Just like the vampire version of Willow, that's my sentiment in regards to this morning's announcement of the 81st annual Academy Awards. As a devout movie lover, it pains me to even consider not watching the damn thing on February 22nd, but for the first time since I actively sought out each major nominee, I honestly don't care about the five films nominated for Best Picture. Of them, the one I liked most is Frost/Nixon, and like is the operative word. There is no love in my heart for any of the five nominees.
The difference here is that, with the presumption of The Dark Knight being one of the nominees, I could have accepted the competition, even with the knowledge that the Batman was never going to win Best Picture. Once again, validation. Validation is key. It's nice to know that those making the movies we're watching are aware of the films that have the best quality. Instead, the 2008 nominees all fall under the stereotypes the Academy has helped spread amongst the viewing public.
It's rare that filmmakers correctly estimate or overestimate the intelligence of the American public, but even rarer when their movies get it right and they get it wrong. None of the nominees are impressive, none are going to be anything but mere memories in history books in years to come. What do we have to show for it? The Dark Knight and WALL-E, two great films that will live with technical awards and a sympathy vote for a classic performance. What a fucking shame.
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