2009 Academy Awards – follow the money, or what?

 

The release of the nominees for this year’s Academies came out, and the choices leave plenty to debate, but nowhere else is this more apparent in the Best Movie category. Reading over the five movies, it is somehow lacking – and I’m sure I’m not the only one in this boat – a certain movie or two that helped buoy the film industry through the maelstrom which is the economy, then and now.

Can you remember the one? Yet, somehow, after being the movie of the year, I read through the selection and noted it’s omission.

After last year’s selection of non box office hits rising to the top (but we all still watched There Will Be Blood right?), and the low audience draw that followed, one might think they would look elsewhere, for movies people could root for, and not look on feeling like complete ignoramuses when that envelope is opened. But alas they did not. And we have The Reader, and Milk.

I’m sure these movies are worth a watch. Right? I mean, Milk is up for best movie so it’s on my list, and as soon as I’ve watched other movies in my queue I’ll get to finding out what The Reader is about.

The Dark Knight and Wall-E. These two movies, by a check at the All Time Box Office, you will find the movie that made the most money at the theater’s this year – in fact, the 2008’s top box office eclipses all academy nominees combined, twice over and then some – didn’t go up for Best Picture. Go ahead and include Wall-E and it becomes thrice.

In decades past this would have been a scandal. Decades past, when a certain movie put someone on top of the world, I don’t think anyone hid the fact that it was because of the pools of money they all swam in was the reason it took first, I’m sure quite literally. Probably even put a little “ice berg bar” or something in there for good measure. Because it wasn’t the acting or story that put it there.

I believe movies should be smart, introspective, that they should make us think and challenge us. I also believe movies should be entertaining, exciting, taking us somewhere else, allowing us to suspend our disbelief, and be fantastic. And I believe that this year had movies that fused both the cerebral and the  visceral to astounding effect. And for the big one - Best Movie - they were both no shows.

It seems that the Academy’s getting a little drunk over themselves, forgetting that they should be – first and foremost – entertaining. Educational and intelligent, also – but those movies aren’t the reason they do well and make millions. They’re the blockbusters that do that, and I wonder why it is that two such beacons of what cinema is, and can be, received the cold shoulder. The two both went up for a handful of other awards, sure – but Wall-E, if it somehow loses, will be a great disservice, and The Dark Knight’s nods shine light on parts of the sum not the whole – better, not what is should be.

Also, what about the “importance” of a film? How about The Dark Knight refreshing the “cape-and-tights” superhero into the 21st century pop-culture standing? Or how well Wall-E tied in the “going green” message along with a good dose of “it’s up to us” without beating us with the pulpit? These movies had layers – layers! mind you – and it would’ve been nice to see some recognition. Besides, you know, the pools of money they’re are swimming in.

These movies were deserving of top billing for this year as important movies, and they got unceremoniously passed over.

Slumdance 09: Experienced

Every year a group of peers travel to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. This year notwithstanding, plans change as we grow, the journey did not materialize. A sad blip to be sure, and part of me died a little but… life happens and we must accept it, willingly or no.

I was not the only one sensing the activity’s subsequently created black hole of a weekend (although keeping another vacation day for work is a consolation), and Slumdance was hatched. Though some might have nay-sayed our hopes and expectations of the event, they were not dashed. And complete with a festival guide compliments Mark Hewes, we had ourselves a cinema filled-weekend not to be forgotten…

Opening night, January 16, 2009

The festival-goers trickled in with high hopes of films and good times to the Nampa O’Brien Moviehouse. Newcomers welcomed, the night’s excitement culminated and then broke to a reverent calm as the room lights were extinguished and the audience was transported 20 years back to a viewing of Steven Soderbergh’s classic “Sex, Lies, and Videotape”. Another time to be sure with hair, clothes, eyeglasses, and cars reckoning us to more formative times. The movie – a critical success, Sundance’s first on important levels – still showed well to a younger audience, a testament of its value.

Following the movie, the revelers stayed on for the after movie glow into the late night hours. Eventually the crowd thinned, and sleep came quickly, as we all prepared for the upcoming day’s festival stops.

Slumdance, January 17, 2009

Upon waking and enjoying a late morning breakfast, we settled into the Slumdance Shorts Program I. A love-it-or-hate-it ordeal, the audience never quite knowing what to expect, either chock full of Academy Award nominated material, experimental fare, or pieces given up due to a topical subject’s current importance. And true to it, with some successes and some busts it was overall a fulfilling time. The time finished with the premiere viewing of a festival participant’s former pet project – a fitting end to a personal endeavor, the short’s producer came away thankful for the viewers’ time, glad to have finally brought it to screen for just such a thing, regardless of scale.

Upon coming out of the theater it was noted we were running slightly behind, and as more people joined, we made it a point to get to the next destination Nampa De Leon Cine. Foregoing lunch, we came back together for the showing of “Promises”. A film hitting upon a conflict seemingly unending with it’s importance also timeless, "Promises” brought together dialogue between the Jews and Arabs inhabiting Israel, the voices softer in tone though coming through as loud as any primetime news reporter interview, the situation was explained from the children unfortunately taken as collateral. Yet through it hope could be heard. Though masked, muted, and oppressed it was at times, the picture expressed both sides’ desire for resolution, and humanity’s thirst for tranquility, just as so many can recall for themselves and hope for for their own offspring.

No longer able to stave off the hunger of our more physical appetites, Slumdance quieted as we enjoyed marvelous ethnic cuisine at the adjoining Cuisine de Leon, with additional material of “Promises” providing ambience.

The day hastened on and the event turned to its next venue, Meridian Living Room Theatre. Experimental fare, Barney Frank’s “Cremaster 1” came onto the screen, roaring it’s ambiquity. An ambiquity that all watchers agreed upon, in varying degrees, coming away knowing that they did watch something. They truly did – an art-film gem of the brightest kind.

Due to technical difficulties the “Cremaster 3” viewing was cancelled, and the next picture shifted to take its place.

“Taxi to the Dark Side”, an acclaimed expose was a newsflash telling of the deplorable situation of America’s perspective concerning foreign detainee’s interrogations, but more importantly human respect and dignity, came through clear. It’s unswerving recounting of the truth was well-placed, allowing for the film to walk a tightrope through the labyrinthine elements at play, never giving into political bashing, personal mud-slinging, or patriotic rose-tinting of issue’s brought to light that cut to the very core of our country’s values and underpinnings. Fascinating and insightful, the work went on to win an Academy Award for Documentary.

Slumdance was beginning to wrap, but not without a viewing of it’s namesake, Slumdog Millionaire. A film of surprises, the screen sparkled with an exotic and foreign tinge, much like India itself, cutting a swathe through many events, sites, and the difficult situation the country finds itself in now under a burgeoning populace. A crossroads of people, cultures, and morals, it somehow still allows for a strong spine of personal moments, and the ability for all the audience to believe in the strength of love and, that perhaps, it is written.

Finally the Festival was showing it’s embers, but not without some last flashes for its stalwart faithful.

Due to logistical difficulties the “Re-Animator” viewing was cancelled, and a replacement film chosen to take its place.

At Midnight, the theater’s turned to it’s lighter side, or perhaps darker side some might say, but the homage to grindhouse theater had a showing for it’s own with Robert Rodriquez’s take on the genre with Planet Terror. With squibs a-plenty, unlimited ammo, and a stub-mounted “leg cannon”, the one-liners coming as thick as “the best in Texas”, and with characters as rich but unknown as El Rey, you should know this flick will be remembered. Perhaps not for everyone, but with the genre created all as its own, the feature continues the leg-acy fittingly.

So concluded Slumdance Festival ‘09. Friends, peers, and festival-goers all, the movies viewed will be digested not just one day later, not just the weekend, but throughout the week and beyond.

To everyone who participated, planned, and opened their venues to this incredible undertaking, it was a marvelous time. These things do not happen without dedication and commitment, and at the heart of this Festival, is too the core of your hard work.

-Paul O’Brien, out