Monday 8 March 2010

On why one should always listen to Rage Against The Machine, no matter what.


Yes, they have said it. And they have said it a long time ago - long enough for me to have time to process, memorize and learn it. And yet I failed to obey...


In all honesty, I never cared much about the Oscars - I am just not at all into the fake glamour and glitz, and I refuse to believe that it is good money instead of a good film that can win you recognition and the golden statues. But somehow the Best Foreign Language Film category is my little exception: being an European film buff, I like to follow my favorites, and the idea of some of them actually winning, with their low-budget philosophies set against the gigantizm of the home ground allstars right in their shrine, is amusing to me. And this year I was sure to have my winner, finally! True, the best film I've seen last year, Corneliu Porumboiu's spectacular and subtle 'Politist, adj.', ended up without a nomination. But Michael Haneke's 'Das Weisse Band' was, for sure, the next best thing - gorgeously shot and acted, it was one of those films that had something for everyone, but in a positive way; 'A Haneke with a love story', as we would often joke about it, may not be his best work so far, but it still is no less than fantastic. And it seemed a definite winner too: the American critics loved it, it seemed to have gotten praise from whoever got in touch with it, from the indie nerds to mainstream moviegoer's advisers.

Yet last night, something happened. An Argentinian film, 'El Secreto de Sus Ojos', won. Why? I have no idea. I've never seen it. I was so convinced there was no competition unbeatable for the marvelous Austrian  (sure, I too loved 'Un Prophete', but as good as it was, it wasn't THAT good!), that I never actually took the time to watch it and see what it has and the 'Ribbon' maybe doesn't...Is it more commercial? Easier to understand? More nicely shot (oh, come on, that sounds barely possible!)? I don't know. I have broken the rule that Rage have set so long time ago, and now I have to take the consequences: complete disappointment and disbelief, for a start. 

And the next step? Well, if anyone finds a way to see the winning Argentinian horse somewhere around the Zagreb city, just let me know. After all (with a nod to my N. at the EC intended), it is always a good time to learn...

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