posted
The talkshop all around Hollywood, tourists, filmmakers and the movie industry is whether fugitive Roman Polanski should be awarded an Oscar in his autobiographical Holocaust drama "The Pianist," if he is nominated when the results are announced February 11, 2003.
Critics are calling "The Pianist" the greatest film of the year with passion for music, speaking for itself as the Oscar Nominations approaches. But the question critics, actors, movie-goers and Oscar freaks are asking is, if it would be morally sound to hand Polanskian Oscar and forgive his 1977 sex-scandal, in the event he wins the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director which I doubt could beat the musical "Chicago" and "The Hour," both Oscar favorites.
Polish-born French citizen Polanski, fled the United States in 1978 when he was to be sentenced for having sex with a minor, thirty-years his junior.
However, the movie, "The Pianist" is a very important film to Hollywood since it describes Polanski's life. He fled the Warsaw ghetto when the Nazis invaded Poland. His mother died in Adolf Hitler's death camps. No question, filmmakers of today have addressed the Holocaust in many ways in the movies.
Many films in different ways have dealt with the history and legacy of the period: Stephen Spielberg's "Schindler's List," the Oscar award winning diary of Oscar Schindler; "The Anne Frank Diary," a documentary of the 13-year-old Jew who saw the Nazis take over Holland. She died in the Concentration Camps. "Amen," which opens on Friday in select theaters and several Holocaust-related movies which symbolizes Hitler as pure evil.
I had expected the Biafradieharders to be concentrating on mini-series documentaries portraying the atrocities committed by the Nigerian vandals which would compel the world to realize there is a moral obligation to remember the atrocities. Very few books have so far been written by the victims about what is claimed to be Africa's most horrific crime before the Rwandan Genocide. Don't wait till Nowa Omogui writes the script. A script on Emma Okocha's "Blood on the Niger" would be a good one.
But anyway, that's about it. Nuff said. Back to the movies and the projected nominations, come February 11. In my own humble opinion, I believe it is morally right and justified to hand Polanski an Oscar which he desrves by the nature of the work done, since the movie, like other movies of its kind, is a revisit in trying to understand how and why Hitler created an industry to wipe out an entire people from the face of this planet.
In this case, a movie about Sege Obasanjo in his killing mood and quest for Genocide will indict him. What do you guys think?
I will make my predictions after the nominations. Watch out for Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and Denzel Washington's "Antwone Fisher" in the Best Director category.
This is great stuff. I used to have respect for what used to be known as "Igbo elite." Now, what we have are some confused people in varying stages of mental decay. The Igbo intellectual base has been eroded and replaced with an Internetual base composed of under-achieving mutual praise societies and individuals who display their ignorance at yahoo forums.
You cannot expect such people to make the linkages you speak of between holocaust and their own first-hand experiences in BiafraNigeria. The only time that some of those Internetuals will work on mini-series or documentaries portraying the atrocities committed on Igbo people would be when the work could be hidden at Yahoo. That way, when they want a job in Abuja, they will be able to deny working on the project.
Anyway, you are a rare gem. I salute you.
[ February 04, 2003, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Dr. B ]
Posts: 253 | Registered: Mar 2001
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Happy New Year and thanks for the compliments. I am not quite sure if there ever was "Igbo Elite" in recent memory if one should ask those riff-raffs what they stood for. Thank God, the Yahoogroup thing is not im my territory, and if it was, I would smash their groins with hardball.
Now I know why I will never be a politician, Biafranigeria standard which really stinks. See what is going over there at the political section of this fora. Total chaos. Imagine!
Keep on slamming. I salute you!
___________________ THE MORE YOU LOOK THE LESS YOU SEE Posts: 539 | From: Sin City, Sin World | Registered: Mar 2001
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Thank you my brother, you were right. They are now breaking their necks in Igbo Forum over what particular town in AlaIgbo the last shot was fired to end the war. I bow!
Posts: 42 | From: London, KY. USA | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Hollywood and the Academy have done it again in their usual bias Oscar nominations leaving out "Antwone Fisher," Denzel Washington's directorial debut. "Antwone Fisher," an emotional story about how a destroyed kid became a man in a triumphant adventure to locate his mother. The vibrant acting debut by Derek Luke and a satisfying first time behind the camera for co-star Denzel Washington is a tale of hope, forgiveness and love, which in my own analysis, seeing the movie twice, deserves nominations for Best Director, Best Actor for Washington and Luke, respectively.
Director Martin Scorsese brought out the best of Daniel Day-Lewis in the immigrant, bloody fraternities of 19th Century New York. Aaaah, it's a tough call right now!
Even though critics had condemned Roman Polanski's "The Pianist," the film based on a memoir by a Polish Jew who survived Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, is a sure Oscar bet knowing how Hollywood determine winners especially in the Director category. Andre Brody, in his first Oscar nomination is bound to compete with Hollywood Heavyweights Jack Nicholson in "About Scmidt," and Nicholas Cage's "Adaptation," in what movie critics call the "boldest and most imaginative studio film of the year.
The musical "Chicago" with a record thirteen nominations is likely to produce another black female actress Queen Latifah for Best Supporting Actress competing against Catherine Zeta-Jones in the same movie, Katie Bates in "About Schmidt" and Meryl Streep in "Adaptation." Tough to call!
Best Picture: "Gangs of New York," "Chicago," "The Hours," "The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers," and "The Pianist."
I like "The Pianist."
Best Director: Roman Polanski, "The Pianist"; Rob Marshall, "Chicago"; Martin Scorsese, "Gangs of New York"; Stephen Daldry, "The Hours" and Pedro Almodovar, "Talk to Her."
Tough to call but I like Martin Scorsese, "Gangs of New York."
Best Actor: Adrien Brody, "The Pianist"; NicholasCage, "Adaptation"; Michael Caine, "The Quiet American"; Jack Nicholson, "About Schmidt" and Daniel Day-Lewis, "Gangs of New York."
Best Actress: Renee Zellweger, "Chicago"; Nicole Kidman, "The Hours"; Salma Hayek, "Frida"; Diane Lane, "Unfaithful"; and Julianne Moore, "Far From Heaven."
I like Nicole Kidman, "The Hours."
Best Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, "Adaptation"; Ed Harris, "The Hours"; Paul Newman, "Road to Perdition"; John C. Reilly, "Chicago"; and Christopher Walken, "Catch Me if you can."
Tough call, but I like Christopher Walken, "Catch Me If You Can."
___________________ THE MORE YOU LOOK THE LESS YOU SEE Posts: 539 | From: Sin City, Sin World | Registered: Mar 2001
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Best Supporting Actress: Julianne Moore, "The Hours"; Katy Bates, "About Schmidt"; Queen Latifah, "Chicago"; Meryl Streep, "Adaptation"; Catherine Zeta-Jones, "Chicago."
You never know what the Academy is up to but I like my black sister Queen Latifah in "Chicago."
Best Foreign Film: "El Crimen del Padre Amaro," Mexico; "Hero," People's Republic of China; "The Man Without a Past," Finland, "Nowhere in Africa," Germany; and "Zus & Zo," The Netherlands.
I have no clue, it's all Greek to me.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Hedges, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, "About a Boy"; Charlie Kaufman, "Adaptation"; Bill Condon, "Chicago"; David Hare, "The Hours"; Ronald Harwood, "The Pianist."
My pick: Ronald Harwood in "The Pianist."
Original Screenplay: Todd Haynes, "Far From Heaven"; Jay Cocks, Steve Zaillian and Kenneth Lonnergan, "Gangs of New York"; Nia Vadalos, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"; Pedro Almodovan, "Talk to Her"; Carlos Cuaron and Alphonso Cuaron, "Y Tu Mama Tambien."
Tough call between "Gangs of New York" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." I like "Gangs of New York."
Animated Feature Film: "Ice Age," "Lilo and Stitch"; "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"; "Spirited Away"; and "Treasure Planet."
No clue. Did not see any.
Best Art Direction: "Gangs of New York"; "Chicago"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers"; and "Road to Perdition."
I like Chicago.
Cinematography: "Chicago"; "Far From Heaven"; "gangs of New York"; "The Pianist"; and "Road to Perdition."
I like "The Pianist."
Sound: "Chicago"; "Gangs of New York"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers"; "Road to Perdition"; and "Spider Man."
I like "Gangs of New York."
Sound Editing: "The Lord of the Ring: The Twin Towers"; "Minority Report"; and Road to Perdition."
Tough to call but I will take "Minority Report" starring Tom Cruise.
Original Score: "Catch Me If You Can," John Williams; "Far From Heaven," Elmer Bernstein; "Frida," Elliot Goldenthal; "The Hours," Philip Glass; and "Road to Perdition," Thomas Newman.
This is John Williams' 42nd nomination in music categories, making him the most nominated living person in Hollywood. I think he will take it.
Original Song: "Burn it Blue" from "Frida," Elliot Goldenthal and Julie Taymor; "Father and Daughter," from "The Wild Thornberrys Movie," Paul Simon; "The Hands That Built America," from "Gangs of New York," U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen); "I Move On," from "Chicago," John Cander and Fred Ebb; "Lose Yourself," from "8 Mile," Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto.
The toughest of all the calls but I like the Irish group U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen.) Methink Eminem and colleagues are still young to be honored by the Academy. You never know, though.
Best Costume: "Gangs of New York"; "Frida"; "Chicago"; "The Pianist"; and "The Hours."
My pick: "The Hours."
Best Documentary Feature: "Bowling for Columbine"; "Daughter From Danang"; "Prisoner of Paradise"; "Spellbound"; and "Winged Migration."
My pick: "Bowling for Columbine."
Best Documentary (Short Subject): "The Collector of Bedford Street"; "Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks"; "Twin Towers": and "Why Can't We Be a Family Again?"
My pick: "Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks."
Best Film Editing: "Chicago"; "Gangs of New York"; "The Hours"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers" and "The Pianist."
My pick: "The Pianist."
Best Makeup: "Frida" and "The Time Machine."
My pick: "The Time Machine."
Best Animated Short Film: "The Cathederal"; "The ChubbChubbs"; "Das Rad"; "Mike's New Car"; and "Mt. Head."
No clue!
Live Action Short Film: "Fait D'Hiver," "I'll Wait for the Next One," "Inja," "Johnny Flynton," and "This Charming Man."
No clue!
Visual Effects: "The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers," "Spider-Man," and "Star War Episode II--Attack of the Clones."
My pick: "Star War Episode II--Attack of the Clones."
posted
We have 23 more days to go and the Oscar will be going to...what do you guys think? Methink Hollywood like to play some funny games during the Oscar because earlier today filmmaker Martin Scorsese had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, right on Hollywood Blvd and Highland, The Kodak Theatre, venue of the Oscar Awards and ceremonies.
Could it be a Scorsese year in Hollywood? Never know!
___________________ THE MORE YOU LOOK THE LESS YOU SEE Posts: 539 | From: Sin City, Sin World | Registered: Mar 2001
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