By the box office measure — dollars and cents (or is it “sense”?) — Avatar is easily the year’s best film with around $2.5 billion in worldwide ticket sales. Yet, Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker is favoured by pundits to claim the best movie Oscar. And Kathryn Bigelow is expected to win best director over her ex-husband, Avatar helmsman James Cameron. Sure, Hurt Locker been a favourite of critics and award-givers, but it has only earned $19 million at box offices. Why has it done so well with Oscar voters?
Similarly, Jeff Bridges is seen taking home the best actor trophy for portraying a drunken country singer in little-seen film, Crazy Heart. And he just may deserve it because he elevates a relatively average movie to a good one simply by virtue of his strong performance. Then there’s Sandra Bullock and The Blind Side. It is one of the few instances where fans and Oscar voters may agree. The Blind Side has been a breakout hit at theatres with its tale of a wealthy woman (played by Bullock) who takes a homeless teenager and transforms him into a US football star. It has earned nearly $250 million at US and Canadian theatres. We talked to people outside Oscar’s home at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, and they seemed to agree with Oscar pundits that Sandra is a winner.
