Public Editor: Academy Awards

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

By Mike Bressler

In his Feb. 24 column, Andrew Munz promised “sound advice on who was going to win the statues” in his article on the Oscars due out the following week. You can imagine the breathless excitement with which I opened last week’s Weekly to read his picks. For Best Picture he suggested we “flip a coin.” Best Actor is “tough, but not as tough as Best Actress” he warned with bravado. He did offer two picks that “I’m pretty certain of.” Mr. Munz should have been a presidential press secretary.

As Mr. Munz was no help, I used an online movie critic’s picks to fill out the Academy Awards Contest form in the Daily. I haven’t been a big moviegoer since John Wayne died, and have no need for a free movie pass, I just believe in supporting businesses that use real butter on their popcorn.

It is difficult to know what movies to choose as it is not the best movie that wins but the one that gets the most votes. Directors and producers “lobby” for their nominated movies as intensely as any corporation lobbies congress. The only difference is the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a set of guidelines they actually enforce.

Anna watched the Super Bowl with me, showing extreme patience when I screamed at the TV, so I agreed to watched the Academy Awards, the women’s Super Bowl. It was a display of arrogant, self-serving glitter. There was no plot, no nudity, no action and no doubt that Hollywood is very important, at least in the opinion of those presenting and receiving awards. Tragically, Brad and Angelina didn’t show up leaving unanswered rumors, well documented in checkout tabloids, of break up.

There were, however, lots of silicone enhanced blonds with low-cut gowns, and each speech was loaded with political undertones. It’s like Fox News without the rage.

There was the suspense of opening the envelope to the words of, “and the winner is.” It’s kind of like World Wrestling Federation bouts, suspenseful for the audience, lots of chances to cheer and hiss, but the outcome is already known by insiders. At least the costumes in the WWF are not as outrageous as those at the Oscars.

Sadly, my online critic was wrong in virtually every category. But at least he went out on a limb and picked. It’s the difference between a John Wayne and a Brad Pitt. JHW


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