While weathering the first winter storm of 2016, I decided to watch The Martian and Straight Outta Compton. To be fair, I had some bourbon while watching both. But in the end, the fact that a sci-fi flick was nominated over a biography says volumes over how screwed up the academy is.

It's absolutely not as simple as a biography versus science fiction.

It seems Straight Outta Compton is fictional too:


Really, could you even start to imagine that those guys would tell the entire truth about what thugs they were? Are?

Of course, I don't think the Academy checked out how accurate the story was. They just didn't vote for it. And maybe most of the academy members hate rap and hip-hop anyway, so why would they vote for a story about it? Here, finally, we connect the result with the bias of the members.

Actually, though The Martian is 'sci-fi', it's pretty heavily fact based (especially for a movie), so I think it's pretty amazing something like that could get nominated. I would certainly much prefer to have kids (black or white) watching The Martian and get turned on about science and exploration, than watching Straight Outta Compton, however much I might appreciate the influence the NWA had on the musical landscape.

One reason Straight Outta Compton might have failed to be nominated was mentioned by Ernie.


Maybe MOST of the academy members don't like rap, just as so many other don't.


Sorry, it's a movie aimed at a minority of people. People who never liked Rap and what it seemed to stand for (based on the lyrics).


As an aside, it's interesting that those who protest the loudest about the Oscars being unfair, are also those that support the BET Awards.

Sorry, you can't have it your way, and also have it your way. Pick one.

I'd like to hear more about you last comment directed at those that support the BET awards. Can you give a bit more detail on that?

I think where Ken is confused is that the "BET" awards are not multi racial, hence the "Black Entertainment" part of "BE", but mono chromatic. Woody Allen movies do not get nominated for BET awards.

So either Hollywood needs to rename the Oscars "The Cracker Awards" or get with the program and start pleasing all people of color.

Did I get this right?

I think it has more to do with the BET awards don't include everybody and the people complaining the most don't have an issue with it.

Personally, I think the actors that gave the best performance should be nominated regardless of race. The problem is when the people voting are old white guys, you're not going to see a lot of diversity. Maybe they should rename the Oscars WET?

I thought this was an interesting take on the academy.

[Link: dailymail.co.uk]

The Oscars are one of those things that literally no one cares about. Just mail the trophies to the people in the movies that gross the most $$$ at the box office. As if the millions and millions of dollars are not enough, let's give them a statue. Bravo.

indeed! looks like Star wars VII is gonna sweep this years oscars!

I see Mark Hamill going home with a best actor award for his 8 seconds of screen time and no lines (yet second in the credits).

There was a white Congressman who wanted to join the Black Caucus because he said the majority of his constituent for his district was Black.

He was told no he couldn't because only Blacks could be in the Black Caucus.

[Link: politico.com]

Black people hating, thats all it is. Poor me, Poor me. I see way more reverse racism than I ever have before.

One of the great things about the show Blackish, aside from the characters (and I mean that) playing the parts, is that a black person will show obvious racism and someone else will comment "don't see no racism to that" or "ain't nothin' wrong wit' saying that" in an obvious sarcastic manner. It's a treat to watch a show that deals with real issues so humorously and with such well-sharpened skewers.

OK thanks for the clarification.