Thoughts on the Oscars

Tomorrow I will do a men's NCAA tournament preview. Today I want to talk about the Oscars.

RD and I just did a podcast where we talked about past Oscar winners, what we thought should have won and gave our predictions for this year. We got some wrong and some right, like most. But, unlike our recent pod, I have no real issues or complaints about any of the major winners last night. I feel like the Academy, for once in its existence, got it pretty spot on. When we recorded, we both talked a lot about "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another". They were the big winners last night as we expected and as it should have been.

I was so stoked for Michael B Jordan winning best actor. When we made our predictions he was my pick. Not only did he play two roles, but he played them exceptionally. He was also two totally different characters in those two roles. It felt like I was watching two different actors playing Smoke and Stack. He did that dual role such wonderful justice and he was rewarded for his hard work. This is going to go down as one of the better performances to win an Oscar. The only person I thought that had a shot to take the award from him was Timothee Chalamet in "Marty Supreme". Both actors did great work, but I will say this forever, Michael B Jordan was two totally different people and he was amazing. I'm very happy for him and for "Sinners".

"Sinners" also got best original screenplay, as it should have. We are talking about a horror/vampire/musical. That is unlike any other thing out there right now. When my wife and I saw "Sinners" we were shocked it wasn't adapted from something else. But this was all Ryan Coogler and his team that made up this wonderful and engaging story. "Sinners" has an originality that a movie like "Everything Everywhere All at Once" had. This was a totally original and totally awesome idea for a movie and Coogler and crew brought it to life perfectly.

"One Battle After Another" took home a ton of hardware. That's great. It was my number 1 movie of 2025 afterall. All of the accolades and awards for "OBAA" are more than deserved. Paul Thomas Anderson finally got his Oscar. I still like "There Will Be Blood" a bit more, but "OBAA" ranks right up there. And even if this is a lifetime achievement thing for him, and the Academy surely expects Coogler to be back, PTA earned this award last night. "OBAA" was so wonderfully and expertly directed. The movie flowed excellently. Each story connected with the whole big story. The car chase scene was one of the coolest and most intense things I've ever seen put to film. And PTA got the best out of each and every actor that was onscreen. Kudos to him for a job well done. Sean Penn won for supporting actor, as I predicted. Never have I been more frightened and nervous when his character was on screen. He was a horrible racist in this movie and he was shockingly good at what he did. I know Penn isn't like this in real life, which makes his performance all that much better. I was pulling for Delroy Lindo, but in the end I think we all kind of knew Penn was going to win and this was a much deserved Oscar for him. And to wrap up their night, "OBAA" won best picture. You'll get no argument from me here. "OBAA" was my top movie of the year and it has every claim to win best picture. "Sinners" and "Marty Supreme" were right there for me, but in the end, "One Battle After Another" is a well deserving best picture winner from 2025.

As for the other awards, we all knew Jessie Buckley was going to win best actress. That has been in the making for sometime now. I haven't seen "Hamnet" to this point, and don't know if I will see it. I did see "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You", and Rose Bryne would have gotten my vote. She was tremendous in a movie where she was on screen for pretty much all of it. But Buckley is a fine winner. I was so happy for my daughter because "K-Pop Demon Hunters" won best animated feature. That movie rules, the music is incredible and that movie deserves all of the accolades and talk it has garnered to this point. "Golden" also won for best original song, as it should have won. "Sinners" deserved the original score, and when Miles Canton and crew performed "I Lied to You" it took me back to that scene in the movie and it was amazing. Go watch that performance if you haven't yet.

The best for me last night was Amy Madigan winning for playing Aunt Gladys in "Weapons". This is awesome on so many levels. Madigan is a consummate professional that everyone seems to love working with and she took home her first Oscar. "Weapons" is an independent movie directed by a former comedic actor, Zach Cregger. This is akin to when Jordan Peele won an Oscar for "Get Out". Independent horror movies made by former comedians don't get the accolades they deserve, but they kind of rectified that last night. But in the end, Madigan embodied probably the most evil villain any movie has seen in some time. She is barely on screen for "Weapons", but when she shows up she steals that movie. She was amazing, her performance was amazing, "Weapons" is an indie with smaller actors in it and Madigan was rewarded for her amazing work. It’s about time a movie like "Weapons" and an actor like Amy Madigan got some well deserved praise.

As I said at the top, I have no complaints about the winners. Everyone got what they earned and I'm happy for them all. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and this is a year where the Academy did the correct thing and gave the awards to deserving people. Nice work. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the Oscars

I don't watch the Oscars. I have never really watched the broadcast. It may have been on in the house when I was a kid because I know my mom likes that stuff. But, for me, I have always just checked who won the next day. And I used to have a ton of takes. I would gripe to anyone who would listen. I did this for a while too. I'm sure I was pretty annoying to whoever would listen to me. I felt that I knew better about movies than others, I'd voice that opinion, and other people would move on. I wouldn't. I'd keep it going. Then, when I started dating my wife in my mid 20's, she really didn't care too much about the Oscars. And because I liked her, I kind of stopped talking about it all together. I'd still check to see the list of winners, but I would just move on. Sometimes movies I liked won, most of the time, movies I hadn't even seen at that moment won. That's the way this stuff is.

Last night was pretty weird and made me truly realize how insufferable I had to be back in the day. "Anora" took home pretty much all of the big awards. I'm currently 40 minutes into that movie, with an eye on finishing it today. I think it is a pretty good movie with an incredible performance from Mikey Madison. I feel like she is a deserving best actress winner. But, on the internet you would have thought a catastrophe occurred when Madison was announced the winner. Apparently a lot of people thought Demi Moore should have won for "The Substance". I love "The Substance". I personally think it was the best movie of 2024 by a wide margin, and Moore was exceptional in the movie. But, people on Instagram and other social media sites were screaming and yelling and viscerally angry that Moore was beat out by Madison. People went so far as to compare this to the plot of "The Substance". I don't buy into any of that at all.

The Oscars are subjective. Both actresses put on wonderful performances and were both deserving of the award. But only one person can bring the trophy home. They don't give out half trophies. I saw a lot of people were upset that Adrien Brody won his second Oscar. I have not seen "The Brutalist" yet, I plan on seeing it, but people seem angry. I guess he tossed his gum at his girlfriend and his acceptance speech went on forever which also upset people. I'm not a fan of Brody's. I have never been a fan. And the speech and tossing of gum is not a surprise to me, which is part of the problem. But, by all accounts, he did a good job in a movie that is solely focused on his character. And all the lead up talk I read was about him being the front runner. While I don't like him, it seemed like he was going to win it all along.

I don't plan on watching "Emilia Perez", I've heard it is quite bad, but no one seemed as angry about Zoe Saldana, a fantastic actress, winning for that movie as they did, and do about Madison and Brody winning. Everyone I have heard talk about "Emilia Perez" says it is very bad, and we now have all this controversy surrounding the titular character in the movie. Kieran Culkin was incredible in "A Real Pain", but I have even seen some gripe about his win.

Not one of these actors and actresses got full acceptance from anyone. Some people simply want to complain no matter what the outcome may be. People feel this weird need to go online and instantly give their reaction and thoughts about a subjective thing that doesn't even matter in the long run.

I guess what I want to say today to the reader, and anyone who had to suffer through my nonsense back then, I'm sorry and it's not that important. In the long run it doesn't really matter who wins an Oscar because we can all go back and watch the movies we all like and relive the performances we all enjoy. We don't have to degrade anyone else or any performance that we may not have been that high on at the time. All these award shows are meant to force debate, but if we just took a step back and let it go, maybe things would be easier to deal with in the long run. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Talks About the Biggest 2021 Oscar Nomination Snubs

Every year the Oscars seem to get something wrong, and I’m including winners and nominations. It happens all the time. “Inside Llewyn Davis” got nothing its year. “Moonlight” almost got screwed by “La La Land”. “Crash” won best picture. So did “The Artist”. This is a thing. But this year the snubs seem a little more apparent. There are a good amount too. Let’s discuss.

Regina King deserved a best director nom. So did Aaron Sorkin. Eddie Redmayne and the guy that plays Dr Manhattan on the TV adaptation of “Watchmen” should have been nominated for “Trial of the Chicago 7”. Daniel Kaluuya got a supporting actor nom, but it should be leading actor. The fact that Glenn Close got nominated for “Hillbilly Elegy” is insane. She was also nominated for a Razzie for the very same role. I think that’s the first time that have ever happened. All these snubs suck. Yet there are three blatant snubs in this go around that are so hard to ignore.

The fact that “Da 5 Bloods”, Delroy Lindo and Spike Lee are not even nominated is insane. The movie may be kind of scattershot, it may jump time a bit too much and it’s a little overlong, but it definitely deserves a nomination. For its faults, it’s still a very well made movie with a very good story. It is essentially an updated version of “Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, only better. The academy opened it up to ten movies eligible to be nominated and they only put in eight this year. The ones I’ve seen are good, and I’m sure so are the others. But come on, throw “Da 5 Bloods” in there. It is more than deserving.

I’m even more shocked that Delroy Lindo didn’t get a nom. He is wonderful and insane and scary and excellent and so memorable in this role. I was taken aback at how great his performance was. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I didn’t agree with his character’s point of view, but that was the point. Every time I think of that movie I think of him. Even more so than Chadwick Boseman, who was excellent as well. Lindo, much like the movie, should be nominated. It’s nuts that he isn’t. They could’ve easily replaced Anthony Hopkins with Lindo. I haven’t seen Hopkins movie, but he’s had his time. Now it’s Lindo’s turn. I’d also rather have Lindo in there in place of Gary Oldman. I haven’t seen “Mank”, and I don’t plan to, not a fan of “Citizen Kane”. I’d go as far to say that Lindo was better in his movie than Oldman was in his. Lindo may be the biggest snub.

Also, what does Spike Lee have to do to get an award? He didn’t direct just one great movie this year either. He also directed “David Byrne’s American Utopia”, and that could’ve gotten a best picture and director nom as well. Spike Lee is a preeminent director, yet he seems to always get passed over. It’s frustrating. The fact that he’s only been nominated five times, with only one win for adapted screenplay, is criminal. He should’ve won for “Do the Right Thing”. He should’ve been nominated for “He Got Game”. He got Ray Allen to give him a solid performance. “Inside Man” is one of the most underrated movies in history. I could say the same for “25th Hour”. “Kings of Comedy” is a crucial stand up comedy movie for people my age. And “Crooklyn” is quietly awesome. “Da 5 Bloods” and “American Utopia” are better than all these movies, save “Do the Right Thing”. If I were Spike Lee I’d be pissed off. This happens to him far, far too much. As much as I loved Lindo in “Da 5 Bloods”, I think Lee is the biggest snub of anyone that was eligible for an Oscar. I’m sure this sounds like whining, and I’m sure “Mank” is going to win everything because Hollywood loves movie about Hollywood, but come on. Give people the credit they deserve.

“Da 5 Bloods”, Delroy Lindo and Spike Lee were the biggest snubs. That is a fact.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Oscars Do it Right By Giving "Parasite" The Big Awards

I did not watch the Oscars last night, no reason to, but when I woke up this morning I was pleasantly surprised at the news I saw.

A little preamble before I get into why I was happy. My wife has been sick the past two days, a smallish fever, and we were lounging in bed together watching TV. She asked me who was winning the awards because I was checking some news out on my phone. I told her I wasn't sure, as I had forgotten that the Oscars were on last night. So I googled the winners, and wasn't shocked at who had won at that point. Brad Pitt and Laura Dern won as expected. I am not too interested in the technical stuff. "Toy Story 4" won the animated feature award, but I haven't heard of the other four nominees. It was pretty much going as planned. I then saw that "Parasite", a movie you all know I am very high on, won original screenplay. I thought this was great. I wanted this movie to win every award, and am still a little annoyed none of the actors got nominated, so to see that it already won a pretty big award made me happy.

I then checked the major awards, and none of best actor, actress, director or movie had been given out. I thought this was weird because it was right around 2 and a half hours into the show. After seeing that "Parasite" won original screenplay, I then saw that it won best foreign film. This was when I told my wife that I would bet a good amount of money that this was the Academy's way of giving this great movie enough of their praise, and that they would fall into their normal habits. I assumed that Tarentino was going to get the director award because his movie is porn nostalgia for the boomer culture. I was pretty sure that Renee Zellwegger was going to get actress, and that DiCaprio was going to get actor, and truth be told, I still am unsure of who won each of those awards (editor’s note: Renee Zelwegger did win Best Actress, Joaquin Phoenix won Best Actor). And I was so certain that they would give "1917" best picture. For some weird reason the Academy is obsessed with war movies, and even though I haven't seen it, I'm sure "1917" is a solid war movie. I assumed "Parasite" was done winning awards.

This is where I get to why I was shockingly, and pleasantly, surprised when I woke up. First off, Bong Joon Ho won best director. This is amazing to me. He is one of my favorites, I have loved every movie of his I have seen, and I still think "Snowpiercer" was robbed when it got zero nominations. The fact that he won this award over guys like Sam Mendes, Tarentino, and stupid ass Todd Phillips, makes me so very, very, very happy. Of all the nominated movies I have seen, "Parasite" was far and away the best directed movies. Joon Ho has almost perfected his craft. He is becoming the Michael Jordan of directors. He and Jordan Peele are directing better than anyone out there right now. There, I said it. After seeing that Joon Ho won, I was even more amazed when I saw that "Parasite" won best picture.

This is astounding for so many reasons. First off, it is the first foreign language movie to win best picture. It is pissing off all the hipster movie fans who claim they "don't get it", or "what was with the third act" crowd. I adore Neal Brennan, and will be forever grateful that he co created "Chapelle's Show", but his little Twitter rant about this movie is why hipster people who claim to not like very, very good, award winning movies, are so pointless and dumb. It makes people who say this movie is no good sound dumb. "Parasite" is a god damn achievement.

Which brings me to my next point. This movie, as I wrote after I saw it, is not only great, but it is very important, and will be remembered and studied. It's not simply just a great movie, it is so, so, so much more. It is vital. It points out our obsession with material things. It tackles people's relentless drive to be wealthy. It is an important movie. I also love that the Academy is making up for last year, when they gave best picture to "Greenbook". That is the cliché movie, with the "white savior" character, that the Academy goes ape for. This year, they picked a foreign language film, with no real good or bad guys, and chose the movie with the best story that was told to perfection. They rarely do this, but this year, they got it 100 percent right.

Finally, I am also glad that the Academy strayed from the war movie, and the clown going insane movie and the nostalgia boomer porn and whatever other clichéd movie was nominated. They picked the right movie last night, and when they do the correct thing, I will sing their praises. I am thrilled that "Parasite" won the majority of the important awards last night. I'm glad it pisses off hipsters who claim they don't like, or don't get, the movie. I'm glad that someone other than a white person won the directing award. This was all good, and hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Maybe next year we can get some females and non white people nominated in the major categories as well.

Congrats to the Academy for doing the right thing last night, but importantly, congrats and thank you to Bong Joon Ho, and everyone that worked on the masterpiece that is "Parasite". All of these awards were well deserved.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Does Not Watch the Oscars

As per usual for the last, I’d say 5 or 6 years, watched zero seconds of the Oscars. I have a computer and an iPhone, so I can check who won later that night, or the next day. I chose the next day this year, and I have to say, I was a bit shocked.

Now, I need to disclose up front that I have only seen 2 of the movies that were nominated, “BlackKlansman” and “Black Panther”. I much preferred “Black Panther”, but that’s neither here nor there. Also, I did see “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse”, which definitely earned its Oscar, and I also saw the Pixar short, “Bao”, which was heartbreaking yet wonderful. Outside those, I saw nothing. But, I do read and hear things by public personalities and journalists that I enjoy. I heard all the lukewarm stuff towards “Bohemian Rhapsody”. I heard about the craziness that is “The Favourite”. I heard about the apparent snooze fest that was “Green Book”. I saw the, quite frankly, rough reviews of “Vice”. I’ve heard nothing but great things about “Roma”, and I have exactly zero interest in ever watching any iteration of “A Star is Born”.

My basic knowledge, and hope, was that “Black Panther” would win all the awards. Of course, it did not. That’s not to say it didn’t win anything. I’m pretty sure it won 4 statues, for stuff like costume design and whatnot. But, in my opinion, it should have won best picture, director, actor and all actresses awards. Since “Sorry to Bother You” got no nominations, and totally overlooked, “Black Panther” was my ride or die movie.

Since my favorites didn’t win any of the “major” awards, I was interested in who, and what, won. First off, I’ve never heard the song “Shallow”, but I already am sick of it. “All the Stars” should have won, or any one of the brand new Coup songs from the “STBY” soundtrack. But I digress. I’m totally done with “Shallow”. Secondly, when on earth is Spike Lee going to get his much deserved Oscar? I’m sure Alfonso Cuarno did a fine job with “Roma”, and I’m sure I’ll like it when I see it, but Lee is well overdue an Oscar, and while I thought “BlackKlansman” was just okay, Lee did a wonderful job directing it. By all accounts, best supporting actress was Regina King’s to lose. And, she won. That’s great. As far as Mahershala Ali going back to back for supporting actor, great. I’m just not so jazzed by the movie he won it for. I’m very stunned that Glenn Close didn’t win best actress. Everyone claimed that she was as much a shoe in as King. Well, Olivia Coleman won. And while I have every intention of seeing “The Favourite”, I like the weird stuff that director does, it was still a shock that Coleman won. This one seemed assured. I feel like this is when the show went off the rails. While I think Rami Malek is a fine actor, and will be for a long, long time, how did he win every big best actor award? I mean, “Bohemian Rhapsody” has so many problems, be it with the fudging of facts, the way they barely touch on Freddie Mercury’s sexuality and the scumbag of a director, this movie should have been doomed. Oh yeah, it also got crushed by critics. But Malek still won best actor. The crop was weak, maybe they should have put up LaKeith Stanfield and/or Chadwick Bosman or Michael B Jordan, but still, I cannot fathom how Malek won. The academy clearly just wants to keep giving the award to people that do impressions of famous people. That’s lazy.

But the biggest blunder of last night has to be “Green Book” winning best picture. Again, I was pulling for “Black Panther”, but I knew it wouldn’t win. Honestly, I thought “Roma” was the presumed winner. And if not “Roma”, I figured “The Favourite” would win. I never, ever thought “Green Book” would win. Like I said before, the movie seemed like a slog, Ali looked like the only good thing in it, the story is old and boring and the past stuff with the director and writer, lookup old tweets and flashing of genitalia, should have put the nail in its coffin. Or so I thought. Hell, even “Bohemian Rhapsody” might have been a better choice. This one is as puzzling as when “Crash” won. Maybe even more so. This is very, very confusing to me. I don’t know what the academy saw in “Green Book” to give it best picture, but they totally whiffed. This is a big time misfire.

Last night’s Oscars is why I’m glad I don’t waste three plus hours of my life watching these award shows. I mean, “Green Book” shouldn’t have even been a nominee, outside Ali. This is a baffling choice, and I’m sure this “win” will go down as one of the worst choices ever. This was bad, and the majority of the show, from what I’ve read, seemed like a mess. Oh well. I’m going to go watch some good movies now, like “STBY”, or “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies”, or “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse”, or “Best F(r)iends”. Peace.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is aware that Spike Lee did win an Oscar for Adapted screenplay. He also does not think it makes up for the Oscars Spike did not win for “Do the Right Thing”, “Malcolm X”, “He Got Game”, “The 25th Hour” and any other film from the best director of his generation.

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Some Predictable, and Some Awesome, Choices for this Year's Oscars Nominations

The Oscar nominations came out this morning, and for the most part, it was status quo. Everyone that has been rumored got their nominations. "Three Billboards" got a ton of nominations. "The Post", along with Meryl Streep, got their nominations. Willem Defoe got his nomination. Frances McDormand was there. So was Gary Oldman and Daniel Day Lewis. Like I said, status quo. I was a bit upset that "The Disaster Artist" only got one nomination, but with the recent Franco allegations, I was not surprised.

What made me smile a bit when I read the nominations was all the new people that are getting consideration. Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani got nominated for best original screenplay for the excellent "The Big Sick". That movie was amazing, and it was incredibly well written. It was very much deserved, and I'm happy that comedians are finally getting noticed by the academy. I love that "The Shape of Water" and Guillermo del Toro got nominated. Guillermo del Toro makes weird, but great movies, and "The Shape of Water" is no different. I'm stoked that Great Gerwig got nominated for what many consider to be the best movie of the year, "Lady Bird". Saoirse Ronan got a much deserved nomination too. Margot Robbie, playing Tonya Harding, will be at the ceremonies. Sally Hawkins, who rules, got nominated and she plays a mute in her movie. It's also pretty cool to see someone like Mary J Blige get nominated for acting and original song. I don't know that that has ever happened. Good for her. It's nice to see Woody Harrelson get some recognition.

What makes me happiest are three specific things from this morning. First off, "Coco" is getting the much deserved recognition that it needs. That movie is so innovative, great and moving. I will be very, very upset if it doesn't win best animated feature. It is leaps and bounds better than any other movie that is in that category. I'm also stoked that "Remember Me" is nominated for best original song. That too should win in a runaway. It is so sweet, but also is the running theme throughout that movie. It is not only a great song, it serves a purpose.

Next, I'm pumped for Daniel Kaluuya getting a best actor nod. He was amazing in "Get Out". He more than deserves this nomination. I only became aware of him last year when I first saw him in the "Black Mirror" episode "15 Million Credits", and I thought he was tremendous in that. Then I had the pleasure of watching "Get Out", and his performance blew me away. He was so good. He made me believe everything that was going on in the movie. He created a truly unique and dynamic character. I will be so happy if he somehow wins. But, the things that make me happiest are "Get Out" and Jordan Peele getting their due. "Get Out" was the most unique and interesting movie I saw all year. I know it wasn't my top movie of 2017, but it was the best movie I saw all year. The way they balanced horror, drama and a little comedy was stupendous. The people involved toed the line of each genre to perfection. "Get Out" is a one of a kind movie, and we need more movies like that in this remake and rehash age we live in now. It is a special movie. Which leads me to the thing that surprised me most, in a good way, this morning. Jordan Peele got a best director nod, he should win, a screen play nod, he should probably win and a best picture nomination, again, he should win. Jordan Peele created something truly different and wonderful and scary and honest and poignant and perfect. He outdid any other director that is up for the award. He did a masterful job with "Get Out". Everyone in that movie was made better by his direction. As far as screenplay, if I have said it once during this blog, I have said it a thousand times, there is no movie more unique than "Get Out". And not just this year, in quite sometime. He made something fresh and new and it speaks to the thousands upon thousands of people that saw "Get Out". No one knew what to expect, and everyone was talking about it after they saw it. This movie had more memes, GIF's and fan art than any other movie I have ever seen in my life. It is one of a kind.

As far as best picture, I think "Get Out" has only one, maybe 2 competitors. "Darkest Hour" is too boring and too historical. Same with "The Post". "Three Billboards" will get scrutinized too much to win. "Dunkirk" is a war movie, and those don't hold much weight anymore. And "Phantom Thread" is too weird. I think "Get Out" only real competition is "Lady Bird" and "Call Me By Your Name". "Call Me By Your Name" won't win because "Moonlight" is a better movie and it won last year. "Lady Bird", by all accounts, I have not seen it yet, is great, but I think the voters will only give it one award, and that will go to Ronan for acting. So, that leaves "Get Out" as the best movie left. I am hoping that it wins best picture. It would be so awesome, given the current state of our country, for a movie like "Get Out" to win best picture. That is my wish at least.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the people that were getting recognized this morning, and that hasn't happened in awhile with the Oscars, Hopefully, times are changing for the better. At least this year's nominees makes me hopeful that is happening.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He forgot to mention the robbery where "Logan" gets one nomination, and the movie of the year gets zero nominations. Why did the Oscars forget "The Lego Batman Movie"?  Why?

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Ty Does not Watch the Dumb Oscars, but He still Has Some Thoughts

I said I'd have a follow up to RD's Oscars piece today, and I'm a man of my word. I'll get to other stuff later in the week.

First off, I totally agreed with pretty much all of RD's thoughts on all the categories. I don't really care about the sound stuff and the shorts. Don't get me wrong, those things are very important to movies, but I do not think the movie going public truly, really cares about those awards. I was very happy to see "Zootopia" win best animated movie. I very much liked the message and the animation and the story. It was a very well deserved win. I was so pumped that Masherala Ali won best supporting actor for "Moonlight". Ali is a wonderful actor, I loved him in "Luke Cage", and though I haven't watched "Moonlight" yet, I plan on seeing it tomorrow, I'm sure he is tremendous and well deserving. And "OJ: Made in America" is a must watch, and it won the award for documentary feature. These were my favorite things about the 2017 Oscars.

All the other stuff, save for Best Picture was predictable. The movie that won Best Foreign Language was a shoo in from what I read. Denzel Washington should have won Best Actor, but the academy gave it to a terrible, mean person, Casey Affleck. I felt real bad for Brie Larson, the presenter, because she does so much charity for victims of abuse, having to give him the award. Denzel is also a masterful actor. Viola Davis was more than deserving. This award was a long time coming.

Then we have "La La Land". As I said, I fully agreed with RD that the academy was going to reward a movie about white struggling jazz musicians, dancers and actors. That movie should have been called "Oscar Bait". And, for the most part, it won everything it was nominated for. I have no intention of watching this movie. I like the director, Damien Chazelle, I loved "Whiplash", but "La La Land" did nothing for me with the trailers. It's not my cup of tea. But, Chazelle won for directing, Emma Stone won for Best Actress and a few, not all, of the technical awards it was nominated in. I have nothing against this movie or the actors. I have made it wildly known my love for Ryan Gosling. I think Emma Stone is wonderful. I already said I love Chazelle's work with a movie like "Whiplash". But I was so excited when I read that "Moonlight" beat it out for Best Picture.

I've read and seen all the stuff that happened last night, with announcing the wrong winner. All that stuff just goes to show that EVERYONE expected "La La Land" to win, even Warren Beatty. But, for a movie like "Moonlight" to take the main prize, especially in this f'ed up political climate right now, makes me so in incredibly and irrationally happy. I haven't even watched it yet, but I'm so, so stoked that it won. This is a big deal for independent movies, which I love, and I'm filled with joy that "Moonlight" and Ali took home major prizes.

One more quick thing, screw the academy for not even nominating "Deadpool". The Golden Globes, and basically every other major awards show at least gave it a nod, but the academy decided movies like "Nocturnal Animals", "Arrival" (ed note: This film is is terrible) or "Hacksaw Ridge" were more deserving. Just give it a nod. You can nominate up to 10 movies, and "Deadpool" was most definitely one of the 10 best of 2016. The academy missed out on a big opportunity, but at least they cashed in a big opportunity with "Moonlight" last night.

Congrats to everyone involved with all the good movies and performances, it was a well deserved, great night for the people involved. Also, I heard that Jimmy Kimmel did a fine job as host, which I expected. Those are my takes on the 2017 Oscars.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He gave up on the Oscars when the best movie of the year, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" received a non-record zero nominations. The Oscars are dumb. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

SeedSing's Dumb Predictions for the Dumb Oscars: 2017 Edition

It is time for the 89th Academy Awards, and I have a few dumb things I need to get off my chest.

Last year we complained about how idiotic and pointless the Academy Awards have become. The night's top prize did not go to a movie beloved by audiences and critics alike (Mad Max: Fury Road). The Best Picture statue was given to Spotlight, a movie I bet 99 out of 100 people randomly surveyed would say they have never seen. That does not mean Spotlight is a bad movie, it is quite good actually, it just shows that the Academy Awards have no idea what movies are timeless, and truly the best films of the year. People remember Brokeback Mountain as a culturally important, and incredibly great film, while we all remember Crash as the terrible film the Oscars thought was a better movie than Brokeback Mountain. The Artist, The King's Speech, How Green Was My Valley, are forgotten footnotes who only come up in trivia questions, while classics like The Social Network, The Dark Knight, and Citizen Kane are films that get regularly listed as some of the greatest of all time. Even fairly good movies like Dances with Wolves, Shakespeare in Love, and Chicago are hated by people because those films "stole" Oscars that should have gone to Goodfellas, Saving Private Ryan, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. In short, the Oscars are dumb, and have been dumb for a very long time.

With that being said, why would SeedSing even do predictions for the Oscars. Because, dammit, we still love to watch movies. We also love to complain when our favorites are not honored. Complaining is awesome. The Oscars are the most watched awards show on television because movies represent the highest form of art in our American society. Movie stars are our royalty, movies are our mythology, and the Oscars bring it all together. 

Now presenting the SeedSing predictions for the 2017 Academy Awards.

Best Picture

When the Oscars expanded the field for Best Picture, the intent was to have more audience friendly mainstream movies make the filed. That has not happened. Deadpool should be in the list of 2017 Best Picture contenders, but it is not. The Academy decided that movies like Lion, Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester by the Sea, Fences and Hell or High Water could sit and lose and not excite any new viewers. 

Almost everyone thinks that La La Land will win the big prize, and why not. La La Land is a brave risk taking film that is about a white jazz musician, a white actress in LA, and uses classic Hollywood musicals as it's inspiration. How in the hell is that movie not going to win Best Picture. The producers should have just called the movie The 2017 Award Winner for Best Picture. There has never been a movie so focused grouped to what the Oscars award like La La Land. It exists to win the Oscar.

Some think that audience favorite Hidden Figures or indie success Moonlight may be an upset winner for the big statue, but that will not happen. The inclusion, and hope, for these films is just the Academy throwing a bone to the #OscarsSoWhite crowd. A win by either of these films would be justified, but La La Land is the brave tale of white people playing jazz and trying to make it Hollywood. The response to #OscarsSoWhite will be to give the whitest movie the biggest prize. La La Land is going to be 2017's Best Picture winner.

Personal note. My early pick for the Best Picture was going to be Arrival. Everything I heard about this movie made it sound like a better, modern, version of Contact. I was all in.

After I saw Arrival, I take any love back from that movie. It is terrible and incredibly stupid. Do not watch Arrival. 

Best Actor

Casey Affleck or Denzel Washington will win this award. The other contenders should practice their gracious clapping after they lose. Casey Affleck was a shoe in for Manchester by the Sea, and then some alleged disturbing allegations from his past started to make the news. The entertainment tried to keep it quite, but the reports kept on coming. Denzel Washington in Fences became the defacto safe pick for people who would not vote for Affleck. Denzel Washington will win.

Another personal thought. If Denzel was accused of what Affleck allegedly has done, Mr. Washington's career in movies would be over. Make your own conclusions to why this is.

Best Actress

Another two person race.

In one corner you have french actress Isabelle Huppert in Elle. She has already won a bunch of awards, is a legend in the business, and is almost universally considered to have given the best performance of the year.

Unfortunately in corner two we have young Emma Stone playing the struggling actress in La La Land. She wins the Oscar

Yet another personal thought. Elle is directed by Paul Verhoeven. I love Verhoeven films like Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers. Elle is not like any of those movies. 

Best Supporting Actor

This is the only category where any of the nominees could win. Mahershala Ali from Moonlight has won most of the early awards, and this may be the best award the beloved Moonlight will win all night.

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis in Fences. No question.

Other Awards

Best Director - It would be awesome to see Barry Jenkins from Moonlight win and make history, but Damien Chazelle directed the film about the white hero of jazz in LA. Chazelle will win.

Best Original Screenplay - The Lobster is inspired insanity, but it is not about struggling attractive white people in LA. La La Land wins.  

Best Adapted Screenplay - Anything except Arrival. Please.

Best Animated Featured Film - Enjoyable remedial meditation on racism that is Zootopia will win. The Batman Lego Movie better damn well win this award next year. I know it will not and I am already irrationally pissed. 

The other categories, also known as the speeches you will fast forward through - La La Land will win any category it is in. Just please do not let Arrival win anything. It's sound, design, and cinematography was great, but the actual movie is so bad I do not want it to be an Oscar winner. Please.

Rant over. That is how the 89th Academy Awards are going to shake out from the SeedSing perspective. I will leave everyone with one more prediction. Jimmy Kimmell should do a good job, I hope. Enjoy the show.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Did you like Arrival? How could you, it is terrible. I mean what was the point? I can talk my way to time travel? Why is their gravity different? Do the heptapods ever wear pants?   Come tell us.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Oscar Nominations Came Out Today, and They Mostly Suck

I am not sure the Oscars really know what is good.

I know I promised everyone a greatest American band blog today, but I'm putting that off until next week. There's bigger fish to fry for me today.

The Oscar nominations were handed out this morning and I have two big, big problems with the nominees. First off, why all the white people again? Do the people who vote on these awards think that there are no people of color that act in movies these days? There were a decent number of people that were well deserving of, at the very least, a nomination. What about Samuel L Jackson for his performance in "Hateful 8"? He was awesome. What about Michael B Jordan in "Creed"? Stallone gets nominated, but the lead of this great movie gets no love? That's lame. And even though the movie "Concussion" didn't have its desired effect and wasn't very good, Will Smith was excellent and totally deserved a nomination. I guess the people that give out the nominations are racist, old white people that wish it was still 1950. It's a shame that they refuse to nominate actors that aren't white, especially in 2016. It's upsetting to be frank. I wonder how long it will actually take for actors of color to get their due. It's time, and there are so many great African American, Asian, Indian and so on and so forth of any ethnicity well deserving. I'm sick of all the same white people being nominated. I'm done with Meryl Streep and Matt Damon and Jennifer Lawrence being the people that get nominated no matter how bad or repetitive their performances are. Eddie Redmayne belongs with the people I mentioned above too. I'll take Michael B Jordan, Will Smith and Samuel L Jackson any day over the four actors I just mentioned.

Second issue, my biggest problem, why is Charlize Theron not nominated for her role, Furiosa, in "Mad Max: Fury Road"? How on earth does this happen? How was Jennifer Lawrence's performance in "Joy" aka "Silver Linings Playbook 2", more deserving than Theron? Or Cate Blanchette in a movie I've never heard of, "Carol", more deserving? In fact, Brie Larson in "Room" is the only one that I have no problem with being nominated. "Mad Max: Fury Road" got a ton of nominations, but none for acting. That's wrong. Theron was the best actor in the best movie of the year, possibly of all time. She was so fantastic and perfect in her role. She played the part expertly. She was tough when needed, vulnerable when needed, sad and angry when needed, basically, whatever George Miller asked of her, she did it and did it phenomenally. She was so, so great in this movie. I know it's called "Mad Max", but Furiosa, not Max, was the star and leader of this movie. This may be one of the biggest snubs of all time in Oscar history. I just don't get what else she could have done. Maybe the movie needed to be foreign, or she needed some kind of disease, or she needed some kind of smaller indie role that the academy loves now. That's all bullshit. Why won't they reward the actors from the movie that's widely considered the best movie of the year? It makes absolutely no sense at all. I wrote before, and I still believe, Theron not only deserved the nomination, but she 100 percent deserves the Oscar. There was no better performance all year from anyone, man, woman or child. Theron was head and shoulders above anyone that's been nominated this year. Another shame.

I guess I should know by now to be disappointed in what this dumbass academy does every year. They clearly don't care for minorities and they are just flat out wrong when it comes to nominating actors and actresses. You'd think they'd be more conscious in the 21st century, but they're still racist and stupid.

The morons that give out these nominations suck.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He was once nominated for a grade school acting award, but lost it to the kid playing tree #2. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.