Bless you, National Board of Review - My Thoughts on Their Best Picture Announcement

I absolutely love the Oscars, but I don't rely on the decision making of their voters to make or break my cinematic opinions. No one should. Just because a film is declared the Best Picture of the year by the Academy doesn't mean you have to love it, and if your favorite film of the year is nominated exactly zero times, so what? For me the Oscars are merely a fun spectacle celebrating my favorite medium and, sure, it is cool to see films I love get recognition for their achievements. If Emmanuel Lubezki didn't win his Oscar for Gravity, no big deal, but he did and it put a huge smile on my face, to know that the photography he dazzled me with that brought tears to my eyes was being honored. David Fincher should have won for Best Director for The Social Network, but they gave the award to Tom Hooper for The King's Speech instead. Do I think it was the right decision? Of course not, but I still see The Social Network for the masterpiece that it is.

That word. Masterpiece. It gets tossed around an awful lot for films that seemingly don't deserve it. I think I was guilty of that, busting it out every time I was moved by a picture, but I have learned when something is honestly worthy of such a big, bold label. I am only absolutely certain of one film that I have seen thus far from 2015 being deserving.

Mad Max: Fury Road is a masterpiece. It really is.

I know, a lot of people will roll their eyes at such a statement. That's okay. I am curious though, did you see it? I mean, did you really, truly see the film and admire the chaotic brilliance, the emotional nuance, the astonishing performance from Charlize Theron, the pitch perfect direction from George Miller? The visionary, jaw dropping stunts, the frenetically remarkable editing, the musical score that will pound you into submission? When I left the theater the first time I saw it, I could feel the grit on my body as if I had been there. I could taste the guzzolene in my mouth. I kept thinking about that intensely gorgeous and heartbreaking scene depicted above, when Furiosa is so devastated that she drops to her knees and the wind gusts blow the sand around her. I already can't wait to show my daughter this movie when she gets a little older because it needs to be seen by anyone who wants to see women depicted with a refreshing level of strength and courage rather than the typical wait for Prince Charming to hurry up and save us nonsense. If the world Miller created here was a drink, I would have been beyond intoxicated by the end of these perfectly paced two hours. I would have my car keys taken away from me after throwing up on my shoes and trying to seduce a cactus. 

Today the National Board of Review awarded their finest achievements in cinema for the year and shockingly, they named Mad Max: Fury Road as their Best Picture. If you are curious what this means big picture going forward in terms of Oscar possibilities, the winner of the NBR award has been nominated for Best Picture by the Academy 14 of the past 15 years (the lone exception was just last year when they honored the terrific A Most Violent Year, which didn't make the Oscar cut). Will Mad Max win Best Picture? No, it almost certainly will not, and frankly I don't really care if it does. I just want that damn nomination. I want to watch the beautiful people file into the Dolby Theatre knowing that they are going to acknowledge this film for the completely spectacular wonder that it is. Hell, toss in a director nom for Miller, a supporting actress run for Theron and every fucking technical statue possible.

When they announce the nominations during the early morning hours on Thursday, January 14th, I will be in front of my television watching it unfold and I want them to say Mad Max: Fury Road as being a finalist for Best Picture. I will stand up and scream "WITNESS ME, BLOODBAG!" and spray silver paint into my mouth like a madman. 

Mad Max: Fury Road is a god damn masterpiece, and I think it's delicious that the National Board of Review recognized that today. I'm going to watch it again tonight to celebrate, and you should too.