Oscar Who?

My name is Kendall Defoe, and I have not seen a single film nominated for an Academy Award this year.

Wow, that was hard to admit, but it had to be said. I feel like I have crossed a milestone.

Usually, I would not be proud of this, but I am. In fact, I really feel as though more of use should be proud to be out of the loop of this year’s tribute to the silver screen.

I know that there is plenty of commentary about the problems with Hollywood, the movie business, and the loss of something special with the whole idea of heading out for a night at a Cineplex or repertory theatre. As I sit and type this, I can see that I have a free pass for a movie at a local theatre (received while working as a volunteer at a film festival), and I wonder what I should do with it. I had some interest in “Bugonia,” until I realized that the reviews were so negative and the word of mouth so toxic that even I could not take a chance on it (and yes, I am a fan of the director, and the cast). Some friends of mine saw “Sinners” and loved it…and I never found the time to see it. And please do not get me started on “One Battle after Another,” another film by one of the best directors of our time, and yet I could not see a way to get to the theatre to enjoy his latest work (and I sat through “Licorice Pizza”).

Do I blame myself?

A little bit…

I am getting older, but even at this age, I am still reading new books, searching for new music, and trying to enjoy the cultural products that are even more easily available now than when I was younger in a less-connected, pre-Internet world. It was fun to go out to the movies, even in a hometown where repertory theatres were located in the rougher parts and you could not guarantee that the best of the year would even be available. Two of the best shut down in my hometown, and I thought the move to a different, more cosmopolitan city, would remedy what I missed. And it did…for a little while…

So, what the hell happened?

Honestly, there is very little out there that feels like it connects to our age. I think that I would have enjoyed “Sinners,” as if it were this year’s “Get Out” and focused on the difficulties of race and love (with a little vampirism thrown in to keep us watching). As for the others on the list…

Hamnet – a film based on Shakespeare’s romance and first-born (some potential here).

Frankenstein – I have already been let down by at least one remake.

F1 – Nope

Marty Supreme – table tennis and Timothee Chalamee? No thanks.

The Secret Agent – Conrad’s novel comes to mind. Not a fan.

Sentimental Value – sounds like a romance. Pass.

Train Dreams – paging Dr. Freud. Again, not something that interests me.

Maybe I could try something from the animated, short, documentary, live action, or what is now called the “International Feature Film” category, but they seem to be just as distant (and there is some overlap with the above, anyway).

I will cheer on certain nominees, thought. Delroy Lindo deserves something after all these years in the business. And Michael B. Jordan, Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne and Stellan Skarsgard are still plugging along.

Look, this does not fill me with joy as I consider how little interest I have in the nominees or the show itself. I used to look forward to Oscar night the way certain friends and family members could not wait for the Super Bowl. Much like that predictable event, it is no longer that interesting, and I think the business knows it. I have already raised the issue on how I feel that movie going has to change, and I think that I am not alone with this feeling (the numbers don’t lie). Am I in the wrong? Do I need to give the business another chance?

Let’s see what happens next.

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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