So if you've seen the Academy Award nominees, you know Hollywood is really into preaching than actual movie-making as a business. It's the same way in the book business. Books that win awards are usually the ones no one wants to read. It's the industry's way of trying to add importance to their latest cause, and it has little to do with actual quality.
Question: Is something of better quality because only the elite can understand it?
My answer: I don't think so. I think truth resonates, and the fact is, no one wants to see another gay rights movie, and I personally don't want to see another Sean Penn soapbox moment, but that's me.
I was here when Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone were shot. It was a horrible event, famous for its "Twinkie" defense, where the killer basically proclaimed he'd had a sugar rush and shot them. Why would anyone want to relive that awful story?
Hollywood, it's not just that America is ignorant, though I know that's what you believe, it's that we go to the movies to be entertained. We go to church to be preached at -- or maybe some of tune into "The View".
Here's the Box office total of the nominated films and my commentary:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button $104M after 4 weeks
Haven't seen it yet, but don't feel any pull to see it in the theater. I can wait.
Frost/Nixon $9M after 7 weeks
Saw the interview. It was boring the first time -- though I think I was only like 10.
Milk $21M after 8 weeks
Mayor Moscone was killed too, you know? Why does everything have to be about being gay? Does the rest of the nation remember this? Do they care? I mean, it was a big deal here, but I don't remember the gay aspect entering into it, it was all about the Twinkie defense.
The Reader $8M after 6 weeks
You know, I don't think the Holocaust is evil enough. Let's add some pedophilia, oh yeah, that's the ticket.
Slumdog Millionaire $44M after 4 weeks
I will see this one soon. I've heard it's fabulous.
In contrast, "Mall Cop" did $39M its first week. A movie the whole family can see, how bad is that? And then Dark Knight, which everyone says should have been nominated has done $531 million since it came out.
So here's my "Normal People Nominations" for 2008:
Wall E
Quantum of Solace
The Dark Knight
Four Christmases
Marley & Me
I'd add "The Duchess" but I don't think that's a normal person movie. LOL
