For the love of Oscar...

Sean says...

As many of my long time friends and family know, I am a film addict.  And maybe foolishly I am doubly an Academy Awards addict.  Some hate the pageantry and the idea of choosing a "winner," but I enjoy it for what it is supposed to be - a celebration of film. They don't always get the "winners" correct, but in the long run people debate and find their favorites when they might not have found one before. Sure the whole process is getting old and the distribution of film in theatres is quickly being surpassed (or has been surpassed for a while) by home DVD viewing, on demand services on-line, or on your cable provider, and download. But to me the power of watching a film in a theatre is an amazing experience...cue creepy clip from Sunset Boulevard!

Now, five films have been selected from 2007 for the coveted and infamous Best Picture prize. I am not going to make a prediction here like I usually do because predictions this year for me have pretty much gone down in flames. And many of you will read this way after the prize is announced so why not focus on the film rather than the prize. So here is my take on all five (YES! I did get to see all five this year!) and a few samples of what each one has to offer. The next subsequent blog entries will capture my thoughts on each. Believe it or not I managed to personally see all five during the week of Feb 17 - 23, 2008!  Stefan saw two - Juno and Michael Clayton with me, the others just didn't catch his interest. Separate entries have been made to brake up my opinions so it is easier to read and manage by you.

The nominees are...

Atonement

Juno

Michael Clayton

No Country For Old Men

There Will Be Blood