Attending the Academy Awards Is Too Cool

I attended the Academy Awards in 1997.  "Titanic" won a lot of awards that year and I really enjoyed the red carpet experience.  I was a cinema fan before meeting Oscar with my brother, Joe.  I've been smitten ever since. 

Here are some random observations regarding tonight's festivities.

"Brokeback Mountain" is favored to win best picture of the year in 2006.  I really enjoyed this movie and feel that director Ang Lee did an excellent job capturing the western idiom.

"Crash," however, gets my vote for the movie of the year.  I saw it early in the season and immediately tagged it as Oscar-worthy.  It features a multi-line plot that expertly weaves three or four social issues that won't go away.  Check out the similar and underrated "11:14," if you like "Crash."   

"Syriana" was one of most complicated movies that I've seen in a long time.  Sophisticated and global, the intricate plot will really make you appreciate George Clooney, who has had quite a year for someone recently recovered from back surgery.  Clooney co-wrote "Syriana" and his role in the movie won him a nomination for best supporting actor.  He is also nominated for best director ("Goodnight, and Good Luck"), but I don't think he'll win either.

I think that Paul Giamatti deserves to win best-supporting actor for his role in "Cinderella Man."

Attending the Academy Awards was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I still look forward to going again.

Comments

[steven leapley]

Michael, I can only imagine what it feels like to walk the red carpet and meet Oscar. The entire 'Hollywood experience' is something that I would love to experience someday. It is amazing how we act and react to Hollywood's 'elite!'