The obscene dazzle of a million-dollar necklace wrapped around the neck of a billion-dollar starlet. The annual designer dress and jewellery showcase is the glamour event of the year.
Let's be honest, if you're a serious movie fan, do you care about what happens after the great and the good disappear inside for the ceremony? Normally I don't. Apart from marvelling at the winners' stumbling acceptance speeches, it holds little appeal.
But this year I'm actually getting up early to tune in. Why? Well, for me, the Oscars are usually an unintentional metaphor for Hollywood. Style, glamour and power always win over substance. I often have to turn to the foreign language movie category to find anything remotely interesting. So last year's decision to hand awards to an urban, profane flick (The Departed) may have started a new trend — giving the golden statue on merit.
This ceremony is the most interesting in years because the nomination list is verging on the sensible. Hardly any saccharine in sight.
Atonement, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood… all of them fully fledged grit-fests. All well scripted, FX-light and properly acted movies. Films about teenage pregnancy (Juno), sensitive forays into mental illness (Lars and the Real Girl) and grandstanding movies about Iraq (In The Valley of Elah) are also up for various awards. Only one of the Best Picture nominations took more than $100 million (Dh367 million) at the box office.
Good. Something as prestigious as the Oscars should reward the best movies, not the most money made.
With any luck we may never see a film like Titanic win armfuls of awards again.
There's hope for the Oscars yet.
Love it or loathe it
Are you counting down to the 80th Academy Awards? Will you be staying up to watch the Oscars? Or do you think the highlight in Hollywood's calendar is just a career-boosting photo-op on the red carpet? Love it or loathe it, the Oscars is an occasion you just can't miss. Whether it's the hype in the build-up, the televised ceremony or the endless column inches on the winners, there's no escaping Academy
Awards fever. tabloid! went online to find out what you really think of the Oscars.
Being a film lover, I think it's important to give recognition to a good movie based on the quality of its acting, directing, cinematography and other contributions that go into all good movies. Having worked on the set of Lord of the Rings in NZ, I appreciate the work that goes into a best-seller and this movie was well rewarded in this way. On the other hand, the red carpet photo ops end up selling hundreds of millions of tabloid publications worldwide so I guess it gives a lot of people jobs and trivia to waste time on reading.
— Paul, UAE
I am very excited about the Oscars. I will watch it on TV and I am looking forward to it.
— Abidshah, UAE
Love it!!
1. It is a good way to have an overview of the movies I may want to watch during the coming year.
2. Usually a funny show, especially this year as Jon Stewart is moderating.
- Sarai Kotzur
I am a Hollywood fanatic. And in Hollywood, the Academy Awards or the so-called Oscars is one of the most anticipated, most-watched events of the year. I love the Oscars because I get to take a glimpse of the stars' fashion statements on the red carpet — their stylish, unique and bizarre styles. I would always log on to it online after every Oscars and vote on who dressed best (and worst). I love the Oscars because it challenges the movie critic in me. I usually watch movies nominated for Oscars and judge whether it deserved the nod or a big how–come-it-won frown.
Although I cannot watch it live here in the UAE because we don't have cable at home, I am updated by the Oscar fever through the internet. I just love the Oscars!
-- Sheryl A. Salvador, Dubai
