Spike Lee gets Oscar’s cold shoulder again, for his vital, vehement semi-musical about the inner city.
Which movie was better:Mean StreetsorThe Sting?
It didnt win any Oscars because it wasnt even nominated for a single award.
Credit: Parrish Lewis
So you’ve got the option to debate whetherThe Stingwas the best movie of 1973.
But you cant excuse the Academy for completely ignoringMean Streets.
History, fortunately, is the ultimate arbiter of greatness.
These are the Non-Nominees.
Its a perfect companion piece to the directorsDo the Right Thing.
The idea ofChi-Raqreceiving a Best Picture nomination is so unfathomable as to be a fantasy, I wrote.
But what about Lee and Willmotts dense, gorgeously woven adapted screenplay?
Or the dazzling cinematography by maestro lenser Matthew Libatique?
Or the magnificent musical score by Terrence Blanchard?
OrNick Cannons furious original song, Pray 4 My City?
Is it going to be #OscarsSoWhite, all over again?
Your move, Academy.
Does its snub have something to do with how Lee makes Academy voters feel?
That could as well have been a line fromChi-Raq.
(Amazon Prime members got access to the movie at no additional cost on Feb.
