Sunday, February 1, 2015

Nightcap 2/1/15- My low interest in the Super Bowl, are awards about diversity or the best choice, and Randi's Links

from here on in all Unseen Films writers will be coming at you in 3D
As February starts most of America is watching the over hyped bloated Super Bowl.

As this posts I'm probably sitting in front of the TV checking in on the game, but I'm not really paying a great deal of attention.

I'm fed up with the NFL. Its too many bogus scandals, too much mindless chatter, too much hype and the sneaking suspicion after too many blown calls that the NFL maybe trying to control who ends up in the big game (and considering that the league was founded by a bunch of gamblers isn't surprising).

Over the course of this season I found that I really have stopped caring.

But that's not what this post is about...
---
This morning I was reading Amid Amidi's piece on last night's Annie Awards and I was struck by his comment about their being very few women winning any awards. Where was the diversity?

My question is this is supposed to be an award presented for the best animated films of the year-did the women do the best work? If they did then by all means complain about them not winning the award, but if they didn't do the best work, if they weren't nominated then don't complain about them not being represented.

Are awards supposed to be for the best work or for the most diverse group?

Maybe they just didn't make the cut to be nominated?

As I said above are we picking the best work or are we going for a diverse group so that we don't look bigoted? I would like to think we're going for the best work. Hell, until you can prove to me that anything other than the choice was for the best work (or I voted for my buddy) had anything to do with the voting I'm going to take a skeptical stance.

That may not be politically correct, but if I don't take that stance, especially in lack of real proof to the contrary (and in some cases feeling that say the work wasn't good enough)  then the awards will really mean nothing.  The awards won't be picking the best but something else.
---
Last night I was rereading old posts and in the process I read the piece I did for the Japanese film K-20 back in 2010. In it I found one of my favorite lines I've written:

I have no idea if anyone who I forced copies upon watched the film, I really don’t care because the film just makes me happy, and if they didn’t watch it that’s a little less joy in their world.

I think that kind of sums up my attitude toward the films I throw out to you all to see. Not the new releases or festival films (unless they are good)  but the small gems and off the beaten path films  that Unseen was set up to highlight. If you don't at least try some of the films I throw your way, you're somehow missing out on some possible joy in your life. While what I may like may not be what you like- at least there is the chance of discovering something wondrous and really worth your time.- At least its an effort to go beyond the same old same old.
---
And as always  we end with links from Shelly T Otter's BFF Randi-

9 years ago today the last movie theater in Times Square closed
Facts only MATHNET fans will love
Kurasowa on watching Solaris with Tarkovsky
Rare images of Japan 1917 to 1950
the 1888 blizzard
William Randolph Hearst's Birthday book
On making the new SHAUN THE SHEEP film
NHI admits to transplanting squirrel brains into humans
The Tale of Flat Rabbit

This week a few more shorts, a few random films, some reposts of films coming to theaters before we wade into some of the selections at BAM.

No comments:

Post a Comment