2/27/2012

I Didn't Watch The Oscars and I Don't Go to the Movies Much Anymore: Doesn't Sound Like Hollywood Notices

I like reading Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood - for one thing, she was a respected traditional journalist who started blogging when that was such a no-no.  I suppose it still is, but I don't think that Nikki Finke cares much (then or not).  Good for her.

Today, I was surfing through her commentary on the Oscars show last night (I didn't watch it) and noticed her reporting that Brian Glazer explained to her that the "theme" of the Academy Awards Presentation Extravaganza this year was to celebrate going to see movies in the theater because so many are opting for "video on demand."

I'll leave it to those who watched the show (Nikki, you) to decide whether or not last night's three hours of stuff achieved that goal.  (Nikki didn't think so.)

My point:  wake up.  It's not just the convenience of watching movies at home that is keeping people out of the theaters.  It's the junk that is being sold to us for very expensive tickets -- not to mention the cost of popcorn. 

You are not competing against the technology with which we watch this stuff so much as the entertainment alternatives we have.  And yes, Mr. Grazer, I mean television.

Some of it is crap, true.  Some of it is not.  One example that comes to mind immediately:  I'm rewatching the Tudors on BBC America, and while it's not exactly 100% accurate (Henry could only hope to look that good, particularly by the time he got to wive number six)  it's well done. 

Another example: The Closer.  It's good entertainment.  I'm sure we can all point to other television programming that we have found to be preferable to the stuff being sold to us at the movie theatres.

Look, I love to go to the movies.  Love it.  Love the experience.  I would like to do this every week.
But I refuse to fill my head with the junk that is being offered to me.  I will not pay for it. 

Looks like film revenues mean lots of other people may share my position on this.  Check out the reviews over at Rotten Tomatoes, Yahoo Movies, etc. and you'll see that there aren't that many five star, home run offerings out there right now either.

Not that every year needs to be 1939, but I mean really

Make better movies, and I'll go to the theatre again.  And, maybe, I'll start watching the Oscars, too.

2/07/2012

Where Do the 2012 Presidential Candidates Stand on the Issues?

I cannot believe how many debates we've had in this Presidential Campaign.  Hasn't this gone on longer than Dancing With the Stars?  Close to a full season of American Idol, complete with the first few shows with all that bad singing?  I mean really.

Meanwhile, it's not that easy to find a nice, simple to follow web site that lists where the candidates, Democrat and Republican and Independent and Libertarian and Green and Whatever Else, stand on the issues. 

And yes, I just read that Rosanne Barr has announced her candidacy for President with the Green Party.  Perhaps Kinky Friedman will have some campaign advice for here, having run for Governor of Texas a couple of times now.   

Here's what I found in a quick surf:

1.  SelectSmart.com has a questionaire where you answer questions on where you stand on the issues and then the web tells you with which candidate you are most closely aligned.  Fine, if you like hand-holding.  And if you don't worry that Big Brother is gathering more information about you as you answer these questions than you'd like (my assistant Daniel doesn't trust this stuff, hat tip to Danny here). 

2.    VoteSmart.com has lots of info - bios, voting records, things like that.  Doesn't have all the scoop that you'd like ... when I clicked on select issues, it didn't work.  Frustrating. 

3.   Then there is 2012 Presidential Candidates  site that gives you a nice list, issue by issue (see the left sidebar) and candidate by candidate, for the 2012 Presidential Race.  Libertarians, Democrats, Republicans, and some independents are listed here. 

This, in addition to the media coverage of the various candidates (which you have to read for each candidate and then compare as you wish) as well as the candidates' campaign web sites themselves.

Good voting, America.