How To Be Nice To Your Dragon

Here's an awards curveball for ya. We don't often hear about the Genesis Awards but this is their 25th year. They award media that promotes fair and kind treatment to animals. There are categories ranging from traditional news segments, to magazines articles, up to feature films and documentaries. Here are three major categories I thought might interest you, whether you're an animal lover, a committed vegan or just an awards junkie.

Feature Film
How To Train Your Dragon
The Switch

It's easy to see why Oscar nominee How To Train Your Dragon figured in as the whole plot revolves around learning to leave peacefully with another species. But the sperm donor comedy The Switch starring Jennifer Aniston? Is Jason Bateman turning into a wolf again? Goddamnit. I thought we were done with that in the 80s.

I guess you have to have seen that one to know why it's so honored. But I don't want to have to have seen it. Please explain in the comments if you have.

Feature Documentary 
The Elephant in the Living Room
Oceans 

I guess Banksy's Pink Elephant in the Gallery from Exit Through The Gift Shop was not a smart move if he wanted to win a Genesis. Painting or dyeing animals is usually not a good idea. I loved the "horses of a different color" in The Wizard of Oz but I'm guessing they didn't consult with them on how they were dealing with their makeup the way they had to deal with actors with skin rashes.

Television Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent "Inhumane Society" -USA Network
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit "Beef" -NBC
True Blood "Hitting the Ground" -HBO

Okay. Someone who is up to date on True Blood (I'm behind since I don't get HBO) will have to fill me in on how this qualified. From what I've seen of the show don't animals get brutalized along with the humans in its dangerous swampy world? Last time I watched [Season 2 spoiler] Marianne, who liked to travel with a giant pig and was all into animal and human sacrifices and cannibalism was finally dispatched by the horns of a deified bull (not really. But she was ecstatically confused).]

And Kristin Davis of Sex & the City fame is getting a special prize.

Hug your pets! Bye.

Comments

[anna]

Okay, I'm going to admit it, I've actually seen "The Switch"... The little boy in the film is an animal lover and wants to have his birthday party at a kill shelter ("to raise awareness"). At one point in the film (mild spoiler follows!) he also blackmails Juliette Lewis into adopting a three-legged dog.

My guess about the True Blood episode being nominated is that is has something to do with that dog fighting subplot (involving Sam's little brother).

[Nathaniel R]

anna -- thanks. but damn. now i want to see juliette lewis adopting a three legged dog.

[Jorge Rodrigues]

Juliette Lewis is bliss in that film.

It's not a generic rom-com, so I kinda liked it, mostly because I love Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston works best when she has a partner with killer comic timing, like he does. But Juliette is the MVP of the film. She's awesome whenever she appears.

[NATHANIEL R]

Jorge -- okay now i really have to see it. damnit.

[Julian Stark]

I just watched How to Train Your Dragon again the other night. Absolutely loved it all over again. Practically perfect in every way. Plus it makes sense for these awards, though the whole situation regarding The Switch feels a bit... reaching, to say the least.