“Oscar bait” is a time period of abuse for sure films that strive too exhausting to attraction to Academy voters. They have an inclination to deal with important themes seen as “worthy”, alongside prestigious manufacturing values and star-studded casts delivering “critical” performances. Whereas some movies triumph on this endeavor, many falter, feeling hole, overwrought, or just boring.

Oscar season is swiftly approaching, so now’s nearly as good a time as any to look again at a few of the worst Oscar bait films ever. Whether or not undone by lackluster writing, uninspired course, or misplaced performances, these films show that chasing gold statues doesn’t all the time assure success.

10

‘The Son’ (2022)

Directed by Florian Zeller

“I’m not such as you. I can’t simply push all of it away.” Florian Zeller‘s The Father with Anthony Hopkins, however the identical can’t be mentioned for its light-weight follow-up. The Son focuses on the strained relationship between Peter (Hugh Jackman), a profitable businessman, and his teenage son Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who struggles with melancholy. Sadly, the film lacks the nuance of the primary movie, changing into mawkish and melodramatic. Regardless of a robust solid, together with Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby, it feels heavy-handed in its strategy to psychological well being.

The characters typically act in irritating methods, notably the dad and mom, to the purpose that it may be exhausting to take them significantly. Equally, on the performing entrance, McGrath’s efficiency isn’t fairly as much as the admittedly difficult activity the movie units earlier than him. Whereas the film engages with worthwhile concepts, it goes so in a lackluster approach, going by way of the motions and ticking Oscar voter bins however with out reaching for something better.

9

‘The Soloist’ (2009)

Directed by Joe Wright

“I used to be meant to be nice.” The Soloist options Robert Downey Jr. as journalist Steve Lopez and Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man with extraordinary musical expertise. Primarily based on a real story, the movie explores their unlikely friendship as Steve makes an attempt to assist Ayers rebuild his life whereas grappling together with his personal motivations. Catherine Keener co-stars as Mary Weston, Steve’s boss (and ex-wife).

The film clearly goals to encourage, however finally does not delve deeply sufficient into its subject material to essentially go away an enduring impression. It was directed by the often stellar Joe Wright, who made Atonement and Darkest Hour, although his course is arguably at its weakest right here. He oscillates between heartfelt and overly sentimental, failing to raise the generic script. Understandably, The Soloist did not grip audiences or Academy voters, bombing on the field workplace with a $38m haul towards a $60m finances.

8

‘J. Edgar’ (2011)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

“Probably the most highly effective weapon on Earth is the human soul on hearth.” Clint Eastwood‘s J. Edgar makes an attempt to chronicle the lifetime of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio), the enigmatic and controversial first director of the FBI. Spanning many years, the movie delves into Hoover’s skilled achievements, private struggles, and complicated relationships, notably together with his loyal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and his second-in-command Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer).

Whereas the person himself led a singular and intriguing life, this film winds up being fairly boring. Eastwood’s course feels overly restrained, and the movie’s nonlinear construction typically muddles the narrative. Plus, whereas DiCaprio delivers a dedicated efficiency (one he as soon as referred to as the “most difficult” of his profession), the movie by some means by no means actually unveils the person’s mysteries. We do not really feel like we get to know Hoover in any respect. Because of this, J. Edgar appears like a large missed alternative. And that is with out even getting began on the tacky make-up.

7

‘The Goldfinch’ (2019)

Directed by John Crowley

“Generally you must look by way of the cloud to see the blue sky.” The Goldfinch is an adaptation of Donna Tartt‘s terrific Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (she additionally wrote cult favourite The Secret Historical past), however it falls far wanting its supply materials. Ansel Elgort leads the solid as Theo Decker, whose life is perpetually modified after surviving a bombing on the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork. Regardless of having plenty of nice stuff to work with, John Crowley’s movie struggles to translate the novel’s sprawling narrative to the display.

The movie feels disjointed, with underdeveloped characters and pacing points that undercut its emotional affect. Regardless of a ridiculously stacked solid, together with Nicole Kidman, Jeffrey Wright, and Sarah Paulson, the entire thing appears empty, perfunctory. Followers will need to have fumed to see such an awesome ebook was such mediocre cinema. The writer reportedly hated the film a lot that she fired her agent over it, vowing by no means to promote the rights to her work once more.

6

‘Welcome to Marwen’ (2018)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

“Ache is a rocket gas.” Robert Zemeckis‘s filmography has been relatively hit and miss of late, and this one falls sq. within the miss class. Welcome to Marwen tells the true story of Mark Hogancamp (Steve Carell), a person recovering from a brutal assault by making a miniature WWII village populated by dolls representing himself and folks in his life. The movie weaves between Hogancamp’s real-world struggles and the imaginative adventures of his alter-ego throughout the village.

It is a fascinating premise, however the execution stumbles. The steadiness between the whimsical and critical parts is shaky, with the transitions between Hogancamp’s fantasy world and actuality typically feeling jarring. Carell delivers a heartfelt efficiency, giving the function his all, however even his efforts aren’t sufficient to save lots of the movie from its clumsy plotting and meandering tempo. Welcome to Marwen had the potential to be nice, contemplating the star energy and the director’s visible aptitude, however the completed product is underwhelming.

5

‘Amsterdam’ (2022)

Directed by David O. Russell

“Friendship is the one factor that issues.” Amsterdam is one other film with a star-studded solid however not that a lot precise meat on its bones. Set in the course of the interwar interval, the story follows three buddies, performed by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, who’re drawn right into a homicide investigation that uncovers a sinister political plot. The units and costumes are luxurious, however the plot is convoluted, and the third act is unsatisfying.

The supporting solid is bursting on the seams with large names, starting from Anya Taylor-Pleasure and Chris Rock to Robert De Niro and Taylor Swift, however David O. Russell by no means orchestrates them into something particularly partaking. The dialogue can also be surprisingly flat, to the purpose that the appeal of the performers does not even add a lot zest to it. For all these causes, Amsterdam was a thermonuclear field workplace bomb, grossing simply $31.2m towards a finances of no less than $80m.

4

‘Collateral Magnificence’ (2016)

Directed by David Frankel

“Love, time, and demise. These three abstractions join each single human being on Earth.” Collateral Magnificence facilities on Howard Inlet (Will Smith), a grieving promoting government who copes with the lack of his daughter by writing letters to summary ideas: Love, Time, and Demise. When these ideas take bodily type, performed by Keira Knightley, Jacob Latimore, and Helen Mirren, Howard embarks on a journey of therapeutic and rediscovery.

The tip result’s a humorless, overly self-serious fantasy drama, which feels prefer it was straining to win an Oscar in any respect prices. Every thing is extremely try-hard, and plenty of the dialogue is painfully saccharine. Lots of the characters are merely annoying, making it exhausting to see how a few of the actors accepted these roles. Solely Mirren is correctly pleasant right here. Most critics ripped Collateral Magnificence to shreds, however it nonetheless managed to make a stable revenue.

3

‘Amelia’ (2009)

Directed by Mira Nair

“Probably the most troublesome factor is the choice to behave; the remaining is merely tenacity.” One other tedious biopic, Amelia dramatizes the life and profession of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart (Hilary Swank), specializing in her pioneering spirit, private relationships, and mysterious disappearance throughout her try to circumnavigate the globe. Swank is stable within the half, however the remainder of the film is bland, unexciting, and overly simplistic. There merely is not a lot pressure.

Relatively than delivering a compelling character research, Amelia performs it secure, providing a by-the-numbers recounting of Earhart’s achievements, marriage, and romance with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). In consequence, Amelia appears like fairly a slog, and is extra of a dry historical past lesson than a compelling drama. At the least the film does not embrace any of the wackier conspiracy theories about what occurred to the pilot, however that is not saying a lot. Lastly, the story inevitably ends with out decision, as Earhart’s destiny stays a thriller.

2

‘Diana’ (2013)

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

“You don’t carry out surgical procedure in a fishbowl.” Diana has parallels with Amelia in that each are superficial, principally boring biopics about fascinating individuals. Naomi Watts stars as Princess Diana in her ultimate years, specializing in her relationship with coronary heart surgeon Hasnat Khan (Naveen Andrews) and her navigation of public scrutiny. The Individuals’s Princess was a vivid and unforgettable individual, however director Oliver Hirschbiegel struggles to steadiness the intimate and public features of his topic’s life.

Lots of the issues begin with the script. It is overly romanticized and half-baked, missing the depth or nuance wanted to make this sort of mission work. It appears content material to site visitors in guesswork and cardboard cutout characterization, taking inventive liberties which can be sure to rankle many royalists. The one optimistic component right here is Watts’s efficiency, which is earnest and spectacular, particularly given how little the script provides her to work with and the inherent issue of taking part in such a beloved, larger-than-life determine.

1

‘Cats’ (2019)

Directed by Tom Hooper

“A cat isn’t a canine.” Claiming the highest spot on this record is the flaming dumpster hearth that’s Cats. Working from Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s legendary musical, it follows the Jellicle cats as they collect for the Ball, the place they compete for the possibility to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn. What follows is a large number of incoherent storytelling and unsettling visible results.

The human-cat hybrids, created utilizing shaky CGI, grew to become a supply of mockery, overshadowing the performances by Judi Dench, Idris Elba, and Taylor Swift. Some main visible glitches made it into the theatrical launch, like Dench’s cat having the fallacious variety of fingers. Imagery issues apart, the plot is simply not that compelling, serving solely as a weak technique of stringing the songs collectively. This vastly displeased Webber himself, who complained that “the issue with the movie was that Tom Hooper determined that he did not need anyone concerned in it who was concerned within the unique present.”

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