Warning:the following blog entry contains strong language from the beginning
Fucking Oscars! Once again the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shown itself to be comprised of a stupid bunch of fucking clownshoes. If there was ever any argument that supported the Academy's credibility and independence from the studio system, it's now been completely dashed to smithereens.

By totally stonewalling the wonderful Punch Drunk Love, the Academy has ignored a film which best embodies the institution's title, one of the most genuinely creative cinematic releases of the last 12 months.

Paul Thomas Anderson's movie shines in both the artistic and scientific senses, with a career-redefining central performance from Adam Sandler, magnificent support from the rest of the cast, mesmerising direction and visual style from Anderson and crew, and even a soundtrack to die for. Isn't this the kind of film that should be celebrated by the Academy, the alleged elite of Hollywood?

No. Instead, AMPAS goes for the films that fall within its expectations. Sure, the academy members are happy to do worthy, giving nods to the likes of Roman Polanski's "The Pianist" and Stephen Daldry's "The Hours", and they're perfectly at home with blockbusters that have a certain amount of artistic credibility (Messrs Scorsese and Jackson, take a bow). And of course there's nothing they like more than an old favourite back on form, like Jack Nicholson or Michael Caine.

And all of these are good with, if anything, a more serious but less worthy bent than in recent years. Some of the films up for awards I've enjoyed watching very much. And although I've not seen everything, for once I can't see a seriously shoddy film on any of the major shortlists. So what's the gripe?

The thing is that all of the above think inside the box, to use a quaint but popular piece of management speak. None of them does anything that threw the Academy off balance.

The problem Oscar has with films like Punch Drunk Love (and last year The Royal Tenenbaums) is that they don't fall within the Academy's expectations. Much like with Jim Carrey in "The Truman Show" they think that if they reward Adam Sandler for his performance he'll get ideas about being a serious actor, and start stealing parts from bigger names with lesser talents. And that can't be allowed to happen.

Sandler's a golden boy, a cash cow for the studios, pulling in hundreds of millions of lovely dollars in the States with the particular brand of zany, loser-made-good comedy he's made his own. Even though he doesn't have quite the same following overseas, Adam's got to be kept in his box. Otherwise the public might go off him and studio heads would roll.

As for Anderson, he's shown that he doesn't have any respect for Hollywood. What does he think he's doing making a movie that requires people to think, not just feel. I mean, come on, the French loved him, so that proves his weird shit is screwed up.

No, Punch Drunk Love might have pleased the Europeans, but it didn't make money, wasn't a tortured genius biopic, and sure as hell didn't do any execs any favours, so any Oscar would be a waste of gold.

And that, more than anything, just wouldn't be right.

So give your statues out, dear Academy, and revel in your night of self-congratulation. It'll be a celebration of film for certain, doubtless a spectacle like every other year, and some very talented people will be rightly lauded. Just please don't pretend that anyone should take you seriously, or that you yourselves are committed to stretching Hollywood's boundaries, because you're not.

To paraphrase Kevin Smith, "Fuck the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Fuck them up their stupid asses."