Let's get started with the big news: Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) dropped out of the "coveted" (which means it isn't coveted by any means whatsoever) 50 Shades role. Hunnam said that he had to drop out because of his crazy schedule with Sons of Anarchy. He honestly probably made a smart move, because for as much as this film is talked about, it's production is moving very slowly. REAL actors aren't interested in it, and by the time it drops next year, the momentum this series had will likely be waning. Maybe by 2014, audiences will be smart enough to realize a cash grab when they see it, like this movie.
Second order of business: James Franco's role as Alien in the ungodly terrible movie Spring Breakers is being campaigned for an Oscar nomination. Let's strip this down, shall we? First, Spring Breakers is laughably bad. It was the worst movie released this year. It was a joke that we, the audience, paid the ultimate price of. The directing was terrible, the acting was miserable, the plot (or lack thereof) was all over the place, and by the end of the movie you realize there was absolutely no reason for it to be made.
But, there was a silver lining: James Franco. Yes, the movie was one of, if not the worst, movie of 2013. But Franco was so amazing in it. Every time he was onscreen, you forgot about the movie and focused solely on the captivating performance this artist was putting in. His role as Alien, the wannabe gangster (aka RiFF RaFF), was one of the finest performances we'll see this year. If you don't believe me, just go back and watch it again.
While the role was wonderful, is it "Oscar wonderful"? I think Franco should 100% be CONSIDERED, but being nominated is a different story. He did churn out a crazy good performance, but the overall quality of the movie (in my opinion should always be factored into Oscar voting) was so bad, that it doesn't deserve a (used to be) prestigious award like the Oscar.
While we're at it, in my perfect world of Oscar considerations, I believe a strict guideline should be followed while voting, so that we can prevent another Colin Firth The King's Speech fiasco.
1. Was the movie good?
This is important because you don't want a bad movie to win awards. If Franco wins, or even gets nominated, then Spring Breakers will forever be tied to the Oscars. And that movie is the anti-Oscar. It was so bas.
2. Could anyone have played this part?
This is the MOST important question. Anyone could have played King George VI in The King's Speech. Anyone could have played Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire. And Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side...come on. Franco would win in this category, because I don't think anyone else could have pulled of Alien, except for maybe when Johnny Depp used to make good movies.
3. Did they steal every scene?
If you're going to win an Oscar, an award that says "you were better than your peers", then why would someone who didn't steal EVERY scene win it? (case in point: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained, I thought it was undeserving but that's neither here nor there. Also case in point: Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds were both deserving of Oscars. Those two in that movie...man). Franco stole it in Spring Breakers, without him, that movie crashes and burns...miserably.
4. How dedicated were they to their role?
This is why Christian Bale won for The Fighter. When you drop a cool 50 lbs, or go gay, you're destined for that gold (aka Matthew McConaughey is going to win for Dallas Buyers Club). You'll always have people like Daniel Day-Lewis who are so weirdly dedicated to their craft that they win every time their nominated. Franco didn't have to do much to dedicate himself to the role, besides cornrows and fake tattoos. He probably could've done a lot more to be even more believable, but he never did anything drastic.
If we go by this criteria when voting for who wins the most prestigious award given to actors, then Ryan Gosling doesn't lose (or get snubbed) for Blue Valentine. No longer does a gay role automatically win (or get nominated). These awards should go to people who dedicated themselves to a role that became completely their own.
