The Movie Reel

[Federberg]

Um … yes, it was egregious, quite frankly especially because it was viewed live around the world. Countless people will now think their own actions are justified because Will Smith did it in front of everyone and got away with it.

it was definitely egregious, and I can only imagine how stand up comics feel about it. This could encourage assaults. Will Smith really didn't think it through

 

[Federberg]

A course I knew that but I wasn't looking at it from a woman's emotional battle dealing with that disorder. My daughter explain to me the difficulties that the women that are impacted day to day. Again, I truly believe Chris didn't mean to make light of her condition but maybe it was too close to her recent battles to try to live a normal life while being in the public spotlight.

glad you're on the same page now. Again... not condoning Will Smith's actions, but I took exception to any attempt to minimise the cruelty of Chris Rock's joke. Particularly when you consider he knows Will and Jada. It was an inexcusable act. This was not the same as his joke about her in the #oscarsowhite controversy. There he was commenting about her actions, and that was fair game. Sort of like what Ricky Gervais did at the Golden Globes. But about people's personal health? Not acceptable!

 

[tented]

I hate it when the ONE performance in the nominated category I can't bear to win does win, LOL. I would have been perfectly happy with Penelope Cruz, Kristen Stewart and especially Olivia Coleman and could have lived it with Nicole Kidman. Kidman isn't the same type as Lucille Ball at all, but she does convey the drive, intensity and sadness of the famous comedian. In a weird way, the fact that she cannot do a mimicry of Lucy actually frees the performance IMO.

Can''t believe I forgot to mention Olivia Coleman in "The Lost Daughter." It's a movie based on one the novels of that great Italian writer Ellena Ferrante.

It's quite a disturbing and haunting film, and Olivia's character is complex and far from sympathetic. It's one of the few modern mainstream films which deals with the subject of a woman who has made her choices in life who did not put her children first in her life and genuinely doesn't regret it. My wife said that it captures the ambivalence some women have toward motherhood. You can't quite put your finger on her character and I was blown away that the actress Maggie Gylenhaal directing in her first film produced such a mature work of art. The supporting cast, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Ed Harris, etc is excellent. Did I mention the film is haunting?

Coleman is excellent in everything I’ve seen her do. My first exposure to her was in the BBC series Broadchurch. You could immediately see you weren’t dealing with an average actress portraying the standard detective. She brought a subtle pathos to it which I don’t think I would have picked up on if I had only ever read the script. The Lost Daughter is another brilliant performance. This is a perfect example of what should win an Oscar. She didn’t rely on an impression of a real person; she didn’t require prosthetics, weight gain/loss; she didn’t use an accent — she developed an unforgettable character based on the text.

It’s a semi-shocking topic, but worthy of exploration. I’m glad Maggie Gyllenhaal directed it, which eliminates any doubts which may have arisen if a man had. Everyone knows not all women end up enjoying being a mother, but when has it been portrayed so brutally honestly? I can’t think of another example, so Coleman had no precedent to use as a basis for creating this character.

 

[the AntiPusher]

glad you're on the same page now. Again... not condoning Will Smith's actions, but I took exception to any attempt to minimise the cruelty of Chris Rock's joke. Particularly when you consider he knows Will and Jada. It was an inexcusable act. This was not the same as his joke about her in the #oscarsowhite controversy. There he was commenting about her actions, and that was fair game. Sort of like what Ricky Gervais did at the Golden Globes. But about people's personal health? Not acceptable!

It was all too personal for Will. When I listened to the word about keep My wife name out of your mouth had to go back to the 2016 comments about Jada's boycotting and Chris jokes about she wasn't invited . Will's actions were premeditated in my opinion.

 

[Kieran]

It was all too personal for Will. When I listened to the word about keep My wife name out of your mouth had to go back to the 2016 comments about Jada's boycotting and Chris jokes about she wasn't invited . Will's actions were premeditated in my opinion.

I don't know, brother. Today I have more sympathy for Will Smith because of what he inflicted on himself, it was the biggest day of his career and he became so upset, but really, if this is such a sensitive thing in the Jada household, he was doing well laughing at it - until he wasn't. He'd taken the better option then, but seriously, it's alopecia, not cancer. I've also run this by the females in my life and they all agree that Jada looks fantastic, and that there's more to this than a vague joke that might have been impromptu and was better laughed off. Maybe something in the strange dynamic and weird poly-whatever marriage between Will and Jada. I don't know. I can't see how the reaction suddenly became so outsized and violent....

 

[tented]

I don't know, brother. Today I have more sympathy for Will Smith because of what he inflicted on himself, it was the biggest day of his career and he became so upset, but really, if this is such a sensitive thing in the Jada household, he was doing well laughing at it - until he wasn't. He'd taken the better option then, but seriously, it's alopecia, not cancer. I've also run this by the females in my life and they all agree that Jada looks fantastic, and that there's more to this than a vague joke that might have been impromptu and was better laughed off. Maybe something in the strange dynamic and weird poly-whatever marriage between Will and Jada. I don't know. I can't see how the reaction suddenly became so outsized and violent....

I don’t think it was impromptu. Not that that matters, in the end, but even as I watched it live, it seemed as if he had already thought of it before walking on stage.

 

[Kieran]

I don’t think it was impromptu. Not that that matters, in the end, but even as I watched it live, it seemed as if he had already thought of it before walking on stage.

It may have been scripted, I agree, and if so, it might have been his second jab at her relatively mediocre Hollywood movie career. Less funny than what he said in 2016, but fair game. regardless...

 

[Moxie]

I don’t think it was impromptu. Not that that matters, in the end, but even as I watched it live, it seemed as if he had already thought of it before walking on stage.

How do you think that would have worked? Surely, he did have a copy of the monologue ahead of time. Do you think that, since he was sitting up front, he was just waiting for Rock to say something about him or Jada? Because he laughed at first, and reacted when he realized how unhappy she was. Tell me your theory of how he would have planned this ahead, and maybe AP has one, too.

 

[tented]

How do you think that would have worked? Surely, he did have a copy of the monologue ahead of time. Do you think that, since he was sitting up front, he was just waiting for Rock to say something about him or Jada? Because he laughed at first, and reacted when he realized how unhappy she was. Tell me your theory of how he would have planned this ahead, and maybe AP has one, too.

Chris Rock had the joke ready to go before stepping on stage. That’s it. Period. No implication of anything beyond delivering a joke he had already thought of.

 

[Federberg]

Chris Rock had the joke ready to go before stepping on stage. That’s it. Period. No implication of anything beyond delivering a joke he had already thought of.

that didn't feel like a prepared joke to me, I hope it wasn't. If it was then it's even worse on Chris Rock's part. I think it was ad libbed, if he had run that by his team it wouldn't have been allowed through

 

[Moxie]

Oh, I thought everyone was reacting to AP's point that Will's actions were premeditated. That to me seems improbable. As to Chris Rock's joke, I agree it was likely written ahead...at least he worked it up after he'd seen her that evening. It was polished enough.

 

[tented]

Oh, I thought everyone was reacting to AP's point that Will's actions were premeditated. That to me seems improbable. As to Chris Rock's joke, I agree it was likely written ahead...at least he worked it up after he'd seen her that evening. It was polished enough.

Exactly. This was a standard routine by a comedian in front of an audience like this. Before going out, they already know who’s there, where they’re seated, etc. It’s expected of them to do this — which is why it always happens. Gervais, Rock, Kimmel, and everyone else who has hosted an award ceremony have their jokes ready to go before taking even the first step on stage. This isn’t an improv show; it’s scripted.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Margaret was asking about Richard Williams: Here's his thoughts

'King Richard' weighs in on Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock at Oscars

"We don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense," Venus and Serena Williams' father, Richard, said via his son.

www.nbcnews.com

I thought Will totally hijacked the moment from the Williams Family which can't be replaced.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I don’t think it was impromptu. Not that that matters, in the end, but even as I watched it live, it seemed as if he had already thought of it before walking on stage.

If someone believes Will went from laughing at the joke to nuclear level upset and that was all impromptu. Not a chance. That's premeditated my friends. Use your better judgement.

 

[Federberg]

If someone believes Will went from laughing at the joke to nuclear level upset and that was all impromptu. Not a chance. That's premeditated my friends. Use your better judgement.

you're assuming that his laughter was genuine humour. I don't think so. He was on camera, waiting for the biggest prize of the night. He was doing what he usually does, laugh at jokes done at his expense. I think the problem is that too many people have bought into the public image. I think we saw the real Will Smith for a little bit, and it wasn't pleasant. I think he was prepared to play the role of good natured good humoured guy. Until he turned around and saw his wife wasn't feeling it. Then it reminds him of her private feelings about her condition and boom... Krakatoa. I find it amazing that people think a highly successful $100m++ guy actually planned to do something any bumpkin would know will end up being toxic to his image. When people think Will Smith now... there's only one thing they'll think of

 

[tented]

If someone believes Will went from laughing at the joke to nuclear level upset and that was all impromptu. Not a chance. That's premeditated my friends. Use your better judgement.

If it was premeditated that means either a) the producers knew about it beforehand and approved it or b) the producers did not know, but Rock and Smith did it anyway.

In the first instance, you have to agree that there’s NO WAY the producers of the Academy Awards would have ever green-lit a physical altercation. In the second, Rock and Smith would have to realize they would NEVER be invited back.

Everything that happened after Rock made the joke was spontaneous. I’ve known plenty of people whose temper can go from zero to 100 in a few seconds.

 

[Jelenafan]

If someone believes Will went from laughing at the joke to nuclear level upset and that was all impromptu. Not a chance. That's premeditated my friends. Use your better judgement.

I don't think Smith's sobbing at the acceptance speech and visible embarrassment over what happened was premeditated. Are you saying he planned it and regretted afterwards? That acceptance speech was beyond awkward, but not how he intended. It showed the breadth of self absorbed narcissism these people wallow in. Calling himself a river, a vessel of love, someone acting out of love, etc, it was embarrassing because it was obvious Will Smith actually believed what he was saying LOL.

A friend of mine who worked for SAG said we have no idea of the degree of sycophancy wrapped around the world of celebrity. More than just the 1 percenters protected by money,(who in their case wealth buys anonymity) , these are people who can literally go years with anybody telling them "no" while praising them 24/7. Will Smith was probably already feeling the emotional anxiety that he was most likely going to win that night and I guess Chris Rock was the trigger to release some of that anxiety.

 

[Kieran]

I don't think Smit's sobbing at the acceptance speech and visible embarrassment over what happened was premeditated. Are you saying he planned it and regretted afterwards? That acceptance speech was beyond awkward, but not how he intended. It showed the breadth of self absorbed narcissism these people wallow in. Calling himself a river, a vessel of love, someone acting out of love, etc, it was embarrassing because it was obvious Will Smith actually believed what he was saying LOL.

A friend of mine who worked for SAG said we have no idea of the degree of sycophancy wrapped around the world of celebrity. More than just the 1 percenters protected by money,(who in their case wealth buys anonymity) , these are people wo can literally go years with anybody telling them "no" while praising them 24/7. Will Smith was probably already feeling the emotional anxiety that he was most likely going to win that night and I guess Chris Rock was the trigger to release some of that anxiety.

They’re in a whole nother world altogether. I watched some vids of Jada humiliating her husband and I thought, poor bloke. Hollywood is a strange place, strange values. Strange lack of values. Will’s acceptance speech was just at the level that Hollywood understands, unfortunately. A river that’s also a vessel - a vessel of Love, apparently.

Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais, all the great comedians trigger these celebs with the unknown harsh realities that they haven’t a clue about…

 

[the AntiPusher]

If it was premeditated that means either a) the producers knew about it beforehand and approved it or b) the producers did not know, but Rock and Smith did it anyway.

In the first instance, you have to agree that there’s NO WAY the producers of the Academy Awards would have ever green-lit a physical altercation. In the second, Rock and Smith would have to realize they would NEVER be invited back.

Everything that happened after Rock made the joke was spontaneous. I’ve known plenty of people whose temper can go from zero to 100 in a few seconds.

No you missing my point. What I'm saying Will's retaliation against Chris Rock stems from 2016 which is why I feel Sunday was premeditated depending on the next joke Chris made about his wife. If that was any other person that made that joke, Will wouldn't have reacted the same way.

 

[Kieran]

No you missing my point. What I'm saying Will's retaliation against Chris Rock stems from 2016 which is why I feel Sunday was premeditated depending on the next joke Chris made about his wife. If that was any other person that made that joke, Will wouldn't have reacted the same way.

You make Will Smith sound like a lunatic. He was laughing along, then he flipped. It was the same GI Jane joke. I don’t think it’s possible he sat in wait for Chris Rock, because Chris Rock did nothing in 2016 that could cause Will Smith to lay in wait in the long grass like a crocodile, waiting for him this time…