I read the rumblings in the trade papers about how the dysfunctional family comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" was going to sneak its way into the Oscar nominations, but I was still disappointed that the rumors became reality in the early morning hours today. Granted, 2006 was a weak year for movies, in my opinion, but honestly, the fact that the movie received nominations in every single major category is a little shocking. "Sunshine" is unworthy of a golden statue for two main reasons: First, the tiny bit of redemption at the end of the movie is not worth the 90-minutes of sludge--and I found it to be mostly highly unrealistic sludge at that--to get there, and secondly, giving the nod to a narcissistic, nihilistic movie like this left other redemptive performances out of the limelight.Does the Academy really think a little girl (nominee Abigail Breslin) prancing onstage to "Superfreak" translates into an Oscar-worthy performance over touching performances by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello in "World Trade Center" or Julianne Moore in "Children of Men"? If they wanted to recognize a comedienne, why not nominate the brilliant Catherine O'Hara in "For Your Consideration"? By the same token, Alan Arkin's over-the-top performance doesn't really rate in comparison to many other overlooked performances, such as critically-acclaimed Ken Watanabe's turn in "Letters of Iwo Jima" or even Ben Affleck's role in "Hollywoodland."
Oh , and a little side note to my fellow blogger, Esther: Do you hear those hoofbeats? That's the four horsemen of the cultural apocaplyse bearing down on us, because Borat will most assuredly take home an Oscar for its lewd and crude screenplay. Between "Sunshine" and "Borat," perhaps lewd and crude will be Oscar's theme this year.
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I agree with Iris. I thought Little Miss Sunshine was a really beautiful movie, very touching in an understated way. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at a movie, and there were also moments that got me all choked up. The only objection I have to the nominations is the fact that Toni Collette and Steve Carrell weren't in there too. I enjoyed Borat but I can understand people who can't get behind it for an Oscar. Hoping LMS loses? That I can't really wrap my mind around.
Oh, also, I don't agree with "It's been a weak year in movies", at all. Did you see the Departed? Pan's Labyrinth? Last King of Scotland (holy cow)? Maybe it was a weak year in huge-grossing blockbusters, but then again, when isn't it?
Anyone who thinks "Little Miss Sunshine" is lewd needs a reality check. If you're referring to Olive's little dance number, did you happen to notice the frighteningly adult costumes and frank sexuality of the other little girls? The point, at least as far as I'm concerned, was how naive little Olive was the only pageant contestant who was not a "superfreak". And the fact that her dysfunctional family members thought enough of her to join her onstage in the face of the contemptuous pageant organizers seemed to me quite natural and redemptive. It was a scene of parody. Get it? The little sexpots who surrounded Olive in the pageant were the ones who were lewd and vulgar. And I won't even start on adults who continue to sanction and promote this kind of childhood exploitation. I do believe there is money involved in little girls' pageants as well, a commodity the family of Olive certainly lacked in any abundance. I empathized with the entire bunch. I can't remember when I cared so much about movie characters, who, for your future reference, weren't so much further out there than those of most other families, when their veneer is stripped away.
Are you paid for your opinions? Lord, what an upright and uncomprehending prig. As for the nominees who were left out, Julianne Moore is always great, Maria Bello is a comer, and I think movies exist as a reason to get performances by the always extraordinary Maggie Gyllenhaal beamed across the planet. She was great in "Sherrybaby", too, and in a perfect world, she would certainly be recognized. There are always worthy contenders who must be left out come nomination time, and that's a shame, but to vent your frustrations on an uplifting movie like "Little Miss Sunshine," whose characters found not only redemption but transendence as well, albeit apparently a little too subtly for you to notice, really showcases your own shortcomings or issues as a reviewer.
Is anyone out there taking a good look at what our world and our culture has become? Movies of terror and killing and sex and lewdness -- not to mention what is on TV. People, and particularly Kids, cannot go anywhere without a gameboy at least; a phone in their ear and/or one that gives them movies of questionable choice 24/7. Our kids will be having major hand/wrist/arm trauma - much more painful than carpal tunnel syndrome, because they have to play the disaster/killing/ugly games all the time. God forbid they have to sit in a movie that doesn't scare them to death or impair their judgement. Children get taken away from their parents because they are physically disciplined. Is anyone paying attention to how they talk? God forbid we discipline our children. And look at them! What is happening here? Whatever happened to pretty cartoon movies, ala Disney? Have you looked at the ugly characters? Who do you know that looks like the Simpsons? Or the nasty talking little kids on South Park. That is the TV trend. What happened to the nice movies? And the great historicals, not to mention musicals and romantic thing that make you dream and go away feeling happy? I don't know what else to say. I should probably write a book, someday. But it surely wouldn't sell because it would not be filled with porn and disaster.
I do not see why people think the queen take the LORD name in vain because every heart have their GOD it is either one or the other for example my father was a voodoo worker as he go to cemetery to buy souls to work voodoo the next day he called soe kind of god it cannot be the unique GOD JESUS CHRIST even the jews cannot called the GOD of the bible when they worship bin laden called god sois saddam every each one of us own by a god until JESUS give us the new heart that he promised to the chosen sinner so the queen the poor like me have access to our GOD whether is " JESUS" or the god of the air if you curse bin laden god you get your neck cut off but if you curse my GOD it's ok why I know he does not hear a sinner except he draw you to him and when he does he rescued you from something he proved to you that he is so real you won't curse him and if you do even that sin to was nailed on the cross before the foundation of the world so we true heavenly bound peple we have nothing to worry about even when bin laden's god kill us we close our eyes here and open it in heaven we have nothing to lose JESUS and heaven to gain
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