Newsweek did a great article with all of the directors nominated. A roundtable with George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, Bennett Miller & Paul Haggis.
I do not have a lot to say about the nominees. Pretty predictible. I am glad that A History of Violence was able to squeeze in a few. William Hurt was really, really funny and sick in it!
My only criticism is in the Best Original Song nominations. They are:
"In the Deep" - CRASH (I LOVE this song. I just gave Bird York a shout out yesterday!)
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" - HUSTLE & FLOW (OK, I sing this song all the time. It makes me laugh a lot. But nominating it for an Academy Award! This is kind of upsetting and I for one do not want to see Terrence Howard in his suit performing this song on Awards night. I have a big problem with this one and I think I can not watch them do this. Yikes! Friends kept yelling at me for singing this song because it was so insanely offensive but I am a sarcastic gal and cannot help myself. I somehow feel that this nomination is some strange punishment.)
"Travelin' Thru" - TRANSAMERICA (This is the WORST song ever. TERRIBLE!!!! So so so bad. When the credits were going up after Transamerica, Beebs and I looked at one another when this song came on. We thought, "What the heck is this?!" We kept singing it to each other again as a JOKE! Can't Hollywood take a joke? These songs are bad and not bad in a slang way, in a real way.)
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Hustle & Flow as a whole is one of those movies that you have to see in its entirety to appreciate it. I mean, I bought the soundtrack 30 minutes after seeing it, and I can listen to it...but that's because I get the movie as a whole. If you just see it on its own, you'll never understand the context...and then it looks offensive.
So...yes, I hope T. doesn't do it on Oscar night...
Posted by: K Lance | February 01, 2006 at 12:38 AM
Oh I saw the movie and in the context of the movie, the song makes sense but honoring it in that way is a misstep to me.
As to the film not being offensive, well, I'm not sure I agree with that. I was able to just watch it for fun and not focus on the female characters. I have a new theory as to why I had problems with the women in the movie. Scorsese in his movies has women as prostitutes or as objects all the time but he makes no apologies about it. It is the world that these men are in and this world is not about women or even respecting women. That is the world of the movie and I can respect that because it is based in reality.
With Hustle and Flow, the filmmaker really tried to "redeem" each woman in lame, lame ways. He shouldn't have even tried. My friend Isha's favorite thing to say is "I'm in charge!" Remember when the white girl (no other way to describe her sorry) says that at the pawn shop. She sounds so ridiculous because it's so untrue. And yet he really wants us to think she is. Each woman has a lame moment like that. I mean, I get it. They are all empowered because they are helping this guy get his dream. They are a part of it, blah, blah but sometimes it was hard to swallow.
All that said, I did enjoy the movie and the songs. But the feminist movement is taking a bit of a hit with this one.
Posted by: tuckergurl | February 01, 2006 at 08:22 AM
I know you saw it...comment was for the benefit of others...
I understand what you're saying, just not sure that I agree with you. I saw the movie with a female friend, and she didn't have any problems with it, and she's pretty hardcore. She is white, though, so that may have had something to do with it (I remember your comments on the first post).
I didn't really see the "we in charge" having any effect on the Nola character. It wasn't until she actually took charge at the end did I see her "contribute".
Maybe I'll rent the movie this week and see if pick up on any of this stuff.
Posted by: K Lance | February 01, 2006 at 11:33 PM
I also heard the director on NPR and he said a lot of things that bothered me so I am a bit more unhappy with him than I may be with the actual film.
Posted by: tuckergurl | February 02, 2006 at 06:39 AM
I really, really love your blog and your writing style.
Good luck to you and your endeavors!
Creative people Inspire Me! Maybe I can do a story about you one day for one of my publications.
Posted by: Ms. Tee | February 27, 2006 at 10:28 AM