It’s about time that I get around to printing off and reviewing the Oscar List of Nominees. For a nice printable version, click here.
I used to be obsessed with ALL THINGS OSCAR. When I lived in Kansas City and my job was in the heart of the best part of the city, I had the access to and the friends to take along to the movies – almost ALL the movies – in order to meet my goal of seeing every movie that was nominated in the major categories of Best Picture, Best Actors, Screen Play, etc.
Gosh darn nabbit, I miss Kansas City… I miss those times. I miss that job, I miss those friends.
Now I live in the backwaters of film appreciation. Harsh, huh?! It’s all relative!
Back in 2000, John and I and occasionally S. and a few others, would scamper over to the Tivoli in Westport and catch the odd, the indie, the foreign, or limited release for whatever reason and I was able to see almost every movie in many many categories that year. We worked at one of those relaxed places of employment that didn’t care if you left at 4:45 to catch the 5:00 movie; Cut your lunch break by 15 minutes and all was square.
I would say every week and sometimes twice a week in winter, we would catch the movies.
Eight years later. I can’t even find a movie theatre within 30 miles that shows a foreign flick. And worse, I can’t find the definitive theatre guide to tell me where I may be able to catch the rare film. That has to be one of the biggest bummers about the hicksville area I live in… There are so many local papers, publications, even yellow pages that are only bits and pieces. Since there isn’t one definitive source, no one advertises in the same places, thus you never get an entire picture of services available in your 20 mile radius circle of life.
Boston might be the hub; but I don’t get to Boston – too far and too unfamiliar. I’m blaming my locale, my circumstances, but truth is, I’ve lost the thrill of the chase. That and the ‘others-who-share-my-passion’ issue. I had to go see Brokeback Mountain by myself in New Bedford that year. I see a lot of movies by myself…
Oh crap. I’ve whining. I’ll stop now.
Back to topic! THE OSCARS!! If you hadn’t guessed, I’ve been thinking about how out of the loop I am for what used to be a “Very Important” glass ball I didn’t want to drop. You know, that analogy of juggling; that you sometimes have to let a life ball drop and those need to be the rubber ones. The glass ones – the ones you can’t drop or your life will shatter – are health, family, and…. and the movies!
But the glass ball somehow morphed to rubber and it’s bouncing has done stopped.
Of the Best Picture Nominees: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. I’ve seen NONE. I did read the book NCFOM…
In fact, of the whole entire list of movies, I’m ashamed ASHAMED!! that I’ve only seen two. 2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Film Editing) and La Vie En Rose (Best Actress, Costume, Makeup). Interesting since the majority of movie goers probably won’t get to that one. (Hell of lot better than Bourne Ult; but. yea, I know…)
So, it’s Oscar Time. I now will actually read through the list again and then review my Netflix queue to see if I can catch a few more! Eastern Promises is now up at the top so I hope to see it this weekend.
And, maybe just maybe, I can coerce one of my real human friends to go with me to the ones still at the theatre. I’m so tired of going to the movies alone…
OH! If you enjoy movies, have read this far (HA!), enjoy lists, then this post is great…. About what makes a movie a masterpiece and the question of whether any recent movies might attain such a label in the future.
Happy Monday! 
