When Oscar Got it Wrong

Every year since 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has presented the Academy Awards, sometimes referred to as the Oscars.

The awards are intended to recognize the best achievements in film making. There are awards for acting, directing, writing, editing, sound, makeup, costuming, and many other technical achievements.

A total of 3,140 Oscar statuettes have been awarded since the inception of the Academy Awards. But some of those awards aren’t justified. Quite frankly, sometimes Oscar gets it wrong.

In 1988 Robin Williams was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor for his starring role in Good Morning , Vietnam. He should have one. Instead Michael Douglas took home the Oscar for Best Actor for his part in Wallstreet. This was despite the fact that Douglas was a supporting actor in Wallstreet. He shouldn’t have even been in contention for Best Actor, much less should he have won.

Don’t get me wrong. Douglas did a good job in Wallstreet. But that doesn’t change the fact that he was a supporting player.

Eventually the Academy gave Williams a “make good” award for Best Supporting Actor in Good Will Hunting. But everyone knows that the award was for Williams body of work over the course of his career, not for the actual role he won in.

Next on my list of Oscar flubs is The Passion of the Christ which should have won the 2005 Best Picture Oscar, as well as Best Director for Mel Gibson. Actor for  should have been in the running for Best Actor for his performance in the title role. However, Passion of the Christ and its principles weren’t even nominated.

Instead, Million Dollar Baby, a decent but unremarkable film, earned Clint Eastwood the Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture. Jamie Foxx deservingly won the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the biopic Ray.

Fast forward to 2017 when the best film of the year, The Disaster Artist, wasn’t even nominated. Nor did it receive nominations for James Franco as Best Director and Best Actor, as he should have. It received a precursory nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Also missing from the 2017 Oscar nominations was The Greatest Showman for Best Picture. I would have been happy with a win by either The Greatest Showman or The Disaster Artist. Instead The Shape of Water won.

Oscar isn’t always going to hit the bullseye. But, as I like to say, “Everyone is entitled to their opinion….mine just happens to be right.”

Peace. Love. Trust.

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