The Almost Oscars: Creed (2015)
The Academy Awards never get it wrong. OK. Sometimes, they get it wrong. Ok. A lot of the times, they get it wrong. In this new world of brutal campaigning, a lack of diversity, and Oscar bait films, it seems as though true art is being squandered in the ceremony. The whole ceremony that does, to some extent, celebrate greatness in the filmmaking community, also has a hefty amount of flaws which smarts many a film lover.
This week, I’m looking at films that should’ve most definitely have won an award. Or at least been nominated.
We’ve reached breaking point with the lack of diversity in the Academy Awards, haven’t we? It has to change, and pretty sharpish, because we cannot go on continuously ignoring great talent. The whole thing has sparked a huge debate between those calling for more variety in Hollywood and those who are wrong.
I’ve heard many things said from other white people on this issue and the big one that comes about is “What if they haven’t deserved it?” Which is a silly stupid reaction. One because, as Viola Davis eloquently put it; there just isn’t the opportunity and that’s really what the controversy was about, highlighting the lack of filmmaking equality. And two, because, well….Have you seen Creed?
On a list of films that should’ve been nominated, Creed should be top.
Creed revolves around the spawn of Rocky’s ally Apollo Creed, Adonis, on a journey to become one of the best boxers in all of Philadelphia. It’s a lofty undertaking as he has had a difficult upbringing, falling on the wrong side of the tracks, and struggling to earn respect of those around him. To help him on the road to success, Adonis is taken under the wing of Rocky Balboa and within his new mentor, he is about to learn how to become a better fighter and a better man.
Oh yes, sorry, wait. Creed has been nominated. For Sylvester Stallone as Best Supporting Actor. Now, I am not taking anything away from a role that Stallone has played for decades because, underneath the slurring, he was wonderful poignant. But where’s Michael B. Jordan’s nod as Best Actor? Because that is a defining performance. Jordan is able to take the visceral and gripping performance and box with it, throwing hefty amounts of emotional punches at the screen. He is able to command the screen in silence, burst it with energy, has moments of realistic humour, and says more with his facial expressions than Eddie Redmayne ever did in The Danish Girl (Yeah, I said it.)
Michael B. Jordan is one of the best actors out there, especially within this new rising generation (Christ, someone put him and Brie Larson in a film together) and Creed proved that.
Added to the acting fold is Tessa Thompson as Bianca - a hearing impaired singer who is so much more than a love interest here. It’s just addled with acting fineness here.
None of this would be possible without Ryan Coogler’s direction. What Coogler does here is astonishing; he takes the grandeur of the sport and mixes it with the intensity of being alive, proving your worth, and battling against the odds. His humanistic direction that delves you straight into the story in a narrative vice and spruces up the story with this evocative images both original and in tribute to the original series. He slides his camera and tone through the streets of Philadelphia as though he were following the pulse and the heart of the city, pounding on the pavement slabs as Adonis does in training.
Coogler is nothing more than a genius, able to bring life to a dead series, and soul to a sporting drama.
Coogler needed much more recognition for his work here. The task of handling a reboot whilst trying to bring a classic tale to a modern edge is often squandered in lesser skilled hands. Yet with the might of Coogler, who gifted the world with Fruitvale Station, Creed became this unabolished, unashamed, and daring humanistic film that gripped you - even if you weren’t a fan of the previous Rocky series. This nomination is the biggest shame in the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. There is absolutely no reason not to give Coogler the nominations he deserves - he made something visceral, alluring, and engaging and placed Michael B. Jordan back in the ring again (after he was knocked out by the god-awful Fantastic Four.)
Creed should’ve gone beyond Stalone’s nomination…like all the way up the “Rocky” steps.