And the Winner Isn't....Avatar

Now that the last back has been slapped and the last glass of champagne quaffed in the annual self-congratulation fest that is the Oscars most of the predictions for Avatar taking best film have been roundly disproved as the American Academy followed the British Academy's lead and awarded only the Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design awards to the movie. There are several reasons why this should be so.

1. It's a Sci Fi Movie - and genre movies don't usually go down too well with the American Academy. The only significant winner in recent years was THE LORD OF THE RINGS and even that had to wait for the third time of asking when they realised that they had to reward it because it was the last chance and to not do would have been criminal.
2. The Military Aren't Heroes - In a time where coffins are being shipped back from Iraq and Afghanistan on a regular basis the conservative Academy is going to shy away from a movie that depicts US forces as invaders willing to slaughter innocents for their mineral resources. HURT LOCKER may not stint on the reality of the politics of the wars, but it's about bomb disposal experts and you can't get much more heroic than that.
3. It's Made Too Much Money - The Academy loves success and money, but when so much of it has been made it becomes faintly vulgar and to heap praise where so much money has gone goes against their grain.
4. It's Too Entertaining - The American Academy loves gravitas and loves giving awards to what it believes to be meaningful and important movies. A popcorn romp through a non- existant world isn't going to provide that.
5. James Cameron - Last time he did good at the Oscars he announced himself to be the King of the World. A lot of the Academy have suffered his particularly bullying style of film-making and everyone else has heard about it. Don't underestimate the power of personal dislike.
6. The HURT LOCKER Is a Better Film - AVATAR has the wow!! factor, but on every other level (writing, direction, acting) HURT LOCKER is a better film and a more deserving winner.

Still, Jim can always console himself with the oodles of cash that his $2 BILLION dollar movie has brought him.