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.
Best Picture? Not so much.
I remember hearing that a number of Oscar voters chose 12 Years A Slave as best picture, and they had not even seen the movie. The story was they voted that way because it would make a statement by voting for that movie.
The “Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences” is just slightly more to the Left and political than the “American Psychological Association” All is politically correct therefore devoid of reality and honest perspectives. Few of the films nominated are good much less “art”.
That’s racist!
better to be named “academy of virtue signallers.”
Two things I have noticed about the Oscars that I think are eternal truths: 1.) when Hollywood decides to virtue signal, they’ll give themselves an award; 2.) when Hollywood makes a move about making movies, they’ll give themselves an award.
Good one!
Ellis better get busy writing his “apology”. LOL.
An alternate explanation is that Oscar voters know what's good for them.
ping
Can’t be much worse than the other nominees.
Certainly not a far fetched idea. Many, many things are done today for exactly that reason. To our detriment.
Well by certain logic then I guess “Shaft” should have had a best picture Oscar in 1971, much better film than “Black Panther”.
I note it did win for best song by Isaac Hayes.
You damn right!
Personally, I think “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka!” was robbed.
I was never on the “Black Panther” bashing train. One, I didn’t see it, but based on the plot, I really didn’t see too much bad about it, in fact, it seemed there were some actually conservative messages in it.
I would even go as far to say, I’d probably enjoy it more than any of the other nominated movies.
The Black Panther character looked good in "Civil War." He was fierce, determined, deadly and clever. In the "Black Panther" movie, he seemed more inept, his female amazon upstaged him a lot, and he just wasn't that impressive.
Also, the most advanced civilization on the planet, and they battle to see who is King? Not very advanced if you ask me.
>>“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.
Oscar(TM) is a naked emperor. Laugh at his new clothes.
No documentary nominations for the Mr. Rogers film (which I heard was uplifting and good) or Peter Jackson’s archival WWI documentary.
No visual effects nomination for Peter Jackson’s enhancement of archival footage (beyond mere restoration, it was transfomative).
No cinematography or visual effects nomination for Mandy.
Craft and innovation are not the criteria for nominations at the NPC Oscars. And they can’t even find an uncompromised host or hostess anymore.
>>Also, the most advanced civilization on the planet, and they battle to see who is King? Not very advanced if you ask me.
Tribalism. For the 21st century.
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