Nov
25
I haven’t watched the Oscars in 5 years. Awards shows bore me to death, and I guess I’m not alone. The ratings for the last Oscar broadcast were dismal. What the hell even won for Best Picture this year anyway? Uh, hold on. It was… Okay, this is embarrassing. “No Country for Old Men?” Yeesh, I should’ve known that off the top of my head. I liked that movie quite a bit. But again, I didn’t watch the eleventeen-hour show. I read the post-mortem online and forgot pretty much all about it. The award is such a hollow victory as far as I’m concerned. I mean, it’ll add another million dollars to one’s fee, but let’s be real here. The Oscar is more often than not the beginning of the end of a given actor or filmmaker’s creative integrity.
All that being said, CHUD.com has stumbled upon a “For Your Consideration” ad that Warner Bros. has taken out for Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight.” We all knew this was coming, but I’m surprised that it’s already happening. It’s not even Thanksgiving, and the Oscars aren’t until February. Hell, most of the major contenders haven’t even hit screens yet.
I really dug Ledger’s performance in the film, partly because it’s very easy for me to impersonate. But seriously, he deserves all the praise he’s received. Does he deserve the Oscar? I don’t see why not.
“The Dark Knight” might be the first comic book movie nominated for non-technical Academy Awards. Ledger is almost guaranteed a nod, but director Chris Nolan might get one as well. And who knows? The film itself could even be among the five Best Picture nominees. It is the second highest-grossing movie of all time, coming in behind 1998’s Best Picture winner “Titanic.” Voters might be put off by the film’s comic book roots, but a certain science-fantasy picture called “Star Wars” was Best Picture nom in ‘78. It lost to “Annie Hall.” Still, genre movies have been embraced by the Academy before.
Personally, I think Ledger should receive the only non-technical nomination for the film. He’s the best thing about it. “The Dark Knight” is a great movie, but the Best Picture of the Year? I dunno. I’d like to think there are some better movies on the horizon as awards season ramps up. Nonetheless, if Ledger were nominated, I’d more than likely break down and watch the Oscars for a change.
-Brad Lohan
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[…] any rate, WB has already begun their push to get Heath Ledger nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Giving the film a second theatrical run during awards season would […]