What Happend at the Oscars?

I have often wondered whether I think the Oscars are given to the right people or movies or if it is just what the old, out of date Academy people think. It was an innocent question that I didn't think I would follow up on but that changed at this years Oscars.

I began by getting a list of the winners on Wikipedia. I think that I have only heard of about ten of the winners. That really surprised me. Why would the movies that everyone sees and enjoys not win the best picture? This thinking began after I watched the 2009 Oscars and saw Avatar lose. I was stunned by that. Avatar was a great story and a revolutionary movie with visual effects that were miraculously cool. But what makes it even harder to believe was that, in the history of the world, no movie has ever made more money than Avatar has made and it is still in theatres. Why would that not qualify the movie to be the best picture of the year.

I've thought about some of these things and there are some reasons for Avatar losing. One could have been the fact that it was a modern kind of story. The story itself is old and resembles that of Pocahontas with thats more action and twists. The problem is that this story takes place in a far away world over a hundred years in the future. The Hurt Locker, the movie that won best picture was about a real war in history not a fantasy war the someone made up. Avatar doesn't have real people playing the parts but CGI images so their emotions weren't actually theirs but the clever creation of an artist. I think that could have swayed some people, especially the Academy who seem to like traditional movies, to think that it was more impressive to see real people acting.

Although these reason I can see being way it didn't win, I still don't think that Avatar should have lost. All theatres charge the same price for movies and people go to movies that are good. So the best movies would make the most money right? The sad thing is that Avatar isn't the first movie to make billions and still lose out on best picture. Have you heard of Star Wars? How about Annie Hall? And yet the latter of the two won. It makes me wonder whether the academy takes a hint from the people around them or live in their own selfish minds.

I also hate that the movies that win best picture always seem to come out as close to the end of the year as possible. some come out New Years Day and can still win. People haven't even really had a chance to compare that movie to the rest from the year. I think that the Academy chooses the last movie they see because it is fresh in their mind. I can't find another reason for some of the movies that have won two win.

So what are your thoughts. Comment if you have anything to say. and if you want to learn about the Academy click here.