RIP the Oscars 1927-2022
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Producers Guild of America gave Sian Heder’s “CODA” its top film prize. This now sets up Apple Studios to win Best Picture come Oscar night.
“CODA” has clearly struck a chord in Hollywood. Apple Studios could be the first streaming service to win the Oscar for Best Picture, despite Netflix persistently trying to attain this feat for the last 7 years. It could also become the first Sundance-premiered movie to win the top prize.
Heder’s film never really played in theaters, which only enhances its TV movie vibe. If it actually wins the Oscar for Best Picture then it’ll be an embarrassment of epic proportions for American cinema. You have to imagine movie fans around the world scratching their heads over it winning, especially in France which produced La Famille Bélier the film by which “CODA” is a remake of.
Fact is that it doesn't really matter how artfully-made Jane Campion's “The Power of the Dog” was, or for that matter Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” there’s just no passion behind Campion’s divisive film. Divisiveness doesn’t work well with preferential balloting, broad appeal does and “CODA” has loads of it within the industry and with mainstream audiences.
Let us also not forget that Campion kept botching the Netflix campaigning these last few weeks with controversial public comments and an overall air for being totally out of touch with today’s safe zone culture. She might still get her Best Director Oscar because who else could win? CODA’s Sian Heder isn’t even nominated in the category.