It’s times like these that make me hate the Oscar season. Every year without fail it seems there’s a wave of trash-talking against the perceived front-runner for Best Picture. Obviously, these days that’s The Hurt Locker. And the backlash has been coming fast and furious. Some of the negative press has certainly been earned: Locker producer Nicolas Chartier showed absolutely horrible judgment (and an total lack of class) when he emailed Hollywood industry types encouraging them to vote for his film instead of “a $500M film.” But other swipes at the movie seem more calculated. Rival studios—and don’t assume I’m talking about 20th Century Fox, which released Avatar, because I’m not—are reminding anyone who’ll listen about Locker‘s weak box office performance. Military spokespeople are decrying what they perceive as inaccuracies in the film…eight months after it was released. It all reeks of desperation on the part of the film’s competition, to take down the movie that nearly every guild has anointed as the best of 2009.
The same thing happened last year, you’ll recall. In the weeks leading up to Slumdog Millionaire‘s Oscar sweep, claims began surfacing that the filmmakers had exploited the production’s young actors. Slumdog detractors also cried foul when the film won the SAG Award for best cast over Milk and Doubt. In that instance, the backlash didn’t end up making a difference because Slumdog was so far out in front. But this year it’s a different story, with Avatar and The Hurt Locker so tightly stacked against each other for Best Picture. The Hurt Locker certainly has all the big precursors on its side, and the preferential balloting does seem like it’ll help that film more than Avatar. But I continue to hear about a wave of west coast support for Avatar to counter the New York voters’ love for Kathryn Bigelow’s film. And now, one of the savviest Oscar predictors around, Sasha Stone over at Awards Daily, is predicting Avatar for the big win this Sunday. She may be right.
If Hurt Locker loses, will it just be because of all the recent negative commentary? Probably not. The backlash didn’t really pick up steam until so late in the balloting process that many voters had already submitted their ballots. But it probably did cost The Hurt Locker some votes. What worries me is this: In many people’s minds, a Hurt Locker loss might prove that negative campaigning works. Meaning we’ll see more of the same predictable, petty awards-season trash-talking next year.
I’m headed out to Los Angeles tomorrow for the run-up to the awards. Follow me on Twitter (@davekarger) for updates while I’m there.
Image credit: Jonathan Olley
There’s probably an underground movement started by all the elite Avatards to pimp that cartoon. Ugh. Too bad, The Hurt Locker is quality cinema.
You mean there really is a planet Pandora with Na’vi
Pandora isn’t a made up place. It’s one of Saturn’s moons. That’s why in the movie when you see shots of Pandora as a whole you can also see a larger planet in the background.
Pandora is supposed to be a moon, but not Saturn’s. It’s planet is named Polyphemus.
I liked Hurt Locker, it was obviously quality cinema…..having said that, there was nothing in that movie that surprised me even remotely. It didnt say anything about Iraq that I havent heard a million times. Its tough to tell friend from enemy? It wears psychologically on the soldiers? They have trouble adjusting when they come home? Really, ya dont say! It just said the cliches BETTER then any other movie. It was a well made, well directed, solid piece of cinema, nothing more. Having said that, Jeremy Renner took solid, B+ material and elevated it to an A++, that performance was outstanding. It was like John Wayne came back from the grave to stare down Iraqi terrorists.
You know, I’ve been following the production of Avatar since it was just “the next James Cameron film (Project 880 to be exact)”. It’s been an amazing journey, seeing the trailer a few months ago, reading things about the film that predicted that Avatar would have a slim possibility to be nominated for Best Picture (from an EW issue no less). Finally in December it went from what looked like an awesome movie to being the film I had been hearing I would see, the film I was hoping I would see, and the film that was even more than what I wanted to see- in short, my favorite film of the year.
The hype turned into something I never expected, to the point where it became the highest grossing film of all time, and the frontrunner for Best Picture. It’s now nearing the point where that’s unlikely (and where it started getting some backlash as thin as they say the plot is from people who ended up seeing for the wrong reasons or didn’t see it at all), but it’s been a great journey, and in the end I’m glad it was at least nominated (not to mention an additional 8 nominations) and most importantly I’m glad to have seen the movie I had waited for from the master, James Cameron.
P.S. I am not a Fox advertising bot or one of those “Avatards” who wants to live on Pandora- just a fan!
I thought that Hurt was a good film with a terribly weak last thirty minutes.
My vote goes to District 9… and they didnt spent $500 million on THAT movie!
Oddly enough, I thought District 9 was a good film with a terribly weak last thirty minutes… I’m rooting for Inglourious Basterds, even though it’s a long shot.
I agree with Shawn. That description matches District 9 much better. I want Inglourious Basterds to win although common sense at the point unfortunately indicates Hurt Locker, regardless of any scandal.
I’m also rooting for Inglorious Basterds over The Hurt Locker. I preferred District 9 too. I enjoyed The Hurt Locker & felt it was a quality movie but Inglorious Basterds blew me away. It was smart in so many ways.
Yeah, I want Inglorious Basterds or Up in the Air to win. But I won’t hold my breath.
I too thought the last 30 minutes of The Hurt Locker left much to be desired and, in my opinion, that is the most important part of a film. An ending can make or break you. I’m rooting for Up in the Air, even though I know it doesn’t stand a chance.
Dude, the final 30 minutes MADE that movie! Oh, well, to each his own.
True, Hurt Locker was GOOD film, not a great film, GOOD films should not win best picture. I will stop watching the Oscars if Hurt Locker wins (it’s a good thing they put that at the end)
Go ‘A Serious Man’ for the win!!
I just watched District 9 and The Hurt Locker during this past week. I liked both of them more than I liked Avatar – beautiful but a weak story.
After District 9, I felt that it is the one I would vote for but I forgot about how fun watching Inglorious Basterds was. I guess I would go with IB.
Shawn, I thought that Inglorious Basterds was an incredibly good movie with a very weak middle thirty minutes (much of Mike Myers role). Which brings us back to The Hurt Locker. The circle is complete.
I think there is more of a backlash to Avatar, as seen by the posts here. It was very well received by critics too. However, the e-mail thing came out as most of the ballots were already sent in so I doubt it really had an effect on anything.
I’m thinking Inglourious Basterds will win; pull off an upset.
Avatar was well-received by critics as a summer blockbuster, not an award winner.
Um, Avatar was released in December, which is a bit removed from Summer. I assume you mean the critics enjoyed it for it’s grand scale & the spectacle, not it’s script.
…and that’s why it isn’t nominated for screenplay. It doesn’t have to win screenplay to win best picture.
Dude look the only reason that Avatar is even nominated is because it is visually stunning, the plot is pure crud. I think that if Avatar wins then it basically means that plot doesn’t matter as long as it’s pretty to look at, and that is sad.
The backlash is partly coincidence and partly part of the process. It’s too late too change or influence the votes.
Coincidence that a law-suit and Oscars ban come at the same time. The Stress-Testing process with the critics of it’s authenticty about the Iraq War is more apparent now HL is the favorite in the running and more accurate than the film critics have observed in their praise so far.
Avatar has gone through this process already and come out all the stronger imo. You’ll find The Hurt Locker has suffered even though it is the closest currently, war movie to the reality of life and death and meaning so far about this Iraq War. It’s a great atmosphere movie and action set-pieces and production but fails this last real test as witnessed by the HL Speeches: “I make movies, not speeches”.
To compare two different movies is difficult but on their own terms Hurt Locker fails the hardest test where Avatar succeeds and thrives on all the criticisms.
I feel sad that the term “Avatard” is being given to fans of the blue Pocahontas movie. That term used to apply to fans of Avatar:The Last Airbender, a Nickelodeon cartoon which showed far more character development and depth than Cameron’s enjoyable but clichéd blockbuster.
You’re an idiot.
I don’t know why some of you can’t get it into your heads that some people genuinely like Avatar. Films are supposed to entertain and Hurt Locker had it boring moments. The whole movie was a series of highs and lows. After District 9, it is the most overrated movie of the year. It wasn’t terrible but it gets a lot more credit than it deserves and I am glad the military members are speaking out against the film because I’m sure it got votes and support because some people who don’t know better think it is an authentic portrayal when parts of it, especially Sgt James behavior on duty are as fake as the Inglourious Basterds story.
Neither movie was anything special. Weak crop this year.
Can we outlaw the use of the words “boring” and “bored” and phrases like “NOTHING HAPPENS” (the latter is usually typed in all caps) from internet postings about movies, books, etc? It usually is the hallmark of someone with very little attention span and not a lot else going on.
To ZRob
No, we can’t outlaw anything. People are entitled to their opinions. Some people think IB dragged on but that’s what I loved about it, the lengthy dialogue. I will voice my opposition, but still respect their opinions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my attention span if I am not interested in watching grown men drink and fight like animals for no reason like in Hurt locker.
I too found District 9 overrated, if I hadnt been exposed to the piles of hype, I probably would have thought it was pretty amazing….however, I went in expecting The Second Coming and instead just got a solid B movie action flick. Nothing wrong with that, if your expectations are in line
You can’t chalk “films” up as being solely made for entertainment as there are many reasons for people to watch films. Entertainment is one reason that people watch, but there are a lot more.
Right, Matt. Didn’t mean to generalize, but without a doubt majority of people watch films for entertainment. I should have said for people like me, films are supposed to entertain (most of the time).
Lord, I can’t stand inexperienced moviegoers.
Jane, I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t acknowledge a lot of people love Avatar. That’s where the anger comes from because Avatar is eye candy. Style over substance. The visual and tactile versus artistic and cerebral. Avatar is beautiful crap and that’s enough for a lot of people, but not for most people with a brain or taste (in my opinion you cannot be the possessor of one or the other if you like Avatar). That love of Avatar speaks more to the general lack of taste prevalent today than anything. You may see our disgust as being blind to reality, but the fact is we see it all too clearly: you people have no taste whatsoever and it sickens us.
To me avatar is more than eye candy to me and my anger comes from people who can’t acknowledge it is more than eye candy to some people. I have not been brainwashed to believe that true artistry in movie is only represented by dark drama, moody characters with abnormal behavior and a shaky camera. There are different genres of films that are to be appreciated for different reasons. You may not acknowledge my taste but Avatar also got good reviews by most top critics including the respected Ebert. Even though they prefer Hurt locker, they still appreciate the accomplishment that is Avatar and are not pretentious movie snobs like you who think trashing movies that don’t fit a certain mold makes them sound smart(it doesn’t). Sure avatar may not be the most orignial and have inventive screenplay but any true cinephile will embrace multiple genres and understand the fact it works because it is a great genre film held to a different standard. Sure it is simple, but sometimes less is more. Every film does not need to be brainy or have a strong message. You are missing out on the true value of cinema if you limit every film to that tiny box.
He’s a huge Avatar fan!
Film snobs are the only ones that are choosing “Hurt Locker” over “Avatar,” and mainly because they hate James Cameron as a person. He may be a d*ck, but he created an amazing movie, one that will go down in history as a gamechanger in filmaking. “The Hurt Locker” will likely be forgotten in a few years, except for those who were just looking for a way to stick it to Cameron.
Film snobs like me have to laugh at average moviegoers like you, who believe that a mediocre finger-paint job like Avatar is a “gamechanger.” You obviously know nothing about film history. Believe me, it’s no game-changer.
I love Hurt Locker, but really, did it HAVE A PLOT??? If so, what was it? People complain that Avatar had no plot. Did either of these movies really have a cohesive follow-thru plot? I think Avatar did, but Hurt Locker didn’t, but that HL is the better film.
Let’s think about this. Just hang out with the Army as a reporter for a while, add a Hollywood spin onto the real war, and then claim glorious rewards. Nice! Sounds like a self serving reporter to me. This movie was stressful and frustrating from opening to ending. They’re wearing the wrong uniforms, doing things that EOD would never do, acting all John Wayne in modern day, running off in the middle of a warzone…let me think if I’m missing anything. Oh yeah, the whole movie totally misrepresented the folks over there. A good movie? A very ‘fictional’ movie, yes..but not so good. Maybe if it wasn’t related to something still going on and fresh in our minds, then it might be good.
By the time we hit this point in the Oscar ramp-up, I usually am sick of the campaigning games. It’s just become such an ugly process.
It’s wasn’t a documentary. Also, this just in, there really wasn’t dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.
good one!
if Avatar wins Best Picture i may never watch the Academy Awards again. a t*rd wrapped in a beautiful package is still a t*rd.
A t*rd wrapped in a beautiful package may still be a t*rd, but it also may be a work of art, and since the Academy Awards honor achievement in the art of film-making, a t*rd wrapped in a beautiful package may deserve to win.
But it would still be a turd. I don’t think turds should win awards except for best turd or best bowel movement, but maybe i’m out fashioned.
Beautiful retort.
All three of you are idiots.
To bad you haven’t seen Avatar! You don’t know what you’re missing!
Many of us HAVE seen Avatar. It was called Dances With Wolves when we saw it.
I have seen Avatar like 3 times, and about the only thing that made me watch it again was to take in the scenery. The Hurt Locker had a much more engaging story, but I think Inglorious Basterds should win because it combines a good story with engaging dialogue and decent visual effects. The other two were lopsided when it comes to story or visuals. The Oscar should go to the best well rounded movie, not something that someone just decided to pour a boatload of money into making look pretty.
After seeing ALL 10 nommed pix, I am really ok with either HURT LOCKER or AVATAR winning the big award. Both are worthy — for different reasons. Now, if it goes to THE BLIND SIDE, I may never watch the Oscars again (ha, just kidding).
I’m the same way, although I’m stuck at 9, not having seen An Education. They are two two very VERY different movies, both very well done with remarkable production values. I’d prefer The Hurt Locker due to what I thought was a better screenplay and acting, but an Avatar win certainly won’t have me picketing in the streets.
I totally agree. I’ve only seen 5 of the nominees, but I thought both The Hurt Locker and Avatar were fantastic movies. They had different strengths and weaknesses, but they were both incredibly well-made and undeniably entertaining. I’d be happy if either one of those two or Up in the Air wins the award.
I totally agree. I’ve only seen 5 of the nominees, but I thought both The Hurt Locker and Avatar were fantastic movies. They had different strengths and weaknesses, but they were both incredibly well-made and undeniably entertaining. It’s a pity many people seem to think you have to choose between Avatar or The Hurt Locker and almost no one thinks either one would be worthy of a win. In addition to those two, I also loved Up in the Air and if that pulled an upset, I’d be ecstatic.
I wouldn’t mind an Avatar win, (although my vote is definitely for The Hurt Locker) but I seriously hope an Avatar win wouldn’t cause more negative campaigning. The last thing cinema needs is it’s own proponents bashing the works of rival studios. We should be celebrating movies like The Hurt Locker, win or lose. Thankfully most of the recent Hurt Locker criticism I’ve seen has been incredibly forced and nitpicky
I’m still praying that somehow Inglorious Basterds wins. By far my favorite film of the year.
The Hurt Locker wasn’t a documentary. You can nit pick at every movie if you wanted.
If ‘Avatar’ wins I’ll be extremely disappointed. That would be the (supposed) cream of the crop of filmmakers saying that that type of film is what they want to see more of, which I don’t think they do. An ‘Avatar’ win would be worse than when ‘Shakespeare in Love’ beat out ‘Saving Private Ryan’. At least ‘Shakespeare’ was a really good movie as opposed to ‘Avatar’ which is only a decent piece of eye candy.
I honestly don’t think filmmakers use Oscars to determine what movies people want to see. I suspect it is Box Office that drives that only. I’m not saying that a win wouldn’t help movies like Hurt Locker find a home but really, money talks. See, I actually see Hurt Locker as this years Shakespeare In Love. I’m not saying Avatar deserves it, but the only reason this movie has a horse in this race is that it was positioned as the anti-Avatar. I think it would be funny if IB won just because I would love to see Tarantino accept an award.
Tarantino will not be accepting any awards for best picture should “Basterds” pull off the upset – the award will go to producer Lawrence Bender. For those of us hoping for a Tarantino acceptance speech he’ll have to win either director or (a stronger possibility) screenplay.
If Avatar wins BP, I’m done watching the Academy Awards for awhile. It’s by far the most overrated thing I’ve seen in a long time. The Hurt Locker was a far superior film, although personally, I’m still pulling for Inglourious Basterds.
I want Hurt Locker to win but if IB gets it that would be ok. Just not Avatar, which is ok and visually beautiful, but seriously will not age well, trust me.
Something tells me you aren’t the only one Andrew. As with any Tarantino movie, I’m figuring there would probably be a decent amount of division on the movie. I’m willing to bet a lot of people absolutely loved it, and just as many people (probably older) simply went “huh?”.
Please give the Oscar to Avatar, at least it is the highest grossing movie ever, 700 millions of people can’t be wrong.
I rather see the selfish hard worker but always true to himself Jim Cameron winning the Oscar than that whining producer taking the stage after what he did.
The Hurt Locker was definitely on the winning road, too bad the producer had the stupidest move ever. Bigelow will get the Oscar for Best Director, but the producer-with-no-dignity can kiss the Oscar for Best Movie goodbye.
700 millions of people can’t be wrong? Yes they can, the masses pick fluff over quality all the time. Doesn’t make it a better movie.
Just because a lot of people go to see a movie doesn’t mean it’s good, it just means it’s hyped. I saw it and appreciated the 3D aspect, but HATED the movie. Would have been interesting to see how it would have done without the whole 3D thing. The plot was annoying, and the movie was too long.
Huge box office does not mean the film deserves an Oscar. And also, $700 million does NOT equal 700 million people…unless people are paying $1 per ticket.
How many millions of dollars did the second Transformers movie make? Does that mean it should be nominated?
People like Avatar because it’s stunning visually and a nice familiar story with no hard choices. The 2D villains were easy to dislike and the subjugated natives were easy to feel sorry for. We’ve been trained to support this plot for years. I very much enjoyed seeing the movie, but I would never vote for it for best picture.
Don’t want either of these films to win (Hurt Locker was boring and Avatar is highly overrated). My vote goes to Up In The Air because it’s exactly what it aims to be.
Hurt Locker is boring? I don’t know what you were watching but I was on the edge of my seat for almost the whole movie.
I got a migraine from watching The Hurt Locker. And I don’t mean that’s a good thing.
Sure, but did the movie add up to the sum of its parts? Or was it just a bunch of tense scenes sewn together?
Veterans groups hate Hurt Locker and say it is completely inaccurate and a disgrace. I’m pulling for Inglorious Bastards myself. It was funny, it was tragic, and Hans Landa the Jew Hunter was the most interesting character I saw all year.
Thank you for saying that! I am 100% with you. I don’t care what anyone says, I am still pulling for Up in the Air.
Me too. I really liked Avatar and Hurt Locker but I was completely emotionally invested in both Up in the Air and Inglorious Basterds (Up in the Air was my favorite). Avatar was tons of fun and a technological breakthrough, but it definitely wasn’t the best movie of the year.
I’d like to see “UP” take it in an upset.
Ditto. Up is easily the best film of the ten nominated.
You mean an UPset! Frankly, I agree.
I would LOVE it if “Up” won Best Picture. That film moved me and stayed with me like no other this year.
Correction: like no other *last* year. Though, frankly, this year too…
I’d be perfectly fine with The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds or Up In the Air winning. But if Avatar wins it is a travesty.
Essentially, it would mean that you can buy an Oscar.
I don’t think it’s news that Oscars can be bought. Harvey Weinstein has done it many times.
In this case, what has me worked up is the fact that for the first time since “Schindler’s List”, I actually feel that the frontrunner for Best Picture IS the best movie of the year, and not just the best among the nominees. That’s why I’m hoping “The Hurt Locker” still takes the prize, and that the backlash fails.
This is a stupid comment. Lots of people saw Avatar and liked/loved it. Can’t you accept people might choose Avatar because they liked the movie over the film that critics have annointed as the chosen one?
Avatar was good and to me was the most entertaining movie of the year, but the Oscars aren’t just about entertainment value. The Best Picture award should go to a film that had phenomenal acting, a brilliant screenplay, and a great director – pretty much the whole package. Not just because it’s pretty.
Exactly. Avatar is like a mediocre cake with really delicious frosting. It’s easy to think it’s better than it is, but I would hope that the trained chef judges could tell what is frosting and what is cake.