02 March, 2014

At The Oscars...

The Academy Awards are not a program to honor the "best" movie of the year.  Or the "best" actor/actress.  The Oscars are moment for celebrities and others in the film industry to get dressed up, see someone try to be entertaining as host, and view the often incomprehensible results of some random elderly white men's vote about this years films. 

A lot of things go into consideration when the "academy" (an anonymous group of mostly white males over age 50 who have some sort of ties to the film industry--most are ex-producers) vote.  In addition to the obvious viewing of this year's films, there are the personal lives and other projects of the actors, the bribes the academy members may or may not receive, and the political correctness of certain films in the current climate. 

My virtual friend, one of the male hosts on the "lovely happy sunshine" Sunday morning human interest news show, talked about why Matthew McConaughey is probably going to win best actor.  He got a lot of press when he lost all the weight to play his dying character in Dallas Buyers Club.  He also played an AIDS patient who comes to accept the ideas of homosexuality and gender nonconformity after befriending some of his fellow AIDS patients.  He was also doing very well on his detective themed cable show while the academy voting was going on.  So, the stars seem to have aligned to give Mr. McConaughey the best chance of winning. 

All the cast members of 12 Years a Slave have a good chance too.  Mostly because the theme of the movie makes it politically incorrect not to support the actors (don't get me wrong, it looks like a well done, moving story too). 

After a few years of watching the "boring" looking films win best picture, I've stopped expecting too much from the Oscars.  The hosts and the outfits are my favorite parts, so with Ellen DeGeneres and JLaw there to entertain me, I'm good to go no matter who wins.  My advice to everyone else: sit back, relax, and be glad that you don't have to wear all that makeup and hairspray.  And dig in to your snacks.

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