The Oscars

It used to be that I had see every film that was nominated for Best Picture by the time the Oscars came around but for a variety of reasons I did not see a single film that was nominated this year (except Cinderella Man - was that up for Best Picture?). Some quick thoughts:

- I don't see as many movies as I used to mainly because I have other priorities and other entertainment options. For instance - yesterday my son and I picked up a new Legend of Zelda game and I spent from 8:30 to 11:30 playing it (instead of watching the Oscars).

- The movies I do like to go see like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire or The Chronicles of Narnia are entertainment and don't get nominated for awards. The movies Hollywood loves - I usually have no desire to see. Part of the problem is that Hollywood is out of ideas. Movies like Starsky and Hutch, Dukes of Hazzard and The Pink Panther are perfect examples. Another part of the problem is Hollywood's self love with their own political agenda. I don't care and won't pay to be preached to and I'm not alone (just look at all the flops with political "messages").

- Ben Stein hits the nail on the head again when he mentions that not once last night was there a "shout out" to the troops:

I did not see every second of it, but my wife did, and she joins me in noting that there was not one word of tribute, not one breath, to our fighting men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan or to their families or their widows or orphans. There were pitifully dishonest calls for peace -- as if the people we are fighting were interested in any peace for us but the peace of the grave. But not one word for the hundreds of thousands who have served and are serving, not one prayer or moment of silence for the dead and maimed.

Basically, the sad truth is that Hollywood does not think of itself as part of America, and so, to Hollywood, the war to save freedom from Islamic terrorists is happening to someone else. It does not concern them except insofar as it offers occasion to mock or criticize George Bush. They live in dreamland and cannot be gracious enough to thank the men and women who pay with their lives for the stars' ability to live in dreamland. This is shameful.

Shameful is one way to put it and stupid is another. Who wants to see "message movies" from ego maniac high school dropouts? Its bad business. Stupid business. These people don't know what "middle America" wants to see or cares about - its really that simple. We want hamburgers with onions and they try to sell us Soy burgers with alfalfa

- Finally let me say that I was not surprised to see Crash win Best Picture because these awards are basically popularity contests and Crash had a much bigger cast than Brokeback Mountain. You can be sure that many people voted for Crash simply because they knew someone who was in it.