If I Picked the Winners: Best Pictue 2009

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     Okay boys and girls, it's time to put on your H.G. Wells hats, go down into the basement, and dust off the old handy-dandy time machine as we travel way back into the mysterious, mystical land that was 2009. It was a strange time with primitive customs and habits that are hard to understand for our sophisticated 2010 minds. It was a time when Lebron James was still universally admired by everyone, Geico had yet to run that annoying ad with a pig that says "wee, wee, wee" all the way home, and NBC had not yet approved a comedy that points out the hilarious clash of cultures that occurs when an American has to work in India (that last point was a bit of sarcasm, and yes, I'm well aware of how corny this opening is, but I could not help myself). It was also the first year since 1943 that the Academy Awards expanded its Best Picture nominees pool to ten. While I have to admit, I was initially very much against the idea, in the end it worked out great. Spurred on by 2008's criminal omission of "The Dark Knight", the Academy thought that if they expanded the Best Picture category to ten nominees they would be able to recognize a wider taste of films from all different genres, and at least in the first year, it was mission accomplished. Their were independent films, more traditional films, an animated film, and even two sci-fi films! The only downside of ten nominees is it means I have to write a longer article right now, but that's not your concern, so here we go to my ranking of last year's nominees for Best Picture.

10. "The Blind Slide"

     
      When the nominations for Best Picture were announced last year, everyone was stunned when they announced "The Blind Side" as one of the nominees. Sure it made a lot money and seemed to be popular with the average person, but its reviews were far from stellar and seemed about as far from "Academy Awards material" as you can get. With so many great movies last year, I really wish I could find out who in the Academy voted for this movie so that I could ask them, non-confrontationally, "What was your thinking behind nominating this film". "The Blind Side" is a hokey, family-affair film that was clearly put together partly by focus groups. The movie is extremely predictable and stereo-typical, with some cringe inducing lines of dialogue ( Beth: "You're changing that boy's life". Leigh: "No. He's changing mine"). The film also comes off as slightly racist. Michael Oher appears barely able to speak in the film and knows nothing about football (a point the real Michael Oher protests). Only with the help of a rich white woman, this film's Prof. Henry Higgins, does Michael Oher learn how to walk and talk like a real human being. It is also racist in the opposite fashion in how it sugar-coats "the hood". I know they were going for a PG-13 rating, but when you compare this movie's version of "the hood" with the version of "the hood" depicted by its fellow nominee "Precious", it's just laughable. I will never understand how this movie got nominated for Best Picture, but if you want to see a good inspirational sport film nominated for Best Picture, I suggest you check out 1979's "Breaking Away" instead of this lowest-common-denominator fluff.

9. "District 9"

  

     Even though "District 9" is clearly a better movie than "The Blind Slide", I almost considered putting it last because it was so much more disappointing. It is a frustrating film, because it has so much potential, and totally squanders it. The beginning of the film is great and very unique. It starts off as a corporate documentary (think a little bit like "The Office") explaining the history of the aliens and Multi-National United, the corporation that was put in charge of running District 9, an area created to contain the alien race. This faux-documentary opening was a genius idea by first time director Neil Blomkamp (the man who was to direct the failed Halo movie), but after the opening, the film devolves into a typical action film that's long on scenes of gunfire and short on dialogue. The film takes place in South Africa, and it's parallels to Apartheid are extremely obvious (annoyingly so), which keeps it in the long tradition of sci-fi films with social commentary. The whole "the-shoe-on-the other-foot" plot device that the film utilizes to reform the protagonist is bit worn out and tired in my book though, and puts a huge scar in what otherwise could have been a very original film. While I was glad to see the Academy open itself up to the science-fiction genre, I would have much preferred to see J.J. Abram's "Star Trek" (one of my favorite films of last year) receive the nomination over "District 9".

8. "An Education"

  

     The first two films that I have covered would have garnered an actual "thumbs down" from me. This film (along with the next film), when push comes to shove, I would give my recommendation to, but it didn't seem to "wow" me like it did so many others. In a lot of ways, "An Education" is the most typical "Oscar film" of last year's ten nominees. First, it's a British film which is usually a plus in the Academy's eyes. It's also a drama that focuses on a romantic relationship, another description that would aptly describe many films nominated for Best Picture in Oscar history. Finally, the film is based on a true story which is the third piece in the puzzle that almost guaranteed it a nomination. The film is made well and the acting is good (especially by Peter Sarsgaard), but the story is just not all that interesting or insightful. The fact that young woman tend to fall for slick older men who turn out not to be all that they say they all is nothing new. "An Education" is a fine film that anyone will be pleased to see, but it's just not that special and rather forgettable. 

7. "Avatar"

     
     Good old "Avatar". The little independent movie about a paralyzed marine who goes to the moon of Pandora and through the wonders of technology, takes on the form of the local alien species so that he can cozy up with them and convince them to give up their land, which the big bad evil corporation desires because they want to drill for the mystical magical unabtainium. The film (which is highest grossing film of all-time) is reported to have stolen a lot of its story from a Russian sci-fi novel and it also took a lot of its themes from Hinduism. Some people (South Park) referred to it simply as "Dancing with Smurfs". Where ever the film got its ideas from, it serves mostly as a tool for James Cameron to preach his neo-fascist environmental propaganda about how all militaries and corporations are heartless evil people and all primitive cultures are objectively superior. I hate to break to you James, but their is no mystic force that "connects" all living things other than the fact that we all meet the definition of being alive, but this is better suited for a discussion at another time. With the film's focus on its heavy-handed message, there are consequently a lot of weaknesses (stereo-typical villains and atrocious dialogue), but Cameron does know the right way to make an action film, and it shows. The special effects are incredible, and even though I am an anti-3D zealot, this is the one film I have seen that was improved by 3D. I could not disagree more with the environmental mysticism that is the message of this film, but what can I say, James Cameron can make some entertaining movies, so while I'm far from an "Avatar fanboy", the movie is not too bad. 

6. "Precious"

  

     This movie had a lot of awards buzz going from early on in 2009, so I knew I would see it at some point, but I was not looking forward to it. It just didn't look like my type of film. I figured it was going to be one of these "realist" films that gets high off its own self-importance and perceptiveness, but when I actually saw the film, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. "Precious" is the only film I know that is willing to look at the dark side of black ghetto culture, and boy does it go deep into it. Maybe it is because of fears of charges of racism (which some did accuse this film of being even though it was written by a black man, directed by a black man, and starred two black women), but most films that have dealt with the ghetto give a stylized view, like that of Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing". This film looks at the abusive nature in which some people in the black community treat each other, but even though it can be a very depressing film at times, it's hopeful at its core just like its title character, Precious. The film is well cast and the acting is good all around, but newcomer Gabourey Sidibe and stand-up comedian/actor Mo'nique (who deservedly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress) make this movie what it is. While the movie didn't quite make my Top Ten last year, I was more than happy to see its nomination.

5. "Up"

 

     Anytime a Pixar movie is released, critics and fans go nuts. Usually though, I am one of Pixar's biggest detractors. "Finding Nemo" would easily make my "most overrated films of the decade" list, and even though the beginning of the film is very cool, Wall-E overall was also very overrated, as the second half of the film degenerates into a long Pixar patented action sequence with a heavy dose of anti-consumerism thrown in to brainwash the little kiddies. In fact, other than the original "Toy Story", I didn't really love any of Pixar's films until "Up". The film begins with one of the sweetest opening in cinema history (Capra would be proud!), and while the rest of the film never quite matches this high point, the sentimentality is hard to resist. Unfortunately, Pixar still relies on a drawn out action sequence for an ending, but the rest of the film is good enough that this can be forgiven. Even though the film was not my favorite animated film from last year (that honor goes to Wes Anderson's excellent "The Fantastic Mr. Fox") "Up" is just too sweet to resist. 

4. "Up in the Air"

    
     "Up in the Air" was the front-runner to win it all going into the Oscar season. It was a favorite of the festival crowd and won plenty of "Best Film" awards from papers across the nation. Unfortunately for the film though, it peaked too early and even before the film had its wide release, their was already a backlash against it. Some of this is due to the attitude of the films director, Jason Rietman of "Juno" fame, who comes off as a man who likes the smell of his own flatulence. Sometimes this elitist attitude of unique, deep understanding of the human psyche does seep through the screenplay, but for the most part, it plays as a true light-hearted romantic comedy. Clooney plays a man who must tell people that their losing their job, not an enviable task, but one that Clooney's character thoroughly enjoys as a loner who loves to travel. In typical romantic comedy fashion, the stone-cold heart of Clooney melts after a few meaningful experiences, but the story itself isn't as important as how it's told. The acting is also one of the strong points of film, with an especially strong performance from the young Anna Kendrick. This film was not quite the film that some had built it up to be, but it also didn't deserve the backlash it received in some corners.

3. "The Hurt Locker"

    
     This was the film that ended up taking home the big prize and while it's not my number one film, I think it is a film that is worthy of the Best Picture label.  "The Hurt Locker" tells the story of a bomb squad in Iraq, and particularly focuses on Jeremy Renner's character who goes about his job with reckless abandon. One of the reasons I love this film so much is, much like "The Social Network", it shines a light on a type of personality that has never really been explored on screen before. Rennner's character is the type of thrill-seeking person who only feels alive when death is near. The movie even starts with a quote that contains the phrase, "war is a drug", and Renner portrays this psychosis to a tee (and should have won the Oscar for Best Actor, but that's a discussion for another article). The scene that best illustrates Renner's need for war is when he is at a grocery store back home. His wife asks him to go get some cereal and as he stands in aisle, trying to decide which cereal to pick, you can just feel him thinking, "Why am I here?". For someone who has seen war as Renner did, suburban life just doesn't feel real, and the only way he could ever feel alive is defusing bombs in Iraq, when any second could be his last. And that's the memory of the film that will stick with me the longest.

2. "A Serious Man"

  

       I'm usually a pretty big fan of the Coen Brothers, and outside of 2007's Best Picture winner "No Country for Old Men", this is probably my favorite Coen Brother's movie, which should tell you how much I liked this film. The film is a bit off-center and will not be every one's cup of tee, but if you let the film sink in, the rewards can be deep. The story of the film is a little complicated to explain, but it basically centers around the life of Larry Gupnik (Michael Stulbarg), a physics professor in Minnesota whose life is collapsing around him. The film deals a lot with Judaism, the nature of god in general, and philosophical views of existence, which makes me salivate in anticipation, but probably turns off most people. It also uses stylized manipulated characterchers to make statements on real life (which, even though I'm a big fan, is a common problem I have with the Coen's work), but these characters in the film are used more for comedic purposes than anything else. "A Serious Man" is a really interesting movie that I still like to think about a year later. Its themes are very powerful and if you are at all interested in philosophy like I am, this movie will stay with you.

1. "Inglorious Basterds"

  

     I love Quentin Tarantino. For me, he is the god of cinema. I love every single film he has made, and as much as I love other directors, Tarantino is easily my all-time favorite director. The reason why I love Tarantino's work so much is he utilizes the art of cinema better than any other director in history. As great as other directors' movies can be, you can usually picture their films being good as a play, or a book, or a documentary, but not with Tarantino's films. They have to be movies and movies only. No one mixes dialogue, camera work, music, and good old movie magic better than Tarantino, and "Inglorious Basterds" does not disappoint in any of these categories. The film is part spaghetti western, part group-of-men-on-a-mission, and a small part WWII film, but it is totally fun throughout. There are a lot of movies that helped inspire this film, but Tarantino's love for everyone of them is evident, which is part of the reason this film is so great. As usual with Taratino's films, the acting by the ensemble is terrific, but the stand out performance is given by Best Supporting Actor winner Christoph Waltz, who creates the most memorable character of 2009. As much as I loved some of the other nominated films, my number one choice was easy, as "Inglorious Basterds" is one of my favorite films of the last decade, so if you haven't seen this film yet (shame on you), check it now.

     
     Well that's my breakdown of last year's Best Picture race, now let me know what you think in the comments section!