riotinmyskull

admittedly ignorant on a subject and unwilling to learn, yet still have an opinion and want everyone to know it. microcosm of what's wrong with america.

CRM114

The show was brutal. Crystal wasn't funny. They had that weird band in the balcony. The goofy popcorn girls coming out in the aisles. And to top it all off - a vast array of average films.

And The Tree of Life not winning Cinematography is a crime.

PopcornTreeCt

The reason why a silent film hasn't won Best Picture in so long is the same reason why we can't keep dinosaurs as pets.

Daytripper

Over 50 crowd? Try over 70!

Brent L

For those that haven't even seen The Artist yet, give it a shot. It wasn't just "a silent film", I don't know how people aren't getting that (although understandable if you haven't seen it). It was a film with an actual story, told in a very nontraditional way for such a nostalgic piece. I think it's an instant classic, and though being silent was a sort of gimmick, it was one of my favorite gimmicks used in a flick in a long, long time. I think it was a story best told like this, than if they had gone with a more traditional method to tell the same story. It just wouldn't have had the same effect, not at all. I'm sorta pissed how they pretty much spoiled a good portion of the film at the very end when they were showing it and talking about it.

I'm just saying give it a shot, I'm not really debating anything here, that's all. It certainly isn't just "a silent film" just to be wacky and have a silent film all these years later for no reason. Unfortunately, that is what most people think and don't even bother to look at it.

CRM114

Yes, I have not seen The Artist yet and they showed that clip with the dog barking and the phone ringing which seemed to be a key part of the film which was ruined.

Supermallet

I think people should see it before spouting off an opinion about it, but I thought the story was very bland and told very traditionally.

Schloob1

+1, I don't go out and see movies much anymore and just wait for them to go to video since the turnaround time is so short now. I pretty much only watch the big time action flicks that just beg to be watched on the big screen like The Dark Knight for example. So it's very much viewer bbeware if you have not seen the movies that will be seen on the Oscars as pretty much the entire movie is fair game to be seen/talked about.

Brent L

I know, so stupid. I was watching with my wife, and she hasn't watched it yet either, and I just wanted to scream at the television. They ruined that key, KEY, scene, as well as the very very end of the film.

Why not just show some more of the great use of the silent aspect, which there was a ton of.

And not many are mentioning Hugo, and how it all ties together with The Artist, being the two biggest winners of the night. I'm sorta shocked about that too.

Supermallet

Movies about movies featuring dogs and/or kids. Hugo has kids AND dogs, so I'm surprised it didn't win more.

MoviePage

They also spoiled a key plot point in Dragon Tattoo in a clip. I haven't even seen the movie, but I've read the book and was a bit surprised at that. It was pretty quick, though.

Supermallet

Also at The Artist being the most overrated movie ever. Hyperbole much?

mcnabb

The show has always been brutal because it is so bloated and long. If I were the Producer, I would give a 2 hour show and get all the crap out of there, because most fans just want to see the winners of Best Picture, Actor, Director, Actress, Supporting, etc.

When I did watch it years ago, I used to watch the monologue, and then turn it on around 11PM eastern time, as that is when they would finally get to the good awards.

Decker

Let's think a second. What do those three good but far-from-great films have in common?

Hokeyboy

Then shut your yap!

Mr. Cinema

I'm happy The Descendants won something, but not happy that Moneyball was shut out. 2011 will be forgotten about as fast as the Slumdog year and I'm ready for this year's crop. I know we'll get some movies that pop up out of nowhere, like The Artist, but of what's scheduled, these could be some contenders in various categories. Or not.

Gangster Squad, Lincoln, Gravity, The Hobbit, Django Unchained, The Great Gatsby, Kathryn Bigelow's Bin Laden film, PT Anderson's The Master, The Silver Lining's Playbook (David O. Russell).

What are some other options?

gjamesm

Nick Danger

But merit isn't really the deciding factor on who wins an award. Even if Meryl had turned in by far the best performance every year for five years running, she wouldn't have won the award each year. The academy would "give someone else a chance."

Then there are all those other factors, such as who likes who personally, who has the best publicity machine, and who plays an old gay man dying of cancer.

Ash Ketchum

It doesn't "ruin" anything. It's not a "key part" of the film. It's one clever scene early in the film that will still have the requisite impact when seen in context.

Dr Mabuse

It's a shame Oldman didn't take it for 'Tinker'. But, similar to Rourke, being an impossible ass on many sets for decades will cost you.

dino88

Any other films you haven't seen that you don't recommend?

Double_Oh_7

See, that's the thing. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, it's really just an out of context clip. You don't know the significance unless you're familiar with it.

davidh777

Sure, that's why I think it's a lot harder to win multiple awards--disproportionally hard, like more than twice as hard to win two than it is to win one. There will be a flavor of the month, a reward, a winning "role" no matter who fills it. So a Beningi can win it (not trying to pick on him--just came to mind), but winning one or two more is a lot tougher.

bunkaroo

But if you remember the scene from the Oscars and then see the movie, you'll be watching the movie and come to realization of what's coming after you see other scenes of a similar nature.

Even though I have no real enthusiasm to see the Artist I will give it a shot so I can I say I saw it.

I am looking forward to blind buying Hugo tomorrow.

Double_Oh_7

Who's going to remember? The show was just last night, and I couldn't tell you what happened in the short clips they showed.