Dear Academy,

I have a serious problem with some of your Oscar selections this year. “The Dark Knight” did not receive a nomination for “Best Picture” or “Best Director” — the latter being the more surprising of the two.

At first glance, your “Best Picture” nominees look like a notoriously ignorant selection of the best films of the year that is very similar to the “top” lists that appear in Rolling Stone magazine. Interestingly enough, Rolling Stone magazine seemed to have a better grasp on the best films of the year.

Rolling Stone selected “Milk,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Dark Knight,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “Wall-E” as the best five movies of 2008. I’m not quite sure if it’s more surprising that Rolling Stone got a top list right or that two of your selections were so misplaced.

Why do you believe “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “The Reader” are better films than “The Dark Knight?”

It appears the Academy is ignoring two of the greatest films of the decade because of genre.

“The Dark Knight” stands a chance to go down in history as the greatest “Action/Thriller” film made to date: that should count for something. Does a film need to be classified as “Drama” to receive any leverage with the Academy?

Christopher Nolan’s direction in the film is a shining example of how a genre associated with summer blockbuster fodder can actually be a visual art form and contain a strong message. Isn’t that what the “Best Director” award is supposed to be for?

So please, explain to me, and the American movie-going public, as to why you snubbed “The Dark Knight” before the Oscars fall to the same level of credibility as the Grammy’s. At this rate, it might be better for filmmakers to aim for the Golden Globes.

Signed,

Dan Stone