The list of nominees for best documentary at the Academy Awards is out and Dinesh D’Souza’s ridiculous documentary propaganda film didn’t get a nomination. Cue the howls of outrage from D’Souza and the right wing about the terrible bias and persecution they face.
“Dinesh warned me this might happen,” Molen said with a laugh Tuesday. “The action confirms my opinion that the bias against anything from a conservative point of view is dead on arrival in Hollywood circles. The film’s outstanding success means that America went to see the documentary in spite of how Hollywood feels about it.”
D’Souza echoed his producer’s words.
“I want to thank the Academy for not nominating our film,” D’Souza joked. “By ignoring 2016, the top-performing box-office hit of 2012, and pretending that films like Searching for Sugar Man and This Is Not a Film are more deserving of an Oscar, our friends in Hollywood have removed any doubt average Americans may have had that liberal political ideology, not excellence, is the true standard of what receives awards.”
Well sure, because box office gross is obviously the only measure that matters. The highest grossing film every year should win the Academy Award, right? Like in 1986, Top Gun should have won best picture instead of Platoon. And Terminator 2 was obviously way better than Silence of the Lambs. Because money is the only thing that matters, not quality. And let’s make this clear: 2016 wasn’t denied an Oscar nomination because it advocates a conservative point of view, it was denied an Oscar nomination because it’s fucking nuts.
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steve oberski
December 12, 2012 at 11:07 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ed, I was with you all the way until you dissed Terminator 2.
otrame
December 12, 2012 at 11:13 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m with Steve. T2 was a great movie.
Zinc Avenger (Sarcasm Tags 3.0 Compliant)
December 12, 2012 at 11:14 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I don’t know, it made for a rather entertaining absurdist dystopian fantasy.
richardelguru
December 12, 2012 at 11:16 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“that the bias against anything from a conservative point of view is dead on arrival in Hollywood circles”
I’m glad he thinks that there is no bias against a
stupidconservative point of view in Hollywood.Either that or I’m sad that he has no idea what d.o.a. means.
One or the other.
Matrim
December 12, 2012 at 11:17 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
T2 was fundamentally inferior to the original Terminator.
Reginald Selkirk
December 12, 2012 at 11:17 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
In other news, the documentary Red Dawn was also shut out of the Oscar nominations.
composer99
December 12, 2012 at 11:19 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
… wait, was this supposed to be sarcasm?
davidct
December 12, 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
If you are too brain dead from FOX, the film might seem like great art.
T2 was not crap, just different from Silence of the lambs. For character reality Hannibal Lector and the terminator are actually about equal.
Budbear
December 12, 2012 at 11:24 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“The film flutters to the ground like so much GOP convention confetti, all assertions, few facts and little substance other than the conspiratorial right wing talking points that are D’Souza’s bread and butter.” – Roger Moore,
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
“The film is a sleepy dud, a polemic that, like D’Souza himself, is at once both outrageous and deeply boring.” -
Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice
“[This] unsubstantiated mess isn’t much of a movie or a documentary.” – Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix
Need I continue?
Doug Little
December 12, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Rotten Tomatoes has it at
14% by top critics.
Average Rating: 3.5/10
Critic Reviews: 14
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 12
Alan Scherstuhl from the Village Voice writes,
Doug Little
December 12, 2012 at 11:31 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Dammit Budbear you beat me to it.
thomasmorris
December 12, 2012 at 11:38 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Fuck you, D’Souza. He hasn’t even heard of those films and has no idea what they’re even about, yet he simply “knows” they couldn’t be as good as his piece of shit.
“This is Not a Film” is a far braver and more intelligent work than anything you could ever even dream of making.
For those who don’t know – which I imagine is most people – “This is Not a Film” was made by the Iranian activist director Jafar Panahi (whose filmography is full of movies critical of various aspects of Iranian society, including its treatment of women and its wide class gaps.)
He made most of “This is Not a Film” on his smart phone – while he was under house arrest. That’s because he was arrested for his participation in the 2009 protests, and had been sentenced to six years in prison and banned from making films for 20 years. The completed film had to be smuggled out of the country in a birthday cake.
It’s not the most entertaining movie, but it’s a brave and important one. And infinitely more deserving of an Oscar than anything D’Souza will ever make.
Ben P
December 12, 2012 at 11:43 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My reaction to “top grossing film” was wtf, surely that cant’ be true. And sure enough, it’s not.
2016 earned $33.6 million at the box office, possibly (and ONLY possibly) making it the top grossing documentary. “Chimpanzee” grossed 28 million as of September and might be close as I suspect it will continue to get views, while 2016 dropped off after the election.
Comparably Farenheit 9/11 grossed 119 million in its lifetime theater run, March of the Penguins $77 million.
But that’s all chump change compare to the big budget releases. For 2012 to date:
Marvel’s the avengers – $623 Million
The Dark Knight Rises $443 Million
The Hunger Games $408 Million
Twilight 3 – $269 Million
Skyfall – $262 million
It may be notable that the (so far) top grossing film of 2012, The Avengers is not nominated for any of the major categories. It has a nomination for “Best Original Score” (among 50 others) and “Best Visual Effects” (among about 8 others)
marcus
December 12, 2012 at 11:44 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Well, if there is not an Oscar category for “Stupidest Piece of Shit Propaganda”released this year by “Some Dumbass with a Camera and Too Much Fucking Money” there ought to be.
jaxkayaker
December 12, 2012 at 12:03 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Off topic, but the 2nd time I watched Silence of the Lambs, which was after I read the book, I found Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Hannibal Lecter to be clownish, not menacing.
busterggi
December 12, 2012 at 12:12 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wait a minute – aren’t documentaries supposed to be unbiased honest stories? How could a film with an announced political agenda even be considered a documentary?
Raging Bee
December 12, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
+1 on T2. What was so wunnerful about “Silence of the Lambs” anyway? I never saw the movie, but that’s because I never heard or read ANYTHING that might convince me to see it. Would someone please explain what makes it worthy of any sort of award?
As for D’Sozzled, he’s once again proving how totally infantile the radical right are. His reaction could easily be shortened to “Well, my mommy said it’s a good movie, so you’re all wrong! I don’t wanna play your stupid game anyway!” without losing any of the substance of what he said.
Well, if there is not an Oscar category for “Stupidest Piece of Shit Propaganda”released this year by “Some Dumbass with a Camera and Too Much Fucking Money” there ought to be.
There’s something called a “Razzie” or “Golden Raspberry.” There’s also (or there was) the Golden Turkey Awards. So D’Sozzled may still have a chance to win something. The people who gave awards for things like “Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography” and honored such gems as “Plan Nine from Outer Space” should have something for “Most Dishonest Work Ever Labelled a ‘Documentary.’”
thomasmorris @12: I dunno, dude, that film sounds kinda anti-colonialist, doncha think?
brianwestley
December 12, 2012 at 12:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ironically, the creator of the Golden Turkey Awards is rightwing kook Michael Medved.
rgmani
December 12, 2012 at 12:39 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Frankly, I don’t think the merits (or lack thereof) of the film figured in the nomination decision. I think the decision to stay clear of this film was made long before anyone from the nominating committee even saw it. The Academy seems to want to play it safe and stay far away from hyper-partisan political rhetoric aimed at a sitting president – regardless of which political party they belong to. Fahrenheit 9/11 did not get any Oscar nominations either – and that movie made almost four times as much money as Obama’s America.
– RM
patrickashton
December 12, 2012 at 12:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Somebody could have nominated it in the Best Comedy category.
matty1
December 12, 2012 at 1:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Being nuts is no bar to success in Hollywood as Tom Cruise will tell you. More likely it was just a shitty film that no one actually liked.
Reginald Selkirk
December 12, 2012 at 1:34 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Do you have any evidence to back that up? Because I’m no more interested in your brain farts than in D’Souza’s piece of propaganda.
davidworthington
December 12, 2012 at 1:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m waiting for folks here to go nuts over the R&R HOF class of 2013: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/12/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-names-2013-inductees/
scienceavenger
December 12, 2012 at 1:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Amens on T2, although I thought the original was great as well.
As for 2016, it had some of the same twerps involved with its production as “Expelled”, which adds a nod to #16′s comment..propoganda films should not be considered documentaries.
Raging Bee – On SotL, its worth hearing Anthoney Hopkins channel HAL from 2001: A Space Oddysey.
Conservatives never want to address the deep and interesting social question of why they suck at art.
John Hinkle
December 12, 2012 at 2:44 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“
I highly doubt your average American has any opinion whatsoever on this.
fastlane
December 12, 2012 at 2:49 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is the same Douchebag D’souza that’s being sued for embezzlement right?
Ref: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-10-29/news/34782856_1_anti-obama-movie-profits-lawsuit
fifthdentist
December 12, 2012 at 3:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
He’s right. That bias against conservative values has been evident since Ben Stein’s “Expelled” didn’t get an Oscar nomination.
Reginald Selkirk
December 12, 2012 at 3:18 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This film sounds better than D’Souza’s:
democommie
December 12, 2012 at 3:48 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“Well, if there is not an Oscar category for “Stupidest Piece of Shit Propaganda”released this year by “Some Dumbass with a Camera and Too Much Fucking Money” there ought to be”
I was thinking, “Most Unintentionally Humorous Feature Film”.
Dr X
December 12, 2012 at 5:17 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is an outrage on a par with the 2008 Academy snub of The Respected Comrade Supreme Commander Is Our Destiny. That one absolutely killed at the PRK box office.
jasmyn
December 12, 2012 at 6:49 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I can’t wait to see The Avengers get best picture.
Stacy
December 12, 2012 at 11:12 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Aside from the fact that it’s scary and suspenseful and masterfully put together, it features a strong female protagonist who is believably (not perfectly) heroic. It’s about good and evil. Clarice Starling is trying to track down a serial killer (very loosely based on Ed Gein) before he kills the young woman he’s kidnapped. She hopes to get information from Hannibal Lecter, who’s really more of a devil-figure than a realistic serial killer. He’s brilliant, erudite, a man of taste (yeah, yeah, insert cannibal joke here), wealth, and breeding. He’s utterly cruel and impossibly dangerous. He and Starling are opposites (she’s an orphaned hick from West Virginia who cares very much about preventing suffering) but a somewhat disturbing sort of understanding grows between them because they are both smart and self-aware.
It’s one of my very favorite films evar. (I also liked T2.)
Stacy
December 12, 2012 at 11:16 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sorta back somewhere closer to topic, how’s D’Souza’s private life going, does anyone know? ‘Cause I for one am not ready to stop pointing and laughing at him for his hypocrisy yet.
slc1
December 13, 2012 at 6:49 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Re Silence of the Lambs
It got a 96% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.7 rating from IMDB so a lot of folks liked the movie. It was certainly one of Jodie Foster’s better performances. Anthony Hopkins was a suitably scary Hannibal the Cannibal.
bradleybetts
December 13, 2012 at 7:14 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Can it really not have occurred to these people that it’s just a crap film?
Aaron
December 13, 2012 at 2:29 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Silence of the Lambs was a great movie. If you haven’t seen it I would heartily recommend it. Great acting, suspenseful story line, and a few surprises along the way. This inst the Globe Theater by any means, but its a very enjoyable movie.
Nothing supportive could be said of the D’Souza “movie” other than it does a great job of reinforcing the lurid fantasies of its intended audience.
lpetrich
December 17, 2012 at 3:36 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So that’s what his financial backers got for their money?
They’re now suing him for allegedly embezzling some of the profits from the film.