Glad I Wasn't Watching The Oscars Last Night

The 83rd Oscar ceremony was televised last night.   I kept myself busy with other productive uses of my time besides watching that melanin free awards telecast.

After talking to Renee of Womanist Musings last night, glad I did. 

Seriously, a tribute to Gone With The Wind on a night in which African Americans were already pissed about having no Black actors, actresses or even behind the camera personnel nominated for Oscars?

Then you add insult to injury with a half azzed tribute to Lena Horne, one of our beloved performers and civil rights icons?
 

No wonder there's such crappy movie selections at the local multiplex these days.

And I'd love to see a Black themed movie that didn't involve 21st century coonery on the screen.   Spike?  John Singleton?  Hudlin brothers?  Robert Townsend? 

Just hope Oscars 2012 is kinder to actors of color in Hollywood.     But then again I won't be holding my breath on that one.
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Oscar Blackout

Mo'nique won the Oscar last year for Best Supporting Actress, but when the Oscars kick off next month the list of nominees will look like a Republican Party convention.

One year after an Oscars ceremony that saw Mo'nique's win for her role in Precious and other African-American such as Geoffrey Fletcher, Roger Ross Williams,  Morgan Freeman, Lee Daniels, Gabourey Sidibe and Broderick Johnson either win Oscars or were nominees,  there's an Oscars blackout this year.

Roger Ross Williams became the first African-American to win in the Best Documentary Short Subject category and Geoffrey Fletcher did the same with his win in the Best Writing (adapted screenplay) category.

There were a lot of folks that hated on For Colored Girls including movie critics, but I'm still surprised that Anika Noni Rose, Thandie Newton, or Kimberly Elise didn't even get a bone thrown at them for their performances in the movie.

So when Oscar night happens this year, the only African-Americans that will walking up to the podium this year will do so as presenters.
 

'Precious' Gets Six Oscar Nominations

One of the things I love to do I go to my local multiplex and watch my fave movies when they come out. The last one I've had a chance to see was the Lee Daniels directed film 'Precious' and it's making some movie and Black history of its own.

'Precious' was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Lee Daniels became only the second African-American director to garner a Best Director nod (John Singleton was the last for 1991's 'Boyz In The Hood'). 'Precious' also holds the distinction of being the first African-American directed film in the 82 year history of the Oscars to be nominated for Best Picture.

"After 82 years, it's the first film nominated for best picture directed by an African-American," Daniels said. "Isn't that great? It's so exciting."

Lee Daniels wasn't the only one getting Oscar kudos. The movie was based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, and also earned a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination.

Gabourey Sidibe earned a Best Actress nomination in her debut film, and Mo'Nique is up for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'Precious' as well.

In addition to 'Precious' six nominations, Morgan Freeman received a Best Actor nomination for playing Nelson Mandela in 'Invictus', and Disney received a Best Animated Feature nomination for 'The Princess And the Frog'

Hmm. Looks like I'll have multiple reasons to watch the Oscars March 7 telecast this year.