Avatar Lost!
Words by Dirk Calloway
Wow. So, after racking up a box-office tally that would rival the GDP of a few African nations, Avatar lost the two biggest Oscars.
How did things go so wrong?
To answer this question, we have to go back to Titanic. When Cameron won, he crowed "I'm the King of the World!" People hated it. They thought he was smug, arrogant, and it came across like he was saying "I told you so" to the very people who just rewarded him with a big gold statue. Personally, I loved it. But then, I'm a massive Titanic fan. I've yet to meet someone who saw it on Opening Weekend. Only the true Cameron devotees turned out for that. And that's why I thought it was appropriate for him to have a "told you so" grin on his face: everyone expected him to fail, but he didn't. That's awesome. Anyway, I guess that has something to do with the fact he didn't win Best Director.
How did things go wrong for the film though? Well, primarily, I guess it comes down to story. Avatar just wasn't fresh enough for the Academy. Comparing Avatar to Hurt Locker: I've never seen a bomb disposal film where the main guy is a maverick go-getter... but I have seen many films where a military man assimilates in with an indigenous culture and then takes on his own culture in a war.
Should it have won?
I'm always on the wrong side of the Best Picture winner. I think I give people prizes for effort and results, instead of emotional response and a good story. Last year I was rooting for Benjamin Button over Slumdog Millionaire. This year, I think the thousands of man hours that went into Avatar needed acknowledgement. Not just some Visual Effects Oscar, but some massive, unadulterated, thanks for the effort in revitalising, oh, THE ENTIRE MOVIE INDUSTRY. Because of Avatar, dozens of films are now being up-rez'd into 3D. Because of Avatar, Alice in Wonderland just made a bajillion dollars on opening weekend, because it was also in 3D. Because of Avatar, people stopped pirating and actually went to a movie theatre. Because of Avatar, it's now plausible that a Best Picture nominee would have aliens as its main character. Phenomenal achievements. But most importantly, I think it deserved an Oscar because it succeeded on the scale that it has. It wasn't just the top earner of the last year; it is now (not counting inflation) the highest earner of all time. More people went to see it than any film in years.
So, yes, I think it should have won.
Who can we blame?
No-one. The winner, The Hurt Locker, was a fantastic film. It deserved to be recognised as one of the best films of 2009.
What does this mean?
It means the pressure's off for James Cameron's next effort. Imagine if he had made the highest grossing film ever, twice, then won back-to-back Oscars for Best Director and Best Film. No-one could handle that sort of pressure. This little dint in his armour will inspire him to greatness. He is one of the most dedicated and passionate people alive on this earth; this upset will encourage him to try harder. It's unfathomable that anyone could try harder, but that's exactly what he'll do. Awesome. Can't wait for Avatar 2.
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