Thursday, February 4th 2010

By Myles Herod

An Open Letter to the Oscars:

Dear Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science,

Well, you’ve done it again. Congratulations. Up until Tuesday morning I had hope in your forethought of the past year, with an anticipation of possible inspired surprises. Why do I keep on giving you the benefit of the doubt? Not only were your nominations predictable, there weren’t even original. That’s right, complete plagiarism. One only has to look at the BAFTA awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) to see that your fraudulent choice of nominees are a carbon copy, only worse, holding no weight to that of the British, who frankly do everything one step better in terms of television and cinema anyways. America’s only struggle seems to stem from their procrastination of inevitably ripping them off. Whether it’s The Office, or award nominations, you have no original thought to speak of. To be honest, it’s quite sad. Here we have Hollywood, the very same community that virtually created the motion picture industry, now reliant on sloppy seconds.

Am I crazy to be so judgmental?  Why is the lack of originality so contagious year in, and year out?  Well, in fairness, this was a dull season in most respects. The boisterous coattails of the earlier decade were cut a bit prematurely by 2009, where the likes of No Country For Old Men and Milk have been watered down for the brazen smugness of James Cameron, the accomplished tyrant of Hollywood, whose Avatar you’ve awarded nine nominations. With that said, I do appreciate the competition slyly concocted amongst former husband and wife, Cameron and The Hurt Locker’s Kathryn Bigelow. Nice touch. It’s about time you gave a woman the recognition for best direction. It’s like what, only the fourth time out of your eighty-two year history? She better damn well win, she deserves it.

As for best picture, I was curiously perplexed with the decision of ten choices, opposed to the regulatory five. The inherently finite list of yesteryear was a far more tangible in terms of esteem and integrity.  I mean, is The Blind Side really deserving? Your tactic of fulfilling the African American quotient, which I might add was already consummated with Precious, is dubiously transparent in reasoning; a tale of a southern white family taking in a neglected black teen almost feels like a self-aware pat on the back for all you rich, old, white males of the academy. Rather than profiting from the “elite ten” status of the films in question, how about bringing it back down next year to a comfortable, one digit number?  You’re already repeating yourself with Up, taking spot in both the best picture and animated categories. I know, you’re still reeling from the cultural backlash of The Dark Knight’s absence from 2008. Well get over it. The best films should be met equally in directing, something that you apparently thought was unnecessary. This year’s list clearly has some extra fat that can easily be trimmed to a leaner, more conscience culmination of 2009. Here, let me start. The Blind Side. Get rid of it. Up is just redundant. Leave that one for the best-animated section; you know it’s already pre-destined. An Education? Too insignificant, so scratch that one. Inglourious Basterds? Too wildly uneven. I’m still flabbergasted at its appeal; I mean a bunch of Jewish Americans, seeking revenge on Hitler and the Nazis? What are you guys at the Academy thinking? Oh wait, I’ve got it now. Regardless, it’s still not very good. The finalized list should consist of the following: Avatar, District 9, The Hurt Locker, Precious, and Up in the Air. Just sayin’.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here, your acting selections are painfully predictable, with winners clearly locked since their respective inception on the screen this past year, idling into Tuesday’s morning call, effectively by osmosis. Big surprise. I’ll call it now if you want: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart; Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side; Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds and Mo’nique for Precious. Your lack of spontaneity has beguiled your once formidable credibility into a cinematic history lesson of the past. Remember the good old days, when Annie Hall shockingly beat out Star Wars, or when the best actor race of 1973 presented the likes of: Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Jack Lemmon, and Al Pacino? In comparison, it just reinforces how far you and American cinema has faltered. Why do you constantly set your ceremonies up for tepid results? As your ratings constantly decline year after year, you’d think a re-evaluation would be highly sought after.  And if you think upping the ante with ten best pictures nominations will do the trick, think again. It just further accentuates a homogenization of the show’s blatant unoriginality.

I don’t represent anyone but myself. I once held reverence for your existence, but know it’s tarnished. All I ask now is for something memorable; a win for Up in the Air or surprise for the Hurt Locker or District 9. Is that so much to ask?

Sincerely,

Myles

Tags: CULTURE, film, Hollywood, oscars