Beastly Reviews: The 2014 Academy Awards
Gravity defies logic, Jared does drag, and Pharrell wears shorts.
I’m Alexander Cheves, and this is LOVE, BEASTLY—a blog about sex, feelings, and manhood. It’s written mostly for men—gay, straight, bi, MSM, or just curious—but some readers are women, and some don’t fit into categories. Everyone’s welcome here.
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I'm not sure if you caught the 2014 Oscars, but I did. Here's a recap.
Bradley Cooper is hot. Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity scooped up many wins. Bafflingly, the film was awarded the Oscar for Best Cinematography, despite the entire movie being created using CGI. What "cinematography" actually exists in it will be a question debated in film classes for the next few years. This interesting New York Times article explains how it was made. Similar to Avatar a few years ago, the creative team had to invent a new form of moviemaking. This seems to be a growing trend, as Best Cinematography awards have gone to CGI-heavy flicks in recent years.
Joaquin Phoenix won nothing for his career-defining performance in Her, though the film did win Best Original Screenplay.
When I saw Dallas Buyers Club in its opening week, I thought, "This film is so hard to market that it's going to get ignored." I was wrong.
Matthew McConaughey seemed out of place in the leading role, but he delivered the performance of his career. McConaughey began changing audience expectations in 2012 with dark indie films like Mud, Killer Joe, and Lee Daniels' The Paperboy. I saw all of them, watched the evolution happen, and still felt McConaughey was an odd choice for a role that queer audiences could easily hate. But maybe that's the point. The actor has the image of a red-blooded conservative, someone out of place among AIDS-addled drag queens and activist fags, yet he becomes their straight-guy hero, and he’s based on a real character; the film is based on a true story.
Queer people are offended that Dallas erases us from our tragedy, commits pinkface with the invention of Jared Leto's "Rayon" character, and awards a hero's medal to the lone hetero saviour—all valid complaints—but even so, McConaughey's performance carries the film. His character—straight, homophobic, womanising Ron Woodroof— was a real asshole before he became an unlikely gay ally.
Jared Leto took home the award for Best Supporting Actor for his turn as a Dallas trans woman named Rayon. The role has caused some controversy. Yes, various transgender actresses could have played the role. But before the part became political, it was just a job for Leto—one he did well, in my opinion. He delivered a powerful and stirring performance. It is more precise to take issue with the casting director who chose Leto, or with the screenwriter responsible for the off-colour trans jokes in the film. Or with the whole idea of the character, who is entirely invented—a fact that makes Rayon feel like pure optics, tokenism. (Were there really no real-life trans people involved in AIDS activism in Texas during the ‘80s who could have been depicted in the film? None?)
Now, about the fashion. Guys in suits generally get overlooked by gown-wearing starlets, so I'll just make a quick, passing remark on the dreadful white dinner jacket thing that invaded this year's red carpet. Along with McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Ryan Seacrest also wore white jackets. Thespians, pay attention: White jackets belong to assholes on prom night, guys who show up in fedoras and walking canes, who later pull stupid senior pranks and get DUIs. Let's not make them a thing.
Pharrell Williams wore a Lanvin jacket and shorts. Yes, shorts. I loved it. Bradley Cooper rocked a simple black bowtie and some dashing scruff, proving that a gentleman doesn't have to go for flash. After starring in two films that rocked the Oscars (Silver Linings Playbook last year and this year's American Hustle), I wish Bradley would win something. Ellen, thanks for the legendary selfie.
The night was hot with tension and social politics, but overall, I felt rewarded, if not a little unmoved, at this year's winners. Bradley, your baby blues burn forever in my heart.
Love, Beastly