#mcconnaissance

[baddadmovies-blog]

True Detective

[snagfilms]

Who better than Matthew McConaughey to narrate a sports doc about Texas’ greatest college football legend. 

[alyceshu]

Lincoln Takes a Ride on the McConnaissance

Let's be real here. Does anybody really think Matthew McConaughey when they think Lincoln? Not the 16th President, though I'm sure McConaughey would kill it in a biopic, but the town car, or as they've newly rebranded, "The Lincoln Motor Company". 

In their transition from Lincoln town car to the American luxury brand, Lincoln has jumped onto the barreling forward power of the McConnaissance. The spots, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, are a true and blatant throw back to "True Detecetive", from the long shots of McConaughey and his cheekbones driving down long, pastoral roads, to the couch philosophy about "living in your moment", and the "tone, mood, and silent moments in between the dialogue". 

A few things of note in this video. 

He describes the Lincoln MKC like a football coach describes a good line back, "good shoulder and hips, good athletic stance";

He equates loving driving with being from Texas aka a true American;

He drops the word authenticity, minimum two times in a 1:43 minute spot. 

To be fair, I started out being doubtful of the collaboration. Why would McConaughey agree to this? A big bag of cash, withstanding, the more I looked into it, the more it made sense in an almost brilliant way. Lincoln's taking advantage of the fact that McConaughey made the same brand transition it is now trying to make; B-list romantic comedy love interest banging bongoes to tuxedo-clad Oscar-winning serious A-lister. Lincoln's looking for a McConnaisance of its own, and to achieve it, Lincoln's letting McConaughey drive around in a car and ad-lib some things about being McConaughey. And honestly, the more I think about it the more I am impressed with how much they thought about McConaughey not just as the obvious Oscar-winning choice, but as a strategic one. Touche Lincoln, touché. 

Innovation/Originality/Novelty

The campaign is a consummate car campaign, ergo shots of the car, shots of the driver, shots of the sunset, shots of the road, cityscapes, and so on. The ads themselves haven't come out, but if they continue the way of the teaser, it's going to be many minutes of McConaughey's extempore drawling, which is a departure from the usual voiceover man of God over a bird's eye view of the car. 

  Emotional Appeal

Imbuing patriotism has always worked, and Lincoln does it in a way that is surprisingly un-Ford of it. It's subtle, almost, despite the Texas name-dropping, and the very clear "American brand" statement. Points for McConaughey's casual execution. Just a guy talking about what he likes, y'know?

Aesthetics

Again, nothing too special here. McConaughey almost blends in with the leather of the car. I like the long shot of him smiling into the sun. Besides that, Rufn as director has not innovated too much on the dominating theme.

Effectiveness

In terms of effectiveness, yes, this definitely is going to change the Lincoln brand. Just thinking about McConaughey and Lincoln together creates this image of kind of a rough American pioneer who has gone through the social carwash and emerged with a sparkling veneer. And it works.

Personal Attraction to Ad

I'm not the hugest fan of McConaughey, but I have watched his rise with admiration. Car ads are not really my thing possibly because driving is not really my thing.

[alongsummersday]

[letstalkpop]

Why Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't gotten an Oscar... yet.

And the Oscar goes to... Matthew McConaughey! And deservedly so. This year a lot of people were saying it was Leo's year and he deserved it. He's been snubbed so many times! Poor Leo!

News flash: Leonardo DiCaprio is FINE. He's been nominated five times and has never won. Is it because the Academy has snubbed him all these years and he has been robbed every single time? No, that's simply not the case. I love Leo as much as the next person, but when you break it down there's a reason why he's never won. It has to do with well, he simply wasn't the best.

I'm going to break it down for you guys. Leo's been nominated a total of 31 times for an Academy, BAFTA, Critic's Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG award. He's only won 3 awards. Two Golden Globes for Best Actor in The Aviator and Best Actor for The Wolf of Wall Street and one Critic's Choice Award for The Wolf of Wall Street. So what's the deal, is he just snubbed by everyone? No. He just hasn't had it yet. The one role that's so amazing, so heart-wrenching, so unbelievably amazing that you go, oh yeah it's HIS year. If you disagree then that's your opinion.

This past year was McConaughey's year, better known as the "McConaissance." First there was Mud, which was the most well crafted movie I've ever seen in my life, then there was Dallas Buyers Club, which you knew he would be nominated for and win the Oscar, and he did, and now there's True Detective. The gritty, addicting HBO drama is on its way to put an Emmy on McConaughey's mantle, and let the McConaissance continue.

So, here's my peace on why Leo has never won an Oscar... yet. Let's go back to 1994, at the 66th Academy Awards.

1st Nomination - Best Supporting Actor: What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Who Won: Tommy Lee Jones for The Fugitive

Who Else Was Nominated: Ralph Fiennes for Schindler's List; John Malkovich for In the Line of Fire; Pete Postlethwaite for In the Name of the Father

Why Leo Didn't Win: In a category full of acting veterans, Leo was so new and young that he didn't really have a chance. Other examples would be Abigail Breslin for Little Miss Sunshine or Quevenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Schindler's List also dominated that year, so if it wasn't for Jones, Fiennes probably would have won.

2nd Nomination - 2005; Best Actor for The Aviator

Who Won: Jamie Foxx for Ray

Who Else Was Nominated: Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda; Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland; Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby

Why Leo Didn't Win: This is an easy one. This was Jamie Foxx's year. Simple as that. He was Ray Charles, and damn brilliant. If there was an upset it would've been between Leo and Clint Eastwood. Million Dollar Baby cleaned up all the big categories. Besides Cate Blanchett winning Best Actress all The Aviator picked up was technical awards. And also, The Aviator was boring. Put you to sleep boring. Jamie Foxx deserved this one.

3rd Nomination - 2007; Best Actor for Blood Diamond

Who Won: Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland

Who Else Was Nominated: Ryan Gosling for Half Nelson; Peter O'Toole for Venus; Will Smith for The Pursuit of Happyness

Why Leo Didn't Win: Why he was nominated for Blood Diamond over The Departed I don't really know. I do know that none of the actors who won were in the same movie, despite Director and Picture going to Scorsese and The Departed. Either way Forest was the favorite and cleaning up for this role. Also the rest of the category was a little thin. Forest was the big standout and everyone else just seemed like filler for the rest of the category. Not to say the others weren't great, but it was Forest's year.

4th & 5th Nominations - Best Actor for The Wolf of Wall Street along with Producer for Best Picture for The Wolf of Wall Street

Who Won: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

Who Else Was Nominated: Bruce Dern for Nebraska; Christian Bale for American Hustle; Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years A Slave

Why Leo Didn't Win: I feel like I'm repeating myself here... mostly because I am. Before I go on about McConaughey anymore, mainly because typing his name this many times is daunting, I have to say Leo would've never won. Bruce Dern could've, (and the best shot after Matthew) Chiwetel could've, but when it comes down to it, it was Matthew's year man. Alright, alright, alrighhhhttt. This was not Leo's best role anyway. The Academy loves people who make transformations, true stories, revolutions, but him playing a wall street douchebag that never really got reparations for what he did isn't something noteworthy. He did a great job, but it just wasn't his time.

The Time Leo DID get Snubbed (At least out of a nomination) - 85th Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor

Who Won: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

Who Else Was Nominated: Robert DeNiro for Silver Linings Playbook; Alan Arkin for Argo; Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master; Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln

Why Leo Got Snubbed: This was tough. He was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting for Django Unchained and Waltz took home that award as well. It's possible the Academy didn't want two actors from the same movie in the same category, (not impossible, but still) and seeing as how Waltz was the frontrunner and cleaning up he was the better choice to nominate. DeNiro was phenomenal, and it would've been a travesty to leave him out. He could've easily won as well. Alan Arkin is Alan Arkin, and plays Alan Arkin in everything, but even so the Academy loves him. Philip Seymour Hoffman was incredible, as always, (RIP) and playing this role was imaginative and so fun to watch. The Academy loves those period pieces, and Lincoln was the be all end all. Out of everyone I could've replaced Tommy with Leo, but I'm not on the board so my nomination doesn't count. Once again Tommy beats Leo out.

My final conclusion. Leonardo DiCaprio will win an Oscar. It's only a matter of time. Other actors have been snubbed for longer. Some amazing actors have never won. Robert Redford never won an acting Oscar. Leo has a lot of roles left to explore, and one day he will be the king of the world. (Sorry, I had to.)

[lindsayrobertson-blog]

I watched some True Detective last night. 

[judge-holden]

WAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAA

[bobquart]

true detective

is almost frighteningly depressing. and it's one of the most popular shows on tv. and it should be. but if you drink a couple beers and smoke a bowl, or just do it without that if you can, and buy into rust's bullshit, especially in the fifth episode (not just rust's bullshit - the entire episode), be ready to do a little self-reflection