Sunday, February 27, 2005

oscar the grouch

Tonight is the Oscars. The beautiful night where hollywood pats itself on the back for making at least five palatable movies out of the hundreds of crappy ones it pumps out every year. Unfortunately I can't really comment on any of the films as I haven't seen any of them. That's what happens when you're poor. However, when in doubt always bet on John Williams, and Walter Murch and bet against Martin Scorcese and Charlie Kaufman.

I don't even know if Walter Murch is nominated for anything. Hell, I don't even know if he's still alive (though I'd bet money that he is). But if he is nominated he's gonna win that editing statue.

I think if they gave Scorcese an Oscar now, for The Aviator, it would be more insulting than anything else. it's like the kids at the cool table in high school horribly tormenting a dweeb who so badly wants to sit with them. All four years this dweeb has tried everything he could think of to land a seat at the cool kids table, and now, at the end of senior year, the cool kids, purely out of pity, say to the Dweeb: 'Sure come sit with us.' Every one in the lunch room knows that the dweeb doesn't belong at that table but everyone just winks and smiles like they're in on the joke. Sure the dweeb might be really great, and in the future be remembered as being greater than all the cool kids combined, accepting the dweeb this one time, and so late, just shows how much of a joke they really think of him and are just letting him sit with them this once so he shuts-up and goes on his way. That's Scorcese in a nutshell. He should just stop trying to pander to the Oscar and go back to making great independent minded films like he used to.

Charlie Kaufman is brilliant, funny, turns clichés on their ears: there is no way he can win. He doesn't give us hollywood endings, he doesn't give us happy stories, or sad stories; he gives us good stories that combine many elements of human emotion that can be both happy and sad at the same time. Oscar doesn't like smart or complex. Oscar likes big, over the top, extravagant, and drama. So Kaufman is out.

I shouldn't even have to explain John Williams.

The rest I have no idea about, and only wish that the other categories (short film, short animation, documentary, ect) were more accessible. I really wish i knew where I could go to see those nominated before hand, because as it stands I don't think i've heard of any of those nominated for the aforementioned categories.

Enjoy your TV and let's all hope that Chris Rock can keep the ceremony under four hours (so far my favorite host was Steve Martin, he was funny, he was in, he was out, it was over and I didn't lose any sleep staying up till the end).

that is all for now.

Uh, carry on then...

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