theatres.

  95. 95.

    Elizabelle

    Someone was rooting for Allison Janney. Glad she won. It was a strong field in that category, no?

  97. 97.

    NotMax

    @Gaffa

    Movie theater I worked at while in high school (yes, there were talkies back then) didn’t do popcorn. Rolled out a coffee table sized candy cart in between shows; immediately locked up in the closet again once the lights dimmed.

    But they did offer free coffee. Porcelain cups and saucers.

  103. 103.

    Steeplejack

    @? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?:

    I’ve given up on buying any food or drink at the theater. The prices are whatever is beyond astronomical. It’s more pleasant to have a nice meal at a restaurant and then see a movie or see a movie and then have a nice meal.

    ETA: Eating Orville Redenbacher’s “Tender White” popcorn. Pretty good, easy on the butter and salt.

  106. 106.

    Elizabelle

    @Doug R: If those were Walmart employees arriving, they would have had to hock their instruments to survive. #fuckwalmart

    @Mnemosyne: I’ve missed it so far; it was at the second run theatre — in rotation with Lady Bird, no less — and I managed to miss them both …. :-(

  107. 107.

    donnah

    Allison Janney is from my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, so we’re very proud. Her family is still here. When Hillary was campaigning, Allison and some other West Wing alumni came for a quick rally downtown, so we’re always rooting for her.

  109. 109.

    Shell

    How many times did they reference last years problem with the Best Picture envelope. Chill , there’s been worse fuck-ups.

  110. 110.

    Mnemosyne

    @Doug R:

    It made me laugh. “Evil Villains don’t have bedtimes!”

    We’re really far behind since I stopped to make dinner. Rita Moreno just presented Best Foreign Language Film.

  116. 116.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Kobe Bryant, Oscar winner. Wouldn’t have guessed. OTOH, I wouldn’t have guessed that he was a poet either. That’ll teach me.

  121. 121.

    Steeplejack

    I’m following this thread in case anything spectacular happens, but I’m not watching the Oscars. I’m looking at a couple of episodes of Cowboy Bebop I have on the DVR—damn, it holds up really well for being 20 years old—and I’ve stumbled on an Anna May Wong evening on TCM. Shanghai Express (1932), with Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook and Werner Oland, just started about 15 minutes ago.

  125. 125.

    Steeplejack

    @Mary G:

    A friend texted me a trigger warning that there’s already been a case of “several co-winners, one greedy acceptance talker” syndrome, which is a hot button with me.

    ETA: And, yes, I know there can be cases where one person is the designated talker, but I’m talking about clear cases where the yakker is thanking only his friends and relatives while the others are shooting laser beams from their eyes behind him.

  128. 128.

    Elizabelle

    @rikyrah: She designed her 1962 outfit. And it’s classic and timeless, like Ms. Moreno.

    Here’s Huffpost with photo from 1962. Moreno changed the top; seems to be pretty much a big skirt, even though they’re saying “gown.”

    ETA: HuffPost linky: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rita-moreno-wore-her-same-oscar-dress-from-1962_us_5a9c80f1e4b0a0ba4ad48f90

    Here’s LA Times. Great photo of the skirt fabric; it’s gorgeous.

    Moreno’s decision to wear the same dress was revealed during the Oscar rehearsals in Hollywood on Saturday by her daughter, Fernanda Gordon, as she watched her mother on stage. “She bought the fabric herself and had an architect make it,” said Gordon of the sleeveless, halter-neck gown with a billowing gold-patterned skirt, which her mother paired with black opera gloves when she accepted her gold statuette 56 years ago.

    I liked it better with the 1962 halter top, which I have no doubt Ms. Moreno could still fit into.

  131. 131.

    Mary G

    @Steeplejack: I was severely unimpressed with most of the speeches until the animation award was given to “Coco” and things went full metal liberal. First producer thanked her wife, second producer thanked his husband, third producer thanked his wife & kids and the country of Mexico. Lots of FU Twitler implied. Last speaker spoke Spanish and said Viva Mexico!

  135. 135.

    guachi

    I thought Laurie Metcalf was better than Allison Janney for Supporting Actress. Though it’s not that big of a difference as far as I’m concerned.

  137. 137.

    guachi

    Woo!!! Blade Runner for visual effects!!! Woo!! Hooray for a 4k work flow! That movie did an amazing job creating its world through its visual effects.

    Woo!!!

    Now Deakins needs to win Cinematography.

  138. 138.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Suzanne: Seems like it’s thrown more at women than men. Apparently Giuliani made a “joke” about Secretary Clinton’s weight recently which is amazing given Trump’s floofiness.

  139. 139.

    Mary G

    God, could they drag this on any longer. Now a bunch of stars are going across the street with Jimmy Kimmel to surprise some real life moviegoers who think they’re at a preview of “A Wrinkle in Time.” He finally got Lupita and Emma Stone but most of the women are NOT IN THESE SHOES.

  140. 140.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Really happy that “A Fantastic Women” won — although Daniela Vegab should have gotten a best actress nomination.

    “Blade Runner” win for visual effects was apropos. Despite its other problems, it was gorgeous.

  144. 144.

    Steeplejack

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Not surprising that it has held up. I was just a little surprised to be reminded how awesomely great it is, based on watching an episode I hadn’t seen in a long time and didn’t remember very well anyway (“Boogie-Woogie Feng Shui”).

  146. 146.

    Suzanne

    @Patricia Kayden: Of course it’s thrown more at women. Giuliani looks like he’s about seven thousand years old, as if he should comment on anyone’s looks.

  147. 147.

    Yarrow

    @Mnemosyne: Well, I don’t know about anyone else but I haven’t been inside a movie theater in at least three years. Maybe five. I can’t remember. In the last twelve months I think I’ve seen one newer movie. I did watch some films I recorded from TCM. I haven’t seen Coco.

  149. 149.

    guachi

    Then why are you hanging out in an Oscar thread if you don’t watch recent movies? What’s the point?

  152. 152.

    Steeplejack

    At the risk of adding to the negativity, how did Kobe avoid the #MeToo shitstorm?

  158. 158.

    Doug R

    @guachi:

    Then why are you hanging out in an Oscar thread if you don’t watch recent movies? What’s the point?

    There’s always one.

  160. 160.

    Doug R

    Ashley Judd, Annabelle Sciorra, and Selma Hayek (sp?) on stage together!
    Time’s Up!

  163. 163.

    Yarrow

    @guachi: I used to go see a lot of movies but my life has not allowed for that in the last many years. I still like watching some of the Oscars for a variety of reasons but I guess watching and commenting on them isn’t allowed if you haven’t seen the movies. My mistake.

  166. 166.

    zhena gogolia

    @Yarrow:

    I’ve been commenting all night and I haven’t seen a single one!

    Signing off now, though. Time to read the NYT and get sick to my stomach.

  167. 167.

    lamh36

    ok, that was a good segment on diversity…like Ava says…technology today is the way that folks can get around the bullshit of Hollywood and get shit done!

  172. 172.

    Steeplejack

    @Mnemosyne:

    Yeah, that’s probably true. Can’t think of a diplomatic way to say it, but public expectations for athletes are also probably lower than for entertainment figures (performers or executives).

  176. 176.

    guachi

    Wish Logan had won for Adapted screenplay. Though that’s probably because it’s the only nominee I’ve actually seen of the five. It was a fine conclusion for Wolverine and Professor X.

    I’m glad Get Out won for Original Screenplay. I think it really was the best screenplay of the bunch (excepting The Big Sick, which I didn’t see)

  178. 178.

    Mnemosyne

    @guachi:

    That was a tough, tough category this year. As I said, it’s the one where they love to reward a young writer/director, and there were a LOT of them this year.

  179. 179.

    lamh36

    2018, 90s years of Oscar… still first!

    Oscars: Jordan Peele Becomes First African-American Winner for Best Original Screenplay

  183. 183.

    guachi

    @Mnemosyne: I hope they awarded Original Screenplay to Get Out because it was the best and not just because the guy was new and/or black. It really was the best of a good bunch of films. No need for any voter to justify his vote beyond it being the best.

  184. 184.

    Elizabelle

    Well, Roger Deakins is one of the coolest guys ever. 14 nominations, first win, cinematography.

    I think he’s in Jet Ski territory.

  185. 185.

    guachi

    WOO!!! Deakins finally won after a metric ton of nominations!!! I didn’t see Mudbound but the other three non-winners had good cinematography. Blade Runner had amazing, astounding cinematography.

    Seeing it in HDR/4k at home is a sight to behold. It’s just so pretty! If you like a visual treat, watch this movie.

  187. 187.

    Mnemosyne

    @guachi:

    Weirdly, the fact that it was a very diverse category means that it probably did come down to what the best screenplay was. The Big Sick would have been a couple of firsts as well.

  189. 189.

    guachi

    Yes, I think “diverse” is the better word. In a world of sequels and remakes the different stuff stands out more and needs to stand out more or it’ll get buried by the other films.

    Like when Inside Out was nominated for Original Screenplay. It’s very rare for an animated movie to get nominated in something other than the Best Animated category. But amidst an avalanche of CGI animated movies, it stood out.

  190. 190.

    randy khan

    @guachi:

    Screenplay awards are sometimes consolation prizes: Emma Thompson in 1995 for Sense and Sensibility, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for Good Will Hunting in 1997, for instance.

  191. 191.

    Elizabelle

    Eddie Vedder doing a Tom Petty song. Strange. Glad to see Mr. Petty come in for some love, though.

  192. 192.

    lamh36

    Get Out also won a number of awards…and it has been on both critics and non-critics best picture list…it’s not just a “give the Black guy a win” award…

    I’ve seen alot of films, but I freely admit, that I didn’t see all of the films…many of them are just not my thing, and since I personbally haven’t seen them all, I of course root for the one I did see to win, but if/when they don’t, I certainly dont’ jump to saying the ones that did win didn’t deserve it or was just”thrown a bone” cause they not white or some shit…

    It’s like people who don’t vote, but like to complain bout shit when some a P.O.S. wins and starts fucking shit up…

    ETA: Besides…Jordan Peele is only 1 of 4 Afr American in the 90 year history to even be nominated for original screenplay…the idea that he would win cause he is Black over ALLL the others…just doesn’t statistically play out.

  193. 193.

    James E. Powell

    I saw all but two of the Best Picture nominees – I missed Call Me By Your Name and Phantom Thread – and they were all pretty good, but none of them jumped out and screamed “Damn, that’s the best one I’ve seen this year!” So I don’t really have a favorite.

    I’m hoping Sally Hawkins and Gary Oldman on the best actress/actor awards.

  195. 195.

    Mnemosyne

    @lamh36:

    Like I was saying for the past couple of weeks, the Academy often gives a Best Screenplay award to a young writer/director as encouragement — Great job, keep it up! And most of them seem to take it that way. That’s why I was pretty sure Peale was going to win it.

  196. 196.

    NotMax

    @lamh36when some a P.O.S. wins and starts fucking shit up…

    Now there’s a screenplay destined for the slush pile.

    ;)

  198. 198.

    lamh36

    @Mnemosyne: Oh sure…that’s what they do…but they also RARELY nominees people of color either…so it’s just a pet peeve of mine for folks to dismiss the VERY RARE occasion of a win like that…as a likely “token” moment…

    If the Big Sick had won over Get Out, my first thought wouldna been…oh he won cause of the “Muslim” thing…

    I mean it just sticks in my craw…

  199. 199.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @NotMax: Now there’s a screenplay destined for the slush pile.

    The Producers Redux: A broke-ass weave-haired conman and his dimwitted, debt-riddled son-in-law try to rebuild their fortunes through a little light Hollywood fraud. “Step number one, we find the worst screenplay in the world! a surefire flop! Step number two, I raise us a billion dollars, lotta little old Russian billionaires in the world….”

  201. 201.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Baka Amerikahito) ? ?

    @guachi:
    I miss traditionally animated films. The 90s Renaissance will never happen again.

  205. 205.

    Mnemosyne

    @lamh36:

    Anyone who bitches about it is just expressing sour grapes. They’re pissed that they now have to compete on a level playing field, which means that sometimes people who don’t look like them will win because they did a better job.

  213. 213.

    Steeplejack

    @Mnemosyne:

    He was very good (even though typecast) in Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), which I bring up because I think it is an underrated movie.

  215. 215.

    guachi

    No real surprise for either the Director or Actor awards. Were they partially for prior work? Maybe. But they were also finely done. Though I liked Pan’s Labyrinth better than Shape of Water.

    With dramas and comedies not making the big bucks like they used to, I think it’s worth your while to go out of your way and catch one of these movies amidst the sea of animated and superhero movies.

  217. 217.

    lamh36

    As someone said on twitter…the director and or cast of Moonlight should have announced the winner of Best Film…instead of Beatty and Dunaway…I’m sorry, they did enough.
    Imagine if the Moonlight cast came out and like a standing ovation after the fuckery of last year…smh

  219. 219.

    guachi

    I agree. It would have been fun if the cast of Moonlight came out and then announced themselves as Best Picture winner.

  220. 220.

    Elizabelle

    Lady Bird shut out throughout, but I guess it was great to get that many nominations.

    Was The Shape of Water actually that good?

  222. 222.

    lamh36

    Sigh…is the in memoriam so hard to do? I mean…doesn’t it just take some intern or PA to google confirmed deaths until the very last minute?

    Or is it only supposed to be Academy members and winners who they “honor”?

  224. 224.

    Elizabelle

    Great speech by Guillermo del Toro.

    And now: for the jet ski … the costume designer.

  225. 225.

    Elizabelle

    @lamh36: Yeah, I would have preferred Moonlight as presenters. They wuz robbed of their moment in the spotlight last year.

    Any big surprises to any of you?

  226. 226.

    guachi

    I wouldn’t say The Shape of Water was vastly better than any of the other films. It was probably a safer film to choose. And, given the way Best Picture is voted on now (Instant Runoff) it was probably everybody’s second or third choice.

    My fave was Lady Bird because I love Saorise Ronan even if Brooklyn was a better movie.

  228. 228.

    Mnemosyne

    @Elizabelle:

    It was a really tough year for a film like Lady Bird. There really was someone just a little bit better in every category. But “it’s an honor just to be nominated” is actually true, and a lot of doors will open for Gerwig based on the film. Plus she probably got some cash bonuses from whoever distributed the film.

  229. 229.

    Mnemosyne

    @guachi:

    Like I said, it was a lifetime achievement award for Del Toro. The Academy is notorious for doing that, and it was probably the movie that stood out the most from the movies that the older members felt were “Oscar-worthy.”

  230. 230.

    lamh36

    @Elizabelle: nope not to me…all predictable actually. Saw alot of critc commentary on twitter saying it was the most predictable Oscars in recent memories…no real upsets

  231. 231.

    FlipYrWhig

    I didn’t see any of the movies nominated for anything, but I’m surprised Gary Oldman won for what looked from clips like a fairly old-fashioned, prosthetic-aided, scenery-chewing performance.

  232. 232.

    Suzanne

    Mr. Suzanne says that “The Shape of Water” is being called “Grinding Nemo” and I LMAOed.

  235. 235.

    Mnemosyne

    @Sab:

    ? It’s not closed for me. Double check and see if Twitter added a “referral” to the end that’s blocking you — look at the address and see if you spot a question mark. If so, delete everything after and including the question mark and press “enter” to try again.

  236. 236.

    JaneSays

    Yeah, not gonna hop on the “yeah Kobe!” bandwagon.

    The dude very likely raped a woman. Not acceptable.

    And fuck Gary Oldman, too.

  239. 239.

    JaneSays

    @Mnemosyne: She’s 5’9″. Wearing heels she’s probably close to 6′ tall.

    Jodie Foster is notably short – only 5’3″. Add to that the fact that she was on crutches, and it made her look even shorter.

  240. 240.

    Gravie

    @Mnemosyne: I saw Coco and loved it. My Mexican friend, who saw it with me, was really impressed with how much it got right, especially the abuelas.

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