Oscars should be renamed "Best Indie Flick"

[KeithR]

I mean, really guys. It's so bad compared to 10-20 years ago. And I like the occasional indie flick.

I just added up total box office for all 8 movies nominated for Best Picture:

Selma- 13.5
Theory of Everything- 25.8
Birdman- 26
Boyhood- 24
Whiplash- 6
Grand Budapest Hotel- 59
Imitation Game- 40.4
American Sniper- 3 (although wide release this weekend)

That's $197 million in TOTAL box office for EIGHT movies.

Going back twenty years ago to 1995 for fun:

Forrest Gump
Shawshank Redemption
Pulp Fiction
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Quiz Show

I'm not going to even run the comparison. Forrest Gump probably did more than all 8 this year. Yes, I know the movie making business has changed (people want brands that make easy money), but the quality of movies is severely lacking.

Thoughts?

Keith

 

[Steve Williams]

Keith

I have no problem with any of the current film nominees as I thought they were all excellent (well not Boyhood). I too am planning on seeing American Sniper this weekend

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

You can probably draw some similarities to the music business as well in terms in revenues.

I think Hollywood has lost its creative edge.....it's more about the blockbuster now than quality.

 

[Steve Williams]

You can probably draw some similarities to the music business as well in terms in revenues.

I think Hollywood has lost its creative edge.....it's more about the blockbuster now than quality.

I believe that it is a bit of both. Hollywood studios of course love the blockbusters but IMO it is the Indie films that bring (for me at least) some of the very best films including all those nominated this year. For example Whiplash is an amazingly great movie and if JK Simmons doesn't win Best Supporting there is no justice

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I believe that it is a bit of both. Hollywood studios of course love the blockbusters but IMO it is the Indie films that bring (for me at least) some of the very best films including all those nominated this year. For example Whiplash is an amazingly great movie and if JK Simmons doesn't win Best Supporting there is no justice

Oh, I agree with you!

 

[still-one]

Keith
Interesting post.

Since the Oscars are voted on only by those within the industry and they are voting for these "indie" films they are in fact distancing themselves from the popular fare. The blockbusters may pay the bills but get little respect from within.

I lean towards films such as those nominated this year. That doesn't mean I don't go see the occasional check-your-brain-at-the-door fare such as Taken 3 or The Equalizer.

 

[Steve Williams]

IMO if it weren't for Indie films we would be watching animations, scifi, and comic book characters from the major studios looking for that next blockbuster

As far as black and white films I assume Keith was referring to The Artist which IMO was clearly the Best Film of 2012 and deserved the Oscar IMHO. I had no problem watching it in B&W

 

[edorr]

IMO if it weren't for Indie films we would be watching animations, scifi, and comic book characters from the major studios looking for that next blockbuster

Count me out. I would be reading more books and spending more time listening to music instead. Only movies I watch are "indie", with the notable exception and guilty pleasure of the hunger games series.

 

[KeithR]

so you didn't see Gone Girl, edorr? 167 million gross. for an R-rated movie, that's wide appeal. its an exceptional movie as well.

 

[KeithR]

IMO if it weren't for Indie films we would be watching animations, scifi, and comic book characters from the major studios looking for that next blockbuster

As far as black and white films I assume Keith was referring to The Artist which IMO was clearly the Best Film of 2012 and deserved the Oscar IMHO. I had no problem watching it in B&W

It did 25 million before the Oscars that year- safe to say, no one was running out to see a B&W movie.

 

[KeithR]

for more fun comparisons, here are the winners from the 90s:

Dances with Wolves
Silence of the Lambs
Unforgiven
Schindler's List
Forrest Gump
Braveheart
English Patient
Titanic
Shakespeare in Love
American Beauty

all of these movies were big time, successful movies with perhaps the exception of the English Patient.

 

[KeithR]

Meanwhile, lately we have:

Boyhood (prob)
12 Years a Slave
Argo- success
The Artist
King's Speech- success

 

[still-one]

for more fun comparisons, here are the winners from the 90s:

Dances with Wolves
Silence of the Lambs
Unforgiven
Schindler's List
Forrest Gump
Braveheart
English Patient
Titanic
Shakespeare in Love
American Beauty

all of these movies were big time, successful movies with perhaps the exception of the English Patient.

Keith, I am not trying to be argumentative but what is your point?

If you are saying that most American's will not go to see a movie that requires them to think, I agree.
If you are saying that movies such as 12 Years A Slave or The Kings Speech aren't to the level of those you listed above, I disagree.

Also, when taking into consideration the box office differences: Selma, The Imitation Game, Theory Of Everything, were only released Christmas or later.

 

[Whatmore]

Does a movie need to be a box office success for it to be considered "good"

 

[still-one]

Does a movie need to be a box office success for it to be considered "good"

Not for me.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Not for me either.

 

[Steve Williams]

Keith
What you are failing to see is that a movie doesn't have to be a blockbuster to be great. Furthermore there were little or no Indie productions in the 90's

Furthermore not all blockbusters are great

 

[Steve Williams]

Keith

Have you seen Whiplash

 

[asindc]

Grand Budapest Hotel Is an excellent movie and a worthy nominee.

 

[Joe Whip]

Just because a film makes a lot of money doesn't mean it is a great film. Conversely, just because it doesn't make much money doesn't mean it isn't a great film. BTW, go back and look at some Oscar winners and losers in the past. Some make you scratch your head with hindsight.