I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise to most of you. I say this as a caveat to the arrogance (or perceived arrogance) that might follow in this post. You see, when people talk about movies it drives me crazy. When people misquote movie information it drives me crazy.
The worst is when people are exiting a movie theater and have post-cinema banter. It -- drives -- me -- crazy.
I'm remembering to breathe.
But alas, here in late winter, most of the world is buzzing with Oscar talk. At this time of year, this old crone gives most movie gabbers a reprieve because movie talk is inevitable.
Yes, it's Oscar time.
I think what drives me insane about public opinions and Oscars is that people are clouded by favoritism. Of course you want your favorite movie to win because it's your favorite, but how unbiased can your opinion be if the only Oscar nominated movies you've seen are Avatar and Up? Avatar does not merit the highest cinematic awards simply, "Because it rocked in 3-D" or because, "The blue smurf-cats got it on!!!". Well, maybe the latter is sufficient justification.
When people talk about movies I roll my eyes. I sit erect and assume a look of casual superiority. I know, I'm a snob. I do appreciate, however, the way that movies can elicit such strong feelings from people and be objects of such contention. It's such a subjective medium that any film can be the best film of the year for a multitude of reasons and which people are more than willing to argue about.
Perhaps that's why people want to fight for their movie -- to prove that it's the best. But movies are locked in a boxing ring, slugging it out for top honors. Movies speak for themselves, they speak to our experiences and our emotions and reveal a lot about who we are. They don't need Joe A-hole exiting the Kerasotes on Western pontificating why Transformers 2 is the bitchin'-est movie of all time.
All I'm saying is movies need to have their own story -- let's let them speak for themselves -- I'm talking to you Joe A-hole.
