King's Speech Wins Best Picture: But Why?

A week ago Hollywood staged its annual fashion show and awards ceremony to acknowledge the work of its finest during the past year in a once again over the top display of excess, and its loss of touch with reality and the current American economic condition.

Most of the dresses worn by most of those leading ladies were not off the rack, but would have fed a third world nation for the next year or two or at least helped with the American homeless and jobless.

What was interesting was the winner for Best Picture, of course, along with so many other awards this year.

The film which took home the coveted Best Picture award was a British film, starring British actors and with a British director, and for the most part filmed, of course, in Britain.

So why was it not entered into the "right" category, as Best Foreign Film?

It does appear that the Brits, Canadians and Australians have pretty much taken over most of the awards and those films are not "home grown" but another demonstration of Hollywood and its own "outsourcing."

This year the demographics for the most part of the movie going audience also was on display, by choosing a young actor and actress as the hosts rather than the tried and true comedians which were meant to at least lighten up and entertain the home viewing audience during this three hour plus marathon in excess.

Hail, Britainnia. And this doesn't even take into account all those American dollars which have been poured into that other British import, the Harry Potter series of movies which total eight blockbuster receipts with also an entirely British cast, for the most part, and filmed of course in Britain.

Hollywood is officially a promoter of "outsourcing," all appearances to the contrary.

And now Piers Morgan, another Brit, has joined the other foreign hosts of America's late night television line-up which has become increasingly dominated by foreigners on our cable television networks.

And truly interesting that the movie, from all reports, was very sympathetic to the King whose speech impediment made fodder for this World War II high drama.

The Oscar Goes To: LaLa Land Stages Its Annual Pageant

Apparently, tonight was the night of nights for those in LaLa Land.

The Oscar awards show.

According to the buzz, this year's awards ceremony was true to form as so many before.

Politically and globally correct, at least for public consumption and appearance sake.

According also to reports, the finalists for the most coveted awards were all given accolades by former co-workers prior to the announcements, and of course the big budget film once again did not win.

Only there was a personal spin. The director of the winning film, a politically correct feature which was released almost two years ago and Iraq war film, was the former wife of that Titannic cum Avatar New Age Cecil B. DeMille, James Cameron.

Gone the Biblical epics for New Age epitronics with this and that last Steven Spielberg global warming computer enhanced epitronic.

The one that took the blue screen, and in this year's entry used it as makeup.

There was even another one on World War II.

Only this time, with a rather dark violent side and comedic spin using those Nazis once again as a back drop.

I wonder when they will do an epic on maybe Cicero with a similar turn?

I mean that era is something that many Americans at this point could identify with.

All that fiddling, while Rome (America) burns.

The set, of course, was lavish once again and polished to the hilt. And just a mere week after that last two and a half week global spectacle, the Winter Olympics.

It seems the global economy isn't all that hurting, although the American one for the "average" non-Hollywood type has meant cutting back on those recreational flicks for a good many outside Hollywood and, of course, its sister city of excess, New York.

The oohs and ahs and what was worn by both the presenters and the "contestants" I'm sure will be written about, and rewritten about for days to come with full page photo layouts in People and those other entertainment weeklies.

Much was made that a female director finally won. And with a picture about the war in Iraq at that about the soldiers whose job it is to disarm those IEDs. Of course, it was only a matter of time until the heroism of those that are now on their third or fourth tours of duty would get used for dramatic purposes and publicity.

After all since World War II, hasn't war, even when not politically correct, and especially when it is not, been the bread and butter of the industry?

Congratulations to all, presenters, nominees and industry types, on another stellar performance for almost three full hours (longer than most of those nominated films).

With television, video and second run movie house revenues (which is about what most Americans can now afford), many of us will have our own reviews when and if we ever see some of those movies while the next year's lists are lobbied for, voted and released.

Although I think I'll miss the Iraq docu-film, and the massive epic with 3D blue screen characters coming to life.

And from what I have heard, talking, politically correct, trees. Who communicate like computers?

I'm wondering when these movies, with all the special effects and digital manipulating, will start making themselves.

I mean, if blue screens can come to life, why not future full run feature films ala The Matrix?