Oscar, you've got a lot to answer for.

Why do we get so upset when the movie, actor, actress, director, screenwriter we like, don’t win?


Why do we get upset when we hear that Robert Redford is quoted as saying that the reason he didn’t even get nominated for what just might be his career best performance as an actor in All Is Lost, was quite simply due to the lack of cinema screening his film?


How come we get upset when Tom Hanks didn’t get nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Captain Philips because pundits speculate that the Oscar committee don’t want him to win a 3rd Oscar?


How can 6000 odd people (the odd refers to the ‘6000’ and not to, ‘people.’) pick the best movie of the year when they’re clearly biased? Is the reality that it is truly impossible to select the best movie of the year?


Surely audiences, with their feet, reflect a better choice for a potential movie of the year.


If this is the case should the category not be changed from best picture to most popular picture of the year?


Why doesn’t Stephen Fry, flawless at the Baftas, get to compere, the Oscars?


Why do the Sags, Golden Globes, Writers Guild and Directors Guild insist on having different lists for their award ceremonies if they are truly seeking the best performances of the year?


Now that there are so many award ceremonies are we due an award ceremony to nominate and pick the best award ceremony?
Is it a coincidence that the word ceremony ends in mon(e)y?


The answer to all of the above is: I don’t know.


We all have an opinion and it’s important to have an opinion and it might even me more important that we have different opinions. But in this case does it really matter, because it’s all part of this business we call show business.


It’s award season in movie capital of the USA and so all the film companies release their main contenders just prior to this time of the year intent in trying to ensure Harvey Weinstein doesn’t win a clutch of the awards this year again.


I can also tell you that at the exact same time of the year the weather (not to mention the breakfasts) are much better in Santa Monica than they are in either Ramelton or Camden Town so that where Catherine and I go to soak up a bit of the lack of the cold and a lot of the celluloid entertainment.


For what it worth this year this (in my opinion) is the best of the batch movies and (according to my personal opinion) I’ve listed them in the order I’d like to see them for a 2nd time.


Gravity


Captain Philips


Philomena


All Is Lost


The Invisible Woman


The Book Thief


Fruitvale Station


August: Ostage County


Nebraska


The Armstrong Lie




Who would I like to see win the Oscars?


Movie: Philomena


Director: Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)


Screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)


Actor: Bruce Dern


Support Actor: Bradley Cooper


Actress: Sandra Bullock


Support Actress: Jennifer Lawrence


Animated Movie: Frozen


Original Score: Thomas Newman (Saving Mr Banks)


This leads me to: Hints to cinema chains (including ones in the UK) on how to make more money.


a) Save your budget on self-adverts. We don’t want or need to see them. They’re boring - especially if you go to the cinema a lot - totally unnecessary and a complete waste of money.


b) Spend more money locally marketing your movies. It’s very important you make sure you let people know where the movie is on and the times. This really helps a lot. And do it on the street as well as on the web.


c) Have smaller bags of chocolates/sweets/popcorn on sale at your concessions stand in the long run you’ll sell a lot more. d) Always ensure you have Ben and Gerry’s Chunky Monkey on sale.


e) (exclusively for the UK) drop the adverts you’ll be able to fit in more screenings and do enjoy better box office returns.


f) Try and pause, even just for an extra 10 seconds the credit page at the end of each trailer so we can see who’s involved.


So that’s it for now.


Sorry for the delay between the blogs this time but I’ve been busy proof reading the new novel – THE LONESOME HEART IS ANGRY (Published May 1st) and writing the third Starrett mystery HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FIEND.


More about both next time.


Cheers


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