"Selma" Came Up Short at The Oscars Due to Being "Too Political"

Scene from Selma (2014)

With everything going on in the world, specifically in relation to The George Floyd Protests, there is a lot of focus around the need for change. Many are taking moments to look back on their lives and wonder how they could better themselves. Among the films that many are turning to is Selma (2014), which managed to nab an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. It's a film whose importance remains abundantly clear, especially as the cry for unity parallels modern events. However, this past week also brought about some news regarding why a film so monumental may have under-performed with The Academy: it was too political. In a recent Twitter conversation, it was revealed that the phrase "I Can't Breathe" kept the film from doing better, and in the process showed how much has changed in just five years and what still needs to be improved.

Review: "13th" is a Vital Documentary That Defines America in 2016

One of the biggest conflicts surrounding the 2016 presidential elections has been the unsettling and rampant nature of racism. With one candidate suggesting banning Muslims and "rapist" Mexicans as well as fixing the hellish slums of black communities; the idea of America being a nation of progress becomes hard to believe. As the election gets closer, it feels right to become introspective about why this remains such an issue and  how the culture seeks to face any change. Director Ava Duvernay jumps into the documentary world with the vital 13th: a documentary chronicling how despite the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, it ended up creating a new form of racial bias. It may be specifically about the prison system, but in just 100 minutes, Duvernay's dissection creates a strong indication of the bigger racial problems in America.

When Will There Be More Female Best Director Oscar Nominees?

Kathryn Bigelow

It is likely by now that everyone in America has heard the news. After months of contention and voting, Hillary Clinton has become the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party. This is pretty big news, especially considering that she will be the first woman to do so, and whose odds of winning seem increasingly likely. It's been an overwhelming moment for women nationwide, who are now believing in the "You can be anything you want to be." narrative more than ever before. However, there's another field that seems to have not embraced female contribution: The Academy Awards. No, this isn't about the Best Actress categories, but more in the Best Director and even Best Picture category. While there have been a few bright spots, the average year sees some absence of a certain gender in these fields. The question isn't when there will be a female directed Best Picture winner. That already happened. What's the bigger question is when will this become the normative. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Selma" (2014)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

A Few Words on the Oscars' Race Debate from "Selma" Star and Director

There's been a lot of controversy surrounding director Ava Duvernay's Selma over the past few weeks thanks to a lot of backtalk from Twitter. It even forced the Academy's president to make a public statement about race. However, we haven't really heard about it from the people that matter most in this situation: the cast and crew of Selma. True, we've already heard director Spike Lee make a public statement (basically: "F**k them") in regards to the Academy's racial preference. However, over the past week, both the director and actor David Oyelowo have come forth to discuss the snubbing with differing degrees of honesty and maturity that a lot of the Oscars So White movement is missing out on.

Why I Hate the "Oscars So White" Campaign

It's the happiest time of the year for fans of movie award shows. For better or worse, the Academy Awards are perceived as the pinnacle of cinema in any given year. In fact, there's very little to argue against this, considering that when someone "bad" happens, the internet gets into a frenzy over a few poor judgment calls. While this is a warranted comment on a society desiring further equal representation in their pop culture media, it is also a little uninformed. With the slogan "Oscars so white" popping up on Twitter, there's concern that 2014's nominees is the least diverse in 20 years. This is true, but please stop acting like this is a new outrage.

Review: "Selma" is the Civil Rights War Movie We Need Right Now

There is something that seems suspect about director Ava Duvernay's Selma. It isn't any potential historical inaccuracies. It isn't that the film seems shoddily made. It is more the relevance that it manages to have in the current moment. Compared to most other 2014 biopics such as The Theory of Everything or The Imitation Game, the events of Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and the protesters who marched feel like supplants for contemporary news such the Ferguson riots or Eric Garner. Thankfully, the film itself still manages to feel relevant and comes spiked with triumph in ways that don't make this just the story of King, but of a country at a cross section, wishing to better itself against prejudices ranging from law to race.

A Theory on Why "Selma" Could Win Best Picture

Scene from Selma

I know that I haven't necessarily been kind to director Ava Duvernay's Selma. After seeing an advanced screening awhile back, I was left with a middling reaction. In all honesty, the film was adequate, occasionally using violence to overtly dramatize situations. It also hurt that I wasn't necessarily invested in any supporting character despite the film's title (and impressive cast) suggesting that I should be. I came away feeling like Dear White People had a more invigorating take on race relations in America. I feel isolated now in having a humble opinion because everybody seems to love it. Even critics that I have considered to have defined tastes (David Ehrlich) have put it on the Best of 2014 lists. With all of this said, I want to put aside differences for one post and suggest something radical. It is only a theory right now, but I think that Selma can take Best Picture simply by good timing.

A Few Thoughts on "Selma" as the First Trailer is Released

Left to right: David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo

As the race burns on, there's a few names that randomly pop up as late entries. Among them is director Ava DuVernay's Selma, which chronicles the events surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.'s (David Oyelowo) march through Selma, GA back in the 60's. It is an important event and one that seems very opportune for a biopic. With the release of the first trailer for Selma, I figured that I would share some truths: I have already seen this film at an advanced preview. What I say should be taken as opinion, but reflective of how I feel that it will do in the race based on the compiled version, which admittedly was still going through edits at the time about a month ago.