Which Oscar Contender Do You Vehemently Refuse to See?

Once every five to seven years, the average American decides he/she is going to see all the Oscar-seeming movies before the ceremony. It's a good way to feel like a part of civilization, just before you dismiss it as contrived, humorless and a misuse of Paul Dano's talents. But as much as you might want to be a completist, perhaps there's one movie you just can't muster the nerve to see: What's your 2010-11 holdout?

Here are some famous Oscar contenders I couldn't bring myself to see. Enjoy this trip to bitchy bountiful:

2000: Chocolat

2002: The Hours

2005: The Aviator (though I relented and saw it -- and I still can't look at Cate Blanchett the same way. More like Guess Who's Cawing All Dinner, Cate.)

2008: Changeling

2009: Invictus

Though I've seen everything this year, I wish I had time to un-see I Am Love. They just colored in Tilda's eyebrows, gave her a four-layer accent, and made a movie featuring the scenic grandeur of an average Top Chef finale. Everything was so damn shiny too, like a ripe Colicchio noggin.

What's your irrational enemy this Oscar season?



Comments

  • BigYalie says:

    It is difficult to sit through RABBIT HOLE and avoid staring at Nicole Kidman's surgically stuffed and fattened lips and her Joker-like face. I rather doubt, though, that the film will receive any Oscar nominations. It plays more like a movie-of-the-week.

  • J says:

    Hey guys, that film's author hates Facebook and its horrible societal influence as well.
    So, maybe that's the exact reason you'd want to see the depiction of how a bunch of horrible gen-y narcissists and borderline sociopaths turned 21st century "social life" into a middle school lunch table full of one-way conversations.
    "virtual middle school lunch table full of one-way conversations" is my trademarked Facebook descriptive phrase by the way.
    I, for one, think Aronofsky is the absolute epitome of "pseudo-intellectual" He's right up there with Christopher Nolan in being a generator of thunderous, ponderous nothingness that lacks any authentic human insight, and yet is absolutely dedicated to announcing its own importance and depth.
    Following through with the arbitrary rules of your arbitrarily absurd premise does not a genius storyteller make.
    If you want to see a truly riveting mind-bender about women's identities and ineffable erotic longings, please rent Bergman's Persona. Or, well, Bergman's anything.
    This will instruct you in the difference between intellectually and emotionally challenging art, and pompous, self-important pretension.
    The Fighter is a truly earned redemption story. I was weary, too. But I urge you to give it a chance despite any initial cringes. I, too, have Bale-fatigue, but was won over by his lack of vanity and the presence of some genuine addict-levity (you know, the dark seductive kind that keeps you giving them your keys in life.)
    It is not Wahlberg's film, so don't worry. His performance is the stoic anchor as furious energies fly about exploiting him. It works, but I suspect a particularly likable crash-test dummy could have filled in.
    True Grit is the first Coen Brothers film I have not found to be irritatingly quirky. If there's a reason to declare a masterpiece in their oeuvre, this film certainly found the exact balance between quirky and humane. It's an exploration of dignity and what it means to seek accountability in the universe. And how the chase is all. Pretty much the antithesis of anything that would be found in our nadir of an era.
    So, once again, genre reservations aside, I would urge you to see it as well.
    But, yeah, pluck that Black Swan.

  • True Grit - bla bla bla the outstanding girl, bla bla bla jeff bridges but i still can't get past that i REALLY don't like western movies

  • MysteriousTraveller says:

    Do not want to see Black Swan. I've enjoyed Aronofsky's other work (I even kinda liked The Fountain) but this last one leaves me cold.

  • Rafaela says:

    Biutiful. Every time I see Bardem's sad face on the poster I feel like slapping him.
    As for I am Love, it was the best film I saw in 2010. Tilda Swinton was amazing - as always.

  • G says:

    I love "Chocolat." Especially since Johnny Depp actually plays a real human being in it. And- who knew- he's actually very charming.

  • NeilFC says:

    Being Scottish, i will never, ever see The King's Speech. I'm not interested in seeing a movie that attempts to humanise members of the Royal family. Especially the late Queen Mother. Watching critics in the UK fawn over this movie is embarassing. And i bet it'll clean up at the BAFTA's in much the same that Slumdog did a few years ago.

  • Edwin Algarin Perez says:

    i whant to join contender jan,18 2011

  • billyup says:

    I won't see slumdog millionaire. The plot synopsis I read said something about a who want to be a millionaire clone. I stopped reading. But none of the reasons you people are giving for not wanting to see some movies, would ever make me pause. Maybe I'm not as pretentious as I think.