Academy Awards 2014

[TPagSwaqq]

This past year at the Academy Awards had me baffled. While I enjoyed the show, and don't exactly know how many of you watch the program, I was recently introduced to the politics behind it. Not only does everyone know prematurely who will win (mostly based on the actors themselves being members of the Academy as well as studying previous award show wins), the results are very political and not always the best representations of acting ability.

 

Often times, movies released earlier in the year lose out to Christmas Day releases. Tom Hanks gave an amazing performance in Captain Phillips, one that almost moved me to tears, but he was left out of the running to actors like Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matthew McConaughey, who's film releases were much later than Captain Phillips, and much fresher in the minds of voters.

 

The biggest issue I have with the Academy this year were the wins by 12 Years a Slave. Not only did Lupita Nyong'o win for her performance as Patsy, but 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture. While Lupita Nyong'o did have a great performance, I feel like the acting ability was extremely comparable to performances by Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lawrence in her same category. While Julia Roberts was certain to not win, mostly due to August: Osage County's mediocre reception, Jennifer Lawrence was very close to taking the prize. Despite this, I feel like Lawrence's slightly comedic performance was overshadowed by Nyongo's scenes that depicted whipping and rape, simply because of the racial undertones they presented.

 

Don't get me wrong. 12 Years a Slave and Lupita Nyongo's performance in particular were spectacular, as were the majority of the films nominated this year (Looking at you Nebraska...piece of shit.) However, despite this, I definitely think that Gravity deserved to win Best Picture, and that Jennifer Lawrence actually deserved to win the Supporting Actress trophy this year. However, racial politicking unfortunately went into account, and people were led to believe that because of the story 12 Years a Slave told, it was the superior film. I can only hope that the films for the upcoming ceremony will not be so politically influenced. 2013's big winners were a biography drama about Lincoln, which was superbly accurate, Silver Linings Playbook, a romantic comedy that exceeded all expectations and proved to be a brilliant story about illness and love, Life of Pi, which was a marvel to watch as well as see the story, and Les Miserables, perhaps one of the greatest movie musicals ever.

 

This past year was victorious due to stories about AIDS & Slavery, while the creative movies about the ABSCAM scandal, destruction in space, and even the Wolf of Wall Street were nearly shut out in any major prizes or acting prizes, despite major success in all of those categories. Don't get me wrong. I loved the movies, but I feel like political correctness in film has just gone too far. Give it to the best, not the one with the most liberally pleasing message.

 

If you have any comments, I'd love to have a rational discussion. Thanks! :D