The Oscars

I've ranted about the Oscars before, but just have to do it again:
The Oscars: After seeing several of the nominated – and not nominated- movies, and seeing what won, I can only think that their choices are based on ‘movie politics’ rather than actual rating of performances and whatever else they are supposed to judge. I admit I have not seen all the nominees, but comparing the ones I have seen, I just don’t quite understand why ‘The Descendants’ got a nod for best picture and George Clooney (although admittedly he’s quite scenic) did for best actor. I saw that last night and while reasonably entertaining and passably emotional, there was nothing that strong, that special about either the movie itself or Clooney’s performance. Meanwhile, Thomas Horn, who played the boy in ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’, doing an impeccable job of being a boy who might have Asperger Syndrome, and who showed every emotion a child might have after the 9/11 event – completely ignored. The entire movie ‘J. Edgar’ – completely ignored, despite it’s amazing performances by Leonardo DiCaprio as Hoover and Armie Hammer as Clyde, not to mention the masterful job the make-up department did in aging the two actors from men in their 20’s to their 80’s. Yeah, it probably wasn’t the most popular subject, especially given what Hoover did with the movie industry and it’s powerful people back in the 1950’s, but really, to completely ignore such work-why? Why on all of it. Gotta be movie politics, rather than actual judging on the merit of the film, the performers and the rest. Sad commentary. And meanwhile, the Oscar ceremonies? Just one more example of how excess can be displayed in the name of entertainment. Just think of how many homeless people could. be fed, how many animals saved, how much help could be given a non-profit group just with the price of one of those elaborate gowns that stay in the news for days as the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ dressed. Really? And the saddest part? That way too many people actually care.