“But I’m choosing to look at this last year differently than I have in previous years. To me, the Oscar trophy, and the DGA award that went with it — the only two major award bodies to prefer Hooper to Fincher (even the BAFTA gave it to Fincher, for godssakes) — were not the only game in town. In fact, their choice looks odd today. And it will look odder still in the years to come. This is no diss on Hooper (poor Tom Hooper, the fall guy) – it’s just the way of the thing. Look over Oscar and film awards history and you will never see anyone snubbed, not even Martin Scorsese, to the degree Fincher was.”
—Sasha Stone, “The State of the Race: The Aftermath” (via atticusfincher)
February 2011
I am genuinely moved and inspired by James Franco's inability to give a single fuck.
It’s beautiful.
“When Tom Hooper received the Best Director Oscar last night, I died a little inside. Fincher didn’t move, but then again, he didn’t really move at all last night. I wondered if he was perhaps dead in his chair and someone had painted eyes on his eyelids. Maybe he was thinking that this was all crap and it didn’t matter. Maybe he saw the hype train go down the tracks for The King’s Speech and knew what was already going to happen. I heard all the talk. I heard the rallying cries behind The King’s Speech, but still I fought. You’re crazy, I thought. How could you not award Fincher for The Social Network? Everything in that picture was perfect. If you truly look at a Director being at the helm of the entire creative process, then Fincher was the guy. The acting, editing, writing, cinematography and music were all perfect. Nothing more outstanding than the rest. Just a perfect balance. I thought it was a no-brainer that he would win the award. But then everyone began to talk. King’s Speech this and King’s Speech that. Yes it’s a good movie. Yes the performances were great. But it was familiar. It was easy. I can confidently say I have never seen a movie like The Social Network. I have seen several movies like The King’s Speech. So I began to resign myself to the inevitable and I said to myself and anyone who would listen - if The King’s Speech gets best picture, I’m fine with that. Just don’t screw Fincher.”
—Here’s The Problem With What Happened Last Night At The Oscars” (via eduardo-saverin)
“The biggest upset — and I daresay I am actually upset about this — is of course Tom Hooper winning Best Director over David Fincher. Whereas Hooper turned a solid, straightforward script into a solid, straightforward movie, Fincher was tasked with something I personally long thought impossible — how does one make a movie about a bunch of nerds making computer stuff in a Cambridge dorm remotely interesting? Well it turns out one hires David Fincher and he turns The Social Network into a gorgeous, matte-finish movie bulging with strange melancholy and menace. His was a bigger feat than Hooper’s, and I think his loss tonight stood testament to the fact that, as we’ve all whined about in years past (Crash, obvs), the Academy is rarely the voting committee to count on if we’re hoping to see a new tone or have a new conversation. Which is fine! If they want to be boring and traditional, have at it. But to try to pretend that they’re being anything but is just frustrating.”
—Richard Lawson (via leganddairy)
