Well in case you missed it, the big difference in this year's Academy Awards is the fact that there are 10 movies up for Best Picture, the first time since Casablanca beat out nine others in 1943. For better or for worse? Time to consider.
The initial press release about the expansion dropped June 24th of 2009, with Sid Ganis, President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, offering these statements.
“After more than six decades, the academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year. The final outcome, of course, will be the same – one best picture winner – but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009.”
For a refresher, 2009's Best Picture nominees included: Slumdog Millionaire, Benjamin Button, Milk, Frost/Nixon, and the Reader. A pretty weak class. And when these nominees came out, many were alarmed at what wasn't included. The LA Times headlined ''The Dark Knight' snubbed in best picture race.' The summer film that gave Christian Bale his second take as Batman was nominated for eight awards, but not Best Picture.
In his next statement Ganis, without directly referencing last year's unwarranted exclusion of Dark Knight, admits to the unfortunate Best Picture exclusions, blaming the five picture limit.
"Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going to allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize.”
Once I found out about the nomination expansion, I considered it positively. Not only would it up my February movie in-take, but it would offer me a trustworthy list of quality movies to see. I supposed then that 2009's 'bonus five' would have been Dark Knight, The Wrestler, Revolutionary Road, Wall-E, and Frozen River.
I was on board with Ganis, who concluded the press release with personal optimism by saying, “I can’t wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February.”
Well, unfortunately for Ganis and myself, 2010's list of 10 brought in some questionable nominees, that I admittedly won't be seeing.
To my pleasure, the list includes: The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Up In the Air, An Education, and Up.
To my displeasure, the list includes: The Blind Side, Avatar, District 9, Precious, and A Serious Man.
Including The Blind Side and District 9 would be like including Wanted and Defiance, respectively, among 2009's nominees. Just out of place.
It seems to me, the Academy have kept their initial list of five nominees, and then slacked off when deciding the other five.
So if you must see any of these movies, those most likely to win Best Picture will be: Avatar, Inglourios Basterds, The Hurt Locker and Up In the Air. See these, then dabble with the others at your own risk, pleasure, or leisure.
My Oscar predictions next week. The Oscars will hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin on March 7th, 2010.
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And not to completely ignore my eight-month blogger absence, I am back in Nashville now and looking for another gig in sports. I had a ball in Memphis and know that this is where I want to be. That is, in a press box somewhere, working for a team. I will fill you in with a few stories from Memphis (since you know nothing of June-Sept.) as well as my future pursuits as I begin to commit myself to blogging again. For those still out there, get excited. The goal this year is to amass over 2009's 12 posts.
Monday, February 22, 2010
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