Newsweek - National News, World News, Health, Technology, Entertainment and more... | Newsweek.com

HEADLINE HEADLINE HEADLINE

SPONSORED BY
Full Post
Posted Tuesday, January 27, 2009 3:37 PM

Golddigger: Tap-Dancing Gene Kelly Does Not A 'Best Picture' Make

Patrick Enright


Golddigger, NEWSWEEK's Oscars blog, continues with Patrick Enright's Academy Awards reality check.

Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences offers a whole host of well-earned awards to films, actors, directors and writers. And every year, the Academy completely screws up and hands out a couple of Oscars to performances and movies that in no way deserved them. Herewith, our list of the most noteworthy of those missteps -- feel free to tell us how right (or how wrong) we are in the comments:

Advertisement

 

Angelina Jolie, for 1999's "Girl, Interrupted"

Sure, it's just a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, but Angie still didn't earn it. She was fine playing a mental patient, but how tough is that really? And when you're up against Chloë Sevigny in the brilliant "Boys Don't Cry," well, you should throw out the "It's an honor just to be nominated" line and walk home empty-handed.

 

"Around the World in 80 Days" (1956)

It's not as though the rollicking adventure flick starring David Niven and legendary Mexican actor Cantinflas isn't a good time. But Best Picture? When the competition includes Yul Brynner's "The King and I"; James Dean's final film, "Giant"; and Cecil B. DeMille's legendary "The Ten Commandments"? No, really, "The Ten Commandments." Here's a question: Which of the four has held up best in the last half-century? If you said "80 Days," you're as wrong as the Academy was.

 

John Ford, for 1941's "How Green Was My Valley"

The Academy's probably kicking itself for this one—Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane," which lost Best Picture and Best Director Oscars to John Ford's flick, is No. 1 on the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movies of all time and widely considered the best film ever made. "How Green Was My Valley"? Not on the list. At all. Sorry, John, but you didn't earn that golden statuette.

 

"An American in Paris" (1951)

"How can Gene Kelley prancing through Paris with Leslie Caron not be worth the Best Picture Oscar?" you ask? Easy: when it's competing against the phenomenal Marlon Brando-starring adaptation of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire." Not only did "Streetcar" launch the career of one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, it's riveting from start to finish. Give "American in Paris" the Best Score prize, but save the big one for a movie with some weight.

 

Kevin Costner, for 1990's "Dances With Wolves"

Costner's ponderous, "Look, Native Americans are people too!" western has its charms, and its place, but Kev didn't deserve the Best Director Oscar, and not just because he beat out cinematic legend Martin Scorsese, nominated for "Goodfellas." "Dances" marked his first time behind the camera, and it shows. The next two films he helmed, "Waterworld" and "The Postman," reflected his, um, lackluster directing talent.

 

Al Pacino, for 1992's "Scent of a Woman"

Al's deserved plenty of Oscars in his career—for "The Godfather," "Dog Day Afternoon," "Glengarry Glen Ross"—but it's a travesty that the only one he's won is for his much-mocked "HOO-ah!" role in Chris O'Donnell vehicle "Scent of a Woman." Just because he was snubbed by the Academy six (!) previous times doesn't mean he should win for drivel. "Look, I'm driving a sports car and I'm blind!" Seriously?

 

Cher, for 1987's "Moonstruck"

It's Cher. 'Nuff said.

 

"Shakespeare in Love" (1998)

Why do people like this movie again? Oh, right, because they're stupid. Think that's unnecessarily harsh? Perhaps, but even fans of the fluffy Gwyneth Paltrow period dramedy have to admit that "Shakespeare" isn't nearly as good as any of the other nominees: "Elizabeth," "Saving Private Ryan," "The Thin Red Line" (better than "Ryan," and by far) and "Life Is Beautiful." This one's perhaps the least-deserving Best Picture winner ever.

 

Marisa Tomei, for 1992's "My Cousin Vinny"

The year 1993 was clearly not a good one for the Academy. Nor were the '90s a good decade, come to think of it ... Tomei was fine in silly Joe Pesci comedy "Vinny." Nothing to write home about. Judy Davis in "Husbands and Wives"? Brilliant. Stunning. Genius. This should have been a gimme. Maybe the voting members were afraid Pesci would come around and break their kneecaps if they didn't pick Marisa?

 

You must be a registered user to comment.  Click here to register.  Already a user?  Click here to login.

Member Comments

Posted By: AnHourADay (February 24, 2009 at 5:54 PM)

I absolutely aggree with Shakespeare in Love. I've been forced to watch the movie a million times and I still can't see how it could possibly be worth an Oscar. To me, it's blaha.

http://thecupofblackcoffee.blogspot.com/


Posted By: kshortSD (February 23, 2009 at 4:24 PM)

You forgot Mira Sorvino in "Mighty Aphrodite".


Posted By: jescoromas (February 23, 2009 at 3:47 PM)

I'm a FILMMAKER and I agree with you guys on most of your objections to these past selections of the Academy's, specifically Angelina Jolie; she is a very attractive woman, but not an artist.  

However, "Shakespeare in Love" is first class fare and Pacino's portrayal of a down and out blind man in "Scent of a Woman" is very special.  I haven't seen the film in 10 years and it's still fresh in my mind.