One that may well cost me some readers, but there it is. I don't think Avatar deserved to be nominated for the Best Drama Globe, let alone win it. Don't you hiss at me!
Look, the Best Picture award is supposed to go to a film that is important. I liked Avatar. But it wasn't important. Films can be important for a range of reasons, some "random" examples are films that celebrate some otherwise unknowns heroes (Schindler's List, uhhh Hurt Locker?), films that are new ideas, that could potentially inspire a new genre (Titanic, uhhh Inglourious Basterds?), films that successfully translate the suffering of an individual(s) and their hope in the face of adversity (Slumdog Millionaire, uhhh Precious?) or films that come together where everything works, great direction, great acting, great script (American Beauty, uhhh Up in the Air?).See what I did there? I outlined why every other picture nominated should have bested Avatar. Clever, huh?
My personal opinion was that Inglourious Basterds should have won. It introduced the concept of using film to correct the wrongs in history. Filmmakers don't have to follow the constrictions of genuine history. This is fiction, make-believe, go to town, says I! Stop retelling the same crap!What did Avatar do? It used groundbreaking special effects. Fab. So did District 9. Why didn't that get nominated? Because it cost hundreds of millions less to make. It would have been dead embarrassing if they admitted it was a better film. Seriously, you could have put a noticeable dent in the world poverty crisis for the cost of Avatar, and District 9 was a more unique story!
*sigh*
The thing is, it's almost guaranteed to be nominated for an Oscar. I hate that. It's stopped being about recognizing steps forward in film. Actually, my disenchanted mind now wonders if it was ever about that.
Not having seen any of them yet myself I can't really say one way or the other. There have been lots of winners that I didn't feel even belonged on the ballot for Oscar. I take less stock in awards now than I used to. I was surprised though to see Avatar win. Seemed like a bunch of newbies were winning and that the Globes were looking to make a statement. And then they gave it to what I have heard was great eye candy with an interesting plot. When the director says he assumed the director from Hurt Locker was going to win - I think it says a lot about the appropriateness of the victory. Even Cameron knew.
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