What I meant to point out yesterday, and what I am not sure I entirely got across, was that the youtube awards (called the YouReview awards) picked good winners. Despite skewing younger, people weren't voting for Twilight. They voted for movies and performances that were critically well-reviewed by all ages, but which were, in many cases, more interesting, daring, or non status quo than what academy viewers would pick.
In the case of Drive and Dragon Tattoo, these are films that made top 10 lists or were best picture nominees at ceremonies or from critics groups such as the National Board of Review, the Washington, London, and Chicago Critics Associations, the Indie Spirits, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild, the Writers Guild, the American Film Institute, as well as groups that I assume would also skew to younger preferences; the Online Film Critics Society, the AV Club, and the Golden Satellites. The YouReviewers awards weren't picking pablum like War Horse, Extremely Twee, or The Help. (Although I'm sure the strong box office for the Help won't hurt Oscar viewership). Still, if the Academy's Best Picture list looked more like this:
BEST PICTURE
Drive
50/50
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2
Hugo
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
Warrior
I'm sure there would be a younger audience. (Look old people! You can still have your Artist, Hugo, and Midnight in Paris!)
Now you can scoff at the youngsters and say that Rise of the Planet of the Apes doesn't deserve a spot in history as a cinematic achievement along the lines of your Citizen Kanes, your Grand Hotels, All About Eves, Deer Hunters, or Silence of the Lambses. (Pluralizing movies is fun!) I would only point out that neither did Greatest Show on Earth, Oliver! or Crash AND that the Wizard of Oz had flying monkeys.
As an aside, I was researching to see if there was a preferable term to non status quo and I came across this; "mutatis mutandis" - things that needed changing have been changed.
In the case of Drive and Dragon Tattoo, these are films that made top 10 lists or were best picture nominees at ceremonies or from critics groups such as the National Board of Review, the Washington, London, and Chicago Critics Associations, the Indie Spirits, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild, the Writers Guild, the American Film Institute, as well as groups that I assume would also skew to younger preferences; the Online Film Critics Society, the AV Club, and the Golden Satellites. The YouReviewers awards weren't picking pablum like War Horse, Extremely Twee, or The Help. (Although I'm sure the strong box office for the Help won't hurt Oscar viewership). Still, if the Academy's Best Picture list looked more like this:
BEST PICTURE
Drive
50/50
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2
Hugo
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
Warrior
I'm sure there would be a younger audience. (Look old people! You can still have your Artist, Hugo, and Midnight in Paris!)
Now you can scoff at the youngsters and say that Rise of the Planet of the Apes doesn't deserve a spot in history as a cinematic achievement along the lines of your Citizen Kanes, your Grand Hotels, All About Eves, Deer Hunters, or Silence of the Lambses. (Pluralizing movies is fun!) I would only point out that neither did Greatest Show on Earth, Oliver! or Crash AND that the Wizard of Oz had flying monkeys.
As an aside, I was researching to see if there was a preferable term to non status quo and I came across this; "mutatis mutandis" - things that needed changing have been changed.
1 comment:
Hurrah for Latin! Plus: Flying monkeys are cool...
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