Oscar Goes To . . . .

There used to be a time when these words were the words you heard before the envelope was opened at the Oscars:
"And the winner is . . . "
But now all that has changed.
There are no winners anymore.
No winners. No winners because there are no losers.
No losers because it's politically incorrect for someone to "lose" or be a "loser." It just ain't fair - not by today's compassion-soaked definition of "fairness."
So, no winners and no losers.
Just someone who happens to receive the Oscar.
And now it's announced like this:
"And the Oscar goes to . . . "
Pity!

Oscars Wisely Herald Cruz

The Oscars Penelope Cruz scored early with a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Vicky Christina Barcelona.
As always, Cruz was luminescent.
Again: She's simply so beautiful she takes your breath away. And, she's a wonderful actress. The Oscar is well-deserved.
Cruz was gracious, articulate, poignant in her memorable acceptance remarks.
Here's what we wrote when Vicky Christina opened last August:
Is there a more beautiful image on the screen today than Penelope Cruz?
Cruz shines in Vicky Christina Barcelona which we enjoyed over the weekend.
In this movie, two young Americans spend a summer in Spain and meet a flamboyant artist (Javier Bardem) and his beautiful but insane ex-wife (Penelope Cruz). Vicky (Rebecca Hall) is straight-laced and about to be married. Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) is a sexually adventurous free spirit. When they all become amorously entangled, the results can be both funny and harrowing, often at the same time. . . .
Much of the appeal of the film has to do with the beautiful footage of Barcelona and the intense performances of Bardem and Cruz. They are simply great fun to watch and Cruz plays a tempestuous, sultry character with such adroitness that she brings back fond memories of Ava Gardner and similar stars. Plus, the whole story gives us much to think about as it juxtaposes European and American manners and sensibilities.
In fact there is a political undercurrent to this movie: Even so-called "hip" Americans who desperately want to be European can't seem to pull it off; cant' seem to really let go; can't seem to plug into the European mindset and lifestyle. In the end, they wind up looking every bit as foolish ad they actually are.

Go Away, USA

Only last week we were commenting about Michael Medved's observation that "Hollywood Hates America" (also the title of Medved's best-selling book.

And now all four major actor Oscars have been awarded to foreign actors. We're told that this is the first time in the history of the awards that this has ever happened.

Does anybody at all know Marion Cotillard (pictured), the best actress winner? Has anybody ever heard of her? And what about Tilda Swinton, the best supporting actress winner . . . ever heard of her? I guess it's now too much to expect that the winners in major categories would be actors that we've actually heard of, people we've actually seen in movies.

It sort of reminds me of Gloria Swanson's great line in Sunset Boulevard: "I'm as as big as ever. It's the pictures that got small."

I also love the way presenters now have to say "And the Oscar goes to," instead of "And the winner is . . ." It's gotten so bad you can't call anyone a winner anymore because that implies that others are losers. So, if you win the Oscar it simply "goes to" you. It might just as well have gone to someone else, but this time it "went to" you. How nice. It's all so politically correct.

Not that Oscar has lately worried about being politically INcorrect - especially when it comes to the GOP. The show wasn't on for ten minutes last night before the droll and boring host Jon Stewart started lambasting McCain on the issue of age. He then when on to ask the entire audience: "So, which Democrat are you voting for?"

So much for correctness. So much for class.