Awards Season 2018

[spectre]

Other people are pushing for Hannah Gadsby, which seems like a strange suggestion.

And one that is a complete waste of time. Netflix special or not, I doubt many people in Hollywood know who this woman is, even I had to look the name up (and I've seen at least one TV series she's acted in). Apparently, the only thing she's done outside of Oz/NZ is some stand-up festivals and a program on Radio 4. She's probably qualified to host the AACTA/AFI Awards in Australia, but hardly the Oscars. Hell, I'd pick Trevor Noah before her, and I stopped watching The Daily Show when Jon Stewart called it quits.

If only ABC hadn't fired Roseanne, she could have hosted (you may laugh, but consider that without "Ambien tweeting", this could have been our reality).

Speaking of comedians, though, John Oliver might be a good choice, if he's willing. He seems fairly neutral about Hollywood, and his HBO show is excellent (and on hiatus until 2019), although he may have made a few enemies with that Dustin Hoffman incident.

Otherwise, the absolute best choice for me, especially in light of the situation, would have to be RuPaul. I mean, at least the show would be utterly fabulous and probably not boring in the least, which is really all you want the host to do with the show--make it not boring.

Yes to RuPaul. I'm a bit over Oliver, but he'd also be reasonably good value in this gig (and I'm bewildered by the suggestion that anyone would think he's the bad guy after that Hoffman incident – but I guess Hollywood has always looked out for its own...)

Otherwise, speaking of comedians, I've heard Louis C.K. might not have much else on that night!

[Brian C]

My understanding is that RuPaul has said some things that deeply offend the trans community, for what that’s worth.

[Big Ben]

My understanding is that RuPaul has said some things that deeply offend the trans community, for what that’s worth.

He has and I don't think putting him forward would be a good idea because of it.

[domino harvey]

Why would anyone want to paint a target on themselves and host this year?

[criterionoop]

Nick Kroll and John Mulaney joked that their “Oh Hello” characters were hosting this year. I actually wouldn’t be upset if that happened.

[Brian C]

Like some others here, I feel like Ellen is the obvious logical choice, if she wants to do it. She’s uncontroversial but well-liked, and she’s done it before and been good, and, well, she’s demographically well-positioned to minimize the target that domino talks about.

Basically she seems like she would allow everyone to say, “ok fine”.

[soundchaser]

The only choice that makes sense: The Muppets

[spectre]

My understanding is that RuPaul has said some things that deeply offend the trans community, for what that’s worth.

As ContraPoints says in one of her videos, "everyone is problematic, and I disown them all".

It's kind of funny when you think of some of the decision-making going into this (weighty, world-changing!) decision: it has to be someone who a) people recognise from TV; b) is either hot or funny (men are generally exempt from the former qualification); c) hasn't expressed probbo views on Twitter one time; d) isn't right-wing; e) isn't an actual leftist who might rock the boat too much by moving beyond liberal platitudes; f) doesn't have any accusations of sexual misconduct hanging over their head (proven or otherwise), of course; and, as an afterthought, g) has some modicum of talent and capacity to keep people watching for however many hours the bloody thing goes for. I think I have just the candidate:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... d-in-china

[Apperson]

Well the Screen Actors Guild nominees just answered the question on whether the industry would tank the quality of the contenders in order to nominate popular films.

Full list of nominations.

[domino harvey]

That nomination list is some next level pandering

[mfunk9786]

Aside from a couple populist exceptions I'm sure the Oscars will look very similar

[knives]

Agreed, outside maybe Blunt I don't see anything abnormal in the main four.

[Apperson]

It's the ensemble nominees and Beale Street completely missing that most are irritated with, including myself. There is no earthly reason for Bohemian Rhapsody to be in ensemble besides all that money, Black Panther might be similar to others but at least people have talked about more than one performance from that film, I'm fine with its inclusion.

[mfunk9786]

The actors in Beale Street aren't big names for the most part, which is unfortunately who SAG are concerned with recognizing. Haven't seen Bohemian Rhapsody or Crazy Rich Asians but the devil I don't know is better than the devil I do, at least those slots weren't allocated for A Quiet Place or Mary Poppins Returns

[mfunk9786]

Michael Phillips' Top 10 & twenty honorable mentions

[criterionoop]

Another potential factor at play might be the availability of screeners. Screeners are a notorious thorn for guilds, especially SAG, because if the voting committee doesn’t get them in time, then they are probably not gonna vote for the film. But I can’t explain why something like BOHEMIAN got in over THE FAVOURITE (say what you will about liking or disliking THE FAVOURITE, but that ensemble of actors deserved “Best Cast”).

[mfunk9786]

The review embargo just lifted for Mary Poppins Returns and the reception is lukewarm at best

[hearthesilence]

Film Comment's 2018 poll results.

The top ten were:
1. Zama (Lucrecia Martel)
2. Burning (Lee Chang-dong)
3. First Reformed (Paul Schrader)
4. Roma (Alfonso Cuarón)
5. Western (Valeska Grisebach)
6. Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
7. Let the Sunshine In (Claire Denis)
8. The Other Side of the Wind (Orson Welles)
9. Happy as Lazzaro (Alice Rohrwacher)
10. Hale County This Morning, This Evening (RaMell Ross)

[Persona]

Film Comment's top 10 is a nice palate-cleanser after that SAG nastiness.

I'm sorry, no Ethan Hawke nom and you are instantly discredited in my mind.

[mfunk9786]

I still won't believe he's getting an Oscar nomination until I see it with my own eyes. I think First Reformed gets shut out of all major categories

[Persona]

You're probably right. It's being championed by virtually every critic's circle thing so I got my hopes up, only to have Globes and SAG shoot 'em down.

It still seems like a pretty big disconnect to me.

[Fiery Angel]

He's been nominated before, so I'll bet he gets one from the Academy.

[knives]

David Ehrlich's got his video up with some pretty interesting choices.

[DarkImbecile]

Spoilers for Annihilation in that video, if you haven’t seen it yet

[mfunk9786]

He had said that The House that Jack Built was going to be in his top 25 (he gave it 4 and a half stars on Letterboxd) but wussed out. Always a fun video, though.