GOLD STANDARD: OSCARS '09

[fivebyfive]

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Entering a last-minute Oscar pool? Here are my predictions (and opinions) on the major awards, along with a rundown of my guesses in every category.

Trust me, because I am an expert! And yes, I will be on the news again.

Comments

[fivebyfive]

In many ways Slumdog is the classic Hollywood story - underdog, rags-to-riches, guy-gets-girl - which is why it works so well and is so popular, but I do think it has many offbeat elements. The cinematography, the music, the dance number finale. And there's a certain quirkiness to the whole "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" structure. The film refrains, I think, from making any comment on the artificiality of the show, but we the audience know how cheesy it is anyway and sort of fill in that gap. Something about that media commentary also feels offbeat to me.

Slumdog has made considerable coin - $100 million and counting. It may even outgross Paul Blart: Mall Cop. If there is a God. But not likely.

I think the biggest money-wasting travesty was Australia. They let Baz throw $130 million at the screen almost at random. Who ever thought that would make that kind of money money back? (However, in a surprise twist, it actually did - it's made almost $200 million worldwide.) At least in an action movie, the returns are more likely, and the money spent less randomly. Australia is just jaw-dropping in how haphazardly everything is thrown together.

I doubt Slumdog will revolutionize the way Hollywood does business, but it's something to point to as an example of something that made a killing and did it by breaking all (okay, most of) the rules.