OSCAR REACTION

            As a former movie critic, I find it impossible to sit by silently and witness the travesty of this year’s Oscar nominations.

            First, why are they still announced at 5:30 a.m.? That was understandable to meet deadlines when I first attended 40 years ago and called in the nominations from a phone booth to the Daily Breeze’s city desk. (No cell phones.)

            Second, I have serious bones to pick about films and people who were or were not nominated.

            Best picture. Since they are now selecting 10 nominees rather than five, it is hard to be left out, but I have doubts about two choices – “Moneyball,” which I feel never reached its potential, and “Tree of Life,” which is mainly incomprehensible. Instead, I would have probably selected “J. Edgar” and “The Ides of March,” if nothing else.

            Best actor: The biggest travesty of all was Leonardo DiCaprio not being nominated for best actor for “J. Edgar” and the vastly overrated Brad Pitt nominated at all. I would have left out the morose Gary Oldman (“Tailor Tinker Soldier Spy” and Pitt, and added DiCaprio and young Thomas Horn, for his phenomenal performance in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.” DiCaprio not winning, much less not being nominated, is one of the greatest offenses since Henry Fonda was not nominated for “Mister Roberts”  in 1955.

Best director. Terrence Malick (“Tree of Life” over Steven Spielberg (“War Horse”)? You have to be kidding. The only reason Malick was nominated at all is because he is regarded as some kind of cinema god for only directing a few movies in 40 years.

Best actress. Rooney Mara for “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is not only a bad choice for the reputation of Oscar but a ludicrous decision. There are countless other possibilities including Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”).

Best animated feature. This is really bad. Two of the best films for children were not even nominated – “Adventures of Tintin” and “Cars 2” would have been better than “A Cat in Paris” and “Chico & Rita.” Who?

Adapted Screenplay. There is no way I would have picked “Moneyball” and “The Ides of March” over “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” and “War Horse.”

I know. Sour grapes.

Don Lechman is a former reporter, critic and editor for the Daily Breeze.