A Discussion on category for Best Picture - 2010 Oscars

[billyjean]

I've been reading a bit on the controversy of Avatar and its nomination for best picture.  Is it animation?  and thus, belongs in the animation category?

Read this for a brief discussion on the matter:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/should-avatar-be-considered-for-best-animated-oscar

The music industry seems to be a step up when it comes to rearranging categories so that it accommodates the vast amount of variety in music. 

The Academy (Oscars) needs to ask itself .. do we want to remain traditional, or do we want to revamp in view of the changes in the movies we see today.

For those that think it is correct to nominate Avatar, which I believe IS animation, then why not a documentary, an independent, or a foreign film?

Maybe it's time for this to be run more like a dog show.  Oh, how can you compare a Great Dane to a Chihuahua ... easy.  It's done all the time for Best in Show.

Maybe what they should do is nominate best film in EACH category, and then let the winners of those categories go against each other.  It's a start.  I'm sure it could be fiddled with to come up with something acceptable.  But to out of the blue place an animated film in with traditional type movies seems a bit unfair to the other categories.

For those that have not seen the movie in IMAX 3D, I've also read that we shouldn't be surprised that if we are waiting to rent it on DVD, and view without the benefit of 3D enhancement, we will be left wondering what the fuss about this movie was all about.

One thing is for sure in my mind, and that is the Academy needs to decide in what direction it wants to go because Avatar certainly will not be the last of this type of movie, and movies that are not animated driven will begin to find themselves out in the cold.  You will then have actors that have been animated up in Best Actor and Actress categories, and the winner is .....

Oh! was that Brad Pitt under all that animation?  yes, dear.  It was.

[n01_important]

Didn't Avatar employ like 6,000 people?  Almost everyone in the movie industry worked in Avatar.

Don't the Oscars get votes from like 2,000 people?

Using the six degrees rule... everyone of the 2,000 slept with someone who worked with Avatar.  At the risk of sounding cynical... Avatar will rake in the Oscars.

[n01_important]

I'm trying to find a good recipe for eating crow.

I was wrong (although not dead wrong)... Avatar won 3 versus Hurt Locker's 6.  HL cleaned house.

On a side note, I'm looking forward to seeing "Blind Side" with Sandra Bullock (who embodies the definition of MILF).  Great to see that she finally won an Academy Award!  (It will go nicely with her 30+ other awards).

A side on the side note... I can't believe Penélope Cruz didn't win Supporting Actress!!!

[billyjean]

n01, I think you can put away that shotgun and recipe book.  The Crows of Berwyn can remain safe.  There were probably just a handful of people amidst the millions that watched and didn't watch the Oscars that didn't think Avatar would win Best Picture.  I must say, I was stunned. 

I stated I thought Hurt Locker was a very good movie.  I have not seen Avatar (living under rock at the moment).  I did however see a trailer for it at the theatre and first impression before all the hoopla was .... looks busy.  Like a child's painting where every character the child ever loved was placed in it.  I, unlike many friends and family, love science fiction, horror movies, and unlike a pure drama or mystery I am very critical of those movies because you are either going to show me something worthwhile or you are going to show me the run of the mill garbage.

As a fan of Star Trek growing up, I was very interested to see Star Trek 2009 where we are told we will see how it all started.  Cast with characters to represent the young Kirk and Spock, etc. it was very good and I gave it a B+.

I saw a movie entitled Moon. 
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2715252/moon_movie_trailer/

Not filled with the dogfights and critical situations that must find a remedy quick, but an interesting concept.

I now want to see the two documentaries:  The Cove, and Food, Inc.,

and Jeff Bridges in his performance in Crazy Heart.

just a heads up, but another Mad Max movie is in the works: MadMax Fury Road, staring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.  Tom Hardy is a very good actor.  British.  He's been in a handful of period pictures and most recently has starred in a movie called Bronson where he plays the living character Charles Bronson, who is the most dangerous prisoner in Britain's history.  It was OK, I give it a C+.  Hardy, needs to just try to pull it together and I think his role in Mad Max will either make him or break him as a full fledged star in America.  Interestingly, Jeremy Renner also tried out for the role, and although I like both actors, I think Renner would have done the better job.

Also, Disney is coming out with Secretariat.  I think they do about one dead horse every two years.  It will star Diane Lane.