Oscar 2019: 'Green Book' win rages social media users

Peter Farrelly's "Green Book" may have ended up with the Best Picture trophy at the 91st Academy Awards but it's win has not gone down well with many on social media calling it out for its "sanitised look" at racial problems in America.

The film, about the story of an unlikely friendship between a Black musician and his white driver, upstaged front-runners Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma", "Black Panther", "The Favourite" and "BlacKkKlansman" to bag Best Picture Oscar.

Many on Twitter equated the film's surprise win with "Crash", Paul Haggis' 2005 film that had controversially bagged the coveted honour despite the presence of films like "Brokeback Mountain" and "Munich" in the category.

"'Crash' watching 'Green Book' take its place as the worst Oscar winner," wrote a person on Twitter.

Another person wrote, "'The Green Book' was 'Crash II: Crash In The Past'."

Spike Lee, who ended his own long enduring wait for Oscar glory with his Best Adapted Screenplay win for "BlacKkKlansman", was also visibly upset with "Green Book" winning Best Picture honour.

According to Deadline, Lee, whose film "BlacKkKlansman" was also nominated in the category, attempted to storm out of the Dolby Theatre after it was announced that "Green Book" has won the award.

The director "walked towards the back of the auditorium in a huff." During the winners' speech, Lee had turned his back to the stage.

He was later seen engaged in an "intense conversation with Jordan Peele, who was behind him."

Backstage, Lee referenced to his 1989 film "Do the Right Thing", which was denied a nomination in the Best Picture award, which ultimately went to "Driving Miss Daisy", another controversial Best Picture choice.

"I'm snake bitten. I mean, every time somebody is driving somebody, I lose. But, they changed the seating arrangement. But, in '89 I didn't get nominated, so this one we did," he said.

When asked for his reaction to "Green Book" win, Lee said "the ref made a bad call".

A photo of "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman exchanging bemused look with his co-star Michael B Jordan after "Green Book" was announced Best Picture winner has also gone viral.

"Doctor Strange" director Scott Derrickson tweeted, "This year reinforces my long-held belief that the only thing interesting about the Oscars is their astonishing consistency in getting s**t so horribly wrong."

Social media users were scathing in their criticism of the Academy's choice.

"No disrespect to Green Book at the #Oscars, but many of us in the black community would like to see greater recognition for movies about the black experience and not just for movies that make the black experience comfortable for white audiences," a social media user wrote on Twitter.

"I don't 'hate' 'Green Book'. It wasn't my least my favourite and Mahershala is automatic. But it’s hollow. It serves to satiate instead of challenging viewers & fails to make a bold choice, from execution to POV. In a year in which so many films had something real to say, that’s a shame," another user responded.

"'Green Book' is a perfectly good film, the weird bits about a white man teaching a black man how to be black notwithstanding," read a tweet.

A viewer noted that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is full of "old white men" and they thought voting for the film would send the message of diversity.

"'Green Book' winning really proves that the academy is still full of old white men that enjoy a pat on the back for being so Not Racist but also still want the focus completely about them... this is the dullest and most disappointing nomination that could have won," the tweet read.

"Look, I haven't seen 'Green Book'. That said, I think when you have 2 films about race directed by POC that are well loved in the same category, choosing the controversial film about race directed by a white guy shows how out of touch with the cultural conversation the academy is," added another social media user.