CITYSunTimes Web Exclusive March 2010
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
David’s 2010 Fearless Oscar Predictions
By David Malsch
Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart; Fox Searchlight
Sunday, March 7 will mark the 82nd annual Academy Awards, and as a long time fan of these awards I have to admit to my cautious enthusiasm for them this year. The powers-that-be who conduct the Academy’s business the last few years have been trying to needlessly revamp the entire ceremony from head-to-toe. Granted there is always room for improvement in most things – the Oscar’s however, just needed some small outpatient work – not the triple bypass surgery it’s been receiving. We don’t need 10 Best Picture nominees – instead of not talking about two or three of the nominees not having a chance of winning we now have about seven or eight. The academy has also been voting without a brain for the last few years. Slumdog Millionaire was a fine film but not by any means the Best Picture of the year – neither was Crash, Chicago, A Beautiful Mind or Gladiator (just to name a few). The documentary and foreign language categories have also been a joke in dire need of fixing; and don’t get me started on the idea of Sandra Bullock winning anything other than a Razzie this year.
District 9; TriStar Pictures
Everyone seems to complain about the length of the show every year, but it’s not about the length so much as it is about production – just put together a better and tighter three hour show. We don’t need two hosts or an obnoxious singing and dancing routine every 20 minutes or even a fashion show. We need more film related substance to celebrate the art and craft of filmmaking. I know it’s Hollywood, but does it really have to be so Hollywood all the time?
Oops, I hear the exit music behind me so I better wrap things up….
There are some no-brainers this year like Jeff Bridges, Mo‘Nique and Christoph Waltz; and then there are some tough ones like the competition between Avatar, The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds winning the majority of the awards – but which ones?
Mo‘Nique in Precious; Lee Daniels Entertainment
Here are this year’s nominees and my fearless predictions (for my complete list go to davideatworld.com). Keep in mind that Avatar is only spectacular from a technical standpoint not an overwhelming one. The Hurt Locker was really good, but far from great, and the sleeper of the night I predict will be Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Hollywood loves World War II films and anything Jewish – especially when history is re-written on screen to the point where Hitler finally gets what’s coming to him in gorgeous Technicolor.
Inglourious Basterds; Universal Pictures
Just remember that it’s an honor just to be nominated...
Fantastic Mr. Fox; Twentieth Century-Fox
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEB Exclusive | CITYSunTimes March 2010