Tag Archives | Oscars

Why did FLOTUS present award for ‘Argo’?

By on February 25, 2013 in News 20

Okay, I’ll admit I haven’t seen Argo, nor did I pay attention to the Oscars. I don’t really know the details of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis either.

I guess I should watch the movie.

Vaguely, I remember a Republican talking point, “Iran is four years closer to a nuclear weapon,” in the 2012 debates. The choice of words struck me as war-hawkish and ominous, but without qualification.

Obama had said in one debate, “As long as I’m president of the United States, Iran will not get a nuclear weapon.” Not really sure what that meant either, other than the US might do something.

Fast forward to last night, Michelle Obama introduced the award for Argo with the following:

“They taught us that love can endure against all odds… And they reminded us that we can overcome any obstacle if we dig deep enough and fight hard enough and find the courage to believe in ourselves.”

The language could be more suggestive of wartime morale boosting than a celebration of actors putting on a show in a film.… Read the rest

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Eat The Academy

By on February 26, 2012 in News 6

On Preventing the Ceremonies of Dumb People in Hollywood From Being a Burden on Their Parent Companies or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public

Kill screen from the Cartoon Network video game Orphan Feast

Kill screen from the Cartoon Network video game Orphan Feast

“I am giving an account of what…ought…to be.”
― William Daniel Defoe, A Friendly Proposal for Foundlings and Bastard Children Moll Flanders

Much like the birth of Christ, historians of film rarely agree on when it happened: the birth of cinema, that is. Perhaps even more controversial, however, is the question of paternity. Who’s your daddy, indeed?

Francophiles will forever laud Méliès, Teutons will zealously campaign for Murnau, the Russians <3 Eisenstein and proud Americans some of D.W. Griffith’s first, err, exploits. And yet, no matter the geographic genesis of film, one fact about its origin remains clear across the national board: it was, in fact, a silent birth. #Scientology.

If radio had delivered the psychologically bewildering disembodied voice (i.e.… Read the rest

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Hollywood Violence, The Pentagon, & Marlon Brando’s Oscar Rejection

By on February 25, 2012 in News 8

Disinformation author Ed Rampell (Progressive Hollywood) features in an episode of “The Point” in which Mimi Kennedy (actress, Midnight In Paris) makes a point about how Hollywood exports violence abroad, and Jordan Zakarin (writer/editor, The Huffington Post) shares his thoughts on the cozy relationship between the film industry and the Pentagon. The final point is on what may be the most controversial moment in Oscars history involving Marlon Brando and Native Americans. Cenk Uygur (host, The Young Turks) leads the discussion with Mike Farrell (actor/activist/writer – president, Death Penalty Focus), Tina Dupuy (managing editor, CrooksAndLiars.com), and Ed.

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15 Docs On Oscar Shortlist

By on November 19, 2009 in News 0

Why is it that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences always makes such boring choices for its Oscar nominations? The procedure is a little different for documentary films, where they first come up with a ‘shortlist.’ Needless to say, as a distributor of documentaries Disinformation would have suggested some other films, such as Robert Greenwald’s timely and compelling Rethink Afghanistan and two personal favorites of mine, Anvil: The Story of Anvil and We Live In Public. Please place your alternative lists in the comments section below. Here’s the story from Variety:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has announced the 15 docus shortlisted for the documentary feature Oscar. The Academy said 89 films had originally qualified for the selection.

Several titles that have already had successful theatrical runs were on the list, including “The Cove,” directed by Louie Psihoyos; “Food, Inc.,” directed by Robert Kenner; “Valentino: The Last Emperor,” directed by Matt Tyrnauer; and “Every Little Step,” directed by James D.

… Read the rest

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