District 9 Nominated for Best Picture
Prawn!
The Oscar nominations were announced today and somehow or other District 9 is among the Best Picture nominees. Now I enjoyed the movie but let me go out on a limb and predict that it will not win the Best Picture Oscar. You might say, well, this is the first years of the expanded 10-nominee, watered- down category…but wait. It’s one of two science fiction flicks in the running. So, pro-rating back to the smaller list and, well…Avatar would still be there.
So. No big deal, you say…but wait. This is the first time any sci-fi movie has been a Best Picture nominee since E.T. in 1983.
Again, don’t get me wrong, I liked the flawed District 9, and at least something half-way interesting sci-fi-wise will get some recognition, in addition to the billion-dollar lecture blue is beautiful guilt-fest.
One consolation is that District 9 got a screenplay nomination and Avatar did not. Thatit does have a chance at winning, prawn. Except for the 45-minute BlackHawk Down shakey camera action manic episode, the story of impoverished alienated aliens did managed to plant an emotional hook.
Oh and that’s right it is one of two nominated movies set in South Africa. So that may explain it. The other is Invictus, a rugby movie with the best actor-nominated Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. Could it be that District 9 was caught in a double Avatar-Invitus updraft to Best Picture level? The Academy member nominators may have confused it with a movie about aliens that featured Nelson Mandela. They can be easily confused. After all, Chicago, a movie in which Richard Gere signs, also won a best picture Oscar.
So Let’s handicap the category. What are the intagibles? The last time a sci-fi movie was nominated, E.T. took the statue home. Avatar is king of the box office world, as was the Cameron’s previous over-produced blockbisuster, Titanic, also a Best Picture winner…
Best Picture Prediction: Invictus
Avatar, District 9, Oscars, movies | bshears February 2, 2010 | 
Comments (0)
