Will Bigelow win because she's a woman? — Page 2

That's why I hate Oscar prediction articles- who knows why people vote they way they do? You'll read analysis that says "They will vote for #1 because of X: and then when #2 wins say "They voted for #2 because of Y."

There have only been a couple times Ive been able to vote for awards and I voted the way I did for a myriad of reasons: Personal relationships, my preference, ignorance of other choices.

Assuming she wins: it would have been nice for the first woman to win Best Director NOT win for a war film.

Barbra Streisand is a presenter: if she presents that award, how will she feel if KB wins? and if she doesn't win?

I think the acting awards are locks: Jeff, Sandra, Mo'Nique, and Christopher W. Pic and Director are up for grabs: it is either AVATAR or HURT with UP IN THE AIR as number three.

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Tarantino would be my only guess as to who is next on the list, due in large part he has waited quite a long time for an award beyond Screenplay. But his film did nothing to win the hearts and minds of his detractors.

I was not that impressed with Up In The Air as everybody else. I read the book and thought while its intentions in changes could have worked in terms of execution it came off as a film unsure as to what it wanted to represent, and what was subtracted from the book complicates that. Jason Reitman will win Screenplay as a consolation. Not his best work but I know I am in the minority.

I did not see Precious yet so I cannot speak for what Lee Daniels brought to the film or if he succeeded.

Tonight James Cameron and his ego were on something and he was talking about how no matter what, it's a win-win, whether or not he or Bigelow wins. I was like, um, aren't there three other nominees?

Updated On: 3/6/10 at 11:28 PM

Here's a explanation of the new best picture voting system.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/awards/academy-awards/this-years-oscar-strategy-come-off-as-second-best/article1492321/?cid=art-rail-awards


That Kathryn Bigelow is a woman may both help and hurt her chances. On the one hand, so few women have ever nominated for best director, you have to wonder if there is a bias (by some) against women. On the other hand, the hype of a woman winning (and for a male-genre film, with virtually no women in the cast) may be appealing to some voters. That she seems like a nice person (and not a megalomaniac like Cameron) may help, too.

I just saw The Hurt Locker recently and was a bit disappointed. I've only seen 7/10 of the best picture nominees, but would put THL down at 5 or 6 on my ballot. I enjoyed watching the movie, but in the end I found the episodic nature lacked the tragedy and triumph one might expect from a movie. For example, SPOILERS, James succeeds in all of his missions--except, I suppose, when that man chained to a bomb blows up. But that seems to have no effect on him personally. The injury to Eldridge doesn't affect him. His return home to an empty life does affect him, but it's seemingly a throw-off at the end of the movie. We don't see the conflict, we don't see the family drama. We don't see much of the wreckage of other peoples' lives he leaves in his wake--caused by his, at times, reckless behavior. I would have *liked* to have seen more tragedy--like if Beckham was the one chained to a bomb, or if James was shot in the leg and therefor unable to do the job he loves. How would he stand up to that?

But all that said, I won't begrudge the film or Bigelow winning. They just wouldn't be my choices.

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Updated On: 3/7/10 at 08:28 AM

Luscious - I couldn't agree with you more.

In a way, I think that's why it's such a shame animated movies are so often shut out or shoved into the "consolation prize" category of best animated film. Realistically, "Up" was probably the best movie of the year last year. Critically adored, audience adored, and big box office. If there wasn't another category that it will win in already, I think it would have a real shot at the best picture prize.

I'm really hoping for an upset tonight, but have a feeling I'm bound to be disappointed.

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Ray - it's actually not an offensive or sexist question, though I'm certainly not surprised someone on here would take it as such.

The fact is, IF she wins BECAUSE she's a woman, yes, there is a sexist element at play.

I would think the same of the film whether it was directed by a man or woman - it has nothing to do with how I view it.
That being said, how many people who saw it have this attitude: Going in, not knowing it's directed by a woman, saying "oh, decent war movie." Finding out it WAS directed by a woman, saying "Wow, a woman directed that? That's incredible!" That's easily a more sexist attitude, and one I think might influence votes tonight.

There is nothing sexist in the questioning of it -- there IS something sexist in the idea that people will vote for the film simply because Bigelow is a woman and directed a decent war movie.

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Am I the only one who hated UP? I thought, while the story was good, it was too melodramatic and sappy to be taken seriously. It also had the worst villain of any Pixar film. I also didn't think the 3D animation was that good. Nice colors and nice animation, but I didn't see a difference in the 2D animation than in the 3D animation. The stakes were big for Carl, but not for the kid - he had nothing to lose by going on this trip. He was on the front porch by accident. I have no desire to see this movie again.

UP IN THE AIR, on the other hand, was delightful, in an odd kinda way. I've never been a fan of George Clooney, as he's always cast in those swarthy, good looking gentleman caller roles, but he manages to bring a sense of tragedy to an otherwise lucky guy. I loved the balance of this movie. It was dramatic, funny, bittersweet, tragic. I loved flying from city to city with Ryan, so much that I saw it three times.

Those are the same reasons I loved AWAY WE GO.

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I am not talking about people on here though since you are the OP, I did single you out. I mentioned already it was a critical darling, that was the majority I was referencing. Most of them saw the film in July and had no idea what they were about to see.

What makes the movie different? It had literally no funding, was rejected by the studios, it got picked up by Summit Entertainment after premiering at multiple film festivals that go back to 2008, the conditions which the film was done was something that no director would ever wish for (hence the DGA win as the best indicator, the ultimate sign of respect from her peers), this movie was not Oscar bait. Mark Boal who had his story be made into a film about an Iraq War veteran wanted a movie done about his reporting in Iraq. Bigelow had not done work in years so it was not like she was put into the directors chair by a major studio to be ordained the first woman to win Best Director at the Oscars.

Yes I loved the film.

Why did it not fade away? It was critically acclaimed and there had been absolutely no quality films about the second Iraq War aside from documentaries. THL could have taken so many routes of sentimentally that has become so typical in every war film since the beginning of time but it is ambiguous. We are not supposed to like the main character or are we supposed to like him? How are we supposed to feel about the ending? What type of soldier should we want to serve?

I do disagree with the idea it should be considered a novelty a woman directed it. Should I consider it a novelty that Spielberg directed The Color Purple? Should I consider it a novelty that Gary Marshall directs chick flicks? Is it a novelty that Spike Lee directed 25th Hour when he had no main black characters? No they are just filmmakers and good ones at that. We agree to disagree, I just do not think that novelty in any of those situations should be celebrated or denounced so I find no reason to think that way about Kathryn Bigelow regardless of how I thought about the film.

Updated On: 3/7/10 at 06:59 PM