Ensign Lestat's Oscars Countdown, 22/02/2014
'The Wolf of Wall Street'
Nominations - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill)
I always knew that when I started writing about 'The Wolf of Wall Street' that there would be a chance that it would devolve into a rant about female representation, the celebration of the 'bad' and the misuse of power. I mean, I knew that I would feel, after watching the film, that if the likes of Martin Scorsese can stoop to the level of showing in-your-face nudity, what hope is there for younger, upcoming directors, who have already grown up in an environment with a skewed view of women.
There I go, I've already started ranting, and the review's not even begun. I think back to 'The Departed', which won Best Picture - it was uber-violent for those days (when was it, like 10 years ago?), but it was interesting, fascinating and diabolical. I don't remember there being any nudity, or if there was any, it sure didn't shock or annoy me. But 'The Departed' wasn't for everyone. But, then, no film or art is. It's all subjective.
'Wolf' has already courted a fair bit of controversy for the debauchery as well as its glorification of the bad guy.
It's the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), who was a stockbroker who specialised in defrauding his clients. Awesome, just the kind of film we need to see when most of us are reeling from unemployment, ponzi schemes and what not. I'm a bitter cynic, I know.
Okay, it being a Scorsese film, there are scenes, especially in the beginning, that are outstanding. I mean, how can you not love the bits where Belfort and his mates are setting up the company or when Belfort is showcasing his fabulous verbal talents? They were mind-bogglingly brilliant. I loved them! But then, it would all get ruined by a particularly explicit scene, and my enjoyment would fall to -100.
I had a conversation with my Mom about this film. She hasn't watched it, but she'd heard my sister talking about it. Now, it was my turn. We both pondered over whether we were too prudish to enjoy the film. It could be our upbringing - we are unused to seeing stuff like this. But, no, I say, to hell with my upbringing - sex is not a problem, it's equality. You mean to tell me that ALL the strippers, wives, girlfriends, what not, were all size-zero model types? Are you kidding? We aren't made of the same mould, no matter how much Hollywood tries to tell us that. If Leo can be fit but not perfect, and the other guys can all be round and rounder, then why can't the women?
Ah.... I guess I'm just angry. I'm angry because I wanted to like this film, but I couldn't completely enjoy it. No, there was just too much debauchery, and not enough comeuppance (not sure why I used that word). Belfort gets off lightly as compared to his colleagues who he rats out. He got three years in jail, and then became some kind of sales guru. This for swindling people out of millions, and being an out-and-out jerk as well. Weird.
Usually films on this subject have a kind of moral, but I felt this one sort of missed that boat. I'll confess that DiCaprio was amazing. As much as I didn't like his character, without a doubt he came across as charismatic, funny and intense. He completely absorbed the role, and, while you couldn't forget who he was, he definitely gave it his all. I'm only against him getting a win because I'm against the film. So shoot me, I can't help it, but seriously, do we need full-frontal female nudity to show an affair? WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The supporting cast were able, but Jonah Hill's nomination makes no sense - he's himself, but with buck teeth. It's like there's just one pool of people to choose from for awards season, and to hell with everyone else. It's boring! I have no faith in the Academy.
I'm not surprised that the film's been nominated, because this is completely up the Academy's alley. But, as I mentioned in one of my earlier logs, it would be nice to have some balance. We may not have as many stories about female debauchery as we do male, but we could even the odds one way or the other when it comes to representation. The big films always focus on the same kinds of people and the same stories (not exactly, but it's the same groups and sub-groups). I can understand why people are frustrated (and I don't only mean women). All our media is unbalanced, and now that women have a voice, they're vocal with their opinions, so of course people don't like it. But, you know, I wouldn't have a problem with films like 'Wolf' if some of the other nominees presented a much more favourable view of women or were cognizant of the fact that women played quieter (and some not so quiet) but equally important roles in the past.
Anyway, this log has become more of a rant than I had intended it to be. Fact is, while the film explores an interesting story, it is not always cogently shown. The Ziegernik effect doesn't work here - and don't get me started with the interview-style filming of the film, it is daft and out of place. There's got to be better ways of doing it. This year's most hyped Best Picture films have been utterly disappointing in the innovation stakes.
I'm disappointed with this choice, and am worried that this film is likely to bag a lot of awards and set a precedent for future film-makers that the only films that will be award-worthy are the ones that stoop low, ill-represent women and glorify bad deeds.
'The Wolf of Wall Street'
I always knew that when I started writing about 'The Wolf of Wall Street' that there would be a chance that it would devolve into a rant about female representation, the celebration of the 'bad' and the misuse of power. I mean, I knew that I would feel, after watching the film, that if the likes of Martin Scorsese can stoop to the level of showing in-your-face nudity, what hope is there for younger, upcoming directors, who have already grown up in an environment with a skewed view of women.
There I go, I've already started ranting, and the review's not even begun. I think back to 'The Departed', which won Best Picture - it was uber-violent for those days (when was it, like 10 years ago?), but it was interesting, fascinating and diabolical. I don't remember there being any nudity, or if there was any, it sure didn't shock or annoy me. But 'The Departed' wasn't for everyone. But, then, no film or art is. It's all subjective.
'Wolf' has already courted a fair bit of controversy for the debauchery as well as its glorification of the bad guy.
It's the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), who was a stockbroker who specialised in defrauding his clients. Awesome, just the kind of film we need to see when most of us are reeling from unemployment, ponzi schemes and what not. I'm a bitter cynic, I know.
Okay, it being a Scorsese film, there are scenes, especially in the beginning, that are outstanding. I mean, how can you not love the bits where Belfort and his mates are setting up the company or when Belfort is showcasing his fabulous verbal talents? They were mind-bogglingly brilliant. I loved them! But then, it would all get ruined by a particularly explicit scene, and my enjoyment would fall to -100.
I had a conversation with my Mom about this film. She hasn't watched it, but she'd heard my sister talking about it. Now, it was my turn. We both pondered over whether we were too prudish to enjoy the film. It could be our upbringing - we are unused to seeing stuff like this. But, no, I say, to hell with my upbringing - sex is not a problem, it's equality. You mean to tell me that ALL the strippers, wives, girlfriends, what not, were all size-zero model types? Are you kidding? We aren't made of the same mould, no matter how much Hollywood tries to tell us that. If Leo can be fit but not perfect, and the other guys can all be round and rounder, then why can't the women?
Ah.... I guess I'm just angry. I'm angry because I wanted to like this film, but I couldn't completely enjoy it. No, there was just too much debauchery, and not enough comeuppance (not sure why I used that word). Belfort gets off lightly as compared to his colleagues who he rats out. He got three years in jail, and then became some kind of sales guru. This for swindling people out of millions, and being an out-and-out jerk as well. Weird.
Usually films on this subject have a kind of moral, but I felt this one sort of missed that boat. I'll confess that DiCaprio was amazing. As much as I didn't like his character, without a doubt he came across as charismatic, funny and intense. He completely absorbed the role, and, while you couldn't forget who he was, he definitely gave it his all. I'm only against him getting a win because I'm against the film. So shoot me, I can't help it, but seriously, do we need full-frontal female nudity to show an affair? WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The supporting cast were able, but Jonah Hill's nomination makes no sense - he's himself, but with buck teeth. It's like there's just one pool of people to choose from for awards season, and to hell with everyone else. It's boring! I have no faith in the Academy.
I'm not surprised that the film's been nominated, because this is completely up the Academy's alley. But, as I mentioned in one of my earlier logs, it would be nice to have some balance. We may not have as many stories about female debauchery as we do male, but we could even the odds one way or the other when it comes to representation. The big films always focus on the same kinds of people and the same stories (not exactly, but it's the same groups and sub-groups). I can understand why people are frustrated (and I don't only mean women). All our media is unbalanced, and now that women have a voice, they're vocal with their opinions, so of course people don't like it. But, you know, I wouldn't have a problem with films like 'Wolf' if some of the other nominees presented a much more favourable view of women or were cognizant of the fact that women played quieter (and some not so quiet) but equally important roles in the past.
Anyway, this log has become more of a rant than I had intended it to be. Fact is, while the film explores an interesting story, it is not always cogently shown. The Ziegernik effect doesn't work here - and don't get me started with the interview-style filming of the film, it is daft and out of place. There's got to be better ways of doing it. This year's most hyped Best Picture films have been utterly disappointing in the innovation stakes.
I'm disappointed with this choice, and am worried that this film is likely to bag a lot of awards and set a precedent for future film-makers that the only films that will be award-worthy are the ones that stoop low, ill-represent women and glorify bad deeds.
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