My Super Bowl

For many, January marks the most exciting part of the football season: The Playoffs. Having spent the last several months following the stats and cheering on their teams, dedicated fans are now waiting in anticipation to see who will take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Super Bowl Sunday. I am not what you would consider a sport fan. However, that does not mean that I have never felt that wave of adrenaline that comes from seeing your “team”, take home that ultimate prize.

While I may have no idea who is playing in the big game next Sunday, I am quite familiar with the 9 feature films currently vying for the Best Picture Oscar award. Awards season is my version The Playoffs. The Oscars are my Super Bowl. During the 6 weeks leading up to The Oscars, I attempt to see every movie nominated for the top honors. 

Like any dedicated “sports fan,” there is always that one team I end up rooting for.  Although I must admit that this season, I have found it difficult to throw my support behind just one nominee. At first I thought the choice was obvious. I had to rally for the indie film that managed to scrounge up nominations in every major category against stiff competition led by seasoned veterans like Stephen Spielberg and Ang Lee. I quickly realized that it wasn’t going to be so easy. This awards season was going to be a nail biter.

As of now I have seen ¾ of the movies nominated for top awards and I can tell you that it is near impossible to choose a clear winner. The films that I have screened offer unique perspectives on very different topics. In the last month, I have watched Daniel Day Lewis breath new life into the story of Abraham Lincoln; I sat anxiously through Naomi Watts’ search for her family in a tsunami-ravaged Thailand, and cried wet hot tears for every fallen cast member of Les Miserable.

I am still head over heals for my initial first pick. To put it frankly, Bradley’s Cooper’s performance in Silver Linings Playbook blew me away. It was so different than the work that he is usually known for and he truly rose to the occasion. Add in a strong cast of supporting characters, a well-written script, and a beautifully directed film and this drama is a recipe for success.

That being said, I really believe that in this case perhaps simply being nominated is enough. Originally considered the underdog, Silver Linings Playbook some how made it to the final game. It has managed to receive more recognition than most independent films have previously during awards season. If Hell does freeze over and David O. Russell’s film does manage to make a killing at this year’s Oscar ceremony, I will be ecstatic.

While football fans all over the country are getting ready to cheer on their top picks next Sunday, I still have a few more anxiety-filled weeks ahead of me. To pass the time I will do what many other dedicated sports fans have done before me: obsess. I will read every movie review, follow the stats online, and talk about nothing else but the great Oscar race until February 23^rd rolls around.