I often wonder if the best films and the best performances win the Oscars. According to Wikipedia, as of 2003, there were only 5816 people who get to vote to determine who gets the gold statuette. The amount of money that studios spent to campaign for their films is quite staggering, (in the milllions of dollars) even though the rules for campaigning have been tightened:
from the Concord Monitor
"even some of this year's best picture nominees say the spending is out
of control. "The time and money that goes into these campaigns is so
disproportionate to the budgets of the films," said Michael London, the
producer of Sideways. "The more money other people spend, the more you
have to spend to remain competitive."
Is the Oscars just a popularity contest with very pretty people fragantly (and often embarrassingly) posing on that long red carpet? I am beginning to think so. I mean whether you like a movie or not is quite subjective, no?
That is why Halle Berry is my newest favourite actor. Showing she is not above making fun of herself and sending up the whole awards process, she actually showed up to pick her "worst actress" award at the annual Razzies awards. I think this is a first hand account, I think:
from Film Force
"John Wilson (head razzie) announced that Berry had "won" the award and immediately
looked to his left. "Here to accept the Razzie is… Halle Berry," Wilson
said with a note of surprise in his voice. To everyone's total shock,
the actress walked out onto the stage clutching her Oscar in her hand.
Wilson handed her the Razzie award and she took the podium. The crowd
lit up at this point, giving Berry a standing ovation for her gracious
acceptance of the disgrace. Feigning tears of joy, Berry did a
point-perfect send-up of her own Oscar tearful showing when she won for
Monster's Ball at the 2002 awards. "
You go girl!
