Oscarnazi blog

So Oscars have now come and gone and what's my take this year? 

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Sadly, with mostly predictable winners (not that that helped me in the pool any), boring speeches, blah hosts and a stripped-down, but yet over-stuffed ceremony, I found this year's Oscars a big let-down.  I was happy that Avatar walked away with only 3 prizes- two of which I'm sure it deserevd.  It is a gorgeous-looking film with ground breaking special effects, so I have no qualms with it winning art direction and visual effects, but cinematography?  Please!  That ones just going to irk me until the end of time. 

I woul've enjoyed a little more emotion form the winners, but I suppose the major acting categories had been sewn up a long time ago, so maybe everyone was a bit jaded by now.  But seriously, Mo'nique?  To go from Beautyshop to Oscar winner?  Not that you didn't derserve it, but this is one HELL of a once in a lifetime event for her.  Could you become a little verklempt, please?

I was happy to see the Hurt Locker walk away with the big prizes, even though it may not have been my choice for Best of the year, but truly, playing "I am Woman, Hear me Roar"  after Bigelow won Best Director should go down in the Oscar hall of shame with Rob Lowe and Snow White.  What a horrible way to pee all over this woman's moment.  ...  Then again, she did direct "Point Break," so perhaps I'll let it slide.

Also, if they are going to get rid of the "Best Song" performances, please don't replace it with equally cheesy dance sequences performed to the Best Score nominees.  It's like they ripped out the Thalberg & Lifetime Acheivement awards, song performances, and other time-wasters and jammed it even more full of stuff I'd rather watch even less.  Next year, don't do me any favors, Academy.

Can you get a perfect 0?  Try this fun ballot!

http://www.awardsdaily.com/Contests/oscarswrong.php

So predictions aside and getting down to just who I plain do and don't like:

Best Picture
Who I would like to win: Up.  It's already a classic.  It'll last forever.
Who I want to lose: Um.. The Blind Side.  Did you not see my previous posting?

Best Score
Who I would like to win: Michael Giacchino - Up.  Watch the first 10 minutes and tell me I'm wrong.

Best Cinematography
Who I want to lose: Avatar.  Sorry folks, but animated movies don't count in this category!

Best Sound Mixing
Who I want to lose: Transformers 2.  This can not become an "Academy Award Winning" film.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Who I would like to win: District 9.  This is so much better than most any other sci-fi blockbuster I've ever seen.

Best Actress
Who I would like to win: Anyone other than Sandra or Meryl.  It's not that I think Meryl is unworthy - quite the contrary, but I hate when the race is decided before the ceremony.  I like those Juliette Binoche and Adrien Brody surprises. Plus, I picked Gabourey Sidbe.  (What was I thinking???)

Interesting grouping of Oscar "gurus" lastest guesses as to the current state of Oscar odds. 

Why was I not invited?

Now - in writing this - I fully & freely admit that I don't know much more about The Blind Side than I've picked up from the trailer, but The Blind Side just seems so disgustingly over-simplified and sappy—and let's not forget -  racist. What's that you say?  How can this movie about uplifting an impoverished black man possibly be racist?  Well,it plays the same old tired "magical African American friend" card, first called out in Time Magazine some 10 years ago.  

The Legend of Bagger Vance, Driving Miss Daisy, The Green Mile. Time and time again, we are forced to sit through films where the black characters are just "blank slates" - no real character there.  Hollywood seems to think that making them be silent, complient, and big-hearted companions to our white heroes, they are presenting positive racial images.  I beg to differ.  I see Morgan Freeman's "Hoke" in Driving Miss Daisy as just an updated version of "Mammy" from Gone With the Wind.  It's shameful and we as a society should know better. 

What's worse, is that the presence of the "magical" black man almost always is there to prop up our white hero who is usually the "Bigot with a Heart of Gold." We see it in Remember the Titans (another formulaic film about blacks and football which makes white people feel good about themselves) and The Blind Side appears to be no different.  Apparently at the end, Sandra Bullock's character asks her husband if she's a "good person" to which her husband gives her a resonding "yes!"  No complexites, just strike up the crescendo!  (I think Sandra's going to learn a little something about racism... and a little something about herself!)

You see, Hollywood loves the notion that blacks need the charity of white people to succeed.  The Blind Side seems to take it one step further even - not just any white people will do in this case - wealthy, Christian, football-loving white-folk are here to save the day. In The Blind Side, the  family literally picks him up from the streets during a rainstorm, like a stray.  They give him his first bed, they give him support and take on his racist bullies for him - and this gentle giant simply goes along for the ride, thankful and happy for the opportunities being provided for him.  As I understand it, in real life, the transition wasn't quite so seemless.  The Blind Side just offers no reality, no conplexity, no real searching into the charcter of Michael and what it meant to live his life or make the adjustment to living with this new family.  Someone get Spike Lee on the phone, stat!

 (And the irony of admitting my prejudice against this film while decrying its racism?  Yeah, I get that too.  Sue me.)