Day 54 - Oscar Who?

I remember when it happened. I was at home on the farm, at night watching TV. It was either Miss America or Miss Universe or something like that. I was sure the one I like was going to win. She had answered the questions great, she looked good, etc. I was so sure. And then someone else won. How could they? You had to be kidding me! After that, I have had no desire to watch any contest like that ever again. Yeah, no American Idol. And definitely no Oscars.

Since I like older movies and older Hollywood, I looked at how Oscar got started and this whole business. And the movies, from the Golden Days of Hollywood, for the majority, I liked. The actors and actresses also were great. Now, there are Oscars for things I have never heard and to be honest, don't care. I remember when movies had short credits, BEFORE the movie started. When The End showed up, it was the end. Or maybe a two screen recap of the actors/actresses.

Lately there has been very little that I would consider Oscar worthy, and the ones that did win, I never saw. I had no interest in most of them. A few I will probably catch on dvd. And the funny thing is, like The Dark Knight, which is supposedly right up my alley, as I like Batman, I have NO desire to see. How many times and how many re-makes are we to endure? The original Superman was good. But after a few sequels it went down hill. How many different Batmans have we had? And don't even get me started on The Hulk or even Spiderman. Yeah I got an opinion on them also.

But, as a friend and I were having pizza and discussing movies and the books they came from, he had a point that you can only put so much in a movie from a book. Also, that you had to jazz it up a bit. True, but then it changes what the movie is all about, in my opinion.

So to those who watch the Oscars and all the, ahem, movies that they watch, if you got them all right is akin to picking all the right guys on your fantasy football league. While you may laugh at me for playing a video game and getting 80th level, my only comment is, that I actually did play that to that obscene level. What did you do? Spend $8.50 and 2 hours of your time to guess what movie will win? Here it is: find the most outrageous movie about something that, until now, you didn't know about-be a social stigma or foreign country, with stars that you had never heard of or were so sick of hearing from, and those are potential winners.

Am I stuck in the past? Maybe. Do I know what I like. most definitely. I made the comment recently about a movie with Carey Grant. I think the student knew who I meant, but had never seen the movie. You still can't beat Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind, (GWtW beat out OZ for the 1939 Best Picture). Clark Gable, John Wayne and others.... no one today can hold a candle to them. Sound like I should be in my 60's huh? Nope, just 45. I just know what I like.

Hey, it is people's opinion. Am I trying to bring down Oscar or get a re-vote? Nope. I just go to see what I want, knowing that any movie that I really like, that I would pay a ridiculous amount to see in the theatre and then buy on dvd, will never get so much as a nod from Oscar. I can live with that. Just don't ask me to watch a show like that; which it seems reality tv has also taken over verses good tv. Luckily there is cable with USA and other network that have good shows that don't involve anyone being voted off an island or their singing and dreams being put down. Do we really like seeing people destroy other people's dreams? I guess so, as the number of people who watch those shows are sure high.

So no more remakes please! Cut down on the artsy stuff. Some of us are just simple country boys from the farm who, while it maybe inspirational in another country, would like to see something I can relate too. Is it too much for a simple western these days? And for the so called stars these days; none of you are like the giants, whose shoulders you stand on. They stood for something. Nowadays, you stand for whats convenient. You raise money for your causes, go on talk shows and talk, talk & talk. But I have seen very few actually open their checkbooks. One notable exception is Denzel Washington, who made a sizable donation to a military hospital.

So have I already started to chase kids out of my yard and need a walker? Nope. Am I out of step? With the music today, short of using a Twister map, I would be hard pressed to find it. Again, that's just not my thing. And is it too loud? No, except at 2 am when I am trying to sleep.

What I am saying is that everyone has an opinion. I have learned that mine, these days, just never seem to be what everyone thinks-or at least that's what they say. Have I gotten to the conspiracy stage? Hmmmmm... could be. Some of these movies, shows and music, I think, would only be enjoyable by someone from another planet. Maybe we should check the judges and reviewers of these shows. Who knows? Where exactly IS Simon from?