You made me laugh. Where's your award?

It has been quite the prevalent discussion topic recently in the online world.  Why don't the Oscars recognize comedies or comedic acting performances more than they do?  Dramas make us well up with emotion if done well and can slam us with a powerhouse performance.  Comedies can make us die laughing and see the humor in the serious.  Should one necessarily be better or more respected than the other?  Judd Apatow recently took to Twitter, tweeting that it makes sense to have a Academy Award category honoring comedies.  The only problem with this of course is going against what has become the standard and expanding an already always lengthy Oscar show.  It seems reasonable that new ground could be broken and with the constant shuffle of how many Best Picture nominees there should be in addition to campaigning on the part of studios to honor motion capture performances, it would appear that reform is indeed possible, or at least not far off.

Maybe it won't be today or even three years from now, but when I look back on some of my favorite films of 2011, I think of the work turned in by Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids", and how it had me roaring in the aisles.  I also think of films like "50/50", which perhaps because it was marketed as a comedy, now sits in that weird place in awards season chatter (although I am ecstatic with recent recognition from the Indie Spirits and National Board of Review).  Anyone who saw the film, however, can attest it covers truly dramatic ground, bringing many audience members to tears by its conclusion.  The comedy that is layered throughout the film gives it delightfully unique levels and should not be dismissed.  Perhaps in a year where comedy was more embraced by critics groups, skilled actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be the ones really reaping the deserved recognition.

I'm a huge fan of a well-crafted drama, but maybe we should give the skilled comedic actor or actress a bit more praise for their work.