Oscars

As I've said before, I stopped watching the Oscars in 1981, when Chariots of Fire won best picture. It wasn't a horrible film, I guess, (though it contained neither chariots nor fire) -- but it didn't hold a candle to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which probably had more running, athletics, and agony of defeat in it. And certainly more fire. And if anyone needed more evidence that the Academy was as idiotic as Congress, you only needed to wait until 1985, when one of the best movies ever made wasn't even nominated. The best picture award that year went to Out of Freakin' Africa, which was so boring that I still yawn whenever I hear the title. I ask you, in what Bizarro universe does this piece of junk win over Back to the Future?

So needless to say, a person of my high personal standards of cinematic taste and excellence would naturally avoid the Oscar ceremonies, and in fact, wouldn't even pay attention to the whole process. But since I can't help but be generally aware of what's going on in the world, I knew a little bit about some of the films that were up for awards. I had even seen a couple of them this year (and Avatar twice). But I must admit that I didn't know much about The Hurt Locker. Something about Julia Child, maybe? A documentary of the time she got her finger cut off by Dan Aykroyd or something? I don't know.

But at least I'd heard of it. What I want somebody to explain to me is how I managed until yesterday to remain oblivious about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog -- how had this gem escaped my notice? I thought that "The Return of Captain Invincible" was the best singing superhero movie ever, but I was wrong.

Dr. Horrible has everything -- Neil Patrick Harris as an evil scientist, singing and dancing in laundromats, freeze rays, and political correctness/diversity (ie, crusades for the homeless, a horse in a position of authority). Even Avatar didn't have all that stuff.

I guess I need to spend more time surfing nerd blogs (like you apparently do). There must be an entire community out there for people who appreciate time travelling DeLoreans more than grass huts, giraffes, and tse tse flies. I'll let you know what else I find as I search for it.

In the meantime, go to Netflix's instant movie queue and check out Doogie as a different kind of Doctor. And have a great day!