I usually don't pay much attention to the Oscars, despite my chosen career but at this point, anything was a respite from the war, and my rapidly-deteriorating NCAA Men's Hoops picks. Re: hoops... at this point it should be noted that not only are two of my final four picks gone, but my champion as well. What a nightmare. I want all my pools back, just to spare the humiliation. Tessa is now kicking my ass two years running – I think she got 29 of 32 games right in the first round. She picks teams according to "how much sleep they get," which is a divination only she knows. Whatever she's doing is working; she would have won big bucks with her brackets last year, and most likely this year as well. Next year, I'm hanging my NCAA hat on Miss Blake and riding her to victory.
That sounded vaguely pornographic.
Re: the war... today was a bad day for the Americans. Instead of cheering masses of Iraqis being liberated, our Marines are getting killed, our choppers are crashing into each other, and one soldier... oh Jesus, forget it.
Re: the Oscars... the usual sweep of one crowd favorite. I mean, I liked Chicago as much as the next latently gay aging fratboy, but six Oscars? And nothing but geek awards for The Two Towers?
The best television of the night was Michael Moore's "acceptance speech," which anyone could have seen coming a mile away. The only thing pathetic was the booing, most likely by sensitive movie people who were sick of being pigeonholed as leftists. Let's face facts: Moore is a pretty flawed messenger, and in fact, can be very cringe-worthy (I may be the only person who didn't dig his meeting with Charlton Heston in Bowling for Columbine). But pretty much everything he said tonight was right. I have a feeling he'll be vindicated one day looked upon as a millennial Thomas Nast – but not anytime soon.
I don't usually watch the Oscars for the same reason I never ran for senior class president. Movies, to me, are a completely personal experience: a balled-up sweater for lumbar support, popcorn with real butter, and a place to put my legs. I love everything about going to the movies, which is why I made one. Perhaps someday I'll feel different, but for now, I'm much too fascinated by the micro-managed minutae of editing, tweaking, angling and crafting our own film to be concerned with the results of a high school election.
Posted by at March 23, 2003 08:05 PM