Choosing your bet can get overwhelming when balancing personal preference, expectations and trying to remember that Avatar wasn’t the only film released this year. It helps to think of who chooses the Oscar winners, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, an exclusive society with over 6000 members chosen for their accomplishments in the film industry. This includes actors, writers, directors and the subcategories even extend as far as “public relations.” Otherwise, voting privileges aren’t awarded based on some impartial wisdom possessed by the academy.
I like to hope the academy will take off their 3D glasses long enough to remember earlier 2009 films like Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds. Impartial voting isn’t what comes to mind when I picture A-list celebrities bumping elbows at dinner parties. It only takes a few cocktails to brazenly suggest a voting alliance between friends, especially when “public relations” are involved.
Every Oscar win is an honorable moment for an actor, director, or artist. Their publicists and agents share in that glory, but when they look onstage they see the statue as a brick of gold. Economically there are influences on Oscar choices, an Oscar winning film that is still in theaters is a gold mine. The Best Picture nomination list has also been increased from 5 to 10 films this year to direct our impulse “it was nominated, it must be good” video rentals.
Maybe I’m being skeptical, or maybe I’ve lost too many bets on the Oscars. I’m conflicted weighing the recent nominee favorites against my personal choice and remembering that the voting system is all too democratic. When I narrow the winner down to two choices I sometimes even consider the likeability of the nominee. Charisma goes a long way, especially in Hollywood.
Here are my opinions, uninfluenced by what I think will happen:
Promising Best Picture Nominees:
Avatar, though absolutely epic, I am not convinced it should take best picture. I am bored of the predictability of its win, but while blowing the film industry out of the water with innovation the story was plain. I would give Avatar Best Art Direction, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects, then call it a day.
An Education, is undoubtedly Oscar nominee material, but their expectations of winning anything have been resigned to the best dressed list. Go and see it, just don’t bet on it.
Inglorious Basterds was brilliantly complex much unlike Avatar. However, I worry that Avatar will take the stage, partially as an unconscious attempt to rectify the fact that we have destroyed our planet. I know our race is greedy and a win for Avatar is a win for environmental responsibility, but everyone please remember Quentin Tarantino’s heart stopping portrayal of the Nazi’s.
Up in the Air won Best Adapted Screenplay 10 minutes into the film which is enough to be proud of.
District 9 was a gripping masterpiece with a sense of morality. The film’s presentation of aliens and racism in a manner everyone could relate to was shocking. If my mother’s assertation of “Prawns” being people in costume was an indication, I would expect District 9 to take Best Visual Effects but I think Avatar has already spoken for that Oscar. I would be very happy to see District 9 take Best Picture.
Animated Feature Film Nominee:
Coraline was absolutely terrifying! It sent young children home worrying about their parents becoming possessed by witches. The term “Other Mother,” referring to the possessed mother is now a household threat to my siblings aged 3-8. (Example: Eat your vegetables or you will be sent to your Other Mother.) My vote is for Coraline, and if The Fantastic Mr. Fox wins, I will attribute it to its more recent release date.
Best Picture Nominees That Shouldn’t Be:
The Blind Side – it was heart-warming. Sandra Bullock donated 1 million dollars to Haiti which was nice as well. Get off my Oscar nominee list!
Up, who nominated this film?! Refer back to “voting alliances.” Boredom was the cost of Up’s attempt to be charming which was later ruined by annoying talking dogs.
