Oscar matters

The last time I was really excited about the Academy Awards was when Daniel Day-Lewis was up for Best Actor in My Left Foot. I screamed with joy when he won. The year was 1989. Since then, it's been more about critiquing the fashion and anticipating adlibbed stage antics than the awards themselves. I've become resigned to the fact that the kind of films I like are rarely Oscar bait.

Even though Brokeback Mountain seems to have insurmountable publicity momentum, my fingers are crossed for Crash to win Best Picture (mostly because of my wonderful friend who gave a wonderful performance in it).

It just occured to me this week (duh!) that almost all of this year's nominees take on hot topic social issues in their subject matter. Crash: racial prejudice. Brokeback Mountain: homophobia. Munich: terrorism. Good Night, and Good Luck: journalistic responsibility, censorship and the abuse of federal power. As far as Capote, I guess you could really stretch it to say it shines a light on the American justice system or on senseless crime--but it's mostly about a self-centered writer with a really quirky voice.

If it was up to me, I'd downgrade Capote to the acting categories only and replace it with The Constant Gardener in the Best Picture category. It was a muuuuuuuch better film than Capote for a ton of reasons. The Constant Gardener also would've been a fitting bookend for the message movie collection of the 78th annual awards ceremony with its frightening tale of pharmaceutical industry mercenaries using the impoverished as lab rats.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that celebrating socially conscious entertainment makes all of us winners. See you on the red carpet. My gown will be designed by Santino Rice.