PAD will be back this evening and probably will be blogging shortly after the Oscars.
How many of you have seen all the movies nominated for best film? How many live in a city that is showing all of them? Out on Long Island you have to go a fer piece to see “The Pianist” or “The Quiet American”.
The race I have the most interest in and have seen all the nominations is best Animated Film.
The nominees are
Ice Age
Lilo & Stitch
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Spirited Away
Treasure Planet
This is a tough call. I loved the animation and direction to both Lilo & Stich and Spirited Away. I enjoyed Ice Age quite a bit but the animation did not knock my socks off. Treasure Planet…..well it’s watchable. I much prefer Muppet Treasure Island. Spirit for me had a straight to video feel.
I think Lilo and Stich should get it but think Spirited Away will get it.
What do you think?
Kathleen
• 
Lilo and Stich was a funny movie, one of the best Disney animated films I’ve seen in a long time, but Spirited Away, I think, blows away everything Disney has EVER done.
It had a great story and beautiful animation and character designs. Disney has been getting closer, but I still think Japanese animation is still heads above anything else.
Treasure Planet as a nominee? They’re kidding, right? Right?
Well, I didn’t even see any of the animated films.
However, for the first time in recent memory I have no real interest in the Big Awards either.
Lord of the Rings may be up for Best Picture, but you know it’s not going to win. I have no interest in ever seeing the other 4 movies either.
I think the Best Actress category will be the big award of the night. Nicole Kidman vs. Renee Zellweger is the probably matchup, but remember Diane Lane was getting all the early awards. She could be the dark horse. I think Kidman will end up getting it though.
“Spirited Away” deserves it for superior work, storytelling, animation…the whole shebang. But even over these things, this movie deserves the honor due to the massive screwing-over Disney has done to Miyazaki over the years–holding up the American release of his Studio Ghibli movies, stealing his concepts for their own watered-down versions, and more.
I can think of no finer revenge than for “Spirited Away” getting the statue over two Disney movies.
JSM
I dunno. It’s really hard for me to even care anymore about all the awards shows that Hollywood hands out to pat it self on the back.
Besides, most of the movies I really like are never nominated. The last good animated movie I saw was Shrek, and although the story stank, Final Fantasy was visually appealing.
Still, if I had to narrow it down, I give it to either Ice Age or Lilo and Stitch.
My girlfriend and I only care about the animated awards, too (Mike’s New Car needs to win for best short…even if I hadn’t seen the others, just to make up for Monsters Inc losing last year). I only saw three of them (Ice Age and Disney’s entries), but we want Lilo and Stitch to win.
I say “Lilo and Stitch” all the way. I liked “Treasure Planet,” but “Lilo and Stitch” really felt like classic Disney (as in “Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast”) even if it had more humor than most.
did no one see spirited away? it was a masterpiece. although i think it will lose for being too non-hollywood in its approach and story, it was still magnificent to view. i think lilo and stich will win though. it’s a pretty decent flick with the disney cache.
Long Island? You think that’s a “fer piece”? Ha! The closest big town to yours truly is Atlanta, five hours by car. The only Best Pic nominee shown here was Chicago. We DEFINE the term “fer piece”! (And after watching war news all day, it’s really hard to care who wins.)
Well Spirited Away won it. That’s just cool. I was really thinking that Ice Age was going to win it,regardless that it was the weakest of the films nominated.
Spirited Away was indeed a masterpiece, and deserved the win
Hëll yeah!
Finally, a film that deserves an award got one!
I loved “Lilo and Stitch,” but “Spirited Away,” with its amazing images and dream logic, become part of my subconscious and my consciousness. I’ll never forget it.
Micheal Moore needs to be shot.
We don’t need to shoot Michael Moore, visually he’s a loss. We need to tape-record that speech.
To paraphrase a cliche, chutzpah in the abuse of stupidity is no vice.
The strike on Iraq was a pre-emptive strike, and that’s a term that sits on a shelf near “we were just following orders” in the lexicon of disdain.
We spent a whole cold war avoiding shooting wars with the USSR, while guarding borders scrupulously. Since WW III never happened, I conclude we did a good job of that. Why the devil couldn’t we have done the same thing with Iraq, and held off shooting until a) Iraq actually tried to invade or attack somewhere or b) Saddam was displaced by someone who understood the concept that ruling a country means your first priority is to nourish and protect your citizens?
I’ve given up on a president around here figuring it out.
*rolls eyes*
Whooo.
Go pacifism.
It’s not that Michael Moore doesn’t have a point when he questions the legitimacy of Bush’s presidency or his war, but the manner in which he made his post was ugly, and tasteless. I’m a huge fan of his, and I wanted Bowling for Columbine to win, but so disgusting was his display that even the audience—whom you’d think was mostly Hollywood liberals—drowned out his final words with boos. He lost a lot of credibility tonight.
Interesting, though, that while the audience booed him offstage merely for remarks that were inappropriate and irrelevent to the award he won, they cheered when a man who raped a 13-year old girl won the award for Best Director. I guess everyone has their own priorities.
What’d Michael Moore win/say?
He basically went on a foaming-at-the-mouth rant about how the election of 2000 was “fictional”, how we have a “fictional” president, and spewed rather incoherently about the war and Bush.
Moore has quite the talent for taking the basics of a fact, and twisting/manipulating them to his own use.
Either way, regardless of one’s stance of war, he was a disgusting little (er, I use that term loosely :P) man tonight on stage. The boos in the audience were _very_ loud.
The cheers in my house were louder.
At least until they got to Best Child-Rapist Roman Polanski.
>>What’d Michael Moore win/say?
Posted by Scavenger @ 03/24/2003 01:11 AM ET
From the Academy site…
“ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Michael Moore: Whoa. On behalf of our producers Kathleen Glynn and Michael Donovan from Canada, I’d like to thank the Academy for this. I have invited my fellow documentary nominees on the stage with us, and we would like to — they’re here in solidarity with me because we like nonfiction. We like nonfiction and we live in fictitious times. We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elects a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons. Whether it’s the fictition of duct tape or fictition of orange alerts we are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you, Mr. Bush, shame on you. And any time you got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks against you, your time is up. Thank you very much. “
Yeah I agree, to me it’s not what he said. It’s HOW he said it.
I’m glad he won, and I understand that he tried to take advantage of the fact that the show is broadcasted live to millions of people around the world, but he should have been smarter while delivering his message.
Also, Salma Hayek sounds like she’s still learning english (souns just like me), but Gael Garcia was truly amazing, both on his english and the intention of his message.
I couldn’t decide who deserved the Oscar more — Spirited Away or Lilo & Stitch, but I’m happy that one of them won, and I’m glad to see Miyazaki win an Oscar. Lilo & Stitch had stronger character performances and effects animation, but Spirited Away told a deeper story.
On another note, I can’t believe “Chubb-Chubbs” won the “Best Animated Short” Oscar over “Das Rad”..! My second pick would have been “Mike’s New Car,” but I wanted “Das Rad” to win.
I loved Steve Martin’s follow up to Moore’s pìššìņg-and-moaning: “I just saw the sweetest thing backstage. The Teamsters were helping Micheal Moore into the trunk of his limo.”
“Interesting, though, that while the audience booed him offstage merely for remarks that were inappropriate and irrelevent to the award he won, they cheered when a man who raped a 13-year old girl won the award for Best Director. I guess everyone has their own priorities.”
Great point.
Anyways, as a Michael Moore fan, I’d say he dropped the ball on his speech. He should have focused on the war, and not brought up the 2000 election AGAIN. We’re past that, Michael, let’s deal with the crisis at hand.
Moore has a real hate-on for Bush, and while it may be deserving, it can sometimes muddle Moore’s usually clear thinking.
About Roman Polanski…was he convicted of raping a 13 year old? And if so, why isn’t he in jail? Seems that should have a pretty long jail term.
About Moore: It’s not whether you agree or disgree with Iraq. I would have booed him for 2 reasons.
1. Gah, Election 2000 is sooooo over.
2. Ok, you disagree with Bush. I get it. You talk a lot about it – in your appearance sand in your movies, which is perfectly cool. Whn you go on the Tonight Show, that’s what’s expected of you. The Oscars is such an innaprroiate forum fo ryour political beliefs. It’s about the movies. That’s it!!! You’re there to celebrate an artform, not take advantage of your stage to spout out your [tired] rhetoric.
Also, while I like Moore’s work – we really need more funny documentaries. Entertainment and real world issues is a very vital marriage, anyone read stories about how Moore uses inaccurate facts in his movies to reach his point? I remember a website had listed “falsities” from all of his movies.
“About Roman Polanski…was he convicted of raping a 13 year old? And if so, why isn’t he in jail? “
Because he fled the country- he’s been living in France ever since.
The Biggest suprise of the evening was that the show ended on time! 🙂
I was delighted that so many non-American works won major awards…. I’ve become brainwashed by past results that US artists had an edge over non-US citizens… like Gwyneth picking up the trophy over Cate Blanchett? Or the year Helen Hunt won?
Anyway, I’m happy that SPIRITED AWAY won. I saw all the animated films and I thot it was the most deserving.
I’m surprised but delighted by THE PIANIST winning Best Actor, Best Screenplay (Adapted) and Best Director.
Of the 5 Best Pic nominees (I hvn’t seen GANGS or HOURS), but based on what I have read and known abt all 5 films, I thot THE PIANIST was the most deserving winner. Ah well….
Conrad Hall picked up Best Cinematography… no surprises there….
A delight to see TALK TO HER win Best Screenplay (Original) – wasn’t expecting that and also a delight to see Y TUTU MAMA TAMBIAN amongst the nominees……
Happy for NOWHERE IN AFRICA winning the Foreign Language Film Award… I didn’t see that but congrats to the producers and filmmakers anyway. I only saw THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE and HERO. I liked both. HERO is a technical masterpiece that was deserving of more mention in technical categories like Cinematography, Costume Design, etc, etc. THE MAN.. had a nice simple story that was heartwarming w/o descending into any soapiness at all…
I’m just shocked that we are living in a world where Eminem can win an Oscar. On another note, I don’t think Moore would have come off looking half as bad, had he not been followed up later by Brody’s tearful acceptance speech.
I saw all 5 films–loved LOTR and CHICAGO, really liked GANGS and PIANIST, and thought THE HOURS didn’t work (never could relate to the characters,’ tho the actresses were good). I thought the actor categories were very stron this year–I thought Brody was the fourth best actor, but still deserving. Streep’s role in HOURS is bigger than Kidman’s–she should have been bumped to supporting. I liked both supp actor and supp actress. Polanski’s win shocked me–I guess the academy saw this movie last and it stuck with them better.
That’s gotta be the quickest telecast in many years. And Enimen should have come. Maybe the Oscarcast moved quicker because several winners weren’t there and they skipped a song. And I’d never show a montage of academy presidents–self indulgent!
Moore didn’t bother me–the documentary winners almost always preach for a cause a little. It only bothered me that he repeated the same speech from the Independent Spirit Awards, where it was a huge hit–as aopposed to the mixed reaction at the Oscars.
I fully expect to get slammed for this post, but here goes:
I’m not apologizing for Roman Polanski’s actions 25 years ago, but a few things are being overlooked here.
1) There is a question as to whether the events constitute rape or statutory rape. Polanski claims the sex was consentual. Statutory rape, while reprehensible, would still be a lesser charge.
2) Polanski only fled the country after a self-serving judge nixed a plea deal that was approved by the prosecutors and the victim. While the right thing to do would have been to stay and then appeal, he got scared.
3) The victim in the case is on record as saying that Polanski has suffered enough and that he should be allowed back into the country with no fear of reprisal. She has forgiven him, and in fact said that she thinks the movie should be judged on its own merits. Justice is not served by the state ontinuing to hold Polanski responsible for that which the victim no longer bears malice.
4) It was 25 years ago. Even if he’d gone to jail and served the full time (unlikely, as his sentence likely would have been shortened either on appeal or via parole), he’d have been out and “rehabilitated” by now.
Again, I’m not apologizing for his actions, just stating facts that people are overlooking in a rush to judgement. I think Polanski should have stayed and faced the music, though.
As to Michael Moore, the spin on his speech is amazing. He got a standing ovation when his name was announced, and the booing during his speech hardly “drowned him out” or chased him from the stage. Moore himself called it “five loud people,” and there were cheers alongside the boos. Were people watching the same telecast I was? Sure doesn’t seem that the so-called “liberal media” was.
As to the Oscars not being the proper place: good people of conscience should speak out on their beliefs in any forum made available. I’d have been disappointed in Moore if he hadn’t made use of the podium.
Julio,
Actually, your entire post was all about forgiving a child rapist. Not only did he rap her, he drugged her first to do it. There is NO such thing as “consensual” when the victim is a 13 year old girl.
The grand jury charged Polanski with giving a drug to a minor, committing a lewd act upon a person less than 14, rape of a minor, rape by use of a drug, oral copulation and sodomy.
There is NO contention if he did it. He did, he admitted that.
And the point of your post is to forgive this person?
Shame on you, Julio. Shame…
No, my point is NOT to forgive Polanski (though the victim herself has done so). The point is to restate the facts.
But I knew someone would misread it as such…
Oh, and lest there be any question:
I’m not necessarily a fan of Polanski — I don’t think I’ve even seen any of his movies. And I do think that he should have stayed in the country and done his time. I’m just not sure justice is served by continuing to pursue him when the victim no longer has an interest.
I also am a believer in separating the art from the artist. If his work on “The Pianist” was deserving (and I haven’t seen it, so I can’t say one way or another), he deserves the Oscar. It’s the same reason I can still enjoy Cerebus despite a distaste for Dave Sim’s personal sociopolitical view (and no, I’m not saying Sim’s running off at the mouth is equally as bad as Polanski’s actions).
You know, so far, the allies are the ones suffering the major losses here (not in sheer number, we’re doing well, overall but in the fact that we’re sustaining them at all).
The Iraqi people are being treated beyond fairly by our soldiers. Even the Iraqi soldiers are allowed to peacefully surrender.
I can’t see how anyone could believe that the Iraqis will not be better off once Hussein is gone. Our biggest mistake was keeping that rat bášŧárd in power for the twelve years since the Gulf War ended (thanks again, UN). It costs the lives of many innocent Iraqis.
Just want to post a follow-up.
I spent some time this morning researching the Polanski case, including reading the girl’s testimony.
My stomach is officially turned.
While I still believe in separating the art from the artist, Polanski should be in prison.
I apologize for saying anything that can be construed as support. I should have looked deeper into the case before spouting off.
At the risk of making an on-topic post…I believe “Treasure Planet” and “Ice Age” were nominated because the category required five nominations, which pretty much covered the feature-length animated films released last year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the only one *not* nominated was Pokemon 4ever, right?
Purely personal opinion, but Spirited Away was so much better than the other nominees, but I was worried it wouldn’t win simply because A)the voters didn’t see it, and B) even if they did, might have chosen to vote American. For those who haven’t seen it, I can’t recommend strongly enough that you pick it up on DVD on APril 15th. And while you’re at it, pick up Kiki’s Delivery Service. Regarding Moore, it’s ironic that the same people who booed him off the stage were probably some of the same people who gave him the Oscar. Let’s face it, everybody knew he was going to say something if he got up there, but maybe it’s just the way he said it. I think Moore comes on too strong sometimes, but at least he has the courage to speak up. Interesting how Bill O’Reilly was just on The View a short time ago, calling Moore a ‘buffoon’ (talk about the pot calling the kettle black!) and went on to explain how the American people should supress their freedom to demonstrate until the war is over. How can you argue with logic like that. Could we maybe strap O’Reilly to the front of a tank with a target painted on his chest, and roll him up to the gates of Bagdhad with a sign saying, ‘Hit the target, win a million dollars’? Okay, getting off the political soapbox and back to the Oscars, best moment of the night: Brody winning a well deserved Oscar and planting a giant lip-lock on Halle Berry. That one made my day.
Posted by Doug Atkinson:
“At the risk of making an on-topic post…I believe “Treasure Planet” and “Ice Age” were nominated because the category required five nominations, which pretty much covered the feature-length animated films released last year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the only one *not* nominated was Pokemon 4ever, right?”
They didn’t HAVE to have five nominees — last year they only had three. Five is simply a maximum.
Also, there were 18 films eligible this year, including non-nominees like “The Powerpuff Girls Movie,” “The Wild Thornberrys Movie” (which WAS nominated for Best Song), “Stuart Little 2” (the rules of the category require 75% animation so it qualifies), and “Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights.” I think the five most deserving films got the nominations.
“Treasure Planet” was generally well-received critically despite bombing financially.
Boy, my medium-long-term memory isn’t in gear today… (I even saw the PPG movie in the theatre and managed to forget about it.) I humbly withdraw my comments as being completely erroneous.
Click here for a dossier of news articles on the Polanski case. He drugged and raped a 14-year-old girl whom he’d lured to Jack Nicholson’s house under the pretense of photographing her as a model. He fled the country while awaiting sentencing.
An audience that booed Michael Moore, then rewarded Polanski and Eminem, is an audience that’s not worth any respect. This may well be my last Oscars viewing.
What’s wrong with booing a lying propagandist?
Roman Polanski might have deserved the prize.
Roman Polanski should be in prison.
The will and malice of the victim in a crime is not and should never be the arbiter of justice.
France harbors our rapists.
Destroy France. Make sure Roman can place his Oscar on a shelf in prison.
There’s nothing wrong with booing a liar who declares himself a champion of truth, despite getting an academy award for making a documentary when he did not actually make a documentary!
For it to be a documentary it has to be true. But it wasn’t. Yet he speaks of himself as a lover of nonfiction.
Do you want proof? Of course you do. http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=6841
I doubt half the liberals here will read it. The conservative might. So yeah, tell me what’s wrong with booing this áršë?
Andrew: Micheal Moore needs to be shot.
Why?
Because he announced his opinion in a place where it was tactfully questionable?
Hëll. People have done worse. Richard Gere for one.
At lease Moore kept it short.
I find it interesting, that during the Clinton Years, Rush Limbaugh could say anything he wanted to about the Clinton family (even equating Chelsea to a dog!) and be considered a hero of free speech, a savior of his politics. But when one or two liberals say something about the dubya regime, oh… they’re Un-American. They need to be banned.
I have an idea! They ought to have a committee on Un-American Activities. Hunt those who don’t agree with present administration, and who are outside the norm. That’s the ticket.
Wait a sec… they did, and they held a bigger witch hunt than anyone has ever seen.
Or maybe it’s because he disagrees with the war? Hmmm… join the millions.
Sorry for the soap box, but stuff like this irritates me.
Travis
Have you even seen Bowling for Columbine or do you just pick and choose which websites you choose to believe and not believe. Posting a link saying that’s proof really doesn’t mean anything, as I could do the same thing and say that everything he has ever said is the truth. Maybe that’s why it pìššëš people off so much. They like to think they know what’s going on and can’t stand it when people tell them otherwise. He has an opinion just like everyone else and it amazes me how bent out of shape people get when they don’t agree with it. As for the guy who said “visually Michael Moore is a loss” …grow up.
I knew this discussion was going to get political. Personally, I agree with everything Moore said; I just think there was a more tactful way of saying it. Interesting how when Jack Straw recently resigned from Tony Blair’s cabinet, he said if the hanging chads had gone the other way and Al Gore was president, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation, and the House of Commons (Blair’s party as well as the opposition) gave him a standing ovation. I guess the real punch line to Moore’s speech is that it’s already been aired countless times, on just about every morning and afternoon news show so far, thus giving him an even bigger forum. And for those criticizing Polanki’s quarter-century old crime, it doesn’t make him a bad director, just a pretty crummy human being. Whether he drugged the poor girl or not, his rational was that it was consensual sex. Putting aside the absurdity of that statement, from a legal standpoint, there’s no such thing. That’s why minors are protected by the law. As a movie-goer, I thought The Pianist was a dámņ fine film, but as a journalist, I wouldn’t feel comfortable interviewing Polanski about his work, if given the opportunity. Maybe I’m splitting moral hairs, but that’s just my own opinion.
Here’s something to chew on regarding the booing during Moore’s speech. Certainly there were more than five people booing him, and his claims that there were only five are certainly intended to be sarcastic.
But did anyone watch the show when they would replay the winners’ reactions when their names were announced. You could hear the announcer and you could hear the winners, yet you could hardly hear the music at all. When it was broadcast live, all you could hear was music and applause.
This proves that microphone placement and sound coverage can be extraordinarily deceptive. Just because we heard several boos while Moore was on stage, that does not indicate the true level of booing in the crowd.
While I agree with everything Moore said, I wish he’d been a bit more subtle about it. But he did show a lot of class by inviting his fellow nominees up there as well. The Oscar podium was the largest soapbox Moore was ever likely to get, and certainly it was his best opportunity to reach people who automatically dismiss as a “commie pinko liberal” or somesuch nonsense. For someone of such strong convictions, the opportunity was too hard to pass up.
As for the poster above who posted the link to the analysis of Moore’s film, were some items taken out of context? Yes. Has there ever been any documentary or news report that doesn’t show anything out of context? Probably not, because there’s a little thing called editing. What that story failed to do was discredit the message of the film. Even if Moore was completely off-base on ticky-tack items like what was really being built at the defense plant, does that change the fact the tens of thousands of Americans die needlessly every year from handguns? Not at all.
Yes, by all means, let’s have MORE French-baiting while America’s standing in the international community is so tenuous. (<–sarcasm)
Would you have urged the destruction of Italy, Spain, England, Australia, or Switzerland if Polanski had fled to those countries? There’s nothing special about France, and France isn’t the offender here. Polanski is.
I read your article, and it seems like a reasonable argument, but I doubt anybody was booing Moore for that. The Academy Awards are generally a time of forgiveness as well as praise. They were prepared to wish him well until he started spouting off anew.
And yeah, they may have applauded Polanski, but listen to Harrison Ford’s voice as he accepts the award on Polanski’s behalf. The irony has not escaped him.
Here’s what I thought would have been appropiate for Best Director.
If the Academy felt Polanski deserved the award, then award it to him. As a voter, the artform should come first.
But when his name was announced, even if I voted for him, I would not clap. A completely silent audience would have been a very clear statement on how we view this “gentleman.”
Julio, I want to first commend you on your 11:24am post, not because you’re now in agreement with me, but simply because it’s not easy for some people to reserve judgement, consider new information, and change their view, much less cop to it. Bravo for your objectivity and honesty. Up until I read your post, I was going to respond to several points you made. I’ve now decided to remove your name from the quotes of yours that I cite, so as not to direct my rebuttals to you specifically, but to anyone else who may hold some of these feelings.
There is a question as to whether the events constitute rape or statutory rape. Polanski claims the sex was consentual. Statutory rape, while reprehensible, would still be a lesser charge.
Luigi Novi: They were rape and statutory rape. He fed Quaaludes and champagne to 13-year old Samantha Geimer, and then forced her to have sex against her will. She tried to say no and resist (as much as someone under the influence of Quaaludes and champagne could), but he forced her to have sex with him anyway. That’s rape, period.
Polanski only fled the country after a self-serving judge nixed a plea deal that was approved by the prosecutors and the victim. While the right thing to do would have been to stay and then appeal, he got scared.
Luigi Novi: So he rapes a 13-year old girl, and then flees the country because he might have to end up standing trial instead of getting a cushy plea bargain, and the judge is self-serving? Oooooooookay. I admit I don’t know the exact terms of the plea bargain, or what the judge’s rationale was, but is it possible, that the judge thought it was too lenient? How the victim feels is one important thing to consider, but not the only one. Giving a rapist a slap on the wrist only serves to encourage him to think that he can get away with it again, which endangers other girls too, not just his victim.
Even if we accept this interpretation, none of this changes the fact that Polanski is a rapist. What if his plea bargain was accepted? Would that make it okay? Would that make it acceptable to laud this creep with awards? Is a rapist to be celebrated as long as he’s a talented filmmaker, or does this apply to ALL rapists? I’m an illustrator myself, and I’m disgusted by the fact that Polanski has never been punished for his crimes.
The victim in the case is on record as saying that Polanski has suffered enough and that he should be allowed back into the country with no fear of reprisal. She has forgiven him, and in fact said that she thinks the movie should be judged on its own merits. Justice is not served by the state ontinuing to hold Polanski responsible for that which the victim no longer bears malice.
Luigi Novi: While it is admirable for Samantha Geimer to display this level of forgiveness, rape is not simply a crime against the victim, it’s also a crime against the state. ALL WOMEN are at risk when a rapist is allowed to roam free, especially one whose actions so many insist on excusing and rationalizing. How many other girl might he have raped if not punished for his crimes?
Polanski has suffered??? How? Being an acclaimed film director living in France with a beautiful wife that so many people in Hollywood want to work with? Oh, the HORROR!
“Hey, Pierre, get me another croissant over here! Can’t you see I’m suffering over here?”
Lastly, Samantha Geimer’s comments bear some scrutiny. According to this site: http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,2029,00.html, “she wouldn’t call the episode rape, but the sex was not consensual. “I perceived it as he made me have sex with him,” she says. “The word ‘rape’ always brings to mind for me a level of…violence that wasn’t there.”
Geimer is here suffering from the same logical fallacy that so many other rationalizers of rape suffer from, except that here, it’s the act that was committed against she herself. She says she doesn’t perceive it as rape, because she perceived it as “he made me have sex with him,” apparently blind to the fact that that’s what rape is. She then says the word “rape” brings to mind a certain level of violence, when the word rape has nothing to do with violence. From here we can gather that Geimer thinks rape is only rape if it’s violent. I wonder if all the women raped after being given Rohypnol-laced drinks would agree with that.
It was 25 years ago. Even if he’d gone to jail and served the full time (unlikely, as his sentence likely would have been shortened either on appeal or via parole), he’d have been out and “rehabilitated” by now.
Luigi Novi: I’m curious as to whether all rapists would have people clamoring to work them if they weren’t in show business, simply, regardless of whether their crime was 25 years ago. How far do we extend this logic? It’s been 9 years since O.J. Simpson murdered two people. Should the Hollywood community welcome him back into their warm embrace in another 16? Would you go see The Naked Gun 4 in 2019?
As to Michael Moore…the booing during his speech hardly “drowned him out”…
Luigi Novi: I couldn’t hear his final words over the booing.
I also am a believer in separating the art from the artist.
Luigi Novi: How much?
How much are you willing to do so?
As I said above, I’m an illustrator. Here are four pieces of artwork. Tell me what you think of them. Would you hang these in your home? (Make sure you don’t allow your different position on this matter with me to color your assessment of them, though!)
http://www.snyderstreasures.net/images/artworks/rottdam.jpg
http://www.williams.edu/WCMA/prelude/images/mtn%20chapel.jpg
http://www.snyderstreasures.net/images/artworks/AHGermaniaOALarge.jpg
http://www.snyderstreasures.net/images/artworks/AHCastleOANFLarge.jpg
Doug Atkinson: At the risk of making an on-topic post…I believe “Treasure Planet” and “Ice Age” were nominated because the category required five nominations, which pretty much covered the feature-length animated films released last year.
Luigi Novi: I could be wrong, but I seem to recall there were only three nominess last year: Shrek, Monsters, Inc., and Jimmy Neutron.
The Blue Spider: I doubt half the liberals here will read it. The conservative might. So yeah, tell me what’s wrong with booing this áršë?
Luigi Novi: I can’t speak for “half” of the liberals, here, but I’d probably fall under your definition of liberal, and I’ve always been a fan of Moore’s work, but I listen to the other side, and have noticed a bit of logical fallacy myself in some of the things he’s said. I was disgusted by his behavior at the Awards last night.
Luigi:
Well, considering the “Adolph Hitler” signature visible in each of the images you linked…
I was unable to watch the show last night, but I did set the machine to tape it.
I can’t WAIT to see this one …