We Vote with our $$$$

It kind of warms my heart that people are still bitching about the dismal mess that was the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Not only did they snub (my polite word for this) Lauren Bacall by not putting her fabulous career on the big screen during the show, they completely forgot to include Ricardo Montalban in the memoriam. Montalban was not only Khan in the famous Star Trek movies, but made over 30 other movies in his long and distinguished career. I hope Hispanics take up this cause, and help boycott the Oscar BS next year. Several other actors and actresses who died were ignored; Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur, to name two, and only a glimpse of Patrick Swayze, as I recall. Yet, they found time for that horrible horror-clip montage, which made no sense.

Here comes my biggest complaint. In the 21st Century, this fuddy-duddy institution refuses to reward the most revolutionary science fiction epic of all time. The Academy may think that indie flick Hurt Locker which earned only a fraction of the $2 BILLION that Avatar brought in was the best movie, but those who vote with their wallets (the "pimply faced", as NY critic snob addle-brained Edlestein claims) think differently. And, now out comes Green Zone, with essentially the same plot as Hurt Locker -- so perhaps it too will walk with Oscar next year when I'm no longer watching or caring.

Don't get me wrong, I was all for Bigelow becoming Best Director and taking her place as the first female Director to achieve that award. But Best Picture, NO!

The Academy has a history of disdain for anything SF. Think of this: Annie Hall received the Oscar in 1977, not Star Wars. Did 2001: A Space Odyessey, perhaps the most significant movie of it's era, win? No, Oliver! won in 1968. Need I say more? Yes, one more thing: Tom Hanks, Governor of the Academy, you should feel ashamed. It was bad before, but now you are in charge of the "Worst Award Show in the World..."
(said long and drawn out the way Keith Oberman would.)

I'm done. I was done Sunday night, but now I am FINI. The End.

the Oscars

Every year I think I won't get caught up in these award shows; Globes, Grammys, SAGS and finally Oscars. I stayed away from Globes and SAGS, but couldn't resist peaking into the Grammys and now I'm in full blown Oscar mode. Not that red carpet BS -- I will never care what people are wearing, who had a face lift, or if I ever see Joan Rivers again. But, here I am at 1:30 in the morning watching Tavis Smiley (who I never watch, barely have an awareness of) with clips of Actors and Directors from the nominated movies. Seeing Sean Penn just now really confirms that he should win over Mickey Rourke. Mickey is not acting so much as living out his dream revival on screen. Penn is acting. Wow! The clip I just saw could not be more different from his actual persona.

Also, I'm so glad I saw Slumdog Millionaire. Clips do not do that experience justice. I'm astounded that people can simply refer to it as a wonderful movie. The flash back scenes and "real time" torture were so horrific I could not watch a lot of it -- necessary, compelling, but extremely difficult to watch. You should have that warning. I feel it should win Best Picture (even tho I haven't seen the other four.) I'll see all of them on DVD, but I really didn't need to see a re-enactment of Tricky Dick on the big screen. That, along with the intimate scenes (and Nazi angle) of "the Reader" can be seen in the privacy of my own home. Ditto for Milk and Button.

So, I hope to see Kate Winslet, Sean Penn and Danny Boyle celebrating Sunday night. (Boyle, along with 18 yr old Dev Patel and the beautiful Freida, on behalf of the many Oscars Slumdog deserves and I hope wins at the 2009 Oscars.) Get game -- click on the title link and make your predictions now!!