It's Oscar Time: Part One

OSCAR.com - 78th Annual Academy Awards - Best Motion Picture of the Year

Even though the Best Picture Oscar nominees were anounced a couple of weeks ago, I didn't want to comment on them until I saw all the films on the list. Just for the record, that turned to be easy as the only film on the list I hadn't seen yet was "Munich," which I remember wanting to see when I first saw the previews, but kind of forgot about it shortly after it was released. Since I saw "Munich" four nights ago, I now feel comfortable talking about the nominations. I'll start off by saying this was an extremely good year for movies.

Even though a couple of my top ten films weren't nominated for Best Picture ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "King Kong"), a few of the films were. Of the five films that were nominated, I'll be rooting for "Capote" to win. I love that movie. It may be because it deals with writing - which is a passion of mine - but it's also a great autobiagraphy film, mystery, and human drama. I loved every aspect of this film, and it's one of those movies where you ask people "Why haven't you seen this movie?" If "Capote" doesn't win - which is looking like a real possability - then my second choice would be "Good Night and Good Luck."

"Good Night and Good Luck" was a good old fashioned movie. It takes place in the fifties, looks like it was filmed in the fifties, sounds like it was made in the fifties, and some of the actors both look and sound like it was from the fifties. Oh, and the film is in black and white, which just rocks. But the way the film looks and sounds is only part of the appeal, the rest of the appeal comes from the great storyline about a small news station who, despite what everyone else told them to, decided to publicly oppose the illegal methods of Senater McCarthy and his anti-communist ways.

Long before there was Michael Moore and Al Franklin, there was CBS and veteran news reporter Edward R. Murrow, the first real outspoken activist (and also much better then the affore mentioned "activists"). After that we have "Crash," a film about racism and how it still exists today in ways we normally have no idea it does. Some people have criticized the movie for being to forceful in it's message (and maybe they are right), but it is still a very interesting and compelling film with a message that is worth listening to. Strangely enough, I don't have much of an opinion on "Munich."

Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie and I love it, I just don't have much to say about it. Definetly worth seeing though. And that leaves us with "Brokeback Mountain," the film that will most likely win the top prize. If you've been reading this blog, you know I don't like this film. Save for a heartbreaking performance by Michelle Williams (who deserves to win Best Supporting Actress) this movie is garbage. However the film will win Best Picture, regardless of the quality of the film. Hollywood has an agenda to push, and they will push it with this film.

For people who keeping telling me that they were moved by this film I always ask them if the cheating couple had been a guy and a girl, would they still think the romance is beautiful. This question stops people dead in their tracks because they know that if this were the case, they wouldn't like the movie as much because it would make the affair more despicable then it already is. Women get hurt by husbends who leave them for other men in real life too, so I don't know why this movie is a example of a true love story. To me it's liberal garbage. Not to knock on liberals, but the message doesn't hold enough water to make a good movie.

So yeah, while I would rather see "King Kong" in the running for Best Picture over "Brokeback Mountain," I am quite happy with most of the nominations. Even though the Oscars are more about money and promotion then real awards these days, I will be looking forward to watching them on ABC this March. Well, this was a fun post to write. Come back in a couple days when I have my opinion on the Best Animated Feature Films. Hey, for me, animation requires a whole seperate catigory.

Currently Listening To: Phil Collins - "Brother Bear" Soundtrack