The other side of the coin

Given that last night's blog dealt with my obsession with being able to predict the Oscars better than I have before and even better than my mentor, I thought it might be a good idea to consider the other side. Where's the fun in knowing? Shouldn't we wait for the show and have the fun of the surprise. I'm not going to lie. I didn't just decide to point out the other way to approach the Oscars. I was back at what has become an evening ritual, Googling Oscar predictions. The following article is fantastic, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-oscar-kenny-20110227,0,3143479.story give it a read.

My only criticism is there is a bit of a cynical tone. My interest in predicting, has more do with improving my knowledge and understanding of the Oscars --  it's all in good fun and based in a love of movies. Of course it is sweet to think back to my earliest Oscar memories. Neither of my parents watched regularly, sometimes it was on, sometimes not. I remember first being really invested in 1995. I had seen Forrest Gump twice in theaters the summer of 1994 and wanted it to win in every category (it won six of its 13 nominations). I knew then, if Tom Hanks won, he would only be the second actor to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars (and he did, the year before winning for Philadelphia, at the same ages that Spencer Tracy won his, the only other actor to win two in a row). I remember being so bummed that he was not nominated again the following year for Apollo 13. I wanted him to be the only actor to win three in a row. Oh boy I had a lot to learn about the Academy and the politics of what wins.

I love screen writer Eric Roth, because he adapted the novel Forrest Gump for the film. The book was a big disappointment to me (though I did get a kick out of the sequel when Forrest meets Tom Hanks; see also in the second Bridget Jones book when she interviews Colin Firth, who of course, plays Mark Darcy, her boyfriend in the movies). I understand the criticisms that have come up over time about Forrest Gump. It still is a really well done movie. Yes, it's nostalgia. What's wrong with that?! Here's a fun video from two years ago when the 2008 film the Curious Case of Benjamin Button was nominated (also for 13, and received three Oscars in 2009). When I saw Button, I knew Eric Roth was the screenwriter, I just knew it. I knew it because I appreciated his writing style, not because I thought it was the same movie.

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump - watch more funny videos

The cynicism and criticism that are often aimed at Forrest and Button -- that's what I'm not into. To me that's the sort of thing to avoid. That's the part of Oscar predicting that I don't want and have no part it. I am all about the love of movies. 

This talk of Benjamin Button, has made me think of all the wonderful cakes that Laura has made the last three years for the Oscars. There Will Be Blood was the cake that started it all in 2008. In 2009, the clock from Button showed the time as seen in the movie. Last year, Laura made two cakes. I can hardly wait to see this year's Oscar cake on Sunday. Marla's getting into the baking action as well with themed cupcakes.