WOW: DREAMGIRLS snubbed for BEST PICTURE/DIRECTOR Oscar!- Page 7

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:19pm

I've never been one to call the Academy racist either, but according to oscarwatch.com, both "Glory" and "Amistad" were surprisingly snubbed Best Picture Nominations in their respective years (and both are of course, African-American driven/themed films). Also of note is the "The Color Purple" holds the record for most nominations without a win (0/11---strangely enough, if Lachanze (sp?) hadn't won the Tony, the musical would also have been 0/11).

Either way, I'm so glad the Academy recognized the fact that all three songs from Dreamgirls were better than most other new songs this year, and they didn't try to "share the wealth" just for the hell of it. And even though I'm a fan of Randy Newman, I thought Sheryl Crows song in Cars was much better than his (was it written for the film?). Of course, in the end, the Academy usually royaly screws up this category and they'll likely award the An Inconvenient Truth song.

BIG SHOCKERS:

No Jack Nicholson for Supporting Actor

No Brad Pitt for Lead Actor

No Pirates for Best Make-up (REALLY? The aging make-up in CLICK was better than Davy Jones and his barnicled crew? give me a break)

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:22pm

I agree with you Mateo, the book songs were approached so timidly.

- But what did you expect? CC and Effie to do acrobatics in the air during FAMILY?

I think IT'S ALL OVER was filmed perfectly.
Updated On: 1/23/07 at 06:22 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:22pm

Can't Curtis's part in "Steppin' To the Bad Side" be considered the film's first book song?

I actually think that the cutting of "Family" and "It's All Over" would have been horrible for the film.

I actually feel the film needed a few more (ie "Ain't No Party) to set it up as an obvious movie musical not a fictional bio-pic with songs.

Also, "Family" is necessary for Effie's character as stated before.

An idea I had was to just cut all of Curtis's singing parts because he is really the only one that sings in the film who really isn't supposed to be a singer. "When I First Saw You" could have been used rather than "Patience" and a lot of awkwardness could have been saved. But that's just an idea.

I also had a problem with the film's ending. I found the smile Deena gives Curtis during "Hard to Say Goodbye" out of place and unnecessary. I also disliked the Curtis meets his daughter part. Just a little cheesy.

I really do feel this deserved a Best Picture nomination, probably over LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. I also feel that Bill Condon deserved a nomination for directing, but definitely not screenplay. His directing of the title song and "AIATY" were enough to get him a nomination in my opinion. But I'll live.

I also really hope to see Hudson and Murphy with Oscars, but I have a feeling Bresslin or Blanchett could ruin that. And I am also not so sure if Murphy is really all that safe either. We will see.

The film also did deserve a nomination and a win for Sound Editing. Very odd to me.

Well, there a my quibbles. Sorry for typos... I am in a hurry!

EDIT: No Nicholson? Huh?

Updated On: 1/23/07 at 06:22 PM

[Timmer]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:23pm

I guess that "Dreamgirls" isn't dirty enough or violent enough to meet Hollywood's standard for "the best."

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:29pm

Nicholson was one of the best things in The Departed

That was a stunner

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:37pm

The only best pic nominee I've seen is "Little Miss Sunshine" and I don't think it was worthy of a best picture nom. I truly felt "Dreamgirls" was much more deserving. Though I'm very happy for the nominations "Dreamgirls" did get, especially Jennifer Hudson's nom, I am more than a bit disappointed that Oscar snubbed the movie in the best pic category. I've traveled 40 minutes to Louisville, KY to see "Dreamgirls" three times and finally the film will open this Friday in Bardstown, KY where I live. Needless to say, I'll be adding several more viewings to my total.

[dented146]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:52pm

I personally don't believe Dreamgirls was snubbed. I believe they just blew it. And having seen all the nominated films I feel that Scorcese is the beneficiary. He has lost with some great films but Departed is not one of them. In my opinion,Dreamgirls is far better.

I have no problem with Iwo Jima and Sunshine.

Posted: 1/23/07 at 6:56pm

"The aging make-up in CLICK"

Huh?

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 7:21pm

"No Pirates for Best Make-up (REALLY? The aging make-up in CLICK was better than Davy Jones and his barnicled crew? give me a break)"

While I also can't see what was so great in Click's makeup to deserve a nomination, Davy Jones and his crew were CG Effects and not make-up ! The film got a Visual Effects nomination, so all is fair !

For me, the biggest shockers were no Jack Nicholson in Supporting and No VOLVER in Foreign Films !!!!!!

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 7:40pm

"I've never been one to call the Academy racist either..."

I understand that you mean this is a disclaimer, but how do you know some (or many) Academy members aren't racist? Dreamgirls missing out in the Best Pic and Best Director categories doesn't easily point to racism. However, the comments about "race card," "crying racism," etc in this thread - which seem to say, "racism doesn't exist" or "oh, here we go again" to anyone who claims it does - seem just as ridiculous to me as the other extreme.

[Josephine2]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 8:02pm

Re: "[I guess that "Dreamgirls" isn't dirty enough or violent enough to meet Hollywood's standard for "the best."] "

Maybe people just didn't consider the film version of Dreamgirls to be among the best this season. Maybe there is no deeper explanation or justification than that.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 9:25pm

What I will never understand is why Little Miss Sunshine was nominated for Best Picture but not Dreamgirls. That makes no sense to me.

[singtopher]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 9:35pm

I liked Little Miss Sunshine much much more than Dreamgirls.

[TAFKASP]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 9:53pm

Dreamgirls doesn't deserve an Oscar, much less a nomination.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 10:11pm

I HATED "Family" in the film. While I think the scene is dramatically necessary to propel the plot, it wasn't filmed well. I've never cared for the song all that much to begin with, but what really ruined it for me was Keith Robinson's amateurish performance. The clenched fist to show emotion, the extended-arm movement on the line, "branching out toward the sky." Ugh! Had there been a lyric in the song about crying, you know he would've dragged his finger down his cheek to indicate tears. My friend and I were groaning and giggling through the whole scene.

In any event, I loved the movie and was truly shocked it didn't get a Best Picture nomination.

People have commented that they're surprised the movie got nominated for Best Sound Mixing, but not Sound Editing. OK, I'm really ignorant---can someone explain the difference between these two categories? I've never understood it...Thanks!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 10:41pm

It just worked better. It wasn't so stop and go.

I don't think DREAMGIRLS' omission is the product of racism. At all. It would be a different story if EVERYONE was saying "Oh my God, that's unbelievable."

But they're not. If you look on ALL of the Oscar websites, ALL of the message boards, everyone - they all either said that they're not surprised, or they're happy because they always felt that the buzz surrounding DREAMGIRLS was bigger and better than the movie actually ever was. I don't consider it a travesty, and I enjoyed the film - but I did see all of the other nominees, and I do think they were all better.

And I do think that LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE will win.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 10:47pm

If you decide to put your money where your mouth is Munk, I will GLADLY take you up on that bet :)

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 10:56pm

"If you look on ALL of the Oscar websites, ALL of the message boards, everyone - they all either said that they're not surprised, or they're happy because they always felt that the buzz surrounding DREAMGIRLS was bigger and better than the movie actually ever was."

Hot pants.

Everyone is not saying that.

Plenty of people are up in arms over Dreamgirls' lack of a BP and BD nod.

http://www.myfoxwghp.com/myfox/pages/Entertainment/Detail?contentId=2147546&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=7.2.1

http://www.slate.com/id/2158193/?nav=fix

http://goldderby.latimes.com/

I'd look for more but unfortunately I have a life these days. Also, since when does consensus only indicate racism? (I'm not specifically thinking of Dreamgirls in relation to the Academy, which I think - while probably not "racist" on the whole - does not/cannot represent the tastes of every demographic.)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:16pm

Evelyn, I'm not talking about news. I'm talking about posters like us. The audience. Fans. Oscar buzzers. Message boards, etc.

They're all saying "Well to be honest, I wouldn't have nominated it either" - and they've been saying it for weeks.

That's what led me to, last night, predict that DREAMGIRLS would get snubbed and IWO would replace it. And I was right.

And I said nothing about racism. I don't think that has anything to do with it.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:23pm

"And I said nothing about racism."

"I don't think DREAMGIRLS' omission is the product of racism. At all."

You are crazy and it kind of drives me wild in a good way.

[mattonstage]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:25pm

Having never seen Dreamgirls on stage and only being slightly familiar with the music, I felt the whole thing sort of fell a little apart after AIATY. What was a great story about the group went in 3 different directions after Effie leaves. There's just not as much cohesion in the second half. It doesn't flow as well.
On a side note:
Michael Sheen was totally snubbed, and am I the only one who feels that Annette Benning and Jill Clayburgh were also snubbed. I know people aren't keen on Running with Scissors as a movie, but to me, there is no denying the amazing performances of Benning and Clayburgh.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:26pm

Michael Sheen? Who cares about Michael Sheen?!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:27pm

I thought they were fabulous, but I can't think of anyone I would have taken out and replaced them with. Not by a longshot.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:29pm

Wait are you saying he was snubbed for Blood Diamond or The Queen? In my post I was talking about Blood Diamond.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/23/07 at 11:33pm

I was talking about Bening and Clayburgh.

And Michael Sheen was wonderful. Lots of people care about him. I would haven nominated him over Arkin or Wahlberg.