A Call to Arms for the Oscar Race

Fall 2012 is undeniably one of the best movie seasons that we’ve been blessed with in years. Without fault, Oscar season has revved up to a plethora of chatter already as movies are screened and devoured by critics and audiences alike. What makes 2012 particularly savvy, in my opinion, is the number of phenomenal films that are works of art and accessible to the general public. Sure, the new rule allowing for up to 10 nominations including crowd-pleasing blockbuster hits like Inception, Toy Story 3, and The Help has generated lay interest in the Oscars, but it’s been the unspoken rule that these movies won’t win. There are better movies out there, even if they’re relatively inaccessible to a normal film-goer seeking a good time.

2012 is different though. Silver Linings Playbook is the underdog hit already, receiving as much public praise as critical. Argo was one of the most well-crafted thrillers of our generation, solidifying the brilliance of Ben Affleck behind the lens. Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty have screened to abundant enthusiasm, as well as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I have yet to see Life of Pi, but buzz indicates that Ang Lee was able to work a miracle and make the so-called “unadaptable” novel a fulfilling vision. I leave out a list of other brilliant endeavors being considered, among them The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, Anna Karenina, The Sessions, and This is 40.

It seems that this is the year that the marriage between brilliant film-making and connecting with a greater audience has been fulfilled. So why are we even discussing the possibility of Lincoln as a Best Picture front-runner? Voters, if you are reading this, I beg you to consider avoiding nominating Steven Spielberg’s historical drama for the coveted award in February.

Lincoln is the definition of Oscar bait. A good, albeit not great, expensive period piece helmed by a well-known director with prominent acting talent. Every year these films are thrown into the mix, the predictable nod that will undoubtedly be considered a front-runner until the race is over. Why is there such a penchant for allowing history to define what will be forever known as the most prominent film released in a year?

I’m not devaluing these movies, but great film-making comes from taking risks. Risky source material, creative technique, generating a new voice that resonates with a generation that wasn’t previously present. Lincoln is none of the above, like the period dramas that preceded it; it’s good but safe film. In a year when so many film-makers took risks and created something new, something beautiful that connected with the audience, it’s about time said films started reaping their rewards.

Part of it is the value of the title “Best Picture” and the money it generates once garnered. Greatness deserves to be recognized, and if the best way to earn recognition is by allotting a film an award, so be it. But more importantly, the Academy has served as a way to create films as relics for when they were created. I, like many film enthusiasts before me, make a diligent effort to watch all of the films that have either been nominated for or won the top prize- often, they were the cultural touchstones of a year. Increasingly, it’s becoming a members-only club that isn’t indicative of critical success or cultural relevance. There’s been an outcry against the Academy that’s become more vocal each year since Brokeback Mountain was snubbed to the tepid hit Crash. Actors, directors, screenwriters are issuing a call to arms to boycott the Academy and what it symbolizes. I would argue that it’s the political bullshit, the lack of equality in determining what’s truly “great” and what we hope to define our generation- part of which is held back by decisions like considering Lincoln an actually viable option in a year of so many greats.

So if you truly believe that Lincoln was the cats pajamas of 2012, I can’t fight your opinion (IF IT’S INFORMED!) But to my readers who don’t spend every waking moment in the cinema like I do, give the underdogs a chance this year. I promise you won’t regret it.