I don't think it's just being farsighted to suggest that we haven't had a whole lot to celebrate at the Oscars in recent years. Infact, farsightedness might actually sharpen the point, if you consider looking back, say, five years, farsighted. For the record "Million Dollar Baby" won Best Picture. Also nominated were "Ray" "Finding Neverland" "The Aviator" and...eh hem "Sideways". You remember them all very vividly, I'm sure. Or...no? Yeah, me niether.
And this isn't because any of them were not good movies. Sideways was OK, I guess, if you can get all romantic about wine (which everyone in my theater seemed easily capable of doing), and the others looked decent, and I won't doubt legends like Scorsese or Eastwood, but...they're all gone, aren't they? When did you last catch "Finding Neverland" on television, for instance? When was the last time you needed to put in your copy "Million Dollar Baby"? Do you own a single one of these movies? Have you seen a single one more than once?
On the other hand, you haven't lost track of "The Shawshank Redemption" have you. Likewise, you've probably caught some of Forrest Gump on TV withint the past 6 months. You are no doubt aware of a movie called Pulp Fiction, and if you've got any taste at all you probably own it (something that forbids me from owning a copy of my own). All three of these films came out in 1994.
And this isn't because any of them were not good movies. Sideways was OK, I guess, if you can get all romantic about wine (which everyone in my theater seemed easily capable of doing), and the others looked decent, and I won't doubt legends like Scorsese or Eastwood, but...they're all gone, aren't they? When did you last catch "Finding Neverland" on television, for instance? When was the last time you needed to put in your copy "Million Dollar Baby"? Do you own a single one of these movies? Have you seen a single one more than once?
On the other hand, you haven't lost track of "The Shawshank Redemption" have you. Likewise, you've probably caught some of Forrest Gump on TV withint the past 6 months. You are no doubt aware of a movie called Pulp Fiction, and if you've got any taste at all you probably own it (something that forbids me from owning a copy of my own). All three of these films came out in 1994.
Of this year's nominees for Best Picture, two will remain culturally relevant, granted one of them remains a spectacle on 2D televisions (and yes, televisions will remain 2D unless we somehow get around the glasses part): Avatar and Up. And that's OK. Two culture anchors is actually pretty good for a year in movies, and not all of the nominees need to be USA feature presentation fodder, but with so many that dive right off the ledge of obscurity after awards time, do we really need ten nomination spots? We can hardly fill 5 as it is. In 2004, they nominated "Master and Commander". I want you to tell me one thing you recall about "Master and Commander". Russel Crowe's hair doesn't count.
Of course all movies deserve time to ripen in the common mind of society. It is indeed possible that, in 10 years, Master and Commander will begin being shown on Thanksgiving or something, and become an essential American classic (I said possible, not probable) but the fact is that 90% of them will not come anywhere close. They aren't great now. They won't be great later. "Up in The Air" does not deserve peak recognition in any case, and especially not because we didn't have three or four more notable films this year.
But then there are other movies that deserve, each year, a moment in the spotlight, if only for that moment. This year, a film called "An Education" came out that is supposed to be quite good. It was adapted for the screen by my personal favorite author and I can remember reading about the project on his blog before he had even been granted a pass to complete it. It was a modest, but sincere and skillfull motion picture, and it probably really is better than most of the other movies released this year. And it deserves to be recognized for that. It's just that Up in The Air really, really does not. I can't sort out to which I'm more commited. Perhaps I ought to.
Of course all movies deserve time to ripen in the common mind of society. It is indeed possible that, in 10 years, Master and Commander will begin being shown on Thanksgiving or something, and become an essential American classic (I said possible, not probable) but the fact is that 90% of them will not come anywhere close. They aren't great now. They won't be great later. "Up in The Air" does not deserve peak recognition in any case, and especially not because we didn't have three or four more notable films this year.
But then there are other movies that deserve, each year, a moment in the spotlight, if only for that moment. This year, a film called "An Education" came out that is supposed to be quite good. It was adapted for the screen by my personal favorite author and I can remember reading about the project on his blog before he had even been granted a pass to complete it. It was a modest, but sincere and skillfull motion picture, and it probably really is better than most of the other movies released this year. And it deserves to be recognized for that. It's just that Up in The Air really, really does not. I can't sort out to which I'm more commited. Perhaps I ought to.
By Dave Beauchene
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