I have seen both films.  I agree with the Academy’s choice.  Everything about No Country was spectacular—tight script, original elements, a very uncomfortable and hated ending (any movie that adds a hated ending instead of taking the easy way out DESERVES an award), and the cinematography was just breathtaking.

Also, Javier’s voice alone deserves a fucking award.  Num. 

(I bet some people are going to argue that the hated ending *was* the easy way out; it wasn’t.  But please defend your position.  Thanks.)

I’m thinking it’s also the 55+ crowd that make up a majority of Academy voters.

Haven’t seen either Juno or No Country, but I understand what you are saying about those films and the Academy’s take on them.

As for Brokeback Mountain, while I didn’t think it was the groundbreaker so much of America believed it to be, I did think that it was a better film, cinematically, than Crash.  Gorgeous to look at, and the slow pacing worked perfectly with the subject matter.  I still don’t think it was the best film of that particular year. A History of Violence, Good Night and Good Luck and even Transamerica were, imo, better films.  I thought Crash was a good film, but on a structural level it’s been done better before by other film makers.  Once again, in my opinion. 

If there was a majority of younger voters, Transformers would have won for visual fx instead of Golden Compass.

I think you might respect the ending but it won’t sit exactly right, if that makes sense.  How about we just see it?

As for Transformers… UGH.  PLEASE.  Golden Compass is eye candy, Transformers was good for the first half but then totally sucked (in a bad way) for the end.  Then again, I bet Avi thinks I’m in the 55+ club.

Golden Compass is derivative of Narnia and LOTR - it had nothing new to offer.  Transformers was ground-breaking.

But you’re 31.  I’m just saying that the younger generation can get duped into thinking that eye candy is more important than quality.

But, I have to get in that dig every time that the second half of Transformers was awful.  So, yay me for getting one more say of it!

So you think that the younger generation got duped into thinking that Golden Compass was eye candy and therefore better?

I think the older generation didn’t bother watching Transformers.  They watched Golden Compass, though.

Because they’re a bunch of Christians who have to monitor the anti-Christ movies?

No, because that movie appealed to them.  Hence, the older Academy members screw over deserving movies.  Like Juno.

And the second half of Transformers is outstanding.

Because they’re Christians and Juno is one of those anti-Christ movies.

Teen pregnancy!

(Which would mean they love one anti-Christ movie but not the other.)

I didn’t expect Juno to win.

BUT, if I would say that it DESERVED it - it would not have been because of it’s subject matter.

It would be because it was a superbly made movie.  It let the story happen… you just observed.  Nothing was forced.  It didn’t try too hard where it shouldn’t.  It pushed and pulled in all the right places, and let lie the moments that needed that.

The subtle genius of that movie was spectacular.

I didn’t see any of the big movies of last year.  I didn’t see many things other than pg movies in the theaters, until Sweeney Todd came out- and that didn’t even reach my town till freaking January.  So I guess I’ll just have to wait for them to come out on Dvd.  We do have Transformers, but I have yet to watch it.

First off, congrats on the enormous success of Juno! Your film is well on its way to becoming the highest-grossing indie since My Big Fat Greek Wedding online marketing. Pretty soon your name will be whispered in the same breath as Nia Vardalos. Welcome to the big leagues, baby!