I used to be sooo into Oscar Night...from 2000 to 2004, I viewed 23 out of 25 Best Picture nominations before the ceremony (only missing "Chocolat" in '00 & "Gosford Park" in '01). Then in '05, it was 3 of 5; last year, only 2. And though we are just beginning the buzz season, I have yet to see a potential Academy Award winner this year (though, I do plan to catch "Juno" & "Sweeney Todd").Granted, I no longer own a private vehicle, so going to a feature on a whim is not so much of an option anymore. But there are many theaters just a 10-minute bus ride away in the University District (plus, no need to pay for parking), so that's not really an excuse.
Sadly, I think I've gradually developed a 'I'll-catch-it-on-video' mentality, sacrificing the fetchings of the big-screen experience for home-based convenience. And clearly, I am not alone with this affliction. Wonder why, among other things, the Writer's Guild of America is fighting so hard for those extra few cents on a DVD sale? It's not so crazy to believe that in the near future, new releases will (legally) become available to the public online, via disc, or through a cable TV provider...though at what expense to the moviehouses that make up a major part of our cultural fabric?
For more worse than better, the already-delicate balance of the motion picture industry is certainly becoming compromised by technology & how we receive its applications.
Ciao4Now.
