User Comments

1. 

   2/25/09

   kroegergirl

   Its because the Oscars suck...I cant name two people that I know personally who watched it this year...everyone waited for the recaps online

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2. 

   2/25/09

   dinsquared

   It's because of the nomination and voting process.

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3. 

   2/25/09

   SweetViolet

   Viewers are down...seems like every year, there are fewer and fewer people interested in watching the Oscars.
   
   Seems to me that this is like a market...if enough people abandon it, the market must either change or crumble. And the Oscars, if they don't do something to stem the outflow of viewers...like start paying attention to the films the viewers have voted for via their ticket-purchases...then the whole institution will continue to crumble until it can no longer sustain it's own weight and collapses.
   
   Personally, I haven't watched the Oscars in ten years. Speeches too long, "entertainment" embarrassingly unentertaining, crap movies nominated, even more crap actors, and an endless array of "who cares??" awards. Bloated, irrelevant, pointless. I have better things to do with my time.
   
   I'm not even sure it can be turned around...I'm 62 and if I think it is turgid and boring, what must the young, hip, movie-loving types think??

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4. 

   2/25/09

   wandadog13

   thanks guys - Phew! I was beginning to think i was a minority as people at work were going about how mavellous they were and what good films were always awarded - I think the last Oscar winning film i watched was Titanic.

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5. 

   2/25/09

   mikeny07

   What about the Harry Potter films?
   
   What I really don't get about the Oscars is the jokes they do through the show. I never get most of them. All the jokes they do seem weird to me.
   
   Why does the Oscars have to be funny? I rather have just a serious show. The music performances is a great idea though.

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6. 

   2/25/09

   PetLvr

   I didn't know there was a new Star Wars movie released in 2008 .. ??

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   1. 

      2/26/09

      wandadog13

      what about the cartoon clone wars?
7. 

   2/25/09

   salomey5

   For some bizarre reason, the academy hardly ever seems to consider comedy or action flicks Oscar-worthy.
   
   I still enjoy the Oscars though. Every year, I watch the ceremony, and I always enjoy it, at least in part. I thought it was good this year. No big surprises, but I liked it.
   
   However I agree that they should widen their horizons and be less snobby towards genres like comedy, action, horror, even. Has a horror flick been nominated since "the Shining" or "Rosemary's baby", whichever came first?
   
   @MikeNY: Personally, I enjoy the comedic segments during the ceremony, and I thought that was lacking a bit this year. I too loved the music.
   But I always find it satisfying when the host takes a few digs at the Hollywood crowd.

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8. 

   2/25/09

   Stillthinking

   I actually think the Oscars got it right this year. "Slumdog Millionaire" was amazing and made by a director who usually makes popular movies rather than serious "Oscar movies."
   
   And the Oscars are based on the opinions of people who work within the film industry and help generate millions of dollars for the movies that win. This encourages movie studios to produce movies that are thought provoking and more independent artist driven, rather than just summer blockbusters. Also, let's not forget, "The Dark Knight" won two Oscars this year. As did Batman Begins, Spiderman, Terminator 2 and Spiderman 2.

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   1. 

      2/25/09

      salomey5

      That is one thing that I've noticed and that I immensely enjoy: recognition for "little indie movies".
      What I love about indie films, is that they lack the budget of these huge Hollywood productions, and have to compensate by focusing on the things which to me, are what make a good movie: the story, the characters, the writing, the acting.
      Special effects are nice and all, but too many movies overuse them to distract the viewer from the quasi-absence of plot.
      
      So I love to see these low-budget films starring little-known actors kicking some serious butt at the Oscars.
9. 

   2/25/09

   timethief

   We haven't watched the Oscars for years and we no longer care which films are nominated or awarded.

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10. 

    2/25/09

    JudiTooty

    I am wondering if Heath Ledger was alive today, would he still be awarded with an Oscar?

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    1. 

       2/25/09

       salomey5

       I would say yes.
       After his performance in "Brokeback mountain", I think the Academy recognized him as a "serious" actor.
    2. 

       2/26/09

       wandadog13

       yes but the academy doesn't recognise 'blockbuster' films so why should it recognise the actors in them based on previous serious work.. all actors make mistakes - apart from Tom Hanks.
11. 

    2/26/09

    wandadog13

    Some great feedback here guys and gals - lot more anti-oscar than pro-oscar on a rough finger count. Any pro-oscar comments you'd like to make? (I don't mind if you want to bash the oscars some more....)

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12. 

    2/26/09

    davetpcs

    There haven't been any "great" films released in the past 25 years!

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    1. 

       2/26/09

       wandadog13

       Ouch! That's gotta hurt!
13. 

    2/26/09

    metalslugx

    it's because the way they judge a film is different. they judge not only from how many people watched the film, also from their acting(someone mentioned tht right?), their camera work, production, position, and blah blah blah...so, some movies we find interesting but not even nominated is because of that. they judge from the WHOLE thing.
    
    actually i used to wonder why are the good movies we like are not nominated. but i'm a film and animation student. so i know =)

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14. 

    2/26/09

    HalfCrazy

    I'm Pro-Oscar. I'm always open for great ideas from the few geniuses who were nominated or took home Oscars.

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