The Off Topic Topic

[Tamas]

The Oscars are on now, if anyone is interested.

It feels like their switch from awarding white men almost exclusively to awarding everyone else but white men would have been more convincing if it has been a more gradual shift.

Also the Oscars feel really irrelevant at the moment. TV (with streaming services included) is where quality is made nowadays, it would seem.

[garbon]

You mean how best actor went to a white man?

[Tamas]

You mean how best actor went to a white man?

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/apr/25/oscars-2021-best-picture-nomadland-chloe-zhao

Chloé Zhao made history as the first woman of colour to win best director with her drama about van-dwellers as Hopkins and Frances McDormand won top acting honours

Benjamin Lee in New York
Mon 26 Apr 2021 04.36 BST

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During an unusual Oscars ceremony, on-the-road drama Nomadland triumphed with a win for best picture, best actress and a historic victory for Chloé Zhao, becoming the first woman of colour to be named best director and only the second woman ever.

The film, starring Frances McDormand as a woman living out of her van and interacting with real-life nomads, took home the top trophy near the end of a delayed night and a delayed season amid the pandemic. The ceremony played out in person but with safety precautions and a modest guest list.

"Please watch our movie on the largest screen possible and one day soon take everyone you know, shoulder-to-shoulder, in that dark space and watch every film that's represented here tonight," McDormand, who also acts as producer on the film, said in her speech, winning two Oscars for picture and actress.


Oscar winners 2021: the full list
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Zhao became only the second woman ever, after Kathryn Bigelow, to be named best director. In her speech, she called making the film a "crazy once-in-a-lifetime journey" and spoke of a childhood game with her father that introduced her to the idea that "people at birth are inherently good", something that has stuck with her since. "Even though sometimes it might seem like the opposite is true, I have always found goodness in the people I have met," she said.

While many had expected Chadwick Boseman to posthumously win best actor for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Anthony Hopkins caused an upset by winning for his role in The Father, a drama about dementia. He wasn't available to give a speech. Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller also won best adapted screenplay for the film.

Daniel Kaluuya with his Oscar for best supporting actor
Daniel Kaluuya with his Oscar for best supporting actor Photograph: Reuters
Daniel Kaluuya picked up the award for best supporting actor for his role as the Black Panther Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, beating out his co-star LaKeith Stanfield, who was also nominated. Speaking of Hampton, he said: "What a man – how blessed we are that we lived in a lifetime where he existed." He said the Black Panthers "showed us the power of union and power of unity" but added: "There's so much work to do, guys, and that's on everyone in this room." The film also won best original song for Fight For You from HER.

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Youn Yuh-jung became the first Korean actor to win an Oscar, picking up the best supporting actress award for her role in the family drama Minari. "I don't believe in competition," she said. "How can I win over Glenn Close ... Tonight, I'm here because I'm luckier than you. I think maybe it's American hospitality for a Korean actor."

Emerald Fennell picked up the Oscar for best original screenplay for the darkly comic revenge thriller Promising Young Woman, making her the first woman since 2007 to win the award. "I want to thank Carey Mulligan not only for being the most talented person in the world but the kindest and the funniest," she said in her speech, paying tribute to her nominated star.

Soul won for score and best animated film while the Oscar for international feature went to Denmark's Another Round, whose director, Thomas Vinterberg, was also nominated for best director. He paid tribute to his daughter, who died during production in a car accident. "We ended up making this movie for her as a monument," he said.

The Guardian also won its first Oscar, for best documentary short, with Colette, about a French resistance fighter. "This award is a tribute to women of any ages who are joining hands and fighting for justice," the producer Alice Doyard said.

Oscars 2021 live: Nomadland wins best picture – as it happened
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Netflix's My Octopus Teacher was named best documentary feature.

Key Oscars moments: from the historic to the hilarious – video
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Key Oscars moments: from the historic to the hilarious – video
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom won for costume design and best makeup and hairstyling, with Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson the first black winners of the award. "I know that one day it won't be unusual or groundbreaking, it will just be normal" for black women, trans women, and Latinas to be claiming Oscars, Neal said.

David Fincher's Mank entered the night with 10 nominations, the most of any film, and left with two wins for production design and cinematography. The Riz Ahmed-led drama Sound of Metal won for sound and editing. Netflix won seven awards during the night, the most of any studio or streamer.

[garbon]

So your headline talks about one woman of colour and then two white people taking best actor/actress.

[Tamas]

So your headline talks about one woman of colour and then two white people taking best actor/actress.

I am glad you could cherry-pick the opening sentence to supports your narrative thus saving yourself from reading onward, but if you could bother to read the article, I have helpfully highlighted the various record-setting wins this year. Which are great, but I feel they are devalued when they come en masse a year or two after serious pushback against the lack of minority Oscar wins, and in a year when it feels like there hasn't been any high profile movies due to the pandemic. It reeks of "its a dud even might as well turn it into a PR stunt so we get these people off our backs" kind of thinking.

[garbon]

But your argument is a bizarre one. If guilty of not looking enough beyond white people, they should slowly phase down white wins so as not to make it seem like they are praising non-whites solely for PR?

[celedhring]

Translates to "National Day of the Retard. April 26".

[Jacob]

But your argument is a bizarre one. If guilty of not looking enough beyond white people, they should slowly phase down white wins so as not to make it seem like they are praising non-whites solely for PR?

Best international film and best editing were both won by white men this year.

[Valmy]

I was mostly just impressed enough new movies were made last year to have an Oscars.

[The Brain]

Translates to "National Day of the Retard. April 26".

[Valmy]

Best international film and best editing were both won by white men this year.

Yeah Denmark won something.

[Jacob]

Yeah Denmark won something.

It's a pretty big deal back in Denmark, and the place is fairly white by most standards.

[HVC]

Foreigners don't count as white in America

[Jacob]

Foreigners don't count as white in America

In that case, it's weird that Tamas is so invested in their success.

[HVC]

Foreigners don't count as white in America

In that case, it's weird that Tamas is so invested in their success.

i was thinking more about the oscar voters.