SERENITY SHAFTED BY THE ACADEMY!

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 5:21:26 AM

Well, the 78th Annual Oscar (tm) Nominations were announced this morning, and much to my shock and horror, Serenity was left off the list in every category. I demand everyone write, fax, type, yell, scratch, telepath or wave a message to the studio and to the Academy to let them know that this has been a gross oversight on their part, and that the fans will not stand for it.

It is possible, and indeed likely, that the Academy merely kept Serenity off its lists, to give all these other films a chance. This takes only the smallest sting out of the overwhelming pain of not having this film recognized. It deserves to be on the list, and if you've seen the list, you know why:

1) Brokeback Mountain
A film about two characters who share a forbidden love over years, who cannot be together because of the society in which they live-- much like Mal and Inara. The desire with which they look upon each other is juxtaposed with their own internal struggles, and though Heath Ledger is a fine actor, Nathan Fillion also shoots people.

(Much has been made about how groundbreaking (and perhaps shocking) it would be to show two men in love, but I assure you this is much less shocking than a revered Companion lowering herself to spend time with a smuggler and all-around scoundrel).

2) Capote
A film about a brilliant writer and how his life becomes inextricably intertwined with the story he is writing. Capote interviewed real-life killers for his book "In Cold Blood," and became so enraptured and changed by their story, that he was never the same-- much the same way as Joss Whedon was forever changed by trying to get more of his story told, after a life-changing violation by the Fox Network. The tragedies of the "In Cold Blood" murders were truly tragic, but as anyone can tell you, the Fox Network has done much, much worse.

3) Crash
A film about cultural and racial differences in early 21st century America. What's disturbing here is how much more narrow this is than Joss Whedon's Serenity. Paul Haggis, who is also nominated for writing and directing, chooses to root his film firmly in the present day-- thereby limiting its appeal-- and cast movie stars from the top of the marquee on down. In the same year, Joss Whedon has cast relative unknowns, to allow them to better connect with the viewer as "Every Man" or "Every Woman." And by setting it in the distant future, Whedon gives us a deeper insight into the unchanging manner of human nature, than could ever be illustrated by some pretty people in Los Angeles.

4) Good Night, and Good Luck
The most obvious of the five. Though I give the filmmakers credit for shooting this in black and white, to make it historically accurate (the world actually was in black and white until the early 1960's), this film is quite simply about the power struggle between those who would seek to eke out a living, and those in power who would seek to abuse such power for their own selfish ends. David Strathairn's Edward R. Murrow and George Clooney's Fred Friendly have an intimate (but non-sexual) working relationship, so close that they can nearly tell what the other is thinking-- precisely like Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Warren. Though they are advised not to, they and those who work for them rebel against a power structure in a battle they cannot hope to win... and yet in the end, they do prevail. In fact, the ending involves something tragic happening to a married couple, yet another aspect stolen from Serenity.

5) Munich
An historical film written by an award-winning scribe, and directed by a genius. Need we say anymore?

Bearing all these things in mind, I encourage you to alert the appropriate authorities, we will not rest until these inferior filmmakers are called out for the charlatans they are.

Warmest Personal Regards,

Quicksand/ajw