Oscars are this Sunday night. Poor Conan.

[MikoTython]

L. A. Times film critic Amy Nicholson's should-wins and shoulda-beens: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-a ... -nicholson

You are the only one here with a Sub to LA Times, Clark.

[Targaryen]

Jimmy Kimmel must be thanking his lucky stars he's not hosting this time, with having to try and make showbiz powers and poseurs laugh while many of them are living in hotels awaiting insurance payouts, and with a sure to be record-low TV viewing audience hearing about already-obscure films aimed at a razor-thin audience competing for Oscars that will be completely forgotten in due course.

Quick (No Googling!!): What was last year's Best Picture winner?
When was the last time anyone at home watched "Slumdog Millionaire"; "The Artist"; "Parasite"; "Moonlight", or "Crash"? Or, for that matter, last year's Best Picture winner?

Last year's best picture winner was Oppenheimer, the third highest grossing film of the year, and the third highest grossing R-rated movie of all time. It was also the third highest grossing Best Picture winner of all time (only Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King grossed more).

To your point, there have been a lot of very forgettable BP winners, but I don't think Nolan's movie falls into that category. It was wildly successful in every imaginable way.

Granted all that you've said, it didn't strike me as a particularly great film - just a blockbuster. The script more-or-less glossed over Opie's titanic achievement to focus on the 'villain of the piece' drama after - i.e. the Disney treatment. jmo. I'd have given the award to 'Zone Of Interest'.

I suppose there is some expectation that the Oscars, being an industry award, must give some deference to BO metrics, but I'd prefer it to be an award based upon film merit alone, if such a thing is possible - or at least, as an aspiration.

I don't really disagree with any of that, but I still don't think it's fair to lump Oppenheimer in with previous BP winners like Crash or Green Book. One major difference is that Oppenheimer was widely expected to win Best Picture, and nobody seemed especially bothered by either the obvious prediction or the eventual result as was the case with the other two films I mentioned. Oppenheimer wasn't an all-time great, but it was a deserving movie worthy of the award.

[MikoTython]

In my book, Gravity was one of the, if not the, least deserving BPO of all time.

[3dender]

In my book, Gravity was one of the, if not the, least deserving BPO of all time.

It's Crash and it's not particularly close.

Gravity was at least a technical marvel and a rousing cinematic experience.

Crash was saccharine, trite claptrap from the jump. Nicholson even muttered "Whoa" up on stage when he read the winner. It was immediately considered the worst BP choice of all time and it still is 20 years later. All cause the Academy was a bunch of homophobes against Brokeback Mountain.

[Targaryen]

Gravity didn't win BP, though it was nominated - 12 Years a Slave won that year. Gravity did win 7 Academy Awards, but they were mostly for technical categories. The only big Oscar the film snagged was Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón.

[Pink Freud]

You are the only one here with a Sub to LA Times, Clark.

That's why I share the daily newspaper of the Showbiz Capital of the World with all of you. Their reporters are far closer to the industry than anyone in St. Louis or elsewhere.

[MikoTython]

You are the only one here with a Sub to LA Times, Clark.

That's why I share the daily newspaper of the Showbiz Capital of the World with all of you. Their reporters are far closer to the industry than anyone in St. Louis or elsewhere.

Unless you cut n paste, it does us no good. A link does us no good. There is a hard paywall there.

[Dicktar2023]

Conan is the only reason to tune in this year - though his brand of humor will be tempered by the "prestige" of the broadcast.

Maybe, but obviously Triumph will be there.

I wonder if Sona will make an appearance.

This could be a fun drinking game...