Damn you Hollywood! Damn you!

Yesterday, the Academy released their 2010 Oscar Nominations and I have one thing to say.

*The Blindside*? Seriously?

OK, I will admit, *The Blindside* wasn't awful. In fact, it was pretty enjoyable. Sandra Bullock gave a solid performance (I'd say the best of her career), and it was a feel good movie. But, no way was it one of the 10 best films of the year.

This year, the Academy decided to expand the Best Picture category from five films to 10, which I think is a great idea. It gives opportunity to other films that might not traditionally be considered "Best Picture" by pretentious academy members (like last year's *The Dark Knight*). Give the little guy a chance! That's what I say.

Sadly, this year hasn't been the greatest for movies, but it definitely hasn't been the worse. The Academy had a chance to pull from quite a few nontraditional films like *(500) Days of Summer*, *Moon*, or even *The Hangover* to fill that 10th spot. I know I would've liked to see Zach Galifianakis trotting down the red carpet in his tuxedo, aviators, and full beard.

But, no. Oscar dropped the ball. With the 10th spot, they decided to nominate the plainest movie in the bunch.

I promise, I don't have a vendetta against *The Blindside*, but I just don't get what was so special about it. Sandra Bullock's acting? Okay, yeah, that was pretty good, and she was nominated for Best Actress — so there, voila, covered.

But no, that's not it — give it a Best Picture as well! Hell, while we're at it, why don't we nominate it for Best Visual Effects! That's about as nonsensical as the rest.

Maybe I'm being unfair to *The Blindside*. After all, it was a true story and it felt good to watch, and what's wrong with that? What's wrong with feeling good about ourselves for once? Why does every movie that's considered good have to be sad? Well, that's not what I'm saying.

I just want to feel something when I watch a film, or read a poem, or see a painting. I'm not opposed to a feel good story, we've just seen *The Blindside*'s story so many times before. Give us something more. I want you to earn the right to evoke those warm fuzzies, and giving us the same story over and over again just won't do it anymore. It just won't.

If *The Blindside* happens to win Best Picture over deserving work like *A Serious Man*, *The Hurt Locker*, or even *District 9*, I'm done with the Academy. Finished. Over. They might as well join up with the Grammy's (which have become a complete joke), hand out all their trashy awards on one night, and save us the trouble.