Forest Whitaker gave the best speech tonight

[BeyondGeography]

Just sayin'...

[aquart]

1. Actually, you're not. What did he say?

[BeyondGeography]

3. His starting point as an actor is his personal connection

with every human being on the planet...very deeply felt.

[MADem]

2. I liked the Italian scorer's speech, myself--very heartfelt NT

[BeyondGeography]

4. Me too...looks like Eastwood speaks Italian!

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

5. Either that or reading from a teleprompter.

[BeyondGeography]

8. If so, the translations were incomplete, but accurate

according to my European wife...

[MADem]

16. She's right--he got the main elements--but he cut corners.

The actual speech was, shall we say, a bit more florid. That's not Eastwood's style, certainly.

[MADem]

15. I imagine he does, having done all those spaghetti westerns over in Italy

It's an easy language to speak. If you already know Spanish or French or both it's really easy to pick up.

He wasn't wearing his spectacles, so I'm guessing he actually translated. And his translation was a bit imprecise (he got the essential elements, but he skimmed and condensed a tad) no doubt due to the time involved.

[JDPriestly]

26. Actually Eastwood's translation left some things out.

I don't remember what, but he didn't say everything the composer said.

[MADem]

46. He did. The composer's remarks were very flowery and detailed.

Clint simply hit the high points.

[JDPriestly]

25. That was good too.

[TahitiNut]

6. I agree ... and I was THRILLED that he won.

He's been one of my very favorite actors for many years. He has an enormous range and ALWAYS benefits the films he's in. Always. He's a very deserving actor, imho ... and the depth of his heart was honted at in his acceptance speech. Clearly, the tears in his wife's eyes were real ... as real as the very obvious love she has for him. She's adorable.

[BeyondGeography]

12. His wife's reaction had me going for the hanky

absolutely priceless; thanks for reminding me.

[Arugula Latte]

7. I liked it until the last lines, where he thanked god.

:eyes:

Yeah, like there's some deity hovering over the hands of Academy voters, willing them to mark "Forest Whitaker" on their ballots.

Other than that, it was very moving.

[JanusAscending]

13. Oh........get over it!!

He wasn't the only one who thanked God on the show. Maybe you don't realize it , but all Democratic Progressives aren't atheists, or agnostics. You put we who believe down, like we are idiots to believe in something higher than ourselves!! Do you see us making light of your non-belief? Play fair, OK?

[Arugula Latte]

14. Um -- yeah Gee, you sound like a post 2000 election Republican. Get over it, huh?

Yes, I'd say I DO realize not all progressives aren't atheists. No kidding!

Believers in hovering deities are the majority, and they aren't used to hearing the other side. They tell us to shut up when we dare express a belief contrary to theirs.

I have a right to express my opinion and my opinion is that Whitaker's silly last lines undermined what had been shaping up to be a great speech.

So, I don't have to get over anything.

[bobbie]

21. Nicely said Oregonian. And incidently I agree with your opinion.

A god reference in otherwise good rhetoric ruins it for me. (Oh, and I choose not to capitalize "god.")

[Arugula Latte]

27. Thanks, bobbie!

:hi:

I appreciate your support. I want to thank god for your support. Oh, wait. No I don't. :rofl:

[bobbie]

31. Hee hee heeee! God one... Oops I mean Good one Oregonian.

:evilgrin:

[bobbie]

17. Oh get over yourself dc. Oregonian can express their personal opinion

in spite of your illogical sanctimonious little tantrum.

Practice as you preach and "play fair." 'Kay?

[JanusAscending]

36. I really hope you both are having a really good time

at my expense. I guess you don't care how badly you are making me feel! I am not a republican,I'm a Democrat, and have been all my life. Why am I attacked because I asked you to get over yourselves. You can believe what you want, I could care less, but don't belittle my faith!! I'm not the enemy, I'm one of your team. I just won't bother to participate in any threads that the two of you are posting in again. Will that make you happy?

[Arugula Latte]

39. So you tell me to get over myself, when I was just expressing my opinion,

yet when I don't meekly submit to your demand you say you're "attacked"? :shrug:

I don't have anything against you. This is a discussion board. People don't always agree. It gets a little heated. I've been here 5+ years and I've learned sometimes you have to have a bit of a thick skin.

I don't understand why "faith" is supposed to be off limits just because it's labeled as such. I have my beliefs, you have yours. I happen to put my "faith" in facts, science, and reason. You have a religious approach.

I have always had a pet peeve about athletes and actors thanking a god for an award. It always strikes me as so arrogant and silly. That's all I wanted to get across. I really didn't think it was a huge deal.

I believe in justice for the poor, protection of the environment, healthcare for all, an international policy based on diplomacy, not bombs, and so forth. I'd guess you do, too. I'm sure we have many common beliefs, if you look at it that way.

I concede I can get snarky and sarcastic on certain topics.

So we don't agree on religion. Big deal. We'll both vote for the person with a "D" by his or her name come '08.

Peace. :hi:

[JanusAscending]

43. This is the problem......

You have every right to express your opinion, but when it makes those of us who believe, feel like we are being ridiculed, or are somehow "less intelligent" than those who don't , it's very demeaning! How's that for a run on sentence? Yes, we are all on the same team and want the same things for our country. We should not be belittling each other. I guess I can understand your getting upset with me. When I have a "bone to pick" with my adult children, they tell me "Mom, just get over it"!! (and it pisses me off no end) After all I've been around this world for 68 yrs.and know more than they do!! O8) :P :evilgrin:

[mondo joe]

20. Yeah, how dare anyone think God isn't orchestrating the Oscar winners!

:eyes:

[bobbie]

24. Hee hee. When people thank "the academy" they're actually thanking god

Because god is an academy member.

[mondo joe]

28. Yeah, but God is mostly into the music awards shows. NT

[Arugula Latte]

29. Why did god screw over Peter O'Toole again?

:cry:

[bobbie]

34. That's a damn good question. O'Toole should have every award in the world.

He's so friggin great, and classy, and one of my favorite actors ever.

Perhaps god meant to vote for O'Toole but the ballot was confusing so he accidentally voted for Pat Robertson instead.

[Arugula Latte]

35. That damn butterfly ballot stikes again!

:rofl:

[butterfly77]

47. I agree with you...

everytime someone talks about how they love the lord, they seem to be described as some type of nut...God is good. Praise the lord!

[jobycom]

33. I didn't hear it that way.

He wasn't thanking God for giving him the award or making the Academy choose him, he was thanking his god in a general "Thank you for all you've given me" way. I'm an atheist, but I actually find that humble and tasteful, rather than the "You love me, you really, really love me" schtick.

And frankly, you just committed the "sin" you accuse him of. You introduced your beliefs into a post where it might displease those of different beliefs the same way Whitaker's displeased you. Not criticizing you for it, just pointing out that a person doesn't feel they are preaching when they are expressing their own belief.

[JanusAscending]

37. Thank you!

n/t

[BeyondGeography]

38. Agreed

Here's an excerpt:

``When I began acting, it was because of my desire to connect with everyone. Acting for me is about believing in that connection, and it's a connection so strong and so deep, though our combined belief we can create a new reality.''

Whether he feels that we are connected through God or not, who cares? It's a positive belief, one that any areligious person can easily embrace.

[Skittles]

9. he gave the best movie performance too in his class

so sayeth Skittles, movie buff who saw all the movies :)

[EndElectoral]

19. It was a great performance, but I thought O'Toole's performance in Venus was phenomenal and deserved

the award. It is harder to create a chracter from scratch than to base it on the mannerisms of a chracter from history IMO.

O'Toole's entire body of work and six nomiinations w/o ever winning an Oscar and his phenomenal performance in Venus was too bad. He'll most likely never get another chance.

When Helen Mirren won I knew there was no chance for him.

Also was surprised Departed won Best Picture. Thought it was a good Scorese film, it didn't have the depth of message that something like Babel or even Little Miss Sunshine had. It was just a good action mob type film.

Just my two cents.

[BeyondGeography]

22. I liked The Departed, but I couldn't wait for it to end

Entertaining, some great lines (we're all going to die...act accordingly), but it was basically killing, followed by some killings, and then...more killings. It basically ended when there was no one left to kill.

Happy for Scorcese, but I also would have preferred Babel or Little Miss Sunshine.

[Lorien]

40. I agree. I love O'Toole and hate the thought of such an incredible talent

going to his grave without ever winning an Oscar. This was indeed most likely his last chance. :-(

[oldlady]

10. agreed & if you get a chance

to catch his appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio he's an amazing presence...

[The Magistrate]

11. I Am Glad To Learn The Gentleman Won This, Sir

His performance was an extraordinary piece of craft.

[Lautremont]

18. It was a little godly and kind of half-nutty,

but I appreciated the sentiment, and it was as heartfelt as any streetcorner ramblings (which is to say, it was genuinely heartfelt).

[JDPriestly]

23. Loved him. He really spoke from his .heart

He gave the best speech. No question.

[azurnoir]

30. I was rooting for him to win

He deserves for the role he played it is easy to play a hero but to play a despot is another thing, and it is very possible that when future generations think of or study Idi Amin they will picture Forest Whitaker mentally.

[Hailtothechimp]

32. He really did.

When he said that "It's possible" for something like that to happen, I remembered Russel Crowe said the same thing a few years back. Kids (and grownups) need to hear things like this to give birth to their dreams, whatever they might be.

[Eurobabe]

41. One of Forrest Whitaker's finest roles was in Crying Game

I thought he should have won back then and that was 1992! Hooray for Forrest, well deserved recognition!!

[JanusAscending]

42. Did you or anyone else catch his

appearances on ER this season? He was on a few episodes in a continuing storyline, which ended quite tragically. I think he may get an Emmy for this guest appearance!

[Eurobabe]

44. No, I'll look for those when they repeat, thanks for the heads up!

I have always admired FW, even in Panic Room, he was good -- although that movie kind of sucked.

[dddem]

45. wasn't that one of the best performances by an actor, ever?

That was the first time I had ever seen Forrest Whitaker, and I became an immediate fan.