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.
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