Did Hollywood Get Tricked Into Embracing ‘American Sniper’ Over ‘Selma’?

American Sniper is a box office success – far exceeding initial expectations but this piece of good news is succumbing to the brewing controversy that is being associated with the the film.

Despite the impressive $105.3 million opening, Hollywood insiders are not holding back when it comes to expressing their disapproval of the themes that seem to perpetuate the notion of an erected hero at the expense of distorting reality.

Seth Rogen, who has spent the last couple of month embroiled in a bizarre and twisted narrative stemming from the release of another embattled film, The Interview, tweeted his summary and it wasn’t a glowing recommendation, “American sniper kind of remind me of the movie that’s showing in the third act of Inglorious Bastards”.

Director Michael Moore, known for producing documentaries that destroy the status quo, also tackled the film’s overt celebration of “snipers” by drawing a more personal conclusion to the subject. He admitted that his uncle was a victim of a sniper in WWII – and as a result he was made to believe that, “Snipers aren’t heroes, they’re cowards”. After his tweet, Moore later gave props to the star of the film, Bradley Cooper for his tour de force performance but criticized director Clint Eastwood for his misrepresentation of both the Vietnam and Iraq wars.

But the most interesting element to this recent development falls on the realization that American Sniper grossly portrays a character without fully encompassing the layers that need to be addressed. Chris Kyle who was tragically killed in 2013, may have taken pride in his assigned duty but he also had the reputation of an out of control renegade who enjoyed the somber act of swiftly ending lives a little too much. He just may have indulged more than necessary in the foreplay of war, which could have led to his tendency to over exaggerate the facts in order to keep in line with his proposed disposition. Jesse Ventura sued Kyle for claiming that they got into a bar fight after Ventura allegedly made comments that were deemed unpatriotic. Ventura won his lawsuit and suspicions started to mount against Kyle who was suddenly deemed a loose canon who made up stories to enhance his bloated presence.

Now word has it that Oscar voters are becoming uncomfortable with the facts that are now being highlighted especially when the character of a film that is being lauded and considered for the top prize, might be feting a designated mascot who might have been teetering on insanity based on the revealing editorials.

Selma, also garnered a best picture Oscar nomination and like Sniper, it has endured its share of controversy due to what critics considered an inaccurate depiction of LBJ. But whether or not those accusations are valid, it is still worth noting that Sniper is nominated for six awards including best actor for Cooper while Selma barely registered. Yet, this is a film that captures a moment in American History effectively and affectingly, and even though it isn’t necessarily without flaws, at the very least, Ava DuVernay should have been allowed the privilge of a best director nod.

It is aggravating to witness how the Academy distinctively refused to give Selma its due but they were able to absorb the inconsistencies of American Sniper to the right degree.

This is the perfect example of displaced reverence at the expense of what could have been a milestone when you consider that DuVernay would have made history as the first African-American woman nominated in a category that very few are given access to. It is also evidence that awards are truly not meant to honor achievements but rather to intricately propel the renderings of a systematized popularity contest.