6. Snubbing The Intouchables for Best Foreign Language Film
I'm just going to come out and say it: I did not think The Intouchables was a good film. I understand its popularity - it tells a universal, feel-good story that many people can connect to; it's simple, funny, and very accessible. But I personally found it pandering, overly saccharine, and ultimately unsatisfying. It is fascinating for me to think that France selected this film to submit instead of two far more acclaimed, respected, and ultimately, better films - Rust and Bone and Holy Motors. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, had France actually submitted one of those films, they
would have actually landed a nomination. Once again, I think this is a good sign of things to come, as the Best Foreign Language Film category is often plagued with the same sort of stuffy, forgettable fare (Departures, The Secret in Their Eyes, and more) that often plagues the other Oscar categories.