Just Asking
Quick, no thinking, right off the top -- name last year's four Oscar winners in the acting categories. Not coming, is it? Okay, name the Best Actor winner. Uhmm...yeah, wait a minute...takes a few seconds, doesn't it? Daniel Day-Lewis won for Best Actor in There Will Be Blood, Javier Bardem won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for No Country for Old Men, La Vie en Rose's Marion Cotillard won the Best Actress Oscar and...wait, oh yeah...Tilda Swinton won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Michael Clayton. Anyone who says they knew these four names cold without thinking or blinking is a liar.
The most easy-to-recall Oscar moment for me over the last two or three years was Alan Arkin's Best Supporting Actor win for Little Miss Sunshine, because it meant that the ogre Eddie Murphy had lost...yes!
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 22, 2008 at 7:51 PM
comment #1
Aladdin Sane says ...
I'm no liar, but it wasn't that long ago. The year before has faded. I guess it can only mean one thing: Oscars are ultimately meaningless.
Posted by Aladdin Sane at August 22, 2008 8:13 PM
comment #2
nemo says ...
If we all just ignore the Oscars, maybe they'll go away.
Posted by nemo at August 22, 2008 8:32 PM
comment #3
Ozwitch says ...
I remember the Oscars where I had a vested interest in an outcome, that's about it. For example, I remember LOTR losing out to A Beautiful Mind by about 50 votes, I remember Russell Crowe losing out for the Insider and then winning it next year for Gladiator, which I thought wasn't as good a performance.
Other than that, who won what doesn't seem to have any significance by the time next year rolls around. And by then the DVDs are all done anyway so no more marketing to be made. Really, who cares any more? The ceremony is dead self-aggrandizing, predictable, the speeches excruciating, the set pieces boring and the whole thing needs to be cauterised.
Posted by Ozwitch at August 22, 2008 8:41 PM
comment #4
Ozwitch says ...
And don't even get me started on Crash. Worst. Winner. Ever.
Posted by Ozwitch at August 22, 2008 8:43 PM
comment #5
mutinyco says ...
"Home of the Gentleman's Rebate"
Posted by mutinyco at August 22, 2008 8:54 PM
comment #6
renorambler says ...
I think this is just dumb. It would take me a minute or two to remember the 4 winners but that's hardly the point. They get to always be known as "Academy Award Winner" in promos for subsequent films, and in their obits. That's cool and historic. Does it mean it was the best performance of the year? Of course not. Too much politics and money involved. Then again, none of the last year's winners offends me. Not something I can say about most years.
Posted by renorambler at August 22, 2008 9:00 PM
comment #7
bfm says ...
Off the bat, I couldn't remember all of this year's winners. But give me the name of an actor and I can immediately tell you if they ever won and if so, for what movie(s). Likewise, if you name a film I can generally remember the major awards that it won (I'd probably stumble on costume or sound editing). I think the attachment to the winner is more important than the link to a particular year.
Posted by bfm at August 22, 2008 10:16 PM
comment #8
cjKennedy says ...
Will how little you remember it last year have any impact on how much attention you give it this year? Sadly, no.
Posted by cjKennedy at August 23, 2008 1:09 AM
comment #9
markj says ...
I knew all 4 winners. First time i've heard having a good memory being called lying. Day-Lewis's prerformance was astonishing. "Bastard in a basket!!!!!!!"
Posted by markj at August 23, 2008 1:58 AM
comment #10
The InSneider says ...
i remembered 3 instantly, since 2 r pretty much iconic performances, but swinton actually alluded me, probably because clayton was such a forgettable movie. that's right, i said it. well done but bo-ring. still better than syriana though.
Posted by The InSneider at August 23, 2008 3:26 AM
comment #11
actionman says ...
I instantly knew all four. Last year was the best moie going year of my lifetime. So it wasn't too hard to remember these four amazing performances.
Posted by actionman at August 23, 2008 6:50 AM
comment #12
filmfan says ...
Of course I remembered all four. All four are real actors/actresses and not just movie stars. We need to reward more of those type of people. I, for one, could care less about the glitz. I'm for real acting. Oh, and none of them were Americans.
Posted by filmfan at August 23, 2008 7:10 AM
comment #13
Josh Massey says ...
Oscar forever died with the following words: "And the Oscar goes to Crash!"
Posted by Josh Massey at August 23, 2008 7:42 AM
comment #14
astrophore says ...
i can't remember what i ate yesterday.
or if i just put on deodorant ten seconds ago.
marion cotillard just ain't coming down the neural pathway, if you know what i mean. c'est la vie en rose.
but at least i know that mike myers is the ogre and eddie murphy is the donkey.
Posted by astrophore at August 23, 2008 8:34 AM
comment #15
Richardson says ...
I'm still spending Fandango money that I got from winning an on-line Oscar pool this year. I bet I could remember most of the technical awards, but none of the shorts or any of that. Definitely remember all four. Was planning to make a joke about Jeff being old until everybody agreed they couldn't remember.
Posted by Richardson at August 23, 2008 8:39 AM
comment #16
Rosebudsthesled says ...
As someone who memorizes the Oscar winners each year, Jeff, I'm offended. Don't call me a liar. It's beneath you.
Posted by Rosebudsthesled at August 23, 2008 12:23 PM
comment #17
kinks541 says ...
I had 3 out of 4 without even thinking (Best Supporting Actress had me stumped).
Posted by kinks541 at August 23, 2008 4:22 PM
comment #18
Cadavra says ...
It usually takes me a moment or three as well, but I remembered these four right away for the reason filmfan gave: no Americans.
Posted by Cadavra at August 24, 2008 12:38 PM