The Spotty History Of The Academy Awards And Science Fiction

FROM MTV.COM: In the grand scheme of the Academy Awards' 82-year history, it's no secret that comedies are typically overlooked on Oscar night. But if that's the case, then this week's surprising "District 9" Best Picture nomination — teamed with the likely domination of Oscar favorite "Avatar" — reminded us that sci-fi takes a close second in the race for Oscar irrelevance.

What do "The Empire Strikes Back," "The Matrix," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Alien," "Back to the Future" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" have in common? Each are among the top-rated science-fiction films of all time, as rated by hundreds of thousands of fans on IMDb, and not a single one earned a Best Picture nomination. In fact, if you don't include such debatable sci-fi fare as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," the genre hasn't been represented on Oscar night since "The Lord of the Rings" films broke through at the beginning of the new century. Go back further, and the last true sci-fi nominee was "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" in 1982.

Continue reading Have 'Avatar' And 'District 9' Shattered The Oscars' Sci-Fi Stigma?

Tags avatar, district 9