by Jason Daniel Baker

Created on: March 08, 2010   Last Updated: April 01, 2010

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is notorious for attempting to inject its politics into its choices but I guess this year they decided to tend to past mistakes while at the same time apparently attempting to ensure no stars could consolidate popular fame via Oscar recognition.

Hollywood stars look as though they are content to have Democrats dominating politically now and just want to ensure that none of their rivals get too far ahead of them in the pecking order.

Evidently it was all about tending to unfinished business this year and recognizing people who had been overlooked in the past  at the Academy Awards. I can only come to that conclusion due to the lack of any discernible liberal-left message transmitted by their choices.

Sandra Bullock, a criminally under-appreciated leading lady, not only won her first Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Blind Side, but received her first nomination.

The Oscar won't help her because she is already loved by audiences and always will be. Other actresses are delighted to cede her the award presumably because giving it to her will mean nothing in the way of enhancing her ability to challenge them for roles. Perhaps it also provides some consolation to her for the piece of work she married, a creep biker dude named Jesse James who has apparently been cheating on her for years.

Jeff Bridges, also overlooked for years (Some would say as payback for his father Lloyd not being more active against the Hollywood blacklist) won for Best Actor. As an older actor he cannot challenge for leading roles younger leading men might not want to be challenged for.

Kathryn Bigelow, a name synonymous with car chases and shootouts and stuff getting blown up real good was named Best Director and her movie The Hurt Locker (an overrated box office bomb that barely broke even on its meager budget) was named Best Picture.

They made a point of suggesting this was in recognition for all the work women in film have done behind the camera coming as it did the day before International Women's Day. One can debate whether they heaped praise upon a film which glorifies war as a result.

Mo'Nique took Best Supporting Actress for her work in Precious. You can guess why and if not I'll tell you. Precious, as unpleasant a film as it is deserved recognition for how well it was done. The Academy could not recognize Mariah Carey for her supporting role because Mariah Carey has already been adjudged to be a bad actress by every critic

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>