I am a middle-aged male cinephile. I've seen my share of movies. This one made my fingers itch to write a review, halfway into the film. I managed to see the whole of it and oh boy I am pissed off! And let me tell you why.
There are some things that bother me but I will gladly give them a pass, like:
But seven freaking Oscars?
And now for the cherry on top!
Three Oscars for acting! For Best Female Lead, and both supporting actor and actress? Seriously? It makes no sense! I mean the script is so ridiculous that almost anyone could recite the lines and do the gestures and the funny faces. And even when the cast has a chance to connect with the audience, the script being so over the top surreal, deprives them of this opportunity and get lost again.
Please, the Oscars have become a joke. I have nothing against the actors, but did they deserve Oscars? No! Why? Because using the Academy's current logic Jamie Lee Curtis could have gotten an award for Halloween, Ke Huy Quan for Goonies, and Michelle Yeoh for Crouching Tiger, or even James Bond for all I care, it would make so much more sense than winning for their work in this production. Stephanie Hsu who was also nominated for best female support role, was the only one that brought some consistant acting skills to this movie.
Seasons change, trends come and go, the world changes, but for this movie to be considered the best Hollywood has to offer right now, that is simply ludacrous and it tells you a lot about the state of the Arts in general.
Promoting this movie as the best of the best, it shows you how much Hollywood care about quality, which is not at all! It only cares about things like being "inclusive" and "open minded", and that's another reason why people don't watch movies in the theaters anymore. Why would a family of 3 paying tickets for this movie... They would feel ripped off, of their money and their time they could have spent elsewhere having actual fun, I do.
Concluding, I don't know how to rate this. A 5 out of 10 is the best I can do, just because the movie is supposed to be weird and it suceeds in that.
There are some things that bother me but I will gladly give them a pass, like:
- The script is a deliberate mess, it is supposed to be, fine I get it!
- The style is like Kung Fu Hustle, with a hidden "serious" meaning. Sometimes silly, sometimes rude, sometimes even offensive to the eyes, mixed with some "forced" drama to make an impact, give a touch of superficial reasoning to the story. Sure, I can live with that.
But seven freaking Oscars?
- Editing, yes very well deserved!
- Costumes? Sure, whatever, why not?
- Music score? I don't know, the script is so out whack, that it needs a "specific" kind of music. So maybe this is it. They awarded the musicians an Oscar for their effor to watch this movie again and again and try to make music...
- Directing? Why? Was it because of bringing that weird idea of theirs to life, and for some well placed dolly shots? But if that is the case, then why didn't the Wachowskis win an Oscar for the Matrix and they had to settle for a mere Saturn Award? Why didn't Tarantino win one for Kill Bill? He had to be satisfied with a Golden Schmoes award for Trippiest Movie of the Year.
- Screenplay? Are we giving Awards to absurdity? Was the academy that impressed? The idea is, some call it "original", I call it "wacky", it is certainly "surreal", but "Oscar worthy"? I am at loss for words.
- Best motion picture! You gotta be kidding me! But I guess this is a given, since it got so many oscars from the other categories. It had the top "High Score" of the night, so they gave it the MVP Award. LOL!
And now for the cherry on top!
- Acting! What can you say about actors in a slapstick silly movie? They are fine I guess... But again are they Oscar worthy? No way!
Three Oscars for acting! For Best Female Lead, and both supporting actor and actress? Seriously? It makes no sense! I mean the script is so ridiculous that almost anyone could recite the lines and do the gestures and the funny faces. And even when the cast has a chance to connect with the audience, the script being so over the top surreal, deprives them of this opportunity and get lost again.
Please, the Oscars have become a joke. I have nothing against the actors, but did they deserve Oscars? No! Why? Because using the Academy's current logic Jamie Lee Curtis could have gotten an award for Halloween, Ke Huy Quan for Goonies, and Michelle Yeoh for Crouching Tiger, or even James Bond for all I care, it would make so much more sense than winning for their work in this production. Stephanie Hsu who was also nominated for best female support role, was the only one that brought some consistant acting skills to this movie.
Seasons change, trends come and go, the world changes, but for this movie to be considered the best Hollywood has to offer right now, that is simply ludacrous and it tells you a lot about the state of the Arts in general.
Promoting this movie as the best of the best, it shows you how much Hollywood care about quality, which is not at all! It only cares about things like being "inclusive" and "open minded", and that's another reason why people don't watch movies in the theaters anymore. Why would a family of 3 paying tickets for this movie... They would feel ripped off, of their money and their time they could have spent elsewhere having actual fun, I do.
Concluding, I don't know how to rate this. A 5 out of 10 is the best I can do, just because the movie is supposed to be weird and it suceeds in that.