ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Oscars

8.21 CODA + Oscar ReCap!

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With an eye on diversity, this year’s Oscars featured some fabulous performances and recognition of some amazing films, such as this year’s winner of Best Picture, CODA. Unfortunately, however, they will best be known for one confrontation than any particular award winner. This week, we welcome Deb Whalen and newcomer Sallyanne Hadzalic to discuss the Academy’s big night (including the fallout surrounding the Smith/Rock debacle) and CODA’s ability to build bridges between the Deaf Community and the Hearing.

You can stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

8.21-CODA

Last Survivor: The Line between Love & Violence

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Things always get weird when art imitates life. Especially when one seems to have nothing to do with the other.

Last Survivors tells the story of Jake (Drew Van Acker), a young man who has been living off the grid with his father, Troy (Stephen Moyer) for over 20 years. Convinced by his father that the world has ended due to World War III, Jake has lived a life of survival at all costs. Isolated in the woods, he believes that all of humanity is evil and that the best way to deal with them is to eliminate those who threaten them. When he discovers Henrietta, a beautiful woman (Alicia Silverstone) who lives alone in the woods, Jake becomes intrigued with her. (After all, he’s never seen a woman before.) Initially, their relationship is one of fear and threat but her kindness eventually breaks through, leaving Jake confused about the world around him. 

Directed by Drew Mylrea, Last Survivor is a direct-to-video release that almost works. With a premise that actually has an interesting premise and some surprises along the way, Survivor has the seeds of a solid entry. Unfortunately, the film is let down by its writing and, to a lesser extent, its cast. Awkward writing creates awkward moments between characters that should carry some serious heat between them. What’s more, the cast don’t really seem that interested in the material themselves, leaving the viewer feel chilly. (Having said this, it’s worth noting that Silverstone does provide some interesting work here as the surprisingly complex Henrietta.) 

Where this film becomes particularly interesting though is in its timing. In light of the Will Smith and Chris Rock confrontation at this year‘s Oscars ceremony, there is an enormous conversation taking place right now about the relationship between love and violence. While the stories have nothing to do with one another, this too becomes a central theme in Survivors as well. For example, the actions that Jake’s father takes stem from (what he believes to be) out of love. To him, the act of isolating him from the outside world is a protective instinct from the hurt and pain caused by others. What’s more, the film almost validates his position. There’s a brokenness throughout each of Survivors’ characters that highlights the darkness that exist within us all. In this world, everyone has secrets that involve pain and suffering. 

If the world is such a dark, terrifying place, who wouldn’t want to retreat to protect their family?

However, thankfully, the film also never justifies his behaviour either. Instead, the film seems to recognize that, whereas one person can justify violence as an act of defense, it seems to completely counterintuitive to the nature of love itself. As Troy’s secrets are gradually revealed, we understand that his actions stem out of hurt and anger towards those who have wronged him as opposed to honour and love. Consequently, Survivor seems oddly appropriate today. (However, not of its own volition.) 

Despite a unique premise and some quality moments, Last Survivors may not live up to expectations. While the film itself may not be particularly memorable though, the conversations surrounding violence, love and the boundaries between them sparks some life within Survivors.

Even so, this film may still be a Last pick in your queue.

Last Survivors is available on VOD on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022.

Belfast: The Movie We Need Right Now

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I was late on the Belfast train.

Oh, I’d heard it was great. I was at TIFF but missed its screening. I had heard from many how lovable the film truly was. With potential Oscars in its sights, the film has remained a constant in conversations for Best Picture since its release. But there’s absolutely no way that Branagh could have predicted how appropriate the film would become, given global circumstances.

No one could have.

Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, Belfast is the semi-autobiographical tale of his upbringing in Ireland. Transporting the viewer back to the tumultuous riots of 1969, Belfast is told through the eyes of Buddy (Jude Hill), a 9-year-old boy who is trying to make sense of the world. Living in a poverty-stricken area that’s torn between the Catholics and Protestants, Buddy’s father, Pa (Jamie Dornan) work overseas in England in order to support the family. Meanwhile, his Ma (Caitriona Balfe) takes care of Buddy and his brother as they attempt to figure out what’s next for their family.

Branagh’s story of division and rebellion through the eyes of a child is infused with an undeniable blend of joy and sadness that immediately draws the viewer into the story. Yet, despite the fact that the story takes place in Ireland in the late 60s, there’s something so current about Belfast. Whether it’s the invasion of Ukraine or division of US politics in recent years, Belfast connects deeply with the heart of conflict and oppression while still offering a glimmer of hope. 

Frankly, it’s a remarkable balancing act within the script. 

Without ever losing the traumatic effects of issues such as oppression or poverty, Branagh still manages to highlight the innocence of childhood. In other words, whereas most films of this type highlight the brokenness of the era, Branagh chooses instead to balance it with the infectious joy of growing up. To Buddy, the world around him is simply the way things are. What matters most to him are his parents, playing in the street and the girl next door. (It’s telling that the scariest moments for him involve conversations about leaving Belfast or getting into trouble for stealing a piece of Turkish Delight.) There’s a beauty within this that serves as a reminder that life springs up in the midst of our suffering, especially through our children. This may be a world of black and white (literally) yet Buddy’s world still has splashes of colour. 

Buddy doesn’t understand the depth of what’s going on around him but he does try to piece it together. Filtering his understanding of the world through his love of pop culture, everything about this world feels like it becomes clearer when seen through his eyes. (It is no coincidence that the final confrontation feels like it could have been developed from High Noon.) While the fight rages around him, all that Buddy sees (or wants to see) is the love of his family. As such, there’s an honesty about this film that acknowledges the innocence of Branagh’s childhood but also has a reflectiveness from his adulthood as well.

In terms of its home video release, Belfast is surprisingly enticing. On the surface, the film doesn’t dazzle by its inclusion of the traditional deleted scenes and featurettes. However, what’s most exciting is the fact that, not only does it feature an alternate ending that focuses on Branagh’s return to his hometown (as Buddy), but most importantly (and I cannot stress this enough) there’s a director’s commentary. Honestly, I can’t remember that last disc I’ve seen with a quality commentary attached but Branagh is more than willing to delve into his film with charm. As such, this may be a film that actually benefits from its proper home video release by providing the necessary tools to gain more perspective on the film.

While there are no guarantees whether its name will be called on Oscar night, there is little question that Belfast is one of the best films of the year. Popping with life and love, this is a story of hope at a time when we need it most. Yes, trauma is real. Yes, pain is overwhelming. But love still finds a way.

And that is why this is the film that we need right now.

Belfast is available on VOD, Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022.

Cyrano – Who is worthy of love?

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“I’d give anything for someone to say….”

We long—to be heard, to be seen, to be loved. Such loving is the driving force in Joe Wright’s film Cyrano, a reimagining of Edmund Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, by way of a musical stage play written and directed by Erica Schmidt, who wrote the screen play. It is the story of people who long to be loved—even though they don’t feel worthy of being loved as they would like to be.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Peter Dinklage as Cyrano in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The classic version of Cyrano de Bergerac centers on the title character, a guardsman who is known for his skill as a swordsman and for his wit, but is even more renown for the size of his nose. In this version, Cyrano’s nose is not the issue. Instead, he is played by the diminutive Peter Dinklage. It is his size that makes others scorn and ridicule him (but they do so at their peril). This is more than just a gimmick. Dinklage bring a certain reality to the role that actors in fake noses don’t have. We sense that he truly understands Cyrano’s feelings about being different.

Cyrano is in love with Roxanne (Haley Bennett), his friend from their childhood. But he feels that he can only love her from afar, because no one would accept him because he is so different. When Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) arrives in town, he and Roxanne lock eyes and are immediately smitten. Roxanne asks Cyrano to take care of Christian, a task he accepts out of love, but it breaks his heart. When Cyrano encourages Christian to write to Roxanne, Christian balks because he does not have the words or poetry that Roxanne desires. So Cyrano writes the letters for him, and together they win her heart, but it is obviously complicated (and comic).

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Christian in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

There is another rival for Roxanne, Duke De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn), a foppish, but rich and powerful nobleman. It would not be accurate to say he is courting her. Rather he has decided to possess her. He is the personification of entitlement. De Guiche’s main song is “What I Deserve”.

Those familiar with the original play will know that for all the comic aspects that play out in the romantic triangle of Cyrano, Roxanne, and Christian, the play evolves into a great tragedy of unfulfilled love.

The songs that are a part of this production fit in naturally, some more so than others. (Although the production numbers with large numbers of dancing guards seem less organic to the story.) Some of the songs are more spoken than sung, which works especially well in an early scene set in a theater, in which Cyrano’s lines have an almost rap quality.

Peter Dinklage stars as Cyrano, Haley Bennett as Roxanne and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Christian in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

There are various themes entwined in all of this. One of those focuses on love and our desire to be loved. Often, however, at the same time, we feel unworthy of love. Each of the three main characters are deeply in love, but they each feel that for whatever reason, they don’t deserve to be loved: Cyrano because of his abnormal body, Christian because he can’t live up to the words that Cyrano has put in the letters, Roxanne because she wants more from love than she thinks anyone can give. It raises the question of what it means to be worthy of love—or more precisely if it’s possible to be unworthy. Love is not something we earn, but something bestowed upon us as a gift. That is a key point of the Christian faith: that God loves us not because we are worthy, but because God deems us worthy.

Honesty is another issue that this story deals with. Obviously, Cyrano and Christian are not being honest with the woman they both love. But we also know that Cyrano writes honestly. Everything he writes is from his own heart. The only dishonest thing about it is having Christian sign the letters. In time, Christian realizes this truth, and demands that they come clean with Roxanne—that she deserves the truth and to know of the love they both hold for her. De Guiche’s dishonesty is evident from when we first see him. His ostentatiousness, his highly powdered face and ghastly wig, serve to hide anything that might be considered common. His more shameful nature is hidden from view by his wealth and power.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Ben Mendelsohn as De Guiche in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We also see the way pride interplays with a sense of inferiority.  De Guiche may try to hide himself with makeup and clothing, but Cyrano has no way to hide the part that makes him different. But both of these men have a great measure of pride. De Guiche’s pride is much more in the nature of hubris. His pride comes not from accomplishment, but from his position. For him, pride is just another bit of makeup to cover his lack of love. Cyrano’s pride comes from overcoming his adversity. However, he allows that pride to stand in the way of achieving the one thing he desires in life.

Cyrano is the story of all who long to love and be loved. It calls us to allow ourselves those blessings.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Cyrano is playing in wide theatrical release.

SF Radio 8.16: Current History in THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

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Written almost 400 years ago, Shakespeare’s Macbeth remains one of history’s most well-regarded dramatic stories. Featuring murder, betrayal, and bawdy humour, Macbeth has been studied in classrooms for centuries yet still somehow feels current. Now, with Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, we once again find ourselves ‘stepped in blood’ with Denzel Washington taking on the crown with a vengeance. This week, Victor Stiff (VictorStiff.com) and Dave Voigt (InTheSeats.ca) drop by to talk about Shakespeare’s low-brow/high-brow entertainment, what the ‘Coen lens’ brings to the play and what we believe the true tragedy of Macbeth may be.

You can also stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

8.16-The-Tragedy-of-Macbeth

Christian Takes (On Rogan, Whoopi, Wordle, Superbowl, Book of Boba Fett…)

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There’s always so much in the news and current culture! How can a Christian develop a solid take on so many things? Does a Christian even need to always have a take? Why? What principles can guide us as we attempt to see and communicate things correctly from a Christian point of view?

Find out in this brand new episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast…

With wisdom on having a solid Christian take in place, we tackle a grab bag of current topics to put it into practice. Things that come up (in rando order): Joe Rogan, Whoopi Goldberg, Spotify, Wordle, The Oscars, The Superbowl, The Olympics, Pokemon GO, The Book of Boba Fett, God Reforms Hearts by Thaddeus Williams, the current Canadian trucker protests, mask mandates, abortion, free will and predestination (more later?), ice skating, small groups at CiD, Epic by John Eldredge.. plenty more unremembered items 🙂

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Tigers: Pressured to Perform

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Sometimes, our wildest dreams can be a nightmare in reality.

Based on the true story of Martin Bengtsson (Alfred Enoch), a promising footballer who was offered the world at the young age of sixteen. As Sweden’s top player, he is invited to play for one of Italy’s most high-profile clubs and he finally feels like he’s achieved his dream. However, this life of success comes at a much higher price than he could have imagined. The incredible pressure placed on him by the club threatens his mental health and he begins to crumble under the weight of his loneliness and sacrifice.

Written and directed by Ronnie Sandahl, Tigers is an intense film that takes the shine off the glitzy and glamorous world of professional sports and highlights the emotional damage that can be inflicted on the human soul when its trapped in an abusive environment. Whereas most sports films offer themes of the ‘triumph of the human spirit’, Tiger does so in an entirely different manner. 

Based on the memoirs of the real-life Bengtsson (whom he also has a close personal friendship with), Sandhal grounds his story in the gritty reality of stardom. This is not a story about the ‘comeback kid’ or ‘unexpected hero’. Instead, Sandahl’s film points to a more psychological triumph in the face of abuse. Set at a time when mental health was rarely discussed in the world of sports, Tigers pulls back the curtain on the intense pressure that players experience at the hands of clubs who demand the highest levels of performance. In some ways, its fair to expect that sports clubs expect to get the most out of their substantial investments. However, Tigers highlights the unbelievable emotional toll that this sort of environment can take on the players themselves as teams view their players more as ‘commodities’ than they are as human beings,.

Centering the film around young Enoch’s performance, the camera rarely deviates from his face, revealing the internal anguish that he’s experiencing. Wherever he goes, Sandahl wants us to watch him. Like the world around him, this is a story that is intently focused on the abilities of its star. (In fact, it’s worth noting that he even zooms in on Enoch during in-game scenes instead of broadening the shot to include wide crowd shots. Rather to portray these as moments of celebration,  Tigers insists that we intently watch the young man for his own safety.) Even so, Enoch does an excellent job portraying both the innocence and insecurity in the eyes of youth. the pressures of stardom begin to take their toll, we both hope for him and fear for him at the same time. 

The film gains its title from a photograph featuring a caged tiger who eventually turns on his owners. Wild at heart, this beast of the jungle may be locked away but his soul yearns for freedom. Visually, Sandhal reinforces this metaphor by enclosing Bengtsson in cages throughout the entire film. Whether it’s in his training facility or in hospital, we recognize quickly that Martin is unable to move or breathe. Like the animal itself, Bengtsson is a man repressed from the outside while the rage continues to build within him.

At a deeper level, one of the more intriguing conversations going on within the film is the value of the human soul. Having worked his entire life to become a professional soccer player, Martin has finally achieved his dream. However, the fame he has fought for comes at a price. Because they are essentially owned by the club they work for, high-level players are treated as commodities to be bought and sold at will. As they bring their clubs glory, so too are their livelihoods lie fully in the hands of those that write their paychecks. 

Pressured to produce, the joy of his experience evaporates quickly, leaving Martin feeling empty inside. However, when he experiences love for the first time, he begins to feel a sense of rebirth inside. To Martin, there is a sense of refreshing that takes place when someone finally values him for himself as opposed to their expectations of him. As a result, hope and healing begin to replace the feelings of anxiety and anger. Of course, this creates an emotional tension within him, especially as the club further tightens its grip upon him. But the proverbial damage has been done. Despite the best efforts of his team to force him into their mold, life has been sprung within his soul once again. Suddenly, he begins to wonder if the very thing he has wanted most may not in fact be that thing he wants most.

Suddenly, there is a world beyond his obsession.

Poetic and powerful, Tigers is a deeply affective journey. Rooted in his friendship with the real-life Bengtsson, Sandhal’s story feels personal and real as it explores what it means to be valued in a world where the financial bottom line matters more than a player’s humanity. Though he was one of the first to speak out about his suffering, Bengsston’s story still resonates today in a world where salaries continue to rise and social media keeps a close eye on the lives of its stars. Most importantly, Tigers serves as a reminder that he is not alone.

To hear our conversation with writer/director Ronnie Sandahl, click here (YouTube) and here (audio).

Tigers is Sweden’s submission in the Best Foreign Language category for the 2022 Academy Awards.

Judas & the Black Messiah: “I Want to Live”

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The film has been on HBO Max for about a month now. I knew watching it was gonna require courage, as historical dramas about Black pain and suffering only serve to make me angry. So, I avoided it as long as I could until I finally sat down to watch on the first Saturday in March.

And, as I figured, I got angry. Very angry.

I wasn’t angry at the acting or the story or the filmmaking process. I was angry at the reality that has not gone away 50 years later.

The thing that leapt off the screen for me as I watched: The SYSTEMIC racism. Emphasis on the word SYSTEMIC. I’m talking specifically those scenes within the FBI and their chessboard maneuvering.

Black mobilization is a threat. Always has been. Always will be. It’s why slaves couldn’t learn to read. It’s why the flame of Reconstruction was doused by Jim Crow. It’s why King, X, Medgar Evers, Fred Hampton and countless other Brothers and Sisters had their lives taken.

It’s why they label BLM as “communist” and “Marxist.” It’s why over 40 states are currently in the process of remixing voting laws – even drafting bills to make it illegal to serve food and water while standing in line for hours waiting to vote. 1969. 2021. Mobilization Is still a threat. And their greatest fear.

An IRRATIONAL fear.

J. Edgar Hoover in the film hypothetically asks Mitchell, the FBI agent handling Bill (Judas) O’Neal, what he’d do if his baby daughter brought home a Negro whom she was in love with. His point: Survival. Protection of their way of life. Fear of being conquered. Hoover’s words echoed the now famous Charlottesville Tiki Torch sentiment. Those marchers targeted Jews. But they could have inserted anyone in their war cry.

(WHOMEVER) WILL NOT REPLACE US!

REPLACE YOU? 🤣🤣🤣

For the record, we are not trying to replace Whites. We don’t want your throne. We don’t want your seats of honor. We don’t want your status or your authority. “New World Order” is laughable to us. Marxist regimes are the furthest thing from our collective minds.

Fred Hampton, MLK, BLM are all fighting for the same sentiment – a sentiment best expressed by a Jay Z song title:

CAN I LIVE?

Can I work for a livable wage to raise my sons and daughters without restriction?

Can I go to my job wearing the hairstyle I want, speaking my normal dialect without having to codeswitch? Can I get the opportunities to advance in my field without those previously stated issues being an issue?

Can I go to church without having to assimilate into a White Evangelical approved form of Christianity that denies my true expression of who I am? Can I sing, shout, say AMEN, embrace my African heritage in my expression of faith without it being a threat?

Can I buy a house in the same neighborhood as you and you not feel so threatened that you engage in non-neighborly microaggressions insinuating that I am not welcome there? Can my house get the same appraised value attached to it even with my photos of my African American family of 5 framed on the walls?

Can I just get a ticket for speeding? Can I just walk home from a store? Can I just drive to my new job? Can I do ANYTHING that results in me just getting a write up instead of a toe tag at the morgue? And can my expression of righteous anger and frustration not require the use of deadly force because you see Black anger as a threat?

If I CHOOSE to love your daughter, Agent Mitchell, is that enough? Can I not be subjected to jests about how dark the baby’s skin color will be? If other family members express their racist thoughts about my presence in the family, will you defend me? Or will we be ostracized from your family – and our children lose their birthright – because we won’t “play the game?”

Replace you? No, White community. It’s never been about that. We just want to live. All we want is our modern day equivalent of that promised 40 acres and a mile and we’ll keep living. Some of us will live with you in our space. Some of us won’t. That’s our choice.

You have a choice too. Let Hoover’s fear consume you. Let the irrational horror of what we might do take over your hearts and minds. Continue to mangle Scripture for your own benefit.

Or…you can live. With us. Lose your fear. Lose your terror. Lose your life…and find it again like Jesus said. When you’re ready, our arms are wide open ready to live with you and love you.

Thank you Chairman Fred.

The film is available now on Digital and out on Blu-ray and DVD on May 4. The Blu-ray combo pack includes “Fred Hampton for the People” and “Unexpected Betrayal” as special features.

Academy Awards 2021: Boseman Loss Shows Why We Still Do (and Don’t) Need the Oscars

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It wasn’t supposed to go like that.

After unexpectedly re-arranging the schedule to push Best Picture up and let the acting categories shine, the Academy clearly wanted to send a message. With the foregone conclusion that Chadwick Boseman would posthumously take Best Actor for his work in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it was going to definitively celebrate a young man who was taken from us far too soon after losing his battle with cancer last year. 

An African-American man. 

Black Panther.

The significance of the moment was going to be a victory to end that night that would be both emotional and satisfying. After all, at a moment when Black culture is looking for heroes, a Chadwick victory would have been a symbolic statement in honour of a young man who had become a beacon of hope for many, sending viewers home with a truly feel-good moment.

Well, we all know how that went.

After Phoenix announced Anthony Hopkins as Best Actor to close out the show, the shock was palpable. The room was fairly quiet. Phoenix had to fumble through an awkward acceptance on Hopkins behalf as he was the only nominee not available. Of course, Twitter erupted. (In some ways, you almost feel bad for Hopkins. At home in Wales, even HE didn’t think he was going to win. If I were him, I likely would have slept through the ceremony as well.)

In a moment that felt like the reverse of the La La Land/Moonlight fiasco of a few years ago, the ‘feel-good’ finale completely backfired.

Within seconds, people took to their social media and responded accordingly. Outrage! Fury! Cancel! The response was completely understandable—and expected. After all, around this time, it’s almost tradition for people to take to the inter-webs to complain about the Oscars and the choices that they proclaim are ‘Best’. People decry from the rooftops that the films the Academy selects show their irrelevancy (and, sometimes, that’s a totally fair complaint). Comments like ‘this is why I don’t care about the Oscars’ flood social media with tsunami-like force.

But the irony is that same blow-up on the Twitter-verse shows that people still do care.

While people may either be happy or furious, the fact that the reactions to these awards are so strong suggests that there’s still an interest in the results. For over 90 years, the Academy Awards have been the ‘standard’ by which success in the industry has been measured. To win an Oscar is considered one of the highest honours in the industry and, even though culture has changed a lot in recent years (and continues to do so), there remains a respect for that golden statue that continues to endure. To win an Oscar still says something. 

They matter because they matter to us.

The reason people were upset about Chadwick losing the award is not because Hopkins didn’t deserve it but rather that it meant something to them. Hopkins turned in the performance of the lifetime in the role but a Chadwick victory would have felt not only poignant but powerful. With his career still reaching his potential before his death, Chadwick still felt like someone that people could relate to, especially amongst the Black community. A win for him seemed like it would have felt like another win for them.

And it might have.

But, if the awards truly didn’t matter to anyone outside the industry, no one would have cared. There would have been no outcry or frustration. It would have simply passed on from the cultural zeitgeist and landed on the entertainment pages… not the front page… 

The problem may be that we’ve given too much credibility to the Academy. Though filled with over 1000 industry professionals, with this responsibility comes the expectation that it will represent the values of the people and the time. The truth is that they don’t always. Yes, they strive for representation and want to speak the voice of a culture. That’s why these films matter as much as Marvel films or alien invasions. They connect with a heartbeat that speaks the cries of our world.

But they don’t always speak for you and I. How could they?

With this in mind, the loss by Chadwick shows that, maybe, we don’t need the Oscars to play the same role in our culture. The truth is that, while considered the highest heights of the industry, the loss to Hopkins does not take away from his performance (or career) in any way. So many of history’s best films and performances were never recognized by the Academy. Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, Do The Right Thing, Pulp Fiction and innumerable others were robbed of ‘Oscar glory’ yet remain the most influential films of the last century. (And let’s not forget Delroy Lindo from the list of snubs this year…)

Regardless of who the Academy chooses to take home the gold, Chadwick Boseman will be remembered.

He matters. And he’s as important as he was yesterday.

I admit it. I love the Oscars. I love the pageantry, the music and the speeches. Unlike many, I love the fact that winners use the platform to speak their hearts about issues that matter to them. (I mean, they’ve been given a voice. They should use it.) I even love my Oscar pool with friends.

Ultimately though, they don’t determine which films or performances matter most. Only the ones that mattered to these people. That’s why it doesn’t really matter in the end if Boseman posthumously took home the gold. His performance in Ma Rainey’s was a thing of brilliance and it will be remembered. (In fact, it should be remembered.) This year’s Oscars may have been the most diverse in the Academy’s history. Chloe Zhao. Daniel Kaluuya. Yuh-Jung Yoon. H.E.R. Soul. Jon Batiste. All of these winners from last night show that things are changing. This was not #OscarsSoWhite, even if it did feel like #OscarsSoWrong.

The loss by Boseman doesn’t change any of this… but it’s all anyone’s talking about.

Yes, it would have made an amazing story to see him cap off his young but incredible career with a win. It would have been an emotional moment for us all. But there’s a reason that they announce the winner by saying ‘the Oscar goes to…’ They don’t want the other nominees to feel as though they are someone lesser than the others.

Because they aren’t. Not Riz Ahmed. Not Boseman. None of them, regardless of category. They all achieved something great with their cinematic achievements. And, like Chadwick’s performance, their work lives on. 

The Academy knows that. We may have forgotten it.

Message received.

7.18 Meeting THE FATHER + Oscar Talk!

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Roll out the [digital] red carpet and strike up the [Zoom] speeches! Believe it or not, It’s Oscar season and time to crown the Best Films of the pandemic year. As efforts such as Nomadland, Judas and the Black Messiah and Sound of Metal all duke it out to claim the top prizes, Seeing and Believing’s Kevin McLenithan drops by to talk about some of the potentially important smaller awards and mistakes that the Academy may reward come this weekend. What’s more, we also take a deep dive into Florian Zeller’s nominated film The Father and discuss the fragile nature of safety and the relationship between humility and perspective.

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.18 The Father + Oscar TalkDownload