Feb 6, 2012

Franky's 2012 Oscar Picks (Intro.)


Editor's Note: Aside from making up fifty percent of the talented musical group 'The Strays' Franky C. Cabrera is also a long time film buff (or as he would describe himself; a film fanatic). Border Perspective is happy to present; Franky's 2012 Oscar Picks, written by the man himself, where he offers his opinions on exactly how this year's Academy Award should turn-out.

By Special Guest Blogger Franky C. Cabrera
I usually don't agree with Oscar. I've been following the Academy Award ceremonies as far back as I can remember and aside from earning a first name basis with the event, I can only say that it's impossible to accomodate a self proclaimed "film lovers" expectations when it comes to celebrating the art of film. Every January, myself and countless other douches that takes their hobby too seriously, find something overtly wrong with the nominations when they're announced. Every year has it's overlooked film (Insert Obscure Foreign film you accidentally rented), as well as it's overrated one recieving too many accolades in your honest, obviously superior opinion ("Social Network" - where's the DISLIKE button?).

And perhaps every year, I tell myself the same thing: So what? Why care? If every year since 2001, your taste in movies has refined and grown a tendency to stray from the too generic and simpleton opinion of the average, mainstream film-goer, why do you keep paying attention? If you often disagree, why do you keep listening?

I guess there's something special in the times I DON'T disagree. See (no pun intended), the film world is a tricky one and while it seemingly bears no resemblence to something like say, competative sports, I happen to find a lot of similarites in both film and football. The star players are a lot like the actors... the film crew, well that can be seen as the coaches and team staff. It's the collaborative effort between both parties involved that truly seperates a film/team from all of the rest. And ultimately, NO team or film is good without a great HEAD coach... or director. Now if you're too lame to know about either of the fields I'm mentioning, then you might be lost. If you actually lead a normal existence and live in this millenium, then you're probably getting my drift.

The point I'm getting to is that oftentimes the film world resembles the equivalent of a National Football League where talent doesn't come into play or get recognized. Imagine a world where Superbowl Championships were dictated based on which quarterbacks were the best looking (horrible way to start this anology since Tom Brady is the hottest guy in the world, but just hang on a bit), or by which team owners have the most money or most likeable players or brightest team colors. It'd be completely unnacceptable because TALENT should be the goal and the standard, being GOOD should be what makes you successful. In the NFL, and the entire sports industry really, the most talked about and liked teams ARE the ones that are good and you'd be hardpressed to argue that a team winning games isn't talented at all.

Having said that, I know that film is a lot more subjective than the athletic arts, because movies don't score points against each other while competing head to head in a live match (although OMG THAT WOULD BE AWESOME). But regardless of WHY you go to the movies or watch movies... you can't argue that more and more, weekend release after weekend release, the film industry is increasingly looking like that senseless version of the NFL where teams, staff, coaches and players don't even need to try anymore. Look at record-breaking franchises like Twilight... even the hardest of Twi-hards can admit that those films COULD BE BETTER. For the money you spend to see them and the money THEY spend to make them... they should. (god bless the pre-teen reading this).

And this is where award ceremonies, like my good friend Oscar, actually DO something about that. The Oscar for Best Picture is essentially every movie that took itself seriously in the past year, trying to prove it is THE BEST among the rest. It applauds neearly every art form involved in the film making process, handing out awards in all aspects from Special Effects, to Make Up, to Writing and Acting, to things that as general audiences (aka: normal humans) we don't even notice, like Editing and Sound. Not only does it keep the mainstream film industry still interested in TRYING... it exposes general audiences to films they probably would've otherwise never have heard of, much less seen. So even if you saw absolutely nothing wrong in Twilight 4, you can look at a poster cover of a random movie displaying a gold statue and tell yourself "hey maybe that's not as boring as it looks". They usually aren't.

So while the Oscars will never be called the "Franky's" (tis a shame) and a multitide of movies ever year get snubbed and overlooked by, blegh, AMERICAN movies, or movies in color with actors you've actually heard of before... ha, well the thought that there's someone out there like an 11 year old me waiting to be introduced to a side of film that focuses on substance and the technically superb... well that's enough for a disgruntled and hard to please film snob like myself. Heck, this year The Artist is neither American, in color, nor brand name filled... and it just might win Best Picture. Sometimes Oscar can please both sides of the spectrum...

So why do I keep paying attention? Why do I keep listening? Hmm... probably.... because I keep watching.

(Note: Oscar is meant the represent the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a whole... not to to imply there's one individual named Oscar actually making the choices independantly haha)

No comments: