Science fiction at the Oscars, oh my

Last week was more exciting than watching Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee take their first steps of their journey in “Fellowship of the Ring.” Despite what Kevin Smith might say, the walking in that movie was pretty gosh darn amazing.

Yes, I was one of the several hundred geeks lined up in the cold on a Pullman street for the matinee because I had to see it.

But last week tops that experience.

Last week was more exciting than watching Zack Snyder bring some of my favorite comic book characters to life in “Watchmen,” and not strip them of everything that made them interesting in the first place.

Yes, I was one of the several hundred geeks crammed into the Moses Lake theater to watch it on opening night.

But last week was even better than that.

Why, might you ask, am I descending into this pit of hyperbole to express my excitement?

Well let me tell you, dear readers. It’s because Oscar nominations came out and not one, but two, count them, two, science fiction movies were nominated for the Best Picture Award.

I’m sure some purists are cringing at the notion “Avatar” and “District 9” making the expanded best picture list. I mean what are they doing next to more “serious” films like “The Hurt Locker” or “Precious,” right? Next they’ll be nominating more than one comedy to the list. I mean isn’t the Best Picture Award supposed to be reserved for serious dramas about things like race conflict or colonial imperialism.

Wait… Wait for it… And…

Yes, “Avatar” and “District 9” are about race conflict and colonial imperialism and this makes me even more excited.

Why, might you ask, am I a quivering pile of joy about this fortunate turn of events?

It’s actually pretty simple. I’m a geek. I like geeky stuff. I like fantasy novels, computer-based role playing games, Japanese animation and comic books. It’s not horribly uncommon to find me sitting in my car, smoking a cigarette and perusing the likes of Stephen R. Donaldson, Jim Butcher or L.E. Modesitt (to name a few).

The problem is movie studios seem to hate fantasy and science fiction movies.

Sure, every now and then a Steven Spielberg or George Lucas comes along and produces something spectacular, but for every “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” or “Star Wars” there are dozens of movies like “Primer” or “The Cube.”

I’m not sure if the studios just don’t see a big paycheck in making science fiction movies, or simply don’t like science fiction, but, either way, the effort put into the script, acting and directing of the vast majority of science fiction movies is lacking. Even the Sci Fi channel (oh excuse me, Syfy channel), seems more interested in producing a fleet of computer-generated monsters than it is in producing science fiction.

So it excites me people can make accessible science fiction movies doing what science fiction movies do best — addressing social issues in the context of advancements in technology. It excites me the movies are not only commercially successful, but critically successful. It excites me because maybe, just maybe, we’ll see more good and accessible science fiction movies.

Because there is no reason science fiction can’t be serious too.

Cameron Probert is the Columbia Basin Herald county reporter. He is also an avid examiner of recently released films.