The Oscars... Who really cares?

With the Oscars coming up in a few weeks, I thought it might be a good idea to discuss the best of 2009 and the Oscars. Do you think the Oscars represent the best in film or do you feel that it is biased to certain films. Should there be a category for what teenagers might see as the best of the year? In your opinion what is the best film of 2009? Give us your reasons why you think this and determine whether you think this film is Oscar worthy or whether you think it is just great in your mind.

Spirited Away was a brilliant film fillled with numerous themes and symbols, but could also be enjoyed on a surface level. When I introduced it to the class I did mention that I couldn't quite pinpoint what was so appealing about it. The reason for its appeal I have yet to decipher, it could have been the characters, the setting or perhaps the really big baby, I guess we'll never know. Or perhaps it was the fact that Spirited Away reminded me of something I had seen before? This film has been compared to two important english films, "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Wizard of Oz".

A) Do you think Spirited Away is similar to either of these films, which one and why?

OR

B) Choose a theme in the film and describe what you think the filmmaker was trying to say with it. Themes could include: Water, Greed, Food, Gold, Growing Up or the Duality of Good and Evil (Who were the good characters, were they truly good?) etc.