Well, the 2009 Oscar nominees have been announced. For some reason, freaky Brad Pitt reverse-aging film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leads the pack with 13 nominations, including best picture.
I find this lame for two reasons. First, as this excellent video points out, TCCOBB is basically a re-worked version of Forest Gump:
Second, it’s just so lazy. Out of all the interesting films made this year, it’s so disappointing to see another stereotypical “prestige” flick get all the noms. It’s a foolproof formula: have a bunch of people saying vague, folk-wisdomy things to one another against a ‘sweeping’ historical backdrop. Hey presto, American mythology. I feel like I’ve seen this movie a hundred times before.
So, come Oscar Night, I will be at home curled up with my Romero zombie flicks. They may not be ‘art’, but by God, at least they’re original.
Well something certainly stinks here. My wife and her friend went to see this last week. She hated it. Her friend fell asleep for a few minutes. They both seriously considered leaving early and others who were in their theatre – about half the audience that started watching according to my wife – did leave.
I really am losing respect for the Academy when they do this kind of crap.
I saw exactly one nomination that I agreed with: In Bruges for best original screenplay. No chance it’ll win or anything, but at least it got something.
I don’t disagree that it’s basically a reworked Forrest Gump. But why is that a bad thing? Forrest Gump without that tool Tom Hanks is fine by me.
Benjamin Button was NOT Oscar worthy as a film. Maybe Cinenamatography, but not acting, and certainly not the film. It was too long, borning and devoid of any “real” emotion, only what the contrived through song and “folk-wisdomy” dialogue.
Where the HELL was Dark Knight?
I”m not a huge fan of the Oscars, but this is not a new development. Check out the last 20 years. Hell, 30, look at Taxi Driver losing out to Rocky. They give awards to a certain type of movie. Pretty much always have.
(And as much as I have no interest in Benjamin Button, it was a very well reviewed film).
Didn’t you know? Romero’s zombie flicks are just reworked versions of the original Smurfs graphic novel. *grin*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Schtroumpfs_noirs