Memo to the Academy (AMPAS) Pick a Woman for the Honorary Oscar

Lately I have been reading a lot about women, or the lack there of in film.  This is a simplistic way of saying women are de-valued in front of, and behind the scenes in the film industry.  I think the Academy Awards can play a big role in working toward changing this, but where is the root of the problem?  I have preached on this subject numerous times, but there were two articles which I have read recently, which highlight the flaws in the system, from critics to the Academy.

The first article comes from theweek.com, entitled  "Girls on Film: The Heat breaks new ground by not being groundbreaking" by Monika Bartyzel.  What I love about this article, and the film, is that The Heat is not meant to be a film that breaks the mold its meant to put a twist on the "buddy cop" genre using two women in roles that would be played similarly by men.  Critics have been trashing this film because it did not break new ground, but is merely a funny film with two women in more gendered male typologies.  Bartyzel states "The Heat strives to level the playing field and abolish the notion that women are so different than men — which makes it a window to an audience still applying gendered expectations to women behind and on the screen."  

Bartyzel makes an excellent statement within this article that critics are angry because women are basically not living up to their gendered roles, proving once again that even in the male dominated world of critics women are intended to be viewed from a specific vantage point.

The second article comes from Balder & Dash, and is entitled "DearHollywood: Hiring women directors could rescue could rescue the superhero movie. Love half the human race."  This article is written by Susan Wloszcyna, and highlights one of the most interesting facts about super hero films.  Today super films have Sundance, and obscure auteurs who started in independent film like Marc Webb.  Webb directed The Amazing Spider-Man, but his first film, and most memorable to many is (500) Days of Summer.  In this article Wloszcyna highlights if Webb can break through why can't women like Patty Jenkins (Monster).  Oh wait, Wloszcyna, points out the fact Jenkins was set to direct the sequel to Thor, but was replaced for "creative differences."

Like Wloszcyna I call bull, and there are numerous women out there who could handle a super hero movie, Sarah Polley, Debra Granik, Kathryn Bigelow, Lynne Ramsey, to name a few.  Women are notoriously put off, but it's time to change things, and the Academy can break the mold.

This year the Academy worked toward changing their demographics, and while this has helped with improvements on all levels from gender to race, there is a lot of ground to cover.  One area where they could up their female support (and honestly for people of color) is within the Lifetime Achievement or Honorary Oscar section.  Over the entire history of the Academy the only actresses to win an Honory Oscar (not including juvenile or choreographing Oliver) were:

1954-Gretta Garbo
1970-Lillian Gish
1975-Mary Pickford
1977-Margaret Booth
1981-Barbara Stanwyck
1990-Sophia Loren
1990-Myrna Loy
1993-Deborah Kerr
2009-Lauren Bacall

These women are icons of the screen, but surely the Academy can recognize other icons within this category.  Who are women who made a significant impact on film in the way these women did?  Some of these women have not won Oscars, so who would fit within that category, women like Angela Lansbury, Gena Rowlands,  Shirley Temple, Catherine Deneuve, and of course Doris Day.  There are also women who have won Oscars in this group like Loren, so someone like Julie Andrews, and Barbara Streisand might make sense.  Either way this category is long overdue for a women.

The Heat is an Entertaining Twist on the 'Buddy Cop' Genre

The Heat (3 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids)

Written by Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation)

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, and Demian Bichir

I enjoy the "buddy cop" films, it's the pairing of the opposites, who eventually mine through their differences in order to solve a case for the greater good.  The obviously become best friends in the end as well.  There's 48 Hours, Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, Men in Black, Beverly Hills Cop, to name a few.  I am not sure I noticed, but most buddy cop films, pit together not only "opposites" but people of different races, interesting piece to unpack for another time and place.

The Heat follows uptight FBI Sarah Ashburn (Bullock), and off the rails Boston cop Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) as they are thrown together on a drug case.  The premise is that simple.  In this case of the "opposites" neither woman has ever had a partner because of their intense personalities on both sides of the spectrum.

The best way to look at this film, and the mark it makes in buddy cop franchise is to over look things, and just enjoy the ride.  The Heat is a lot funnier than the previews allude.  While in many movies the previews often signify the best lines this film has so many punches to pull, and there are a lot more jokes to be seen.  I am glad they did not water this down with a PG-13 rating.  McCarthy and Bullock's chemistry is what sells this film, they are great together, and two of the funniest women.  McCarthy continues with the off the wall odd personas, which flopped in Identity Thief but worked here. Director Paul Feig appears to have magical powers which make McCarthy's crass characters just off the charts funny; he directed her to her Oscar nomination in Bridesmaids. I also think this film worked better because of the great way in which Bullock pulled of the "straight person" and mannered comedy she had, great duo.

This duo saves this film, the plot is a little sloppy, and honestly I could have cared less about Larkin the drug kingpin.  This is Katie Dippold's first feature script; she did most of her writing for MadTV, and Parks and Recreation.  I can see the combination of the humor.  To Dippold's credit the film cleverly addresses each of the actresses strengths, and makes these characters even funnier than they could have been. Dippold's script has it flaws, but at the end there is more heart behind this than any buddy cop film. 

The "heart" within this film exists in large, because this is the first buddy cop film to star two women,  a refreshing change of pace.  In the male dominated world of film its surprising that combining two women in this type of premise so long.  The wait may not be worth it for some, but this film turns the genre on its head, providing a more laughs than I can remember in most of the other male driven buddy cop movies.  The Heat is by no mean an auteur's film, but its an entertaining twist on the buddy cop genre, and just plain funny.

June Movies to See and Skip!

May was an interesting month.  Will Smith had his biggest flop of his career (not surprising) and The Incredibles, I mean Iron 3 soared at the box office (also not surprising).  Star Trek has done business on par with the sequel proving you can't bring in more people to that franchise. The film really hitting it big (along with Iron Man) is Fast & Furious 6, which has become this incredibly bankable franchise. 

Now You See Me is a surprise hit, as was The Great Gatsby !  Even on poor reviews Gatsby is up to 250 million worldwide, which is fantastic.  After, After Earth the biggest flop is The Hangover III which will barely make half of its domestic gross, although the overseas numbers will help.

From a creative perspective, most of the films were solid, but nothing out of this world.  Kings of Summer is great small film, and I have Before Midnight and Frances Ha still on my list of must sees.  Iron Man was decent, Star Trek beautifully shot, but I was not blown away by any of them.  I hate to say after looking, just briefly, at the June slate, there is not much hope there either.

June 7th 

The Internship

The Purge

Much Ado About Nothing 

The Internship pairs Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn together after their first succesful outing 8 year ago with Wedding Crashers (can't believe it was that long ago).  Crashers is funny, but has not aged as well for me (40 Year Old Virgin was released the same year).  I think this pairing looks a little bit more force, but they are both fun guys.  I am going to skip it.  You can go, but do so at your own risk!

The Purge starring Ethan Hawke looks like a great concept, but all concept and little execution.  People can do what they want (include kill) within 12 hours?  I am going to skip it, and maybe wait for DVD, or HBO.

Much Ado About Nothing What does one do after directing one of the biggest comic book films of all time?  Why direct a modern creation of a Shakespearean novel with some of your favorite actors.  I love Joss Whedon because he change it up, and this film adaptation looks great!  I will be seeing this, although I am not going to run out right away.

June 14th 

This is the End (June 12th)

Man of Steel

This is the End I saw it already, and you should see it too!  This is one of the funniest, scariest movies, and I loved every second of the inside jokes.  Even though I saw it I would pay to see it again!

Man of Steel sure spent a lot of money in promotion, they can't afford a failure here, and they will not have one.  Based on the good word of mouth, the trailer, the featurettes etc all online  I will absolutely be seeing this, even though I am not crazy about the man of steel himself (my least favorite super hero). 

June 21st 

World War Z

Monster's University 

The Bling Ring

World War Z looks boring for a zombie film.  I have heard a lot of complaints from people who read this book that Z looks nothing like they imagine, and Pitt is miscast, that's not a good sign if book fans are angry from the beginning.  The trailer has just never sold me.  I will be skipping this, and probably watching for free on flight at some point.

Monster's University looks different or that it has lost something from the original.  There was something about the first film which had character and heart this sequel looks like a cheap ploy to make money, although I think that's the bad taste of the 3-D re-release this past December.  I will not be joining Sully and the gang in college.

The Bling Ring got some mixed reviews from critics already citing same old same from Sofia Coppola, but less like able.  I am not sure a film about young girls who steal from celebrities is meant to be a warm and fuzzy film.  I am going to give this one a chance, Coppola has been hit or miss, but who doesn't like a good heist film?

June 28th 

The Heat

White House Down

I'm So Excited 

The Heat looks like it needs more fire.  Pardon the bad pun, but that's all I could think of.  Pairing McCarthy and Bullock with great comedy director Paul Feig seems like a sure fire hit, but just looks terrible like Identity Thief.  Reviews from screenings say this is just a mess and not funny.  I will be skipping this and never watching it just like Identity Thief (can we get Melissa McCarthy better stuff).

White House Down, yes another movie about an attack on the President and DC.  The theme of these movies is obviously a lack of faith in government, but they are not that smart.  While this film has Tatum and Foxx, it's sad to say it does not look as good as the other mediocre film with the same premise released earlier this year.  I will be skipping this assassination attempt.

I'm So Excited, comes from Pedro Almodovar, and this film promises to be in line with his earlier more campy comedies.  I loved Almodovar's darker work like Talk to Her and Volver, but I am excited to see him return to his lighter, and from the looks of the trailer, gayer roots.  I will be seeing this with my red cowboy boots on, thanks Ted!