No one in the history of black cinema has ever produced a gun from an afro like Pam Grier!
Posted on 02/01/2019 8:07:36 PM PST by Simon Green
Screenwriter, director and “American Psycho” author Bret Easton Ellis wonders whether “Black Panther” deserves its Oscar nomination for Best Picture, and thinks Oscar voters are supporting it for the sake of diversity, not because it’s especially good.
Ellis often speaks about the film industry in a way that doesn’t endear him to the Hollywood left. In 2012, he apologized to “Hurt Locker” director Kathryn Bigelow for suggesting that she had only won Oscars because she was “a hot woman.” He has also expressed amusement at widespread Hollywood revulsion toward President Trump, though he has stressed that he is not a Trump fan.
In the latest, 100th episode of his “B.E.E. Podcast,” available only to paid subscribers, Ellis mused: “No superhero movie has ever gotten a Best Picture nomination. But believe me, Disney is doing everything in its power to make sure this happens. Even though there is no one out here in La La Land I’ve met who thinks ‘Black Panther’ is that good as a movie. Yet, as a piece of representation, they are supporting it.”
Ellis recorded the podcast on Jan. 17, before the Oscar nominations were announced, and correctly guessed that “Black Panther” would score a Best Picture nomination. But he asked: “Does it really deserve one?”
“The entertainment press and the studio is selling the notion that ‘Black Panther’ is a grand piece of cinematic art that cannot be ignored. And this notion is being shoved down our throats and we can only smile in disbelief. Or perhaps understand that this is just the moment we’re trapped in. A joke, a hoax. It’s all fake news, folks,” Ellis said.
He said the Oscars are a good indication of how Hollywood views itself, whether or not voters choose the the best films.
“Representation is so important to them. And with a huge fatuous inclusivity and diversity push. What the most flattering pose might be in the moment — as if inclusivity and diversity have anything to do with awarding a movie’s merits. Yes, this is the culture the Oscars are pushing, and it is rather nauseating,” he said.
Back in the 1970s...there was a particular year where just about every movie up for Oscar status was one step down from ‘super-status’. I see 2019 as a repeat...none of the eight movies seem to be that good (I’ve seen four of them). On Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s a nice tidy movie with the musical scores but beyond that....it’s not ‘super-status’. The Favorite is more of a ‘wicked’ comedy and maybe sixty chuckles throughout the movie, but it’s not ‘super-status’. Black Panther was your typical Marvel movie with a great theme, and decent story....but it was not ‘super-status’. From the 15 minutes I spent watching A Star is Born....it doesn’t measure up with the 1937 classic.
The sad thing is that last year....there were five terrific movies up and you could only select one of them....all five would have easily bested anything for this year’s Oscar.
Having seen “They Shall Not Grow Old”, what I heard is that it missed the cutoff date, but should be eligible next year.
And the best nominated movie, is “Cold War” which is nominated for Best Foreign Language film.
Being a fan of Polish music, I saw, and it was great.
Bret is an old acquaintance. He’s made enough money he doesn’t have to apologize to PC Hollywood.
Have they hired a pure host yet, someone pure enough to have never told a homosexual joke?????. Someone who never told a joke which would offend the numerous grievance groups in the PC universe? Someone who can bash Trump all.night?
12 Years A Slave was an excellent film. It deserved an Oscar.
It was a safe movie. It was better than Aquaman.
But it wasn’t revolutionary in any way or had a storyline that made people think.
Ralph Northam should be available.
LOL.
I loved Blacula. Black Panther is a stupid comic book movie. Thank god The Godfather was made because you couldn’t make the movie in 2019
No one in the history of black cinema has ever produced a gun from an afro like Pam Grier!
Pam Grier was fine!
White heterosexuals need not apply. Telling the truth in Hollywood is not a career enhancer!
this notion is being shoved down our throats and we can only smile in disbelief.
So true.
OOO Look! a bwack super hee-wo! Awwwww
It was ok...but just ok.
Certainly NOT Best Picture worthy. Although given the crap it is competing with, it may have a good shot at winning.
Ellis better get busy writing his “apology”. LOL
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I give it a week before he announces that he ‘misspoke’
I felt the same way. It was just an ok movie, nothing special. The story was not that interesting and I thought the acting was a bit wooden.
I agree that there are a lot of MCU films that are better made and much better entertainment.
in a word, NO!
I agree completely. I happily went and handed over the money to Disney and the Cinema. I did not feel ripped off. But, I haven’t watched it again. Not because they are black, but because I thought the story and characters were “meh.”
One of the things about the superhero movies is that there is often a moment or two where it is clear they are not being as “serious.” Not so in Black Panther. If I was saving the world, I am sure there would be a laugh or two.
Best Picture? Not even close.
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