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Wha?

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Who saw this coming as short as a month ago? The Social Network was cruising through the critic's circuit and taking award after award. Now, The King's Speech has taken the last three important steps: wins at the PGA, DGA and SAG. Only once has a film won those three awards and lost Best Picture, and that film was Apollo 13. So the question has to be asked: was The Social Network the game-changer the critics predicted it as, or simply a well-crafted film?

Either way I guess we should have all expected as much. The King's Speech is a period piece, a triumph over hardship and features Colin Firth. Realistically that film had it in the bag a long time ago. It comes as a shock to many because in past years the Academy has gone with non-traditional films for Best Picture.  While many lament this is just another example of picking the "safe, formulaic film", The Departed, Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker are hardly considered prestige films. This year the Academy may have decided to take one for themselves.

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