Round-up: The post-Oscar shuffle
Gathering reactions to last night's Academy Awards
Backstage at last night's Academy Awards.
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"The Artist" may have been the big winner last night, but for better or worse, Viola Davis's surprise Best Actress loss to Meryl Streep is set to remain the principal talking point of this year's Academy Awards -- and it's one that is already provoking a range of critical and political reactions. Jesse Washington studies conflicted reactions in the black community to Davis's defeat, and finds many dismayed for the actress while still unable to get completely behind the character she plays in "The Help." One response everyone should be able to agree with, however, comes from diversity consultant Monika Brooks: "The problem is not that Davis played a maid. The problem is there's not more black people in really good roles." [Associated Press]
John Anderson wonders if, after last year's failed bid for youth appeal, this year's Oscars went too far in the other direction. [CNN]
Tom Shone agrees, slyly noting the "fabulously long In Memoriam section," but agrees with me that Emma Stone was the night's MVP. [Taking Barack to the Movies]
With ratings for the Oscarcast up from last year but still modest, does the Academy just need to accept that this is as good as it gets? [New York Times]
Sasha Stone offers an evocative, somewhat melancholy reflection on her first ever trip to the Oscars. [Awards Daily]
Tom O'Neil, one of the few pundits who predicted Meryl Streep's upset win, breaks down how it happened. [Gold Derby]
Guy Adams examines what's next for the winning team of "The Artist," who are keen to hold onto their Frenchness. [The Independent]
Iranians celebrate the Oscar success of "A Separation," as their government continues to regard the film warily. [The Guardian]
Thrilled by the success of "The Artist," Kenneth Turan gives it up for Harvey Weinstein. [LA Times]
Having enjoyed last night's show, Leonard Maltin is sick of the complaints that dog the Academy Awards every year, whatever form the ceremony takes. [IndieWire]
Now this is interesting: journalist Chris Heath returns to a Gary Oldman interview he conducted three years ago... but hasn't been allowed to print until now. [GQ]
2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupNicolas Mancuso
February 28, 2012 at 3:09AM EST Reply to CommentI attend grad school in Toronto with a woman from Iran, who told me today that -- when Iran finally aired the Oscars locally (on the only network that everyone in the country has access to and which has strong ties to the government) -- they presented Iranians with an incorrectly translated speech by Farhadi in which he dedicated his award to the people of Iran, "who all support the nuclear program."
Conor Seriously? That's crazy.
February 28, 2012 at 9:54PM ESTGlennAU Wow, that's incredible!
February 29, 2012 at 2:27AM ESTHoustonRufus
February 28, 2012 at 11:59AM EST Reply to CommentI'm glad I read the piece by Washington--it's the perspective I've been wanting to hear. The situation as presented makes me very sad. But I am very happy that black actors and actresses have someone as gifted as Davis to further the progress, oscar wins or no.
Liz
February 28, 2012 at 1:06PM EST Reply to CommentAs much as I look forward to the Oscars every year, I dread the inevitable whining about the telecast. I get tired of hearing that it's too long (despite the fact that it's about as long as your average football game, and no one seems to have any problem with those). It's once a year, for cripes sake. And I especially hate the yearly complaints about "the categories that nobody cares about" (sound, art direction, costumes, and so on).
The Academy is not going to remove them from the telecast. Stop asking. Just because you don't understand why those categories are so important doesn't mean that the Academy should pander to you.
JLPatt Yep. Same old complaining every damn year. No ceremony could possibly be more boring than the lazy, inevitable complaints that come the next day. You just can't win with anyone.
February 28, 2012 at 7:08PM ESTM-Wolverine
February 28, 2012 at 1:37PM EST Reply to CommentIs Sasha Stone that miserable in person, or does she just reserve it for her website and readers? I like the charts and all, but I find it hard to just read all the venom, no more post about it. And every link I see is more negativity, followed by telling her readers to gtfo.
JJ1 I was basically told to gtfo earlier today and all I did was voice an opinion differing from hers.
February 28, 2012 at 3:48PM ESTRon Shes a a sour graping bitch
February 28, 2012 at 8:25PM ESTGlennAU She blocked me on Twitter during last year's King's Speech/Social Network fiasco. :/
February 29, 2012 at 2:29AM EST