Oscars 2009

I'm more-than-likely doing a "nominations piece" for "Escape" on Friday, but for now my immediate reaction is as follows:

1.) Let all who doubt that putting-on-a-good-show "narrative" ever enters into the nominating process gaze on the dual 9 nominations for Hurt Locker and Avatar - turning the cutesy "battle of the exes" meme into a literal dead-heat. As of right now, my money would be on the safe bet: "Avatar" for Best Picture (annointing the now-official biggest-movie-ever, it IS a game-changer and putting the cherry on the new audience-friendly 10-nominations angle) and Bigelow for director (first female win, oh-wow-girl-who-makes-boy-movies, everyone was pissed when the Globes passed her over for her ex-husband, etc.) NEITHER is the best of the year in my estimation, but whatever.

2.) The 10 Nominations thing is, as far as I'm concerned, a HUGE success here in terms of getting good "big" movies into the running AND breaking open the genre-ghetto. True, "Avatar" probably would've been nominated anyway being such a juggernaut, but "District 9" and "Up?" AWESOME...

3.) ...Almost awesome enough to take the sting out of "Blind Side" being up there - which is a fucking disgrace. People will be pissy about "Avatar" being up there "just because it's popular" - but let's be clear here: "Blind Side" is the undeserving movie nominated as a sop to the cheap-seats this year.

4.) The Academy clearly loves "Inglorious Basterds," Christoph Waltz is going to win and I think Tarantino is a good bet for Original Screenplay... so where's Melanie Laurent? I know, I know, Best Supporting Actress already has Mo'Nique's name on it, but still. Penelope Cruz was sex-on-legs in "Nine," but it was a nothing role and the movie was horrible. I'd prefer to see Anna Kendrick win, solidifying her as the breakout star of the year (and officially the first person from "Twilight" to be 'safe' from having it ruin their career)

5.) The performances in "Precious" were so good that it's Best Picture nomination is... okay, I guess. It's an akwardly-made, overwrought movie, but whatever. Plus, let's face it, NOBODY wanted to see the headlines if it didn't ("Oscar even prefers BLUE PEOPLE to Black People!!!") But Lee Daniels shouldn't be up for director, not when it could've gone to Neil Blomkamp.