The Oscars
Why The Blind Side's Best Picture Nomination Shouldn't Be a Surprise
If you thought Avatar would be the only bona fide blockbuster to get a Best Picture nomination today, think again. John Lee Hancock’s unstoppable Sandra Bullock juggernaut The Blind Side made its way into the mix, shocking most industry observers but not the folks here at Movieline, who called this back in November (for the record, S.T. is planning to douse his football cleats in Caesar salad dressing and cheese — lots of cheese). What signs were there all along that this was a done deal? Let’s take a look.
Sandra Bullock’s Coattails
The fact that Sandra Bullock came out of nowhere to swiftly ascent to frontrunner status in the Best Actress category should have been a clear signal that industry members were seeing and liking The Blind Side. There’s such an eagerness to reward her that it creates a need-to-see factor for the film in order to evaluate her performance.
It’s a Populist Phenomenon
When it was announced that the Academy was expanding the Best Picture category to ten nominees, it was assumed that such a move would allow for more popular movies to squeak in — and yet, pundits tended to put their chips on Star Trek. The Blind Side isn’t just a box office megahit but a drama that, unlike Star Trek, seems tailor-made for the Academy from its very outline. Expect ads for the telecast to heavily play up the fact The Blind Side is competing against Avatar.
It Took the Invictus Slot
Invictus underwhelmed the town, but prognosticators still thought the Academy was Clint-crazy enough to nominate the film, despite recent shut-outs of Gran Torino and Flags of Our Fathers. In the meantime, another “racial reconciliation through football” drama was tearing up the box office. As Invictus faded, The Blind Side surged into its spot.
It Balances out Precious
Had there been five Best Picture nominees, I think Precious would have made the cut over The Blind Side, but that’s not to say they don’t work in tandem in an odd way. Precious has a nearly all-black cast and represents a bracing, forward-thinking choice for the Academy to recognize, while The Blind Side is the safer “but Precious really could have used a white woman to fish her out of the ghetto” pick. The Academy doesn’t mind an unsubtle depiction of race and white guilt…just take a look at Crash.
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Posted 02 Feb 2010, 8:42 AM
Kyle, do you think The Blind Side has a shot at winning Best Picture? If so, I'm going to put on my Mary Lee Johnston do-rag and throw myself down the stairs.
Posted 02 Feb 2010, 11:54 AM
"The Blind Side" is a terrible pandering dumbed-down tarted-up Lifetime movie, but you know what it's not? BORING. Which "Invictus" is, until the final 30 minutes or so. What an effing snore. If I had to choose to sit through one or the other again, I'd choose "Blind".
That said, I'm with ICALLTHEBIGONEBITEY up there. If this garbage wins, I'm ramming a Bic pen into my jugular.
Posted 02 Feb 2010, 11:54 AM
"The Blind Side" is a terrible pandering dumbed-down tarted-up Lifetime movie, but you know what it's not? BORING. Which "Invictus" is, until the final 30 minutes or so. What an effing snore. If I had to choose to sit through one or the other again, I'd choose "Blind".
That said, I'm with ICALLTHEBIGONEBITEY up there. If this garbage wins, I'm ramming a Bic pen into my jugular.
Posted 02 Feb 2010, 1:20 PM
GO SANDY! GO SANDY! GOOOOO!
Posted 02 Feb 2010, 2:36 PM
I'm glad "The Blindside" was nominated. There is no way it will win, but having 10 films nominated this year allows recognition to go to films generally well regarded and popular with moviegoers. Sandra Bullock is wonderful in the film. Hopefully she can finish out awards season with her first Oscar. For Meryl Streep fans...she has two Oscars and 100 Oscar nominations with many more to come...let her win for a future and better film than "Julie & Julia." And at the end of it all she will no doubt collect honorary Oscars and other awards for lifetime achievement in film.
Posted 02 Feb 2010, 4:03 PM
Crash... also with Sandra Bullock! Coincidence???
Posted 03 Mar 2010, 10:26 PM
i didn't like the Blind Side either. it's plot line was weak and there were a lot of things that i didn't really get, plus Tim McGraw's character was a pain in the ass. it wasn't worth the money i spent to send it. those of you who are saying that it was just a Lifetime movie are right. i didn't get into it and i didn't care about the characters and i hope the Academy feels the same-i tend to agree with their decisions.
and to the person above me, yes it IS a coincidence. this happens all the time, and Sandra Bullock isn't even that good so that makes it sort of ridiculous.