Oscar time a-comin'

Well, I guess I just don't get out enough. The only movie in the nominations for Oscar in any category that I've seen is Return of the King.

But....(and you probably don't remember) I predicted that Into the West would be an Oscar winner for best original song. It has at least been nominated:

16. Original Song: "Into the West" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox; "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from "A Mighty Wind," Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole; "Scarlet Tide" from "Cold Mountain," T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello; "The Triplets of Belleville" from "The Triplets of Belleville," Benoit Charest and Sylvain Chomet; "You Will Be My Ain True Love" from "Cold Mountain," Sting.

Here's the list of Oscar nominations.

Oops. I lied. I also saw Pirates of the Caribbean. I didn't expect it to be good, and it wasn't, but both my sons said it was great, and I like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, as well. So I rented it. Depp is great, as Depp always is, but he's gone commercial. I like his earlier and quirkier stuff like Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood and Dead Man and even a couple of the more commercial ones: Don Juan de Marco and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Benny and Joon! Donnie Brasco. His more recent, more commercial stuff isn't really any good, but there are still a couple less commercial ones I haven't seen that are probably good.

What has gotten into me the last few days? I'm not taking my political charge very seriously. I wonder how many readers I've lost....

Here, I'll make it political: Have you noticed how many war hero movies have come out in the last few years? Coincidence? I think not. And for all those actors who whored in them - you are on my dumped list. You know who you are. (I'm sure you all read YWA regularly.) Big money - big box office numbers - big movie offers list - do not big talent make.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.