Why I Love The Oscars

OK, I know I'm not gonna surprise anyone reading this when I say:

"I really, really LOVE the Oscars!"

Woo Hoo.....alert the media!

But guess what, it's not necessarily for the reason you may think.

I love the Oscars......

Because they always make me feel like a kid again.


Ya see.....I've loved the Oscar TELECAST ever since I was around eight years old.

(For you young'uns out there.....that was way before the internet, home videos, DVD's and 24-hour cable television.)


For a young movie-lover with stars in her eyes, the yearly Oscar show was the only time I could see a gathering of big-time movie stars.....up close & personal.

Remember, there was no Entertainment Tonight, People.com, US Magazine or E! Entertainment Channel.

I wasn't really into who would win or who was best & most deserving......I just loved seeing the stars and the spectacle of it all.


I have fond memories of bargaining with my parents so I could stay up late to watch the big show. It used to be broadcast on a Monday night, so I was supposed to come right home from school....take a long nap & then I could stay up late to watch it.

Let's just say....that idea really worked better in theory than in practice. I was usually a pretty tired girl come Tuesday morning.

OK, so flash-forward about 35 years or so.....and come Oscar season, I still feel like that star-struck 8-year-old, excited to see all of the movie stars and ready to watch the big show.


(Hmmm......or maybe I just want an after-school nap.)

Anyways, that's why I'm here -- blogging about the movies and Oscar night, and ready to give y'all my picks for this year.

I'm extra happy because I just finished my quest to see all of the nominated films in the 6 main categories (4 Acting, Best Director & Best Picture).


I do this not only because I love movies & I'm a total geek....but because it was part of my "agreement" for being chosen as a member of the Columbus Dispatch CAMPP Panel -- the Columbus Association of Motion Picture Pickers.

The feature article about the Oscars and our picks, plus a photo of our CAMPP group, will be in this Sunday's Dispatch Arts section. It's my third year being involved, and I've met a lot of other movie-lovers & Oscar fans, and it's been a lot of fun.

But enough about that......

I'm trying to make this post brief because I would LOVE to hear back from all of you guys regarding the Oscar-nominated films you've seen --

And your ideas about what was hot....and not so hot.




If you email me your thoughts and recommendations.....I will post them here on the blog for others to read and react to.

You can be Anonymous or not, whatever you prefer.

You can also post comments at the bottom of this post, people do it ALL the time.

(Uh, full disclosure here: they don't do it ALL the time.....but some have done it once or twice, in the past....and as a blogger, it's just nice to know that somebody out there is actually reading your stuff and has a thought to share. I'm just sayin'......)


OK, so let's get a little interaction goin' here folks......seriously, it's one of my most favorite things about the internet.

Well, that.....and the fact that I can surf in my PJs while eating Graeter's Mocha Chip ice cream and stalk all sorts of various celebrities & former classmates.


But hey, that's another blog post all together!

Ooops.....I said this would be brief, and wouldn't ya know it -- I've already gone on waaaay too long.

OK, so here's a hint about my main Oscar picks this year:

A Slumdog Reads In The Dark While Wrestling With Doubt.

Got it?

OK, here they are....(The 6 main categories)
Who I think WILL win & who I WANT to win:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn in "Milk"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (WILL win/WANT to win)

COMMENTS: I truly loved Mickey in this flick. Sean was great, but Mickey's performance really had heart & soul (and a staple gun!). Oh yeah, and Brad Pitt has as much of a chance of winning this Oscar as he does getting the "Husband of the Year" award from the Jennifer Aniston Fan Club. I'm just sayin'.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt" (WANT to win)
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (WILL win)
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"

COMMENTS: I just really thought Hoffman was subtle, yet great as the dubious priest in Doubt. Ledger was over the top for me, but he's gonna win. If he doesn't....the gasp in the Kodak Theater will be long and loud & comic fanboys will take over the streets of the world and revolt. Consider yourself warned.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling"
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (WANT to win)
Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (WILL win)

COMMENTS: I truly love Kate Winslet, but I thought her Revolutionary Road performance was more Oscar-worthy. It would be so great if Melissa Leo won, but that will NEVER happen. Next to no one saw her small film and it was bleak & depressing, but she was so awesome in it. Frankly, I'm just happy she's nominated, and that Happy Go Lucky's Sally Hawkins will be nowhere near that stage on Sunday night.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt" (WILL win)
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (WANT to win)
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"

COMMENTS: This is the Oscar category that is always wacky & hard to predict. Past winners include youngsters Tatum O'Neal & Anna Pacquin, a surprising Marisa Tomei and Dame Judi Dench for an whopping 8 minute role in Shakespeare in Love. Pundits are picking Penelope Cruz, but I think the early groundswell for Viola Davis' strong 12 minute Doubt performance will hold. I loved Henson in Benjamin Button, even though I didn't love the flick.

Achievement in directing

David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire" (WILL win/WANT to win)

COMMENTS: Danny Boyle pretty much has this one in the bag, and I think he totally deserves it. I love, LOVED Slumdog and I think that what Boyle achieved with that story, those children and that setting was truly wonderful.

Best motion picture of the year

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

COMMENTS: So, I guess you figured out that I was gonna pick Slumdog. What can I say? I'm a sucker for true love and a good Bollywood dance sequence. This category is another pretty sure bet if you're planning to do an Oscar pool. Bottom line: Slumdog is the one film over the last several years that I feel confident and happy to recommend to any and everyone. See this flick!

OK......there ya have it.

Take 'em or leave 'em, those are my Oscar predictions and thoughts as we head into the weekend before Hollywood's biggest night.

Now it's your turn: Send me an email or comment below about your predictions and thoughts about the Oscars and this year's slate of contenders.


(Or, if you'd rather just talk about Paul Blart-Mall Cop, that's OK by me.)

I wanna hear from you all, just a little or a lot....and I'll post it all on the blog.

In the meantime, I've been busy Twittering about the Oscars this week and plan to "live-tweet" during the Oscar Red Carpet pre-show and the award ceremony.

You can follow my Twitter feed anytime (or just on Oscar night) by clicking the link below & creating your own Twitter account in just a few short steps.

Once you're logged on, just search for my Twitter username: KellyGingery

It's really easy & painless, believe me. Even if you don't plan to ever post any "tweets", you still need to create a free account.....but then you can read the Twitter feeds from all sorts of interesting folks.

Seriously, it's informative & fun....I recently got my sis Julie and friend Marri to drink the Twitter "Kool-Aid".....and now they can't stop "tweeting"!

Check it out here: www.twitter.com

OK y'all, that's it for now......I'm lookin' forward to your emails & comments.

Let me hear from you, I'm listening.