Oscar for Best Pic is 'American Sniper' vs. 'Selma'.

[JaneyVee]

That is effed up on so many levels.

[valerief]

1. So is having a Republican-led Congress. nt

[Sopkoviak]

2. I haven't seen either of them

I take it you have.

So which film do you think was the superior production?

[branford]

3. There are 8 movies nominated for best picture,

and whether you agree or disagree with the politics of any of the movies has no bearing on the quality of the film.

American Sniper
Boyhood
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

[JaneyVee]

4. Hint:

One is a film about how an American Sniper who kills lots of people, the other is about a great man who was killed by an American sniper.

[branford]

5. The subject of the movie is not necessarily determinative of the quality of the film.

Are you suggesting that Selma should win just because you think its message is important?

In any event, there's a good chance that neither Selma nor American Sniper will win best picture. I personally could care less which picture wins.

[MrScorpio]

6. I take it that you're not rooting for "Selma"

Which goes right along with your absence of objections to the fact that there aren't any actors or directors of color up for any Oscars this year.

Yep, nothing wrong with that picture at all.

How did you completely miss the point about a movie featuring MLK, who was shot to death by a American sniper is up against a movie named "American Sniper?"

That was the point of the OP, not what you're talking about.

[branford]

12. I'm not rooting for or against any of the nominated films.

I've not seen any of them, and I've never been particularly interested in the Oscars or Hollywood. It has absolutely nothing to do with the stories or politics of any of the movies. I have no personal ax to grind concerning Selma, American Sniper or the other nominated films.

You are also mischaracterizing my earlier comments in the other thread. I previously criticized the fact that no one has yet offered actual evidence that Selma did not receive actor or director nominations because of any racial bias. It is not uncommon for films to be snubbed in all or some categories and African-Americans have been nominated and won awards in the past. I also criticized Al Sharpton's "emergency meeting" to discuss movie award nominations, questioned what positive purpose it would serve, and believed it trivialized more important and easily demonstrated institutional racial bias.

I also understood the OP's point, but found it strained, unsophisticated and puerile. It was a demonstration of confirmation bias and political preference rather than wit and a viable critique of the merits of the individual films. Noticing a small irony hardly constitutes relevant reviews of either film. It additionally conveniently ignored the fact that 6 other movies received nominations, and Selma and American Sniper were entirely separate films, not designed to challenge each other besides normal competition box office receipts.

[BlueCaliDem]

18. And judging by that one's comments so far on other threads as well,

your take is spot on. Believe me.

[BlueCaliDem]

17. You're not going to convince that one.

He dislikes Selma almost with irrational fervor. I wonder why that is...

[branford]

19. As I've indicated, I've never even seen Selma (or American Sniper or the other nominated movies),

and therefore have absolutely no opinion concerning whether the film is good, bad or anything else.

However, I've neither seen nor heard any actual evidence that Selma's lack of nominations was actually the result of racial animus, nor do I (and apparently the Academy) believe the quality of a film or worthiness for an Oscar should be determined on whether I approve of the political themes and intentions of the film.

[Alinem]

31. Hunch to Hint

Despite Eastwood's DGA nomination, I think his unhinged racist rant to the empty chair cost him a best director nod from the Academy more than Selma's fewer than hoped for nominations was due to racism.

As an industry pro and DGA member, what's your vibe?

[gopiscrap]

38. Welcome to DU

[oberliner]

7. Boyhood will win

Bet on it.

[ND-Dem]

8. why do you think so?

[MrScorpio]

9. Buzz, plus it won both a Golden Globe and a Critics Award

It's a shoo in for the Oscar.

[oberliner]

11. Vegas Odds for the 2015 Academy Awards

Check this out:

Best Picture
“Boyhood,” 2 to 5
“The Imitation Game,” 7 to 1
“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” 9 to 1
“Birdman,” 18 to 1
“Selma,” 20 to 1
“The Theory of Everything,” 30 to 1
“Whiplash,” 60 to 1
“American Sniper,” 75 to 1

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/oscars-boyhood-leads-best-picture-vegas-odds-1201406034/

[ND-Dem]

14. so if i'm reading it right, american sniper has the worst odds of winning?

[oberliner]

16. That's what Vegas thinks

Who knows who they came to these numbers - but there we are.

[Beaverhausen]

10. blech. I hope not.

I thought it was boring and poorly acted.

I just saw Imitation Game. Really good.

[oberliner]

13. I didn't love it either

Though I thought it was a really cool concept.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

21. The Imitation Game was fun provided you didn't care about accuracy

I put it in the same category as Braveheart - if you view it as a fantasy epic loosely inspired by historical events, it's quite a fun film, but if you try to view it as a fictionalised presentation of history, it's going to drive you wild with rage.

I mostly managed the former, and quite enjoyed it, but I did catch myself shaking my fist at the screen at the point where Keira Knightly talks about "Yooler's Theorem".

[smirkymonkey]

36. The Imatation Game has my vote.

But of course I am fascinated with the subject matter.

[Mira]

15. I was fond of how they

Presented the novel idea of it all. That's about it though. It does not deserve the Oscar for best picture, for a number of reasons.
For comedy, phenomenal presentation, utter delight the Budapest Hotel is my choice as of now
I will see Selma ASAP

[yeoman6987]

20. Going to watch American Sniper today.....sorry but it is everywhere on social media. It made 30 million on

Friday a huge surprise. I think we all should at least see it before saying anything about it. I might go see Selma too at some point.

[Dreamer Tatum]

22. i ASSURE you that Selma will win best picture. nt

[mmonk]

23. My dream is that The Theory Of Everything

will win. But America is a strange place to me today.

[lame54]

24. have you seen them both

[nilesobek]

25. "Sniper," is the jingoistic pick

much like "Zero Dark Thirty," was. It will probably win a token Oscar in some category. I'm gonna skip that one because my gag reflex accelerates when Eastwood makes a war movie. I don't even know if its good or not but if its anything like Zero Dark Thirty then its a big pass.

[EX500rider]

27. "my gag reflex accelerates when Eastwood makes a war movie."

His "letters from Iwo Jima" was quite good and critically acclaimed and the film received four Academy Award nominations. Eastwood was nominated for his directing, as well as Best Picture along with producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.

[nilesobek]

33. I should watch it I just got burned on that other movie.

I did watch the Interview and liked it. Can't judge a book by its cover. I'm biased because I hate the subject matter. If I wake up in the morning sniping and killing people for a living then I need a new line of work. Jaded as that is the movie better be pretty damn good to overcome that bias I have.

[roody]

26. Every time I have gone to the movies to see

the one that won best picture, I said, "Well I don't miss much by not going to movies."

[liberalhistorian]

30. Did you say that with

Twelve Years a Slave? Because, as painful as it often was to watch, it was one damned fine film.

[roody]

35. No, I will see that one.

I go to a movie less than once a year. Haven't been for a few years.

[tblue37]

40. You might want to edit your post. You've got a hyperactive autocorrect

imp mangling your sentence.

[liberalhistorian]

41. Oops, thanks,

never even noticed that. I hate posting on this iPad, it takes forever and the autocorrect is crazy. I don't know how it comes up with half of its shit.

[liberalhistorian]

28. I usually love the Oscars, but

I have no intention whatsoever of seeing American Sniper and the glorification of war and a professional murderer makes me physically ill. And it sickens me even more that the Academy would so ignominiously and inexplicably slight and snub Selma in every other category, in favor of such nationalistic glory-of-war shit as American Sniper. Bleh.

[Initech]

32. Same here.

I have not supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since day one, and I'm not going to see American Sniper for that very reason. Plus the more I read about Chris Kyle the more he Web comes off as an incredibly shady character.

[Initech]

29. Clint Eastwood did get snubbed for best director so there is a plus.

If you look at past Oscars the movies that fail to secure both a best picture and best director nod are almost guaranteed not to win. We shall see.

[Archae]

34. Don't forget...

This is the same group that gave "Best Picture" award to "Rocky," over "Network."

[XemaSab]

37. Why is everyone acting like "American Sniper" is pro-war?

From everything I've read, it sounds like a depressing look at the toll that war takes on soldiers and families.

What am I missing?

[Logical]

39. I hate it because Kyle is full of BS stories. killing people at a gas station, etc. nt

[Orrex]

42. I'm really hoping that Godzilla wins it.

Isn't it time for the Academy to get over its anti-radioactive-lizard bias?