Spring Break
Lighter atmosphere prevails at Oscars
Paresh Jha
Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Focus
A few weeks ago I berated the Academy for being elitist and ignoring "The Dark Knight" as a Best Picture nominee. While I still stand by those claims, I would like to take this time to acknowledge how the Academy has moved forward and how the magic of movies can and always will inspire.
Sunday night the Academy Awards aired on ABC to the millions who decided to watch. The highlights included Heath Ledger's posthumous award (only the second actor ever to win an Oscar posthumously after Peter Finch for "Network"), and "Slumdog Millionaire" winning so much including Best Director and Best Picture. Hugh Jackman was the master of ceremonies and was a rather unconventional choice compared the recent usual funny men the Academy seemed to favor. However, his charisma, Australian accent and penchant for musical theatre brought something fresh to the show that it had been lacking for the past few years.
The many presentations and musical numbers managed to even poke fun at the Academy themselves. The second Hugh Jackman got onto the makeshift Bat-pod and sang the question I had been asking for weeks (Why don't comic book movies get nominated?), I couldn't help but let loose a little chuckle. The same chuckle found its way out later when Will Smith joked about action films not getting the respect they deserve. The Academy has slowly found a way to make fun of themselves as they make progress ever more slowly.
Years ago, there was never a best animated feature category. After they realized that animated films were getting more prevalent and better in quality, they had to figure out a way to guarantee their recognition. So they created this category and that does mean they do try to move forward. They could have just as easily left that idea in the gutter, but they chose to progress which means they are not as elitist as I once rashly came to conclude. That is not to say that elitism does not exist in the Academy; that is exactly why "The Dark Knight" won only two of the eight categories they were nominated for. That is also why "Wall-E" was snubbed as well. Eventually, a film like "The Dark Knight" or even a superior one will arrive that the Academy just will not be able to ignore it. "Slumdog Millionaire" did exactly that.
Last night the Academy showed us that just about anyone can gain recognition on the biggest stage in the world. A movie with virtually no big names was able to garner the top award in the world simply because it was able to inspire audiences worldwide. Sean Penn was able to bridge human rights gaps through his portrayal of the gay Harvey Milk, and his work was recognized with his surprise victory as Best Actor. No other medium can transcend hate and everything else that troubles the world and create unity. Penelope Cruz was right when she spoke of the Oscars as a moment of unity. No matter what else is going on elsewhere, people from around the world can come together and celebrate art. Regardless of their decisions, I can say that the Academy recognizes the magic of films. They can also remind us about that same magic once a year. Last night I was inspired by the greatness of films, and reminded that even the most unlikely of people can claim the biggest award in the world.
Sunday night the Academy Awards aired on ABC to the millions who decided to watch. The highlights included Heath Ledger's posthumous award (only the second actor ever to win an Oscar posthumously after Peter Finch for "Network"), and "Slumdog Millionaire" winning so much including Best Director and Best Picture. Hugh Jackman was the master of ceremonies and was a rather unconventional choice compared the recent usual funny men the Academy seemed to favor. However, his charisma, Australian accent and penchant for musical theatre brought something fresh to the show that it had been lacking for the past few years.
The many presentations and musical numbers managed to even poke fun at the Academy themselves. The second Hugh Jackman got onto the makeshift Bat-pod and sang the question I had been asking for weeks (Why don't comic book movies get nominated?), I couldn't help but let loose a little chuckle. The same chuckle found its way out later when Will Smith joked about action films not getting the respect they deserve. The Academy has slowly found a way to make fun of themselves as they make progress ever more slowly.
Years ago, there was never a best animated feature category. After they realized that animated films were getting more prevalent and better in quality, they had to figure out a way to guarantee their recognition. So they created this category and that does mean they do try to move forward. They could have just as easily left that idea in the gutter, but they chose to progress which means they are not as elitist as I once rashly came to conclude. That is not to say that elitism does not exist in the Academy; that is exactly why "The Dark Knight" won only two of the eight categories they were nominated for. That is also why "Wall-E" was snubbed as well. Eventually, a film like "The Dark Knight" or even a superior one will arrive that the Academy just will not be able to ignore it. "Slumdog Millionaire" did exactly that.
Last night the Academy showed us that just about anyone can gain recognition on the biggest stage in the world. A movie with virtually no big names was able to garner the top award in the world simply because it was able to inspire audiences worldwide. Sean Penn was able to bridge human rights gaps through his portrayal of the gay Harvey Milk, and his work was recognized with his surprise victory as Best Actor. No other medium can transcend hate and everything else that troubles the world and create unity. Penelope Cruz was right when she spoke of the Oscars as a moment of unity. No matter what else is going on elsewhere, people from around the world can come together and celebrate art. Regardless of their decisions, I can say that the Academy recognizes the magic of films. They can also remind us about that same magic once a year. Last night I was inspired by the greatness of films, and reminded that even the most unlikely of people can claim the biggest award in the world.
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