There are some films that greatly benefit from the support of bloggers and critics, and some films that don’t. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences is in the business of rewarding excellence in filmmaking but we really know it isn’t about excellence so much as is it about likability, lovability in most cases. Love is a funny emotion. It can’t always be manipulated.
Many publicists have the job of playing matchmaker. They take a movie they think members will be attracted to, they set up a party and they hope eyes meet from the across the room. They hope sparks fly. They hope a happy union will be formed that night — and one that will last at least the few weeks it takes to gather those votes. So what if you then had a chorus of people standing to one side and a chorus of people standing to the other who were all offering their two cents and voting on the beauty and charisma and quality of the “date”? As in, “she’s not smart enough, not thin enough, not funny enough, not ambitious enough, not edgy enough, not great enough – she won’t be faithful, she won’t last a lifetime, how can you be so stupid as to find THAT person attractive? What is wrong with you? If you pick her it will prove you have no taste — before the world, no taste! If you pick her you will be throwing away your reputation for all time. You will be ruining your reputation for your future children and grandchildren. See that other girl over there? Yeah, the one who isn’t perfect for you? The one you wouldn’t spend an afternoon with let alone a lifetime? She’s the one, yeah, she’s the one you SHOULD like because WE approve of her!”
That’s what it’s like this year for many of the Big Oscar Movies – they must be gotten to the Academy and escorted to the dance way before the group of judges moves in. In fact, the Academy works best when it appeals to people, when it is more the People’s Choice than the critics choice. Sometimes the two overlap, like with the King’s Speech last year. Because here’s the thing: they can’t really win. Pick the girl they like best and they have to go to party after party with her while the chorus silently or not so silently judges them. (I can’t believe he picked HER, what is wrong with him?) And if they go with the other one, the unpopular one who’s cool enough to win the praise of the chorus? Well then the people think, huh? Why did they pick her? Who the hell is she? I can’t really stand to look at her and I know I couldn’t marry her.
It’s hard to understand the Oscar mentality. All I know is that there are great films out there. Surely, somewhere between the two situations there is a happy medium. They do come along sometimes. It doesn’t have to be either/or. But I don’t think you can blame the studios completely, just as I don’t think you can blame the critics and bloggers completely for how it’s all turned out. All I know is that last year felt like a tipping point much the way the Crash/Brokeback upset was a tipping point.
The films in competition this year are heartfelt, sentimental, feelgood, cathartic experiences. Some of them are near perfect, well written, well acted, beautifully rendered – but they ain’t gonna be that girl at the dance. Someday, when all is said and done, the photos of that night will be brought out. We’ll look at the girl that was picked — and she’s a beauty, no doubt about it. We will know right then why she was chosen. But then we’ll look at the other girl, the ones the chorus chose and she’ll suddenly look more alluring and more attractive — time does that to movies, wine and memories. There will be other girls, too. Those who weren’t even in the conversation and they too will shimmer upon reflection. It’s funny, isn’t it. The Oscar race is funny.
So it isn’t breaking an embargo, I don’t think, to say that there is in fact a girl who is going to be brought to the party who really can challenge our frontrunner. She will be a girl that the chorus ain’t gonna like too much and will be easy to take potshots at. But she will be appealing to many. I also think there’s a third girl at the dance — she won’t be dressed like the other girls. She might be someone they barely let in the door. But she could also be hard to resist. In other words, I think we might have a real race on our hands at last.