In Which Ladypipes Realizes She's Become Her Father - A Salute to Oscar Sunday

It's Oscar Sunday tomorrow.  In previous years, I would make a huge deal about making predictions, planning a menu, some years even having an Oscar party complete with rules and Oscar Pool.  You would have felt an Oscar-Love presence all over Facebook.  You might have even received a "Kris McPeak Oscar Predictions" email from me.  I do love the Academy Awards - i think it's still my favorite awards show ever.  But this year, I don't have nearly the anticipation, excitement, or crazy elation that I normally have at Oscar time.

The reason why?  I've officially become my father.

This is not a bad thing - after all, my dad is who I credit for teaching me to love movies.  Who watched PSYCHO with me for the first time ever?  My dad.  Who used to record classic films on WGN (with the Betamax, of course) and watch them with his kids?  My dad.  Who taught me to speak in movie-lines?  My dad.

However, the older my dad got, the more appreciative he was of cinema as ENTERTAINMENT.  I learned this the hard way.  During my late twenties and early thirties, when my father and I still had VCR's, I used to record movies on pay-per-view and premium channels that I knew my father had not seen in the theater, then I would mail them to him.  He'd watch, we'd talk on the phone and "discuss".  And this mostly happened in the 1990's, the decade I call the "height of independent cinema."  A lot of films with dark, brooding themes, loved that shit!  In particular, I remember mailing my dad MONSTER'S BALL.  Halle Berry's Oscar.  Great movie, totally intense.  Called my dad, "Hey, Pop, what did you think of MONSTER'S BALL?  Wasn't it awesome?  Wasn't it intense?"  My dad replied, "Yes, Kritter, it was a very well made motion picture.  And it depressed me so much I wanted to kill myself."

That led to a conversation about movies and entertainment.  My dad clearly had become tired of "message movies" and wanted to spend his 90-180 minutes invested in a motion picture that was going to make him feel good, laugh a bit, be inspired....those kinds of emotions.  Not that my dad didn't appreciate a good "message movie."  There's definitely a time and place for films like SCHINDLER'S LIST and 12 YEARS A SLAVE.

Which brings me to this year's Academy Awards AND a list from BuzzFeed, ranking the 85 Best Picture Winners in order of worst to first.  And it occurs to me that there's a REASON why some Best Picture Winners hold up better over the years.  It's because they truly are ENTERTAINING.  Of the films listed in the Top Ten on this list, only one is what I would call "depressing".

And this year's Best Picture Nominees:  it appears to be a three way race between 12 YEARS A SLAVE, AMERICAN HUSTLE, and GRAVITY.  I've seen all three films.  In order of my enjoyment level, I rank them in this order:
1.  AMERICAN HUSTLE
2.  GRAVITY
3.  12 YEARS A SLAVE

12 YEARS A SLAVE is no doubt an important movie.  The performances are incredible.  The scenery is gorgeous and the costumes feel authentic.  But I never want to watch it again.  Too heavy, too sad, too much "real" violence.  GRAVITY was beautiful to look at, the effects were amazing, and how can you top that first super-long-one-take-shot at the beginning of the film...but for me there was no emotional substance in that movie.  I don't know why Sandra Bullock received an Oscar nomination, I was bored.  AMERICAN HUSTLE was my favorite nominated film of 2013 and I thought it was a close-to-perfect film.  There was a good story, amazing performances, a hint of comedy, and someone to root for.  If I were voting, that is the picture I would vote for.  Because I was entertained, and I felt good when the movie was over.

So, basically, I've become my father.  And that's okay with me.  No matter which film wins Best Picture tomorrow, I'll still move forward looking to watch films that are fun, entertaining, hold my interest, and make me feel good.  You might not agree with me.  You might think my opinions are silly.  And that's okay.  Because the beauty of cinema is that it's completely and totally subjective.  What I like shouldn't affect you, and what you like shouldn't affect me.

So, to quote Forest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."  Enjoy the Oscars tomorrow!