The Oscar Noms
The norm — and I plead guilty — is to bash the Oscar nominations for their exclusions. But it’s always worth keeping in mind that arguing that the Academy should only honor outstanding pictures is sort of like arguing that the Hall of Fame is only for players like Mantle and Mays: whether or not it’s right on the merits, it’s never been the history of the institution. The typical Oscar winner is middlebrow dreck — Out of Africa, Forrest Gump, Jerks Off With Camera, Braveheart, Crash, Gladiator, American Beauty, I could go on — it’s also worth noting that if anything the list of 10 pictures has improved the quality. Of the pictures I’ve seen, all of the nominees on this year’s list are far better than the typical winner whatever their flaws, with two movies I’m willing to bet are also far better (True Grit and The Fighter) pending. (Also haven’t seen Inception or The King’s Speech or 127 Hours — have catching up to do — but all have decent reputations.) And if the list was cut to five, Winter’s Bone — arguably the best of the lot — would probably be the first one to go. (Indeed, as Jacob Levy notes, the biggest problem is that the Academy;s taste has almost gotten too good — no Crash or Beautiful Mind or Avatar to root against.)
If I have a pet complaint this year it’s the exclusion of Nicole Holofcener’s wonderful but regrettably ignored Please Give. Not that it had any chance of a best picture nom, but I was hoping for the token writing award that sometimes goes to films of quality.