The Greatest Movies Nobody Has Seen

The awards show season is in full swing, and I have to admit, I love it. I didn't get a chance to watch the Golden Globes this year, because Desperate Housewives was on, and I can't miss that. Rest assured, however, that I will be glued to my tv for the full three-hour-long extravaganza that is the Academy Awards. I do have a problem, though, with the winners in the "Best Picture" category as of late. NO ONE WATCHES THEM. The only exception to this rule in the past ten years has been "The Return of the King." Everything else that has won best picture has not been tremendously successful in the box office. Some may say, "Oh, well that's because Americans wouldn't appreciate good cinema if it beat them down and made them bite the curb." While I'm not disagreeing with that statement, I don't think that's the reason for this disturbing trend. It's because of the extensive campaigning that gets done. Filmmakers advertise in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to get nominations and votes at the Oscars. I love to watch them, but they've been so political for, well, my entire life, I think it is now detracting from the honor of the awards. Some of the "best pictures of the year" have been terrible. Does anyone know what film beat out "Saving Private Ryan" for best picture? "Shakespeare in Love." And how many people actually SAW it? About nine. In 1996, "The English Patient" beat out "Fargo" and "Jerry Maguire." Again, who saw "The English Patient," and of those people, who liked it? It was terrible movie. And don't even get me started on "Chicago." I can't believe it was even nominated. If I ever meet one of the people who decided to nominate Rob Marshall for best director, I swear I'll punch them in the mouth. Hard.