Editorial Blog: My thoughts on Deadpool and its Oscar Buzz
My thoughts on Deadpool and its Oscar buzz
Doing something a bit different today, and it is something that I would like to do more of.
I enjoy awards season. There are so many good movies made because of the hope they might get an Oscar. So many movies might not get made if it weren’t for the studios hoping for an awards push with the movie. For example, would Manchester by the Sea or Moonlight really have been made, or at least gained public attention if it weren’t for the fact that they are Oscar frontrunners.
But today, we are talking about a movie, that I had a lot of fun with, and really enjoyed, Deadpool. Deadpool has managed to garner up some awards buzz thanks to a Producers guild of America and Writers guild of America nominations. These guilds tend to be quite good with getting their nominations in co-ordination with the Oscars. Seen as Deadpool received nods in both of these guilds, it makes it a serious contender.
Again, let me say, I loved Deadpool. It was witty, funny and revived a dying X-men franchise. But, is it really worthy of Oscar buzz? I personally love the fact that a comic-book movie is getting awards attention. After all, not every movie has to be about a heroin addict who dropped out of college and now his ex-girlfriend is with his brother. Movies can be fun, and the Academy sometimes forgets that. As fun as Deadpool was, is it really the movie that should break the comic-book movie Oscar drought? I don’t think so.
If the Dark Knight can’t get nominated for best picture, then there is no hope in hell that Deadpool should. And I know there are more nominees for best picture now than there was in 2008, but surely Deadpool wasn’t as good as The Dark Knight, one of the best movies ever made. And it’s not like The Dark Knight is the only comic-book movie that’s above Deadpool. Deadpool isn’t even the best comic book to come out this year. The whole Captain America trilogy is surely more deserving for best picture, The Winter Soldier in particular, which dealt with some serious themes and had a more serious tone. Most will agree that The Avengers is a better movie than Deadpool. Most will agree that Iron Man is a better movie than Deadpool, some will even argue for Iron Man 3 being a better movie. There are about 3 other X-Men movies that should well be in this conversation. So why in God’s name should Deadpool be the movie with awards buzz, and why is Deadpool the one to break the Comic Book movie awards curse. No way should Deadpool get nominated for best picture this year.
You might be saying, Okay, maybe not best picture, but what about for adapted screenplay? Yes that is more realistic, and Deadpool did have a wonderful screenplay, that is very funny. But then if Deadpool is getting nominated for screenplay, then why didn’t Guardians of the Galaxy get any love for screenplay. Whether you liked that movie or not, you have to agree that it was hilarious. And it also had more heart than Deadpool. Every Iron Man movie deals with some serious themes, in a wonderful way, thanks to a wonderful screenplay. I could argue this point for so many movies. The first Thor had a decent screenplay, even the likes of Kick-Ass or Kingsman. Why in the hell weren’t they nominated if Deadpool is going to? So while adapted screenplay is a more realistic category, and Deadpool has a wonderful screenplay, there are rakes of other movies that were just as good in this department, and they didn’t even get a look-in.
Anyway, these are my thoughts on why I don’t think Deadpool should get nominated for an Oscar come the announcement’s on Tuesday. I will say it again, I really liked Deadpool. It was hilarious. But for my reasons above, it shouldn’t be in Oscar consideration.
