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And the Oscar for most depressing . . .
Jewish World Review ^ | Feb. 25, 2008 | Mitch Albom

Posted on 02/25/2008 12:20:00 PM PST by Caleb1411

I'm didn't watch the Oscars. Normally I do. But I've spent enough time and money on the most depressing, dark and disturbed lineup of movies I ever can remember. I don't need to see them get rewarded.

Am I the only one who remembers when they actually gave Oscars to movies that had happy endings? There's not one happy ending in this lot — unless you consider an unplanned teenage pregnancy resulting in someone else's adoption a happy ending. That's the big payoff in "Juno."

Otherwise, you have "There Will Be Blood," in which a tyrannical oil baron destroys everyone and everything around him; "No Country For Old Men," in which a serial killer destroys everything and everyone around him; "Michael Clayton," in which greed gets nearly everyone killed; and "Atonement," in which a false accusation ruins the lives of all involved.

Um. Remind me again.

Why do we go to the movies?

THERE'S NO DEBATE HERE

Now, I'm not a Pollyanna. I enjoy films. I collect them. And I understand that not every story ends with music swirling and heroes walking off into a sunset.

But lately there's this sense that unless a movie is dark, violent and hopeless, it can't be "real." It can't be "art." It can't truly "matter." I put these words in quotes because it feels as if critics and awards committees define things that way.

(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: hollywood; oscar
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To: EdArt
I have not considered what I would have put as Best Song but I do know there are many better pieces available- however I know mediocrity when I hear it which has been the case for the last several years. Just listen to what they offered up. The pieces are thin, poor in presentation and mediocre at best.

I agree with you 100%.

Take a look at the Wikipedia entry for the Best Original Song from the Academy Awards. What you will see is that the winners were pretty darn good (at least memorable) up until about 10 years ago. After that, not much. Not sure why. But when "An Inconvenient Truth" gets a Oscar for the best Documentary and the best Song you can suspect that politics just might have something to do with it.

201 posted on 02/25/2008 2:57:26 PM PST by InterceptPoint
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To: ronnie raygun
American Oscars celebrating Europe, Around about way of saying they hate America to.

That's a new one. Do you think the same thing happening in 1965 meant the same thing?
202 posted on 02/25/2008 3:00:04 PM PST by Borges
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To: lapster

Ditto. I remember once my husband’s boss threw a movie night for couples in his team as a reward for performance. He showed Schindler’s List. I was traumatized by the movie, but we couldn’t leave without offending the boss. On the way home from the event, I told my husband, “Whatever you did, DON’T DO IT AGAIN!!!!!”


203 posted on 02/25/2008 3:01:17 PM PST by Bookwoman ("...and I am unanimous in this..")
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To: netmilsmom
Remember “American Beauty” winning for Best Pic? Yikes, the beginning of the end for Hollywood.
204 posted on 02/25/2008 3:05:40 PM PST by roses of sharon (Who will be McCain's maverick?)
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To: durasell

But truly, when someone like Mel Gibson can’t get backing straight out of the studio, he finds his own.

Oliver Stone does the same. And he can give a call to a lot of libs.


205 posted on 02/25/2008 3:06:35 PM PST by netmilsmom (Giving up "Hairspray" and the cast for Lent. Prayers appreciated!)
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To: roses of sharon

One of the worst BP winners of all time. And in a great year for movies too...


206 posted on 02/25/2008 3:07:18 PM PST by Borges
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To: Caleb1411

All you have to do is read some of the bad reviews of the novel, Atonement, to see what crap it is. Typical Oprah book club garbage.


207 posted on 02/25/2008 3:07:34 PM PST by Pining_4_TX
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To: roses of sharon

Oh yeah. shudder!


208 posted on 02/25/2008 3:08:20 PM PST by netmilsmom (Giving up "Hairspray" and the cast for Lent. Prayers appreciated!)
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To: Pining_4_TX

Oops, I forgot to add that these reviews are posted on amazon.com.

Authors and Hollywood never miss an opportunity to re-write history from a modern, liberal point of view.


209 posted on 02/25/2008 3:09:09 PM PST by Pining_4_TX
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To: Borges
It’s about psychotic serial killer.

Of course it is. What else would HW make an "Oscar contender" film about?

210 posted on 02/25/2008 3:17:53 PM PST by LexBaird (Behold, thou hast drinken of the Aide of Kool, and are lost unto Men.)
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To: durasell
Why do we go to the movies?

To look into the mirror.

In that case, I am a jungle exploring, magic weilding, one-man-army, swashbuckling superhero.

I go to the movies to escape mundane life. I can look in the mirror, and wank about my existence, at home for free.

211 posted on 02/25/2008 3:25:49 PM PST by LexBaird (Behold, thou hast drinken of the Aide of Kool, and are lost unto Men.)
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To: Caleb1411

I’m delighted to realize that not only have I not seen any of the 4 flicks mentioned, but I have no idea which pictures won Oscars or were even nominated for them.

In fact, I only know the Oscars were on recently because I saw it on the DirecTV Guide.

Wow Hollywood, you’re really making a splash these days..


212 posted on 02/25/2008 3:26:17 PM PST by prairiebreeze ("Mental institution Michael...think about it". -- FDT 2007)
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To: netmilsmom

But truly, when someone like Mel Gibson can’t get backing straight out of the studio, he finds his own.

Oliver Stone does the same. And he can give a call to a lot of libs.


Mel Gibson wanted to make a relatively low budget movie in a dead language with an unknown star.

Oliver Stone may have some friends left, but not enough to raise $100 million.


213 posted on 02/25/2008 3:48:57 PM PST by durasell (!)
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To: durasell; wideawake
Didn’t see that but I never thought I’d see Harrison Ford play a gay character until the Jimmy Kimmel show after the Oscars.

Adult language and subject matter warning. Keep an eye out for many other stars in this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lcmNaXmjvs&feature=related

214 posted on 02/25/2008 3:50:06 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult (The man who said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" has never talked to Helen Thomas.)
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To: LexBaird

NCFOM is about as un Oscar-ish as you can get. I’m surprised it got the recognition it got. I don’t know how HW a Cormac Macarthy novel is.


215 posted on 02/25/2008 3:52:35 PM PST by Borges
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To: Pining_4_TX

The novel is supposed to be quite good. Rewrite history? It’s fiction.


216 posted on 02/25/2008 3:53:32 PM PST by Borges
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To: Borges

C’mon, you haven’t seen the pictures of Cormac out partying with Britney and Paris?


217 posted on 02/25/2008 3:54:49 PM PST by durasell (!)
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To: Borges; Pining_4_TX

THE LIBERALS ARE RE-WRITING FICTOINAL HISTORY!


218 posted on 02/25/2008 3:56:17 PM PST by durasell (!)
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To: durasell

Oliver Stone has enough friends. I can’t get into IMDB cause my net is flaking out but check out his Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Stone

Hon, if it has a nice Anti-American message, the studios and friends think it will be sucessful. I think you underestimate that crowd.


219 posted on 02/25/2008 4:03:48 PM PST by netmilsmom (Giving up "Hairspray" and the cast for Lent. Prayers appreciated!)
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To: Borges

Oh, c’mon. How many Oscar winning movies have been based around psycopathic serial killers? Bunches. It’s almost a cliche.


220 posted on 02/25/2008 4:11:37 PM PST by LexBaird (Behold, thou hast drinken of the Aide of Kool, and are lost unto Men.)
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