Black Panther making history with its Best Picture nod at this year's Oscars was cause for celebration for most. Despite this year's assortment of nominees noticeably including an array of extremely puzzling omissions, at least fans could point to the Academy as having acknowledged Ryan Coogler's critical and commercial megahit as a high point for 2019 awards season. For American Psycho creator Bret Easton Ellis, however, the film's praise has served as inspiration for him to revive a peculiar criticism tactic that previously saw the once-acclaimed writer quite dumbly attributing Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow's own awards success to being a "hot woman."
During a recent episode of his podcast, as transcribed by The Wrap, Ellis—who recorded the episode before the nominations announcement—questioned Black Panther's quality.
"No superhero movie has ever gotten a Best Picture nomination," he said. "But believe me, Disney is doing everything in its power to make sure this happens. Even though there is no one out here in La La Land I've met who thinks Black Panther is that good as a movie. Yet, as a piece of representation, they are supporting it."
Ellis went on to say that he felt that the assessment of Coogler's film as a "grand piece of cinematic art" was being "shoved down our throats" by press and studios alike. "Representation is so important to them," he said on the podcast, which is only available to subscribers for a fee. "And with a huge fatuous inclusivity and diversity push. What the most flattering pose might be in the moment—as if inclusivity and diversity have anything to do with awarding a movie's merits. Yes, this is the culture the Oscars are pushing, and it is rather nauseating."
Black Panther currently holds a 97 percent average on Rotten Tomatoes. The Ellis-penned 2016 film The Curse of Downers Grove, meanwhile, is presently at 15 percent.
