Guilty pleasure; I watch the Academy Awards each year. Actually, this year, I forgot they were on! I was busy watching Pride and Prejudice and was flipping channels when it was over. I was just in time to see something that made me happy; Daniel Day-Lewis winning another Academy Award (for a movie I haven't seen yet, so I suppose I should reserve my opinion, but he's such a good actor...)
I was also in time to see something that did NOT make me happy. Anyone else watch? Did you see the two awards for documentaries? The award for Documentary Short was announced and awarded via feed by servicepeople in Baghdad. It could have been very sweet and emotional, but, being the Academy, it came across as smarmy, a token nod to "we support the troops." Especially when the following award, for Documentary Feature, was given to Taxi to the Dark Side. I do believe the documentary should have been made; but the motive is faulty. How can I tell? Read the filmmaker's acceptance speech. It's in there!
I'm tired of hearing what I heard the Academy saying last night; "We support and love our troops. We can't and don't support their mission." Would you say that to a doctor? "I really like you as a person, but I don't like that you heal people because I don't know if some of them don't deserve it." Or a garbageman? "Thanks for picking up my garbage, but are you sure you should be doing this? I think my neighbor should recycle more." Our boys, well, don't get them started on this topic. JP4's response is short and sweet; and unprintable. The Sunday version is "Supporting me and not my mission can't be done. Period."
I know this country is not perfect. Our leadership has done things to be proud of, and things to throw on the dung heap. I know that Hollywood is not Washington, and real leadership is not to be found there. I see the arrogance of, "You pay me $6million for films, you must hear and respect me," from people whose education and life experience really wouldn't qualify them to park cars. So, why do I watch every year? I guess...Hope Springs Eternal. I can't think of another reason.
Oh, and did you like Helen Mirren's dress? Very elegant. It gives hope to those of us over 45.
(I am sorry about the last two links. oscar.com takes forever to download. You may or may not think it's worth it. I understand. In a past life, I had dial-up.)
4 comments:
In the last ten years watching the Academy Awards just makes me feel old and out of touch because I don't know who any of those young whipper-snappers are!
(But I did find amusing the clip that I saw on the O'Reilly Factor of Jennifer Garner's shock at getting grabbed and kissed on the neck by Gary Busey, whom she clearly did not recognize.)
Did not watch, but I wanted to let you know that Helen Mirrin says the secret to her beauty is that she has sex every morning. YMMV.
What does YMMV mean Polly? And please don't tell my dh this secret. ;-)
It means Your Mileage May Vary, which means it may or may not work, even if you can accomplish it!
Post a Comment