If there’s one person who loves talking about the Academy Awards as much as I do, it’s Sir Elton John. He’s an Oscar winner after all (Best Song for The Lion King), not to mention an attentive voter who loves hunkering down with his stack of For Your Consideration DVDs over his Christmas holiday. He also throws what I think is the best party of the whole Oscar weekend, the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, which in its 18th year will raise millions of dollars to help combat the disease internationally. In advance of this weekend’s event, the musical superstar and I sat down for a series of quick videos to discuss this year’s top Oscar categories as well as his work on behalf of the EJAF. The videos will play during commercial breaks for guests inside the event on Sunday night. But I’m also running two of them here on OscarWatch. In this pair of clips, Sir Elton and I talk about the Best Director and Best Supporting Actress races, and he divulges which films he’s rooting for this weekend.
Image credit: John: A. Gilbert/PR Photos; Bigelow: Greg Gorman
Love that he loves Precious.
Here Here!!!
Elton John sure likes hyperbole.
Yeah, but what critics don’t make hyperbolic statements? And what readers of EW don’t love snappy journalism? And what accusations of hyperbole can you make when your name references Frank Darabont, the king of Capra-esque sensationalism (oops, I just wrote a hyperbole).
I do agree with Elton about Mo’nique’s performance. I was taken aback, even after reading about her performance for four months. However, I still do not think Precious is a great film. I think its ending is too tidy and not consistent with the sociological critique that is worked throughout most of the movie. I also think the narrative would have been enriched if Mary’s story was better developed, because it was not enough for me that the movie unveiled Mary’s history in the denouement. Just minutes before the closing credits: “Guess what? She’s a victim too!” I wanted more, but it doesn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the entire movie.
PRECIOUS SPOILER ALERT!
Sorry but I disagree that Precious’ ending was “too tidy.” Although the film ended with Precious coming off somewhat happy and optimistic, the truth was she still was a poor black overweight teenaged mother of two with minimal prospects for a great future given that she’s also saddled with AIDS at a time (’87 if I remember correctly) too early to receive truly helpful treatment. I imagine Precious enjoyed a little time of happiness but likely eventually succummed to the ravages of the disease before really helpful medications were available. If the movie took place a few years later I’d be inclinced to hope for a more extended period of happy life for her than I would expect likely happened, but I certainly hope I’m wrong about that. So, to summarize, I took the ending as a short reprieve before the next downfall. I do like to believe her accomplishment of becoming her own person was enough to give her fulfillment…but I do worry.
And no, I don’t feel Mary’s confession can be simply reduced to “she’s a victim too.” Mary’s statement was too complex for me to only see that. To me she came off more human and a bit easier to understand but I didn’t feel it in any way absolved her actions, mearly explained some of it. Mary became 3 dimensional in that scene and the complexities of their lives came to light. Mary made a lot of poor decisions for which she is responsible. The message I took away from the film was that we’re all responsible for the choices we make in life.
@mike, Thanks for the SPOILER ALERT at the beginning — appreciate it.
What hyperboles? That Avatar was technically brilliant and lazy in every other way? Or that Mo’nique urinated on every female performance of the last decade? I see no hyperboles there.
Are you going to post any of the other videos at any point? Would love to know what Elton thinks about the Best Actor category.
Elton needs to be named as Simon Cowell’s replacement on Idol now! He’d be great!
I agree — he would be a great replacement for Simon. Unfortunately, there was a news item on ew.com last month that said Elton wasn’t interested in the job.
Being that Elton is ACTUALLY a talented human being, I think Elton can be doing better things with his life then to be judging a National Karaoke Contest to the worst bunch of contestants in American Idol history. Sure we are talking about “NEXT” year, but then again, with this years crop of crooners, there may not even be an Idol next year after this years bunch.
i really hope that moniqe wins that oscar she really deserves it that was a great performance,
its such a shame that juliane moore wasnt nominated she would have been my second choice instead of that godawful “performance” by maggie whatsherface
Dave Karger conducts the BEST interviews. So engaging.
I would love to know what Elton thinks of the Original Song category. Are songs getting better since “The Lion King?” Does he agree with the Academy’s new rule that limit a film to only two nominations in that category?
I loved one thing Elton said. He said he would pick The Hurt Locker because it is a “grown up” movie. I totally agree that Avatar definitely lacks maturity whereas The Hurt Locker is almost too real at some points.
Agree Carson. Hurt Locker was so hard to watch. It felt too “real” definitely. But I think it’s an important film depicting the Iraq war, like Apocalypse Now is an important film for the Vietnam war. Hard to watch, but important to remember. I’d give the Oscar to Kathryn Bigelow. ‘Bout time a woman director held that statue and particularly one who is so deserving of it!
Exactly! She earned it for her impeccable skills, not her vagoo. But at least if they are, hopefully, going to crown a woman Best Director, it’s for someone who directed a stunning piece of work, and not likable but lightweight fluff. That, to me, would be rewarding a woman for women’s sake. Bigelow sorta makes you think of her as a director, rather than a “female director”. That’s what’s key.
Cant believe we are now listening to the opinions of Elton John over who should win at the Oscars.
Because they are unofficially not allowed to tell their picks. He doesn’t care though. Gosh, don’t be such a spoil-sport.
It’s fundamentally wrong that a composer is allowed to vote for acting winners and vice versa. Voters should only be allowed to vote within their respective genres.
Ooooooo, SOMEONE’s not an Academy voter.
I agree with Ben. It makes no sense that a composer should vote for best actress or that an actor should vote for best editing. It makes no sense and turns it into a popularity contest instead of a seriously considered award by experts within each category.
Precious is too depressing even for 1987. It detracts from ever having any redemption. To then say, well, it’s 2010 is even worse. Show the upside, not trash a black girl. This is what these white audiences like to see of us anyway, so Im not surprised. Its consistent with their view of us. I dont buy that view anymore. Does it really matter if it has a good story if most of what goes to hollywood is empty films with no real value in a more messed up world than 1987.
huh?
Um, hello? This movie was based on a book written by a BLACK author, was directed by a BLACK director, and was produced by BLACK producers.
Avatar will make history Sunday night!!!
I love how he went from “It’s SO difficult to choose” to “The Hurt Locker, hands down” in about 20 seconds.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! Great to see Elton agrees with me on Avatar.
C’mon… where’s the rest???
Wow..SO articulate and brilliant..Could it be that’s because I TOTALLY agree with him??