Japan received two nods when the latest Oscar nominees were announced in Los Angeles last Tuesday (two and a half, if you count Sofia Coppola's quirky comedy, "Lost in Translation," in which a version of Tokyo stars right alongside best-actor nominee Bill Murray). Ken Watanabe was nominated for his supporting role in the Hollywood extravaganza "The Last Samurai," and director Yoji Yamada's "The Twilight Samurai" made the cut for best foreign-language film. The choices prompt several responses, not all of them compatible.
First, unequivocal congratulations are due to the honorees. The charismatic Mr. Watanabe did a masterful job in a role loosely based on the controversial historical figure of Saigo Takamori, the 19th-century samurai rebel leader. As for Mr. Yamada, it is truly satisfying to see a film by this beloved veteran director, the genius who gave us "Tora-san," making a mark beyond Japan. Both men deserve to have their efforts recognized in the international arena -- and the brightly lit stage of Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on Oscar night is certainly front and center in that arena.
But it is also as well to remind ourselves that Oscars do not represent the last word on cinematic excellence, merely a very audible one. Certainly, the hype and glitter that define the annual show are outdone these days only in the monster ceremonies of the quadrennial Olympic Games. Every winter, the Oscar buzz flashes around the world, impossible to avoid. Yet the U.S. Academy Awards -- especially in the nontechnical categories -- are widely regarded as being skewed to pictures with mass popular appeal, or to those made and backed by Hollywood's studio titans, rather than to smaller, more idiosyncratic and often more interesting efforts. Warner Brothers' "The Last Samurai," starring the over-exposed Tom Cruise, is a handy example.