So, I was all set to write about the Spider-Man and Friends cartoon in this update. For some reason, I had Firestar on the brain. Then I came home from work and found my copy of Entertainment Weekly, and right away I'm annoyed. It's the Oscar: The Ultimate Viewer's Guide issue, a special collector's double issue. Why am I annoyed? Well, it rained today, so naturally my special collector's double issue is all wrinkly from getting wet. It's not a big deal, because I wasn't going to keep it. But what if I was one of those people that did keep these collector's issues? I'd have to go out and get another one. Also, I just really like my magazines not to be bent or wrinkly or anything. I'm anal. I know.
Anyway, I was looking through the magazine, and it has all the Oscar nominations. I realize that I haven't seen any of these movies. (Well, I saw Crash, which I actually really liked.) Unfortunately, I just don't get to go to the movies much, or at all, anymore. I am practically a shut in. So when I do go to the movies, I'm just not likely to go see something like Good Night, and Good Luck or Capote. While I'm sure that they are really great movies that I will enjoy when I do see them, and I do think that all movies are better on the big screen, I just don't think I would regret not seeing them on the big screen the way I would have regretted not seeing King Kong on the big screen. Maybe it's because my tastes tend to be more geek than not. I don't know. I do know that King Kong was amazing looking, and 25 foot gorillas just don't look as good on your TV. Neither do dinosaurs. (Also, the Skull Island natives scared the hell out of me.)
I do think I would have liked to see Brokeback Mountain in a theater. A 24 inch television screen can't do Montana, or Ang Lee, justice. The other movies I'm willing to wait for DVD (though I wish I could go see every movie that came out in theaters like I used to). Consequently, when I decide who I'm rooting for on Oscar Night, it is largely going to be based on who I think will give the best acceptance speech (George Clooney), whether there is an actress in the running that I have an irrational hatred for (Chalize Theron), who I think is cute (Heath Ledger), or whose nomination amuses me because she was the girl who ate a deer in an episode of Smallville (Amy Adams). But that's about who I plan on rooting for, not necessarily who I think will win.
And is Oscar Night really about who deserves to win? Does it really matter if you've seen the movies? I say no. Even when I don't see the movies, I normally do pretty well with my picks just from being able to read all the "buzz." For example, when Roberto Benigni won for best actor, I knew. It was a pretty easy call actually. He was the one who was going on all the talk shows and had basically becoming Hollywood's little pet monkey. Personally, I can't stand the guy; I still can't bring myself to watch Life Is Beautiful; and I would have much rather seen the award go to Ian McKellan (for Gods and Monsters) or Edward Norton (for American History X). That same year Shakespeare In Love beat Saving Private Ryan for best picture. Now, I liked both films a lot and didn't really have a preference, but I wondered why anyone was surprised. Shakespeare In Love is a movie about writers and actors. Plus, it had the Miramax promotional budget behind it. How was it not going to win best picture? So when I make my Oscar picks, which will be right before the Oscars, these are the things I will be thinking about.
Now I'm going to go enjoy the cool articles about past Oscar winners and ceremonies. They're always the best part of any Oscar issue of Entertainment Weekly.
Anyway, I was looking through the magazine, and it has all the Oscar nominations. I realize that I haven't seen any of these movies. (Well, I saw Crash, which I actually really liked.) Unfortunately, I just don't get to go to the movies much, or at all, anymore. I am practically a shut in. So when I do go to the movies, I'm just not likely to go see something like Good Night, and Good Luck or Capote. While I'm sure that they are really great movies that I will enjoy when I do see them, and I do think that all movies are better on the big screen, I just don't think I would regret not seeing them on the big screen the way I would have regretted not seeing King Kong on the big screen. Maybe it's because my tastes tend to be more geek than not. I don't know. I do know that King Kong was amazing looking, and 25 foot gorillas just don't look as good on your TV. Neither do dinosaurs. (Also, the Skull Island natives scared the hell out of me.)
I do think I would have liked to see Brokeback Mountain in a theater. A 24 inch television screen can't do Montana, or Ang Lee, justice. The other movies I'm willing to wait for DVD (though I wish I could go see every movie that came out in theaters like I used to). Consequently, when I decide who I'm rooting for on Oscar Night, it is largely going to be based on who I think will give the best acceptance speech (George Clooney), whether there is an actress in the running that I have an irrational hatred for (Chalize Theron), who I think is cute (Heath Ledger), or whose nomination amuses me because she was the girl who ate a deer in an episode of Smallville (Amy Adams). But that's about who I plan on rooting for, not necessarily who I think will win.
And is Oscar Night really about who deserves to win? Does it really matter if you've seen the movies? I say no. Even when I don't see the movies, I normally do pretty well with my picks just from being able to read all the "buzz." For example, when Roberto Benigni won for best actor, I knew. It was a pretty easy call actually. He was the one who was going on all the talk shows and had basically becoming Hollywood's little pet monkey. Personally, I can't stand the guy; I still can't bring myself to watch Life Is Beautiful; and I would have much rather seen the award go to Ian McKellan (for Gods and Monsters) or Edward Norton (for American History X). That same year Shakespeare In Love beat Saving Private Ryan for best picture. Now, I liked both films a lot and didn't really have a preference, but I wondered why anyone was surprised. Shakespeare In Love is a movie about writers and actors. Plus, it had the Miramax promotional budget behind it. How was it not going to win best picture? So when I make my Oscar picks, which will be right before the Oscars, these are the things I will be thinking about.
Now I'm going to go enjoy the cool articles about past Oscar winners and ceremonies. They're always the best part of any Oscar issue of Entertainment Weekly.
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