DVD: Another Oscar Mistake / Thug Kidnapper Redemption

Tsotsi (2.5/5 stars)

I seem to be on some kind of roll with formulaic movies. This is the story of a brutal thug (this doesn't give anything away as it is in the first few scenes, but we almost immediately see him watch idly by as his friend stabs someone to death, he shoots a woman in front of her house when he was going to to rob it, and he robs and taunts a man in a wheelchair) who by chance ends up in possession of a baby and it changes his life. The baby comes from the woman shot in front of her house, as he steals her car only to find out that there is a crying child inside. He freaks out, leaves the car, and brings the baby back to his place. Thus begins the movie, can you guess the entire plot yet?

What is really mystifying about this film is just how quickly his personality changes. One minute the protagonist is the vilest person imaginable, then when the baby appears he suddenly becomes a nice, caring person. Does this baby have telepathic power over him to change his personality instantaneously? It sort of reminds me (not quite as bad) of the moment in Revenge of the Sith where Anakin Skywalker is screaming "I hate you!" at the Empereror, then is saying "yes, master" and running off to kill Jedi children 90 seconds later, except in reverse.

Besides this the movie is complete formula; down on his luck, poverty stricken person with a terrible childhood overcomes their misfortune to do something good (what that ends up being, I'll let you guess: it isn't very hard). The writing is very calculating and not really the slightest bit original. Also there are moments in the film where the most horrendous songs are played, providing me with a little nausea. In addition to this add the nicer sounding, but very typical African style score for some very bland sound. The one thing I'll give it is that the cinematography is good, something along the lines of City of God or The Constant Gardener without the hand-held camera.

This film won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the Academy Awards last year. Why? Because it is well made enough, and it is exactly the same kind of recycled, overly-endearing muck that appeals to the voters on a regular basis (it doesn't matter that there is really no character development, the character changes, Oscar!). I've only seen one other nominee (Paradise Now) so far, and already I know that it completely did not deserve the award it got. Since it was released in the United States this year though, I consider it to be a 2006 film, but nevertheless it is not nearly good enough to make any of my charts.