Dear Oscar: An Open Letter

Dear Oscars (Or whatever you guys go by),

Today is supposed to be a good day. I've been looking forward to the Oscars 2015 nominations announcement since...well last year. I saw in my 9:15 class today tapping my foot away and barely being able to hold in my excitement. Will 'Insterstellar' clean up house? Will 'The Lego Movie' make everything awesome? Will 'The Fault in Our Stars' be compensated for all of the manly adult tears it shed? One can only ignore expensive education for so long before they can't hold it anymore #Priorities. Then it happened. You opened the floodgates of Hollywood and the tide came bursting forth on my Facebook news feed. I'm pretty sure I was one of the first 5,000 viewers to see the announcement. The Web page loads and I can't hold it any longer. I had to see the nominations. Stupid slow Wi-Fi. The page loads and I scroll through.

What. The. Heck.

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What the heck? Where did 'American Sniper' come from? It hasn't even been released everywhere yet. 'Birdman', cool. 'Foxcatcher', great. 'Boyhood', alright. Why, oh why is 'The Lego Movie' NOT nominated for Animated Feature Film? No 'Insterstellar' for Cinematography? How in the freakin' frackin' world did Ava DuVernay not get nominated for Directing? What in the world were you guys on when you only gave 'Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike a nomination for Actress in Leading Role and not nominate the film for Writing Adapted Screenplay? I am without words. There goes the happiness in my morning. I know I'm at the ripe old age of 21 years old but if memory serves me correctly, I'm fairly certain that 2014 was a really good year for movies, award-worthy and otherwise. Or maybe I'm mistaken. Maybe in my college-fueled ignorance I just thought that I had seen many good films. Maybe I was in fact one of the only people to enjoy 'The Lego Movie' for more than it's oh-so-awesome 'Everything Is Awesome' track. Maybe it was just me who sat in awe of 'Interstellar' as I was introduced to the complex universe beyond our world through the crafted tools that Christopher Nolan gave me in my theatre seat. Maybe I was the only person to watch 'The Fault In Our Stars' and curl up in the fetal position to hide my fountain of man-tears from the rest of the world. Okay maybe I was but that's not the point. Let me add some method to my madness.

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Let's start with 'Gone Girl'. Okay, maybe the twist put some people off. So what? Isn't great art supposed to get others uncomfortable? Aside from this being such a fantastic film, it's a book movie. You guys, of all people, should know that the term book movie is one often spoken in hushed tones so not as to be accused of using harsh or unfavorable language. After reading through most of Gillian Flynn's masterpiece of a novel there should be no debate as to whether or not 'Gone Girl' deserves to be nominated for Writing Adapted Screenplay. It's just a duh moment, like the ones people get whenever they come to that dark moment in their lives where "Maybe I'll watch Green Lantern tonight!" seems like a feasible and justifiable thought.

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I want to thank you for at least having the decency of nominating Christopher Nolan for something. He's that guy that almost always deserves a place somewhere. I know not all of his films are pure gold but 'Interstelar' sure as heck comes close. Aside from Hans Zimmer once again killing it on the 1s and 2s (and the very fancy 3s), 'Interstellar' brought oh so much to the table. The complexity, the story, the characters, the mind-bendy headache that robs you of sleep at night and makes you question your very existence in the dream world around you. That has to worth something right? I guess in this day and age that doesn't matter anymore. Woe is me for thinking such a thing! I'm just saying that you all could've at least given this film a nomination for Cinematography, maybe even Film Editing? I am happy that it's in the running for Production Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. Maybe I'm being a bit greedy, you tell me. But hey, one can dream right? Pun intended.

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This. THIS. This...upset the world. I can't even right now. I see no possible justifiable reason as to why 2014's awesome, Golden-Globe nominated, animated masterpiece only got a nomination for Music Original Song. Whatever you guys are on, can I get a free sample of it please? Quite frankly, this is trash. 'The Lego Movie' was one of the most hilarious, well put together, unique, surprising and epic animated films in recent years. Do you know where this film hit home? Adults! People like me and you! I'm sure you all have fond memories of sitting down with a box of legos and letting your mind run free. I mean, who forgets those moments when you stub your small toe on those corner pieces and scream to the heavens above about just how much you hate the wicked ways of the world and question your very intelligence as to how it got there? I think 'The Lego Movie' is one of those timeless classics simply because the Lego toys will be probably be around until the end of time. This film deserves so much more than the scraps and bones you've thrown it. How upsetting. Unforgivable actually.

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I won't get too much into 'Selma because that in and of itself is an absolute doozey. Given everything that's been going on in the United States this past year, this film couldn't have come at a better time. It had to take a director and movie crew of people who knew what the glob they were doing to pull something like this off. Ava DuVernay deserves a nomination for Directing. Period. Although it's arguable that 'Selma' should be in the running for various other categories, Directing is the one that should just be a given. Shoots, you can just take 'Foxcatcher' off the list and replace it with this film. Please. Pretty please? With sugar on top?

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Fine, fine. I will admit that 'Boyhood' deserves just about every nomination it got. The film itself was unique and revolutionary in nature. I don't think there will be another one like it again. If there is, that thing better be nominated for the same amount, if not more, of awards. Then again, anything can happen. That's one thing I've learned from reading this year's nominations for the Oscar awards. I will not, nor will I ever be (until I'm paid to be) claiming that I am an official movie critic but gosh-darn-it I think I know movie-worthy films when I see them. It scares me to think that the Oscars have now lost a lot of it's value solely because greatness has not been recognized. 2014 was such a stellar year for the big screen and I'm sure coming to these decisions wasn't easy. But there are just some givens that needs to be taken into account. This list of nominations will change how movie award shows will be seen, and that's unfortunate. But hey, maybe I'm the crazy one. Maybe the modern day cinema expectations have spoiled my outlook on what you guys consider true art. But I guess I'm nothing but a film fan, I don't think that those opinions matter anymore. Movie politics, oh, movie politics. With thtat being said, I am looking forward to see what will come of this year's ceremony.