Precious -vs- Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire

Sorry. Just can’t do this any more. Can’t waste any more of my precious life energy writing it all out. So, here it is, one last time… all 38 blessed characters…

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Okay, we’re done here. From now on, it is the policy of this website to refer to this Oscar nominated film as “Precious.”

How did it happen that a film could be called by a title that sounds this unnecessary and pretentious? After all, all of the films in the “Adapted Screenplay” category could give themselves the same treatment. Then we’d be looking at films like “Up in the Air: Based on the Novel ‘Up in the Air’ by Walter Kim.”  Or how would you have liked to see this on the big screen — “Star Trek: Based on the TV Series ‘Star Trek’ by Gene Roddenberry.” Ugh…

The explanation goes back to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival where “Precious” was listed under its original title, “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire” because there was another film that same year in competition called “Push.”

Okay, fair enough. But now that they’re calling it “Precious” and not “Push” all the extra verbiage is unnecessary.

So, “Precious,” listen up. A lot of people like you, a lot of people not so much. You’re still the little film that could of this awards season and the point is that you got nominated for an Oscar and people know who you are now. Let’s not tick people off with the long-form name that’s just so irritating and… what’s the word I’m looking for?… the one my dictionary says means extreme meticulousness or overrefinement, as in language… oh, yeah… “Precious.”