Donny & Jon talk Oscars!

Donny:

Every year, we as movie fans are treated to a plethora of films that are guaranteed to work better than a bottle of Ambien. Yep, I’m talking about the Oscars.

Every once in a while, the Academy gets it right, but for the most part, they pick flat tearjerkers. Basically, if you’re a filmmaker interested in getting into the Oscar race, all you have to do is pick a subject that is sad, painful or boring. In a world where a film like The Dark Knight doesn’t get thrown into the running because it’s a superhero movie, I’m not sure increasing the number of nominees is going to change a thing.

When it comes to the Best Picture category, I’m never satisfied. This year, because of the added number of nominees, there are some flicks that I’m rooting for. But, sadly, I’m not sure they have a chance.

If you closely look at Oscar history, it’s littered with films centered on characters that have dysfunctional families, are terminally ill, mentally ill, at war, live in a year that has long since passed, have had multiple biographies written about them, were pulled from a script adapted from a novel or perhaps even a character that endured terrible hardships as a child only to spend a good part of his adult life searching for his long-lost love. Basically, Precious (based on the novel Pushby Sapphire) is the perfect Oscar nominee, but what do I know? I’m just a movie fan.

If it were up to me, I’d give the best picture Oscar to Inglourious Basterds or Up in the Air. EvenDistrict 9 would be a refreshing change of pace from the boring cinematic sleepers that usually win.

I’m excited that Jeff Bridges was nominated, and George Clooney was pretty stellar this year too, but how many times do we need to see Meryl Streep up there on the Oscar stage?

The director category is going to be interesting as well. I’d love to see Quentin Tarantino or Jason Reitman walk away with the Oscar.

Jon:

One of the things that was exciting about this year’s Oscars on paper was the expanding on the Best Picture category from five films to 10. What films would now be included that in year’s past would not have had a shot was pretty exciting to me, especially since I saw so many good films that were deserving. Then the nominations came out, making reality a deep fear I had, which was that really mediocre films would get championed.

The Blind Side has to be one of the worst Best Picture nominees in a long time, and while I liked the film, it’s quite an average production. Great story, yes, but pretty much standard studio fare.District 9 is an interesting choice, too. Science-fiction films rarely get such honors like this film has, but the Academy short-sighted itself with that pick over two universally better sci-fi films: Moon andStar Trek. I have been the minority on District 9. I felt it was confused with its handling of the documentary aspects and action film aspects, but those films I’ve mentioned have a more pleasing quality and are more emotionally involved.

But what’s new? In the history of the Academy Awards, the Academy has had a long and storied history of choosing odd titles, let alone picking winners that in time were actually that year’s weaker choice. Ordinary People over Raging Bull, anyone? In time, no one will remember Slumdog Millionaire. 2008 will be remembered as the year of The Dark Knight, a film not nominated for Best Picture.

The dual nomination for Pixar’s Up is confusing. Why Best Picture and Best Animated nominations? One or the other, please. I actually preferred Princess and the Frog, Coraline and The Fantastic Mr. Fox over Up, a film I really cherish. I would be really happy to have had The Messenger, Goodbye Solo and (500) Days of Summer replace Up, The Blind Side and District 9 for Best Picture. My winner? Up in the Air.

Outside of my quibbles with that category, I’m really excited to see the battle royale in the Best Director category. James Cameron, Tarantino, Kathryn Bigelow, Jason Reitman and Lee Daniels are all deserving of their nominations. I look forward to seeing that play out. But the overall nominations look pretty strict to a few select films, showing that 2009 wasn’t the best of years. As a fan of film, I’ll be watching.

The Times nice enough to publish our thoughts in there magazine, you can reread them here.