By now, most seem to think the eventual Best Picture race (before nominations have even been announced, mind you) will be a wicked battle between James Cameron’s “Avatar” and Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air.” The cases for the latter as frontrunner were made before the former began smashing box office records. The cases for the former have been made in the wake of critical and commercial success.
And each film, make no mistake, has an angle on this thing. It’ll just come down to which angle represents what tickles the Academy’s fancy NOW, and timing could be a major factor. But there is something else to consider. Which angle represents the film culture Hollywood wants to put forth and claim as its own? What statement does the group, at large, wish to make?
That’s what Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman is getting at when he writes that this perceived two-horse race is a case of “Old School script-driven Classic Hollywood vs. New Age post-script 21st Century Entertainment.” And he might not be far off the mark.
Unfortunately, Gleiberman takes some of the sting off his argument when he proves that he can’t help himself, vis a vis his mixed feelings on Cameron’s film, but his thesis is that the last time we have a “full-on, culture-war” vibe in the Best Picture race, it was Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” vs. Robert Zemeckis’s “Forrest Gump” in 1995. The indie moment, Gleiberman asserts, had truly landed and threatened the establishment in Tarantino’s film, but Zemeckis’s “sentimental patriotic afflicted-hero fairy tale that seemed, in many ways, to be a kind of crowd-pleasing candy box of ‘mainstream’ values,” as he puts it.
“Avatar” vs. “Up in the Air,” Gleiberman writes, will be a new brand of cinema culture war at the Oscars:
In this case, though, it’s not Establishment vs. Outsider. It’s Old School script-driven Classic Hollywood vs. New Age post-script 21st Century Entertainment. Up in the Air is a movie of such nimble wit and craftsmanship, and such timely humanity, that it has been compared, often and justly, to the venerable films of the studio system — the screwball comedies, for instance, that were rooted in clockwork elegant screenplays, incandescent star performances, and a certain tossed-off (but, deep down, rigorously achieved) insouciance. Whereas Avatar is the eye-popping techno spectacle of the Now era: a vision so “revolutionary” that it leaves many of those pesky old-fashioned story elements behind, but (at least according to its adherents, who are legion) more than makes up for that by placing the audience directly inside an organic wonder-world, using technology to return fabulistic awe to the big screen…
And so the voting, as it always does, will inevitably reflect what the majority of the Hollywood establishment has chosen as a symbol of its values. In more ways than you can count, it’s the past versus the future.
Paramount’s best play against a Goliath like “Avatar” is obvious: “They don’t make ’em like they used to.” And it’s a valid argument if only because the film in question is such a skilled endeavor. Whether they can slay the beast (and whether this will indeed be the battle) is still to be seen, but I feel Gleiberman. This Oscar race could be quite exciting when considered along these lines. Luckily there are those of us who have both of these films in our list of the year’s best films.
Read the rest of his piece here.
Comments
52 responses to “‘Avatar’ vs. ‘Air’ an Oscar battle of film culture significance?”
I haven’t been to Avatar yet, but I get annoyed that people seem to feel comfortable saying, “Yeah, the script is weak, but it’s AWESOME!” as though a movie can’t break visual ground and have a decent screenplay. Hello? LOTR anyone?
Like some touched on in Guy’s Basterds Pony comments, it really feels like it’s a very broad race this year. Avatar, Up in the Air, The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds are all very viable options, really, each with a lot going on for them.
Avatar is a behemoth, a technical marvel, Up in the Air a timely comment on the current climate, The Hurt Locker a tribute to the soldiers who have been fighting a war for nearly seven years (Hollywood may hate the war, but no one hates the soldiers) and Inglourious Basterds, well, it’s its own weird auteur beast that’s hard to categorize.
At this point, any of them could really win it, and unless one film emerges through the guilds as the clear favorite, it could actually be a very interesting evening at the Oscars in March.
Interesting thoughts, but Inglourious Basterds and The Hurt Locker make this whole two horse race scenario pretty irrelevant.
Every reference to classic Hollywood in relation to Up in the Air is a slap in the face of Wilder, Lubitsch, Sturges and the rest. I dare say Intolerable Cruelty was a more accurate throw-back (not to mention undervalued film)
i dont want the hurt locker to win, but its definately in the race, and so is basterds, its definately not a 2 horse race just yet, but its an interesting perspective, though couldnt you compare this with other films like fellowship and a beautiful mind or benjamin button and slumdog?
I didn’t find “Avatar” all that revolutionary – either in theme, design or execution – and am perplexed at how so many people are straining to attach so much cinematic significance to it just because it’s making a lot of money. The relentless banging of the critical-establishment drum for this film is strange (and deserves its own analysis). It should be cited as a grand entertainment, yet there is such a mysterious drive to anoint it as More, Much More.
As usual, the Academy will not choose (or even nominate) the very best or most groundbreaking films of the year, so the debate seems moot, to me.
You Oscar bloggers need to get your head out of your asses.
Avatar is an action movie. A sci-fi action movie. And like its brothers, The Matrix and Star Wars, it’s peppered with a little spiritual mumbo jumbo.
That kind of movie doesn’t win best picture Oscars. No matter how much money it makes. No matter how many critics love it.
The day it does, the Oscars become the MTV Movie Awards.
At this point, The Hurt Locker has a better chance at winning than Up in the Air does, in my eyes. I think Up in the Air is very likeable, but I was dissapointed that it wasn’t as weighty as I thought it would be. And while that doesn’t keep me from counting it as one of the year’s bests and acknowledging it’s great qualities… it’s just not a Best Picture.
4 way race, not 2. Basterds and Hurt Locker are very much in this thing. Are they anymore frontrunners than Avatar or Up In The Air? No. But I do believe we have an exciting 4 way race, along with an outside shot with Precious. I think 5 nominees would have been fine this year, considering A Serious Man, Up, Invictus, and what other films fill out the rest of the top 10 aren’t gonna add much more excitement, which I will admit isn’t needed, these 5 are exciting already.
Yes, this year is shaping up to be my favorite Oscar season I’ve ever followed, ironically, not because of the 10.
Avatar has a much better shot winning Best Picture at the Oscar than at the MTV Awards.
What a more tantalizing race this would be if it was just five nominees, with 80% having a real chance at winning!
The precursor speeches are going to be fascinating.
Avatar is too high-brow for the MTV Movie Awards, those kids are all about Transformers and G.I. Joe! :P
Hartigan: You’re fuckin’ A-1 nuts, man. Love you, though.
zomg u guys, the only thing that will win at the MTV movie awards is new moon. and harry potter. but new moon is going to win best picture, not avatar, for fuck’s sake.
kent: almost any other movie i would agree w/ you, but we’re talking a James Fucking Cameron Event™ here.
and i’m w/ shelby: i literally fell asleep during avatar–and i saw it in 3D IMAX! the accolades this thing is receiving make me chuckle, but the reason, i think, people are so crazed over this is because they want to be a part of Cinema History. they want their own “when i saw star wars . . . ” stories to regale their friends and kids with. star wars was before my time, but i’m pretty sure lucas wasn’t going around, yakking about how it was a “fucking game-changer, bro” like cameron was. the Avatar Revolution is very contrived and as manufactured as the movie itself is. it’s like titanic: all anyone can talk about for the moment and i suspect that, like titanic, avatar will age just as badly. the effects will be dated soon enough and all that will be left is that vile script w/ the tedious cliches, crap acting, and embarrassing dialogue.
Also, Kris… go ahead and add (500) Days of Summer to the list of Best Picture contenders. I know you hated the film, but it’s definitely in contention.
I’ll stick by my guns…The Hurt Locker will win Best Picture. If it doesn’t it won’t be the first time I’ve been wrong, or the last…lol.
2 movie race?
And here i thought you couldn’t be any more biased against Inglorious Basterds and obviously ignoring The Hurt Locker,the best director front runner.
For months I’ve read about the quiet genius of a film called “Up In The Air”. That it’s cultural relevancy is spot on, it’s script a witty gem, it’s acting something to marvel, and direction comprised of fine craftsmanship…for the last month I’ve watched the film premier, win dozens of critics awards, and get middling Box Office…last night I finally watched ‘Air’ and let’s just say I’m baffled at it’s wild success.
The film is just not something to swoon over. What I saw was a well written, well acted, well directed, mediocre-movie. The themes aren’t heavy-handed, which may be why none of them resonate. Clooney plays Clooney. Kendrick is fine, but “Best Supporting Actress”? Farmiga has a more subtle character, but I think she ought to be dominating the awards talk, not her co-stars. I saw nothing that screamed “Best Picture” nor did really see what all the fuss is about. It’s a decent picture, that’s all.
If the race is indeed “Avatar” (which I loved) vs. ‘Air’ (which is grossly overrated) I don’t think there ought to be any competition. But as stated above, I don’t think this is going to be the race. There are many wild cards in the deck, the superb ‘Basterds’, brilliant ‘Precious’, and ‘Hurt Locker’ (which I have yet to see). If it were my universe (which it obviously isn’t) ‘Air’ wouldn’t even be in contention. But alas, it is, let’s just hope this thing lands before anyone gets hurt.
#13,
the best thing I’ve read all day. You are aboslutely 100% correct.
Avatar is a great accomplishment and I enjoyed it a lot, but it doesn’t deserve to win best picture, because well, it’s not. We’ve seen the same thing done in a far less pretty way and character development is essentially nonexistent. If we truly are honoring the best film of the year and not the most important one, Avatar should be out of the question.
Up in the Air seems like a strange choice as a frontrunner for me. Great film for sure: good script, good direction, excellent performances. I was knocked out and moved when I left the theater, and it’s made me think a lot about life over the past couple of weeks. It’s one of the best films of the year, but it really didn’t make me think Oscar.
Inglourious Basterds is my favorite of these 4, and has the best ensemble cast of the year no question. Pitt is hilarious, Laurent is electrifying, Waltz is a scene stealing delight and Kruger personifies glamor. Not to mention the smaller characters utilized in the two long, dialogue driven sections. It should win SAG easy. Tarantino’s direction and script are both as worthy of winning awards as any of these 4. It could be a mainstream winner that would really has all the values a best picture winner SHOULD have (unlike Avatar). It’s Tarantino’s best film since Pulp Fiction, and I’m sure it’s a classic in the making.
The Hurt Locker is a masterwork. Intense and breathtaking and featuring Jeremy Renner in one of the best and most subtle performances of the year. Bigelow’s direction is spectacular and she deserves every bit of that Oscar, as much as I would like to see Tarantino take it home. If we were to leave aside the problem of it’s low gross, this film SHOULD win best picture. It’s stunningly well made, written and acted and left me stunned.
If Avatar wins, it’s just Titanic all over again. An award earned not for the quality of the film, but for it’s vast popularity and it’s groundbreaking importance to the technical side of filmmaking. I still look back on the Titanic year and wonder how L.A. Confidential, the far superior film, didn’t win best picture, and I feel like that’s what it would be again. I just don’t want the first exciting, wide open race in years to end like that.
If these are the two frontrunners, I don’t find it exciting at all. Because Up in the Air will win. Anyway, in a just world, this would be between Inglourious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker. And it may yet be between the two. THAT would be a fun race.
I think the question here is, what is “best picture material” anyway? For me, it didn’t matter how much of Avatar was so damn unoriginal because I still connected to it emotionally.
I wanted Lang’s character to die a horrible death and I was pumped when Jake and the Na’vi began ripping apart the multiple copters to pieces.
This is why Titanic and Crash won best picture over L.A. Confidential and Brokeback Mountain. In the end, it’s no longer about quality, it’s all about emotion.
Having seen both Avatar, An Education, Nine and Up in the Air — I still say that my favorite movie thus far is Inglorious Basterds and I hope that it finally gives Tarantino the Oscar he has so long deserved. It’s not only his best work but just a movie that I continue to look back on fondly and after seeing the “oscar front runners”, I can’t help but feel my love for the Basterds growing stronger.
I don’t understand why UP has to be in the top 10 — it has a category of it’s own and does anyone think it can actually win both categories — it’s just taking up space of the very deserving It’s complicated, Star Trek and the most underappreciated (it seems) movie of the year — 500 days of Summer, which really should give Joseph Gordon Levitt an Oscar nod.
“I don’t understand why UP has to be in the top 10 — it has a category of it’s own…” – John
That’s like saying why a film like The White Ribbon can’t be a Best Picture nominee because it’s already up for Best Foreign Film. Why can’t an animated film be nominated for best picture? Just because it’s animated?
LOL, emotion as the only criteria for Best Picture is almost as hilarious as the pro-animation ghetto comment by john. Judging the worth of a film ought to be a complex interplay of the emotional and intellectual. Which isn’t to say it’s not okay to like a film that only strikes you on one level and not the other, but that one’s criteria must be more complex than the average cinema-goer. What rubs me the wrong way about the Avatar love is that it seems to be entirely this emotional response driving Best Picture talk.
“I don’t understand why UP has to be in the top 10…. it’s just taking up space of the very deserving It’s complicated, Star Trek and the most underappreciated (it seems) movie of the year — 500 days of Summer,”
Please tell me you’re joking. None of those films are anywhere near the level of Up.
I think the key this year will be that old harbinger of doom… Best Editing. It really could go either way and with it will go Best Picture. Remember when “Brokeback Mountain” wasn’t even nominated? The win went to “Crash” and then TADA.
All four of the major contenders have big upsides. “The Hurt Locker” is traditional war (hello “Black Hawk Down” and “Saving Private Ryan”), while “Avatar” has big blockbuster action (hello “The Matrix” and “The Bourne Ultimatum”). Meanwhile “Inglourious Basterds” has the good ol’ multi-narrative thing going on (ahem, “Crash” and “Traffic”) and “Up in the Air” is just a more old fashioned type of movie and movies like that generally don’t win Best Editing anymore.
I know it’s not exactly scientific, but I think whatever takes that category will take best picture as well. If there are so many legit candidates then I can picture voters just ticking the box of the film they’re ticking for Best Picture.
I’m still predicting “Inglourious Basterds”.
This is the first year in a long time that I would be absolutely happy with literally any outcome at the Oscars. I either liked or loved all of the 4 perceived front-runners (Avatar, Up in the Air, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker) and admired the 5th film (Precious) but wouldn’t want to ever watch it again. If I had a ballot, I would rank the top five as Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, Up in the Air, The Hurt Locker, and Precious in that order but honestly I don’t have a problem with any of them winning. Now if the award randomly went to something like Invictus, I think I would pee in a cup for a week or something. But I don’t think that is likely to happen.
For me, this is one of the most exciting Oscar races since 2006 and such a wonderful relief after the terribly dull selection last year.
First thought: I think the fifth film is more likely An Education, not Precious. It will have the British vote, as well as loads more actorly love thanks to its large ensemble.
@John: Secondly, It’s Complicated is garbage. Your argument is invalid. (However, I suspect you were a troll, so job well done.)
@Glenn: I completely agree that the editing category will be very telling. It’s plausible that Up in the Air will be snubbed there, which coupled with the SAG ensemble snub (rabble rabble) could either prove ultimately fatal, or just give it yet another trend to demolish this year.
@James: Uh…he has one already. Whether it only be in Screenplay or not just seems moot, because at least he has one he deserved for so long. That statement is a bit of an insult to the constant Oscar bridesmaids everywhere.
I’d root for Avatar if only because – for all its many, many, many, many faults – Cameron actually takes risks and isn’t afraid of looking ridiculous. Which is good, b/c the film is laugh out loud ludicrous more often than not. But there are also parts where it’s thrilling in a way that only Cameron can deliver.
Whereas Reitman is the definition of play-it-safe, merely competent filmmaking. He was born to direct B minus movies, the kind you forget immediately after viewing. He hits his marks and takes his paychecks without ever giving you the feeling he worked up any unseemly passion in the process. Up in the Air belongs smack dab in the middle of David Wain’s “Middle Ten Neither Best Nor Worst Movies of the Decade.” The idea that it brims with humanity, much less timely (?) humanity, is comical.
An Education was entertaining but felt like such a one-time viewing experience to me (like Precious) that was pleasant to watch but the story completely petered out by the end. I honestly don’t really remember much about the film b/c it did not really stand out and hold my interest as much as other films. In a year of five nominees it would never have a chance, but this year it will definitely be nominated for best picture in one of the five place holder/vanity slots.
It ain’t no two-way race! Silliness! 4-way… and once you have the lead votes split 4 ways, it doesn’t take all that many votes to win, so it becomes a free-for-all, as PRECIOUS, AN EDUCATION, and whatever else gets in are pretty popular, as well.
My point is that UP== great film — has it’s own category which it is certain to win. Do you think that academy voters will also vote for it to win best picture as well — it is just a vanity slot as someone here said and it’s a waste of space. They created the animated category for a reason because it could not get into the top 5. Now, they have 10 nominees and not one front runner is a comedy? Ridiculous.
[…] the argument between these two is interesting because it is a case of, as this post says, “Old School script-driven Classic Hollywood vs. New Age post-script 21st Century […]
I gotta admit, as much as I dislike all of them, Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air, Precious and The Hurt Locker make for a damn interesting cluster of Best Picture contenders
Has Avatar gotten into everyday convo, yet? Any cool dialogue that people would talk about around water cooler? Like “box of chocolates”? A joke about manpurse or satchels? Some overplay of the song in radio? Where’s Celine? Sam Wortington hounded by papparazzi? Jack and Rose (what’s his and her name?). Anyone learning the Na’vi language, yet? Avatar? What-EHWA.
Everyday conversation? You kidding me? You paying attention to box office?
In all fairness to number 35, there really isn’t watercooler discussion beyond the norm. No comments like “Remember when…..” or “I simply loved when….” Granted there are a few remarks about the effects, but its hardly on the level of quotable or memorable.
You know what I’m missing about Avatar? Quotes. I don’t hear people quoting it. A film doesn’t have to have a brilliant screenplay to be immensely quotable, but the latter are often the films that resonate longer.
Look at some other ‘gamechangers’ that lingered. “We’re gonna need a bigger boat”, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this”, “I am your father”, “Welcome… to Jurassic Park”, “Yeah but John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists.”, “Guns. Lots of guns”, “Dodge this”, etc.
I don’t think i need to tell anyone which films these are. I can’t think of any quotes in Avatar of which this is true (except for people who just saw it, but they’re mostly too generic to be connected to the film a year from now).
I don’t know what “Guns. Lots of guns” is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y70vcs3oV14
Those are some uber-shitty quotes you’ve chosen, other than “boat” and “father”. I had no clue what they were from, other than Jurassic, obviously.
Who the hell recites “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” and thinks of Obi-Wan Kenobi (without googling)??
And I don’t see how The Matrix is lumped together with those others when it wasn’t even nominated for BP.
41 – A lot of people actually know “Ive got a bad feeling about this” is Obi-Wan. Im not saying its common knowledge or anything, but for example, Im not a hard core star wars fan. I enjoy the series yes, but im certainly not a fanboy.
The Matrix, while not nominated for BP, is considered by many to be a game-changer, and it did win 4 oscars, so thats something.
“Ive got a bad feeling about this” is probably the best known line from Star Wars (after “I am your Father”), as it is said at least once by Obi-Wan, Anakin, Luke, Leia, Han, and probably some characters I’m forgetting right now.
I threw in 2 easier JP quotes, but I quote all kinds of lines from that with my friends often (“When you gotta go, you gotta go”, “Mr. Hammon, Jurassic Park is back online”, etc.), prob a generational thing or something, as we were all 12-13 when it came out.
I’m sure if i spent an hour I could come up with a better list too, but the point is, I cant remember any from Avatar.
***You know what I’m missing about Avatar? Quotes. I don’t hear people quoting it. A film doesn’t have to have a brilliant screenplay to be immensely quotable, but the latter are often the films that resonate longer.***
Errr… “You’re not the only one with a gun, bitch?” Don’t know how you overlooked that one.
And the most famous quote from “Star Wars” is ‘may the force be with you.’ I don’t know what you’re talking about with those other two.
@44
” You’re not the only one with a gun, bitch” is a bit of a stretch, I didn’t remember it at all until your comment reminded me.
Really? Oh well. In my circle everyone loves it and brings it up instantly when talking about the movie. If not that, then, there’s the simple “I see you.” Which is also the name of Leona Lewis’ wonderfully cheesy ballad over the end credits.
I have to admit, the repetition of “I see you” was one of the few things I enjoyed about the film. I just personally don’t see it mixing in with the classics. Only time will tell I guess.
I’ve seen Up in the Air today and I really thought that this movie was going to be a mediocre, overated piece of crap. I thank God I was proven wrong. Anna Kendrick was halariously great in this movie, and the story wasnt too cliche as i thought either. But I feel that if any movie should take home best picturit should be Up in the Air, Avatar or The Hurt Locker
“RichardA said…
Has Avatar gotten into everyday convo, yet? Any cool dialogue that people would talk about around water cooler? Like “box of chocolates”? A joke about manpurse or satchels? Some overplay of the song in radio? Where’s Celine? Sam Wortington hounded by papparazzi? Jack and Rose (what’s his and her name?). Anyone learning the Na’vi language, yet? Avatar? What-EHWA.”
1. Yes it has gotten into every day conversation. Everytime I’ve seen someone for the first time this holiday season (well, since the release of Avatar) people ask “have you seen Avatar? it’s amazing” or some variation on that.
Convo is usually followed by discussion of how surprised they were with the quality of 3D.
2. The “I See You” song probably isn’t on the radio much because it’s not very good (whereas “My Heart Will Go On”, for as annoying as it became, was a great ballad). However, the soundtrack – Horner’s score + “I See You” – has been one of the best sellers on the iTunes album charts since the films release. Movie scores just don’t sell these days yet “Avatar” very much is.
3. Sam Worthington might not be getting hounded by paparazzi, but “Clash of the Titans” has gotten more buzz these past few weeks than it had in its entirety before.
4. Yes, I have seen people on Twitter discussing how to learn the na’vi language. It’s frightening, but it’s true.
5. I don’t understand that Jack and Rose line? Are you saying you don’t know who Leo and Kate are?