Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

As far as I\’m concerned, movies are America.

I\’ve made no secret about it. I
love them and simply cannot imagine life without them. Even when they\’re
bad it\’s
always fun to watch them. My life today would be so different if I hadn\’t discovered
the movies when I was young. They\’ve been a passion throughout my life. I used to sneak in and imagine
what my life could be like if I could get out and beyond where I was born. I
dreamt about what I might be able to make of my life if I could get beyond
my humble beginnings, which definitely formed me, but could only take me so
far. Movies are an escape for anyone trying to get out of where they
came from, especially if that place holds dark memories. Or maybe it\’s just
a way of believing in the impossible, the improbable. A way to imagine that
your life can make a difference, just like the heroes in the movies.

Today is Oscar night. It\’s an
interesting cultural ritual for some of us that allows for plenty of popcorn
and beer or champagne voyeurism. It also allows me to forget about the political
mayhem and the international carnage exploding all around us, as well as inspires me to change
the channel in my brain. Movies help me to escape and tonight is no exception.

I also always enjoy playing fashion police, watching the gazillion dollar spectacle
and marveling how money is still no arbiter of good taste.

There\’s only one thing I want from the evening. I just won\’t be happy without
it. Martin Scorsese simply must finally, at long last take home the Oscar. There won\’t be any justice
if he does not. All the directors nominated made amazing artistic contributions
last year, but not only is \”The Departed\” a fantastic film, but as
anyone knows who has ever dipped their toes into Hollywood, Oscar is also a night
for rewarding career achievements. No one deserves that nod more than Mr. Scorsese:
Mean Streets, Alice Doesn\’t Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull,
The King of Comedy, After Hours, The Color of Money, The Last Temptation of
Christ, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, No Direction
Home: Bob Dylan… and these are only a few of the
movies he\’s made.

So, here\’s hoping for Mr. Scorsese, and here\’s a list of a few of the nominees:

Best Picture:

Babel
The Departed
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

Achievement in Directing:

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu , Babel
Martin Scorsese, The Departed
Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O\’Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

Best Supporting Actress

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Best Adapted Screenplay

Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of
Kazakhstan
Children of Men
The Departed
Little Children
Notes on a Scandal

Best Original Screenplay

Babel
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan\’s Labyrinth
The Queen

but three are many
more important nominees…

What movie(s) moved you the most last year, or made you laugh, cry or just
scream out loud? Do you have any memories of movies and what they did to change
your life?

Let\’s talk movies.

Butter or no butter? No butter on mine.

Oh, and one last wish: that Eddie Murphy walks away with Oscar, too. He certainly earned it.

But as far as who the winner really is, well, his name is Al Gore.