You'd think with ten nominations for Best Picture this year, the Oscars would've found room for a film which killed at the box office—a suspenseful movie with a complex but understandable plot, great acting, writing and unbelievable casting.
I'm not talking about "The Education". (I mean, really? "The Education"? That film is to "Precious" what a Pat Boone cover was to Little Richard.)
No, I'm talking about "The Hangover".
Comedies always have a hard time making it into the Best Picture category, and an R-rated comedy certainly faced an uphill battle from the get-go. However, critics and fans seem to agree that "The Hangover" is not only the funniest movie of the year, it's one of the funniest movie of all time. Dialogue has generated instant classics like, "Thanks a lot, Bin Laden," and "Tigers love pepper. Tigers hate cinnamon." The film won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.
Oscar buzz for the film started in earnest in the fall.
Entertainment Weekly's David Karger wrote that he spoke with an Oscar voter in October who considered the film's potential for winning a gold statuette. While first aghast, Karger then wrote, "Even Hangover haters have to admit the movie does boast an irresistible premise, a brilliant structure, and an amazing comedic performance by Zach Galifianakis, who could just be a stealth Best Supporting Actor contenderif the movie's campaign takes off."
Award winning director Ivan Reitman (whose son, Jason, is up for Best Director and Best Picture for "Up in the Air") told the New York Times in December that "The Hangover" would be on his top 10 list.
Yet by this morning, before the nominations came out, it appeared the film's momentum had lost steam. The Los Angeles Times had a blog titled, "Isn't Anyone Picking 'The Hangover' for Best Picture?"
It is a shame.
I personally never expected to enjoy an R-rated comedy about four guys in Las Vegas—what woman would? But I went when the word-of-mouth convinced this was something I had to see. I'm now such a fan of the film that, in protest, I will pose as Alan (Galifianakis) at my annual Oscar bash. I just need to order the three wolves t-shirt, old-fashioned pager, beard, and "satchel".
And while we're at it, what about "Star Trek"? Thanks a lot, Academy.
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