And the Oscar Goes to ...

It often seems that the Oscars are the ultimate you-like-me, you-really-like-me peer affirmation contest (with due respect to Ms. Sally Field). There have been the obvious sympathy winners, such as when Elizabeth Taylor, newly recovered from a near-death experience, triumphed as Best Actress for the otherwise middling melodrama Butterfield 8 in 1960.

With hindsight, some of the box-office pleasers that took Best Picture honors were rather embarrassing choices. There are websites devoted to the Academy’s slip-ups, with the cutesy musical Gigi and Around the World in 80 Days, curiously both from the late 1950s, ranking as the top what-were-they-thinking? selections today.

Orson Welles’ classic Citizen Kane, which lost out in 1941 to the folksy tale of life in the Welsh hills, How Green Was My Valley, ranks as the most egregious oversight.

Far from the star-crossed red carpet of Los Angeles, we asked some local moviegoers who tops their choices, with Babel a towering choice and Leonardo DiCaprio doing double duty in the best actor stakes.

Tika Panggabean, comedian

Favorite Flick: I really liked Babel, because the story seems complicated but it isn’t. It crosses religions, nationalities, so it shows that humans, even though we live in different places, have connections. It gets across a moral message. Everybody seems just right for their role. I also like The Curse of the Golden Flower, because it’s so easy on the eyes, the gorgeous costumes, the setting. It’s not so much about the martial arts but the political intrigues. It’s really is a mega movie.

Acting Honors: I never liked Leonardo Di Caprio, I just did not understand the big deal about him. But after watching Blood Diamond I felt that he could really get into the character, with the South African accent, and the situation is. It’s a really satisfying film. It seems like a heavy movie, and I don’t really like that kind, but in the end I enjoyed it.

Oscar Oversight: I know it is not nominated but I liked Casino Royale. Maybe James Bond is identified with Roger Moore, so flamboyant and elegant, but with Daniel Craig the character is more masculine. There is a lot more blood in it! It’s more manly; Daniel Craig sometimes looks handsome but he also appears ugly. With Pierce Brosnan, it’s impossible to photograph him looking bad. 

Winky, DJ and actor

Favorite Flick: I liked Little Miss Sunshine, it was really entertaining. It’s a family movie, not too heavy, but it’s about what really happens. There are winners and losers in the story, but in the end the family sticks together, like families should.

Acting Honors: I’m a big fan of Leonardo. He and Johnny Depp and Edward Norton are the real quality actors of their generation. They’re not only good box office but they have quality. I liked Leonardo in both movies.

Oscar Oversight: Thank You for Smoking, it’s an incredible and inspiring movie. I watched it, and thought, I wish I could be like that, because my parents also divorced. So I if I see a film about a father and son, it is always touching for me. It’s similar to my own life. Maybe it’s too small a film to get an Oscar, but it should have got a Golden Globe.

Farhan, TV talk show host

Favorite Flick: Borat: I like comedy films and my favorites are dark or black comedies.  I love satire so much. It’s a satire about the establishment; people look at America and say “wow”, but the irony is that Borat shows the real America. If there are those who say he crossed the line, well, it’s the line that is really the problem, that nobody will cross it to show the truth. That’s what is needed from a film figure, someone who can cross that line and realize our dreams, kind of like Superman.

Acting Honors: This is a tough one for me. Last year’s winner (Phillip Seymour Hoffman for Capote) was really surprising to me, because it showed that it could be anyone. It would be great if Brad Pitt won, to show that a superstar and pop culture idol could get the award. It’s like Borat becoming the president of the United States!

Oscar Oversight: All the films I like were nominated, but I think The Departed is overrated. I liked the Hong Kong original [Infernal Affairs]. The cinematography and production values are better in the new version, but I don’t think it offers anything original or better. And that is what a remake should do.

Robin Moran, writer-director

Favorite Flick: Babel is easily the strongest film this year in terms of content. It didn’t try to be anymore than it was. Compared to Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu’s previous work, 21 Grams, I think this time he told the story in a much more straightforward way, and it’s all told closer to the classic paradigm. What was surprising was the entire film exemplifies that communication, regardless of language, can be misinterpreted. So the nanny speaking Spanish and the kid speaking English understand each other well. Despite the chaos, there is still a sense of hope. And for the people who don’t understand Babel or found it truly boring, then I think they were not really “listening”, proving what the film was trying to say.

Acting Honors. I really thought Leonardo DiCaprio was outstanding in both movies (Blood Diamond and The Departed), but I think was clearly superior in Blood Diamond even though it was a terrible movie. I wish I had seen Cate Blanchett’s films, she is such an outstanding actress.

Oscar Oversight: Vera Farmiga should have got an Oscar nod for The Departed. She has appeared in so many small movies and TV series, and this was her first notable appearance in a bigger budget film with a bigger cast. But I am glad that Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon were not nominated for The Departed. Damon is really overshadowed by Leo, while Nicholson’s performance is very similar to the bad guy roles he has played before. I think Hollywood had a really terrible year last year. So many of the supposed independent movies, like Little Miss Sunshine, were just studio vehicles.

Rizal Iwan, film reviewer

Favorite Flick: As far as Oscars are concerned, I really love Babel, I’m rooting for it even though I don’t think it will win. The thing with Babel is either you either love or hate it. The Oscars are interesting this year because the nominations were predictable, but now there is no clear winner. All the five pictures we thought would be there are up there, but now nobody knows who will win. I want Babel and Little Miss Sunshine, personally I think it might be the little-movie-that-could this year.

Acting Honors: Helen Mirren is going to get Best Actress, it’s long overdue; and she is also my personal favorite in the category. She gave a splendid, complex performance. She doesn’t look like Elizabeth II actually, but she did such an amazing job that you believe it’s her. Forest Whitaker also is way ahead of the others for The Last King of Scotland, everybody praises his performance. But it could go to Peter O’ Toole, he’s been nominated 8 times, never won and he’s so old, so perhaps Academy members feel it is his time. But on Oscar night there is bound to be an upset.  I also like Abigail Breslin from Little Miss Sunshine.

Oscar Oversight: I think Dreamgirls should have got more nominations, and Jennifer Hudson should be in the Best Actress category, not supporting. I also think Leonardo DiCaprio was outstanding in The Departed, but the Academy got a bit confused about whether it was a supporting or lead role, so he was nominated for Blood Diamonds instead. For me, it shows the silliness of the Academy’s policy on not nominating one actor for two different roles in the same category.  
+ Bruce Emond

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