Every Year my friends and I discuss the nominees for the Oscars and make our individual picks. Out of a possible twenty-four a score of twenty plus is excellent for regular movie goers, who, without AMPAS cards and screeners, have a tough time getting to see the shorts and all the documentaries. (Aside: Getting to see the shorts is getting easier as more cinemas run programs of the Oscar nominated films. Not before time!)
This year my Nephew asks the perennial question "Which film do you think should win Best Picture? "
I know that the world loves lists but I hate picking THE BEST of anything, or ranking in order, films, music, etc., and I think that all those with catholic, small 'c', tastes in the Arts agree. The differences in choices in writing, collaboration, directing, cinematography and actors, to stick to the main categories which, excluding collaboration and cinematography, are the only ones the public is interested in or remembers, are so vast as to defy ordinal numeration. I feel that the collective viewing experience, in a public cinema, is a very important contribution to personal enjoyment. I personally list, in no particular order, the films that I have enjoyed for the year and recall the particular aspects of same that have delighted, surprised, thrilled or disappointed me.
The shouda verses the wouda annoys me but I understand the reality of the business and the decisions of a closed community correcting previous mistakes, rewarding monetary success, from epic to schlock, neglecting to watch any or all of the screeners they receive, and recognising insiders before they pop their clogs. The interesting thing is that every few years the Academy rewards films and performances that have had no financial success! Future awards may be considered differently as the demographics of the Academy are changing rapidly, from altercockers in administration to participants and, also, other viewing grosses are now almost as important as the General Release ones are.
I could, and sometimes do, go on but, to the issue raised every year. For brevity I will stick to the Academy nominees. My methodology for ranking the Best of these films is to exclude, one-by-one, those who fail in one or more of my criteria. Ten, instead of five only makes the process longer.
First to go is 'Toy Story, an animated film where the collaboration is narrow, or by committee, or both. Then the small films which, because of their limited release, deny us the pleasure of discussing them with friends, acquaintances or strangers in a bar, at a bus stop or in a line for....anything, 'Winter's Bone' and '127 Hours'. Next the one I did not like, 'The Kids are all Right', the ones that confused me or failed 'The Fridge Moment', 'Inception'. The rest of my process is very nebulous. I think about the remaining films and see which have higher recognition factors in my conscious. Drat! That means my brain is ranking! Fighter, King's Speech, Social Network and True Grit float up so out goes 'Black Swan', my favourite Horror movie of the year. Repeat process and.....'The Social Network' drops out. Finally, 'True Grit' emerges as The film, in my opinion, that should win the Oscar for Best Film.
