Mid-term writing test W09 original

"We are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss"

2008 is certainly a shocking year for movie celebration. As we go by the top 10 lists and all prestigious prizes that are given through many galas, I was surprise that it was not necessarily the best movie that was wining. Surely, all movies in nomination were great ones (altough many amazing ones were still missing), but in my opinion, The curious case of Benjamin Button was deserving Best picture more than anything. I will try to persuade you by telling some reasons that may have influenced voters instead of cinematographic qualities and by what makes this movie so amazing to my eyes.

First of all, I must say that I really appreciate Slumdog millionaire that was an amazing feel-good movie, altough very manipulator to what it express, what it shows and what he wants us to feel. But well, let say it, the world is not in a good shape. We are in a period of constant changes and reflexions, we are putting more and more attention to our faith and our mistakes and as we go by the failures of our society (following recession and things of that kind), people need to be remind in a way (with dark and depressing movies just like Cloverfield, There will be blood, The dark knight, Revolutionary road, etc.), but they also need to be given hope. That is why feel-good movies exists and normally, thoses types of movies are leads by great message underline with big emphasis (just think of WALL-E (amazing movie by the way) with his ecological message, or Tropic thunder that criticize the failure of the hollywood industry, or the musical Hairspray that was talking about racism). Yes, in bad times, we can not hide it, we all love to watch a feel-good movie to comfort us, and that may be one of the reasons that influenced the voters of the academy. In the same direction, the academy always comes to a point where talented icons needs to be honoured following many past efforts that never got mentionned. Scorsese is a great examples, who finally got recognition in 2007 with The Departed, while it was not necessarily the best film of this year or the best one in his career. Slumdog is following this idea by taking the special place that the academy is now showing: the feel-good movie, let's think of Little miss sunshine or Juno, far better, who had both take this case without ending with the ultimate prize. Well let's say that it was perfect time to let this kind of movie gaining the recognition they were needing.

Secondly, to my eyes The curious case of Benjamin Button, who is actually about time itself, is amazingly timeless. It's an awesome film that will surely pass through time, in comparison of Slumdog Millionaire who is to me the flavor of the months more than the movie of the decade. It is the kind of movie that will affect everyone but in a different way. It is a movie about life itselfs and every theme related. Some people will see age, love, time, memory, relation, etc. as the main theme of the movie, while it is hard to tell because mainly all of this is about life and the beauty related to. The rythm is slow and contemplative, really moving too, something really exceptional in a way, while they do the exploit of doing a 166 minutes movie with a short story! It is an affecting story that can relied to anyone, going by the fact that it is about life from start to end, so anyone can relied in a way or another. In the same point of view, The curious case of Benjamin Button got undeniable technical qualities that make the unusual circumstances of the movie more than plausible. The technology they used for Benjamin Button was amazing and surely a model that will be follow in the future. They also shown their expertise in recreating time and places. Moreover, most of the artisan under thoses effects were Montrealers, a fact that we can be honored of. Fortunately, The curious case of Benjamin Button was honoured in thoses categories at the last academy awards ceremony. Some people may say that it was categories where Slumdog was not even in nomination, but this is rubbish, Benjamin Button would have won thoses anyway.

In conclusion, Best picture does not necessarily means best movie. Slumdog wins becauses following our era we are in, it was meant to, but well, The curious case of Benjamin Button was actually showing a lot more qualities following his content and his technical particularities. So as the movie says, we are defined by opportunities, but even if the Academy does not want to see it, Benjamin Button had certainly not miss his. So let just hope that time will change things for the best.