My Oscar Malaise

I've said before that the Oscars are like my Super Bowl. (Though last year, the Super Bowl was my Super Bowl -- yay Colts!) This year, however, I'm just not that into it, mainly because I haven't seen most of the nominated films. I want to see "Michael Clayton" and "There Will Be Blood" but haven't gotten around to it (and probably won't before the ceremony). The reported violence of "No Country for Old Men" scares me. That leaves "Atonement" (very impressed with it; not gonna win) and "Juno."

Oh, "Juno," how I wanted to love thee. It's the kind of movie that's right up my alley: funny, indie sensibility, Jennifer Garner. But I merely liked it a lot. Slate's Dana Stevens explains it better than I can:

When Juno came out, I saw it as a flawed but fun indie, a film that, despite the screenplay's overreliance on grating banter, somehow snuck up on you by the end and made you like it.

She says this in an article about "Juno" backlash. Worth a read if you share our mixed feelings about the film.

One thing she doesn't mention is the backlash against the soundtrack, reviled by The Washington Post's pop music critic, among others I've read, despite its popularity. I happen to really like the music. I was super excited about the prominent role of the Moldy Peaches' "Anyone Else but You," a song I came to love after hearing it on the "Murderball" soundtrack not too long ago. (Dug that film and music so much that I bought the CD!)

Anyway, despite my Oscar malaise, I'm still looking forward to the spectacle that is the ceremony, just not as much as in previous years. And I've decided to live-blog the show on Feb. 24, even though I don't expect anyone to actually follow along. Heck, everyone else is doing it, why not me? (This is assuming I survive a week-long hiking trip in Big Bend between now and then.) Stay tuned!