I'm deeply bummed. Been watching since I was 8, and it's the first year I've ever predicted the winners with 100% accuracy. And was I in any kind of betting pool? Nooooo...
Favorite moment was definitely Clooney's speech. Second fav, Garner's graceful recovery from her two near-falls. The rest was one of the most boring telecasts ever. And the decision to air music OVER people's speeches is even more disrespectful than cutting the speeches off. I got a headache concentrating to hear what the poor winners were attempting to say to the world. Sigh.
Not thrilled about Crash winning, but not surprised either. For me, the whole Oscar race became moot the moment Constant Gardner, best film of the year, wasn't nominated. In comparison, Crash is a feel-good cup of Oviltine. If you want to get serious about racism, let's talk about the United States' complicity in the genocide of Africans, and the American public's apathy towards any news stories about the atrocities going on outside of our borders. For frack's sake. LA's issues don't amount to a hill of beans. Crash was a warm fuzzy hug to people not aware enough to realize the very depictions in it were racist and pedantic.
So what should you be watching? How many effing people have to tell you to watch Battlestar Galactica before you turn it on? I was a huge admirer of Twin Peaks, X-Files and Buffy, but for the life of me those three zeitgeists combined don't add up to the media revolution Ron Moore is brilliantly leading at BSG. Jesus Christ people. What more do you need? It's a seering examination of WHAT MAKES US ALL RACIST, what makes us hate our neigbors, how we all struggle against it, where war comes from, and WHAT LOVE IS and how it IS our Conscience and our salvation, and what gods are, and how can we ELEVATE OURSELVES ABOVE OUR BASER INSTINCTS.
All of this explored under the most thrilling, compelling, terrifyingly involving 45 minutes of TV you've ever seen, with a revolving cast of the most soulful, brilliant actors of the last fifteen years of TV and Film. For the life of me, if "Downloaded" isn't the best hour-long episode ever to air on TV, I don't know what is. The women, the women, the women...these powerful, mighty warriors fighting alongside the men...At this point if I ever meet Ron Moore I'm going to weep at his feet for his humanity inclusive of women...
I'm drawing a line in the sand: there's the people watching BSG and the people who aren't. And if you aren't, well, frack it. We may have to throw down, toaster.
14 comments:
BSG is truly one of the bests shows on TV. And Downloaded was truly awesome, can't wait until next Friday.
Leia --
This has to be one of my favorite posts of yours EVER. I'll pass this along...
Clooney freaking rocked. A black/ Latina friend of ours actually cried during the speech. And his earlier double-take at the "good Night and Good Luck" joke during the monologue was awesome, followed only by Steven Spielberg heckling back during the ben Stiller visual effects shtick. Of course, Garner nearly falls in front of a billion people and she's still adorable and cheerful.
Curious -- did the Hustle and Flow song offend you, as a liberal, professional, and educated woman? Seeing as how the term "pimp-slap" is a fairly recognized term, I felt awkward about the song, even though I was glad to see hip-hop/ rap win an Oscar for the 2nd time.
Then again, Jon Stewart going "Ya know...I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp" was an all-time classic ad lib. And I would have seriously contemplated paying cold hard $$$ to see Julie Andrews or Dame Judi Dench open the envelope and read that particular award.
BTW, obviously count me in as a BSG-watcher (duh). CC, too -- but it's on a little later for her on Fridays, and we're getting the kids ready for bed from 8-9.
MIM
I need cable. I'm missing the ole BSG. Darn it!
i dunno... clooney's speech kinda bugged me. it seemed a little self-important. but i agree with everything else you said in your post. can't watch BSG, don't have cable. alas.
AK, good on you. Rock on.
MIM, brother in the force,
I MISSED the Hustle and Flow win...I think that was around the time Christina called me demanding to know who Joaquin had mouthed "I love you" to during the actor announcement. The nerve or her man cheating on her in front of a billion people...
Does anyone still have the awards TiVoed so I can see the Hustle and Flow part?
Christina, you can borrow my DVDs anytime. Then we can be friends again. Just kidding. I never loan out my DVDs.
;)
Anon, gosh I really liked his speech. But hey, that's why there's so many choices for us to watch in film and TV...nothing's going to please all of us...
I missed Clooney's speech. How'd I do that? Anyway - Overall, I have to agree that the Oscars were VERY boring this time around. Too bad.
I liked the movie Crash when I saw it on DVD, but an Oscar for it? I didn't expect it to win.
Now I have to go see Constant Gardener!
Leia -- Both CC and I second you on the raves for Gardener. CC rented it on the recommendations of other teachers, and I'd been wanting to see it since its great reviews last summer.
We both wouldn't have had any problem with Gardener being among the 5, but what to remove?
CC has no major love for Crash (apologies to Mr. Haggis), seeing as it how seems too simplistic to her and bashes L.A. while reducing race relations to primarily 2 cultures, never mind the fact that Asian and Latino American populations are such a big part of this town.
I really enjoyed Capote, but CC thought it was fairly conventional in its storytelling.
Good Night and Good Luck was well-made, but REALLY short.
Munich took on a tough topic, but got blasted all around for not going deep enough (and the last bedroom scene with the wife? Uhhh... what the...?)
Brokeback -- simple story, well-told, but was it THAT great?
SO, we loved Gardener, but who to remove?
MIM
I'm so glad you mentioned the "music under" abomination (the horror!...) You might get a giggle out of this protest poster I concocted in reaction:
http://livingromcom.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/03/obligatory_post.html
MIM, I wouldn't have shed a tear over any of the nominees going. It was that kind of year.
Billy, great to hear from you! Hey, I almost met you last week through Gary Shusett, until I got this dastardly flu that's going around. I'm on my way to check out your poster!
I like the way I spell Gardner better. So there.
Leia -- And of course, sticking to that exercise you taught Nic's class about personal preferences for style/ themes, etc., I'm thinking about the 5 pictures I would have as my "best" or faves.
I saw a lot more movies last eyar than in previous years (thanks in no small part to your influence ;-) ), but probably only 1/4 as many as you.
That being said:
Capote
Cinderella Man
The Constant Gardener
King Kong
Munich
Of course, I still have Walk the Line sitting in the DVD player at home, so I may add it shortly; and I still want to see Junebug and Hustle & Flow, too.
MIM
PS -- I'm having a tough time with Good Night & Good Luck. I LOVED it, and I tremendously respect your man George for putting it all together, but it seemed SO short.
I felt he could have fleshed it out more with respect to the investigation of the test case with the air base technician, and the internal network politics seemed to be better covered in "The Insider." If Good Night and Good Luck had just a little bit more re depth and character, I'd boot Kong off my Top 5 list.
MIM
I watch BSG. I made the effort via "that media method that dare not speak its name."
Though we are going to have to talk about this "throw down" bizness...
But then again, I am old and you would hurt me.
;D
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