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Posted by on Jan 11, 2013 in Blog, Movie Reviews | 1 comment

And the Oscar for “Best Picture” Goes to….

Academy Award Statue

And the Oscar for “Best Picture” goes to…

Nobody.

That’s the announcement that should be made to what would be a stunned audience, come Academy Awards night.

Hey, Hollywood — do us all a favor.  Take a hint from the Baseball Hall of Fame playbook this year — which inducted exactly zero players into their coveted chamber.  That’s because (arguably) no one really deserved to get in.  And that’s precisely what should happen in your industry when you honor the year’s cinematic achievements on February 24th — with half-a-billion people watching worldwide.

 

Has there ever been a lousier year for films?  Okay, maybe 1918.  So far, I can’t think of a single movie I attended where I walked out and said “wow!”  Oh don’t misunderstand, there actually were a few moments when I walked out and said “wow.”  But that was during the middle of the movie.  I actually did walk out one of this year’s “Best Picture” nominees.  I should probably file a lawsuit against the studio to demand my $7.50 back.

Let’s start with the list, which was announced on Thursday to a chorus of blazing trumpets.  And, the nominees for “Best Picture” are:

AMOUR — I suspect I’ll give this a strong thumbs up and this might even be my choice for “Best Picture,” although I have yet to see it.  Undoubtedly a tear-jerker that will soften the hardest of hearts, Amour is getting rave reviews from critics.  But given the depressing subject matter (old age, impending death) and its French origins, Amour won’t be seen as much in America, except by the artsy crowd — which is a shame.  As many know, I tend to favor European films over today’s Hollywood cinema.  But after last year’s surprise winner from France (The Artist) already, I doubt this film stands much of a chance.  Interestingly — this is one of three very good movies released this year about older people and looming death.  I realize many people go to movies purely as an escape, but there’s also a desperate need for films that challenge us to think, and this appears to be one.  Judgment reserved.

ARGO — Good movie.  Not great.  Probably belongs in the “Best Picture” discussion only because the field is so weak.  Reminds me of a racehorse with no shot of winning rounding out the field.  MY REVIEW OF “ARGO”

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD — A preposterous inclusion.  So bad, it’s mind-boggling.  Half bored and half angry, I stormed out of the theater when I saw it.  This is a maddening addition to a list of mediocre films.  One of the worst movies I’ve seen (make that “half-seen” since I walked out) in the last five years.  MY REVIEW OF “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD”

DJANGO UNCHAINED — Seems too much of a remake of Quentin Tarantino’s very strong effort a few years ago, Inglourious Basterds, where cowboys substitute for evil Nazis and the film ultimately becomes a western in the mold of Blazing Saddles.  Speaking of that reference, once fresh and unpredictable, Tarantino’s more recent films become parodies of themselves, sort of like what Mel Brooks’ movies deteriorated into as each of his films became less and less funny over the years.  Hysterical in parts, but instantly forgettable the moment you leave the theater.  Another baffling choice.

LES MISERABLES — Another film I have not yet seen, but plan to.  But I do like the nomination based on what I know.  Filmmaking should be about taking risks, and this film certainly does that with its (live) singing and choreography.  Even with its flaws, one has to admire everyone associated with this film for taking an old story that’s been done in other formats (stage) and making it both fresh and vibrant.  I approve of this nomination.  But because I have yet to see it, can’t make a judgment just yet.

LIFE OF PI — Deserving of a nomination.  Certainly, Ang Le should win for “Best Director.”  No problem with its inclusion on this list, and probably a favorite to win (I have yet to see the odds, but anything better than 3-1 is an automatic bet here for me).  Nonetheless, I had some serious problems with this movie which can be seen in MY REVIEW OF “LIFE OF PI”

LINCOLN — Deserves a nomination.  Like the previous film, there are some nice moments.  But overall this film had way too much of a “Masterpiece Theater” look and feel to it.  The historic compromises by Stephen Spielberg also makes this an automatic rejection.  It shouldn’t win, and won’t — even with an extraordinary performance by “Best Actor” lock, Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th President.  MY REVIEW OF LINCOLN

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK — This film is on my “next to see” list.  Hard to make a judgment about the movie without having seen it.  Not expecting much, but will reserve judgment.  Oh, and by the way — since when did Robert DeNiro go from being the perfect Mafia goon or crazed lunatic into Ward Cleaver?  Hasn’t DeNiro been re-doing the Meet the Fockers role in every film he’s made over the last ten years?  My, how the once mighty have fallen.

ZERO DARK THIRTY — Wasn’t this same movie made just a few years ago?  How many times are we going to see the identical movie cast with a bunch of nobody actors about the Iraq War, with jumpy camera work, quick cutaways, and supposed battle realism that was already blase when Oliver Stone was shooting Platoon 25 years ago?  This movie is receiving some well-deserved criticism for its utter fabrication of history (portraying torture as the tumbling domino which led to the ultimate disclosure of Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts).  Question:  Why make up stuff when the real story is incredible enough as it is?  I tend to prefer very serious films, and certainly favor movies with messaging and political themes, as this one has.  But Kathryn Bigelow’s choice of subject matter is becoming tiresome.

………………..

Although I’m holding out hope for the unseen Amour, each movie on the list has significant flaws.  None were particularly memorable (aside perhaps from Life of Pi, which I suspect will become this year’s big winner).  Perhaps three films on this list deserve a nomination.  But none merit the tag “Best” anything.

Let’s be clear.  Oscar nominees should all be extraordinary cinematic achievements.  Want some examples?  Take a look at past years when nominates were exceptional the moment they were released, and then more importantly stood the test of time and eventually became classics.  Yesteryear’s winners weren’t just great movies — they even became part of our popular culture.  Some changed the way we look at things — whether it was All Quiet on the Western Front — Gone With the Wind  — The Godfather — or Schindler’s List.

But alas, there are no Citizen Kanes or Casablancas in this list of duds.  I predict each of this year’s nominees will be forgotten.  That is, after they rake in the millions and eventually flood the DVD market.  No one is going to be talking about Silver Linings Playbook five years from now, or even five months from now.  And if we are talking about it, something’s very wrong.

I’m hardly jaded when it comes to rating modern films.  Recent years have given us some classics — including The Artist (2011), The Social Network (2010), The King’s Speech (2010), Inglourious Basterds (2009), No Country for Old Men (2007), Good Night and Good Luck (2005), Sideways (2004), and surely others which are open to debate.

But if you really want to see years when the “Best Picture” selections were overwhelming, just take a look at the five-year run of nominated films between 1974 and 1978:

1974

The Godfather Part II
Chinatown
The Conversation
Lenny
The Towering Inferno

Comments:  Francis Ford Coppola directed two “Best Picture” nominees that year — amazing!

1975

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Barry Lyndon
Dog Day Afternoon
Jaws
Nashville

Comments:  Cuckoo’s Nest, Dog Day Afternoon, and Nashville would have won just about any other year were it not for each canceling the other out in the voting.

 1976

Rocky
All the President’s Men
Bound for Glory
Network
Taxi Driver

Comments:  The original Rocky was indeed a great movie.  But it was probably the fourth-best film released that year.

1977

Annie Hall
The Goodbye Girl
Julia
Star Wars
The Turning Point

Comments:  Woody Allen absolutely deserved to win for Annie Hall, one of his best movies.  But one could also argue Star Wars got shafted — and no, I’m NOT a Star Wars fan.

1978

The Deer Hunter 
Coming Home 
Heaven Can Wait
Midnight Express 
An Unmarried Woman

Comments:  Three very intense movies that year and all could have won, including The Deer Hunter, Midnight Express, and Coming Home.  I think Midnight Express stands the test of time better than the rest, but any of those three deserved to win.

So, what was the greatest year in movie history?  Well, it’s certainly not 2012.

I’d vote for 1967 — which I believe to be the greatest year in movie history (we’re talking primarily American films here).  Look at that year’s nominees for “Best Picture.”  These are five outstanding films that would each won just about any other year had there not been such stiff competition.  1967’s films were so good that Cool Hand Luke, The Dirty Dozen In Cold Blood, The Incident, The Taming of the Shrew, Ulysses, among others were not even nominated.  Take a look at this crop of classics:

1967

In the Heat of the Night
Bonnie and Clyde
Doctor Dolittle
The Graduate
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Note:  Okay, so 1939 was easily the greatest year in history for films — but I’ll keep the debate to within the past 50 years.

Let’s agree, this was no banner year.

This isn’t to say nominees in other categories are not Oscar-worthy.  Clearly, this list starts (and nearly ends) with Daniel Day-Lewis for his memorable portrayal in Lincoln.  I’d also add Life of Pi winning “Best Cinematography” hands down and perhaps Helen Hunt for “Best Supporting Actress” in The Sessions.  I’ll post my official picks later after I’ve had the chance to see as many films on this list as possible.

But one thing is clear — this year’s “Best Picture” Oscar should go to — nobody.

Oscars

1 Comment

  1. I had trouble picking a best flick this year also. I think the strongest nominees are Damsels in Distress, Killer Joe and Seven Psychopaths.

    I believe the Oscar has to go to Killer Joe for its whimsical look at a typical Texas family.

    A special award to Anna Karenina for Keeping My Attention When I Least Expected It.

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