I’ve been really bad this year about seeing films – I confess I’ve only seen two of the movies that are nominated for the Best Picture Academy award. It won’t make the viewing any less exciting for me though. I love Oscar. I dream of Oscar, always have. I love the gowns, the hair, the make up, the jewels, the speeches, the tributes, the lifetime achievement awards and the crème de la crème’ -- staying up late to see who the big winners are. Yes it’s true that some of the 4 hour show can be painful. That’s because the best part is the first hour and last hour. The supporting actors are announced within the first hour after Ellen’s intro but the biggies, the Best Screenwriter, Best Actors, Director, and Best Picture isn't until the last hour. Everything in between is costumes, cinematography, foreign films, documentaries, shorts, musicals. A pure unadulterated cinegasmic film fest. I love it all. Rooting for my favorites and getting pissed off when the wrong person wins.

Last night I saw "Little Miss Sunshine", a quaint, humorous tale of a little girl named Olive (Abigail Breslin) and her crazily eccentric family who embark on a road trip in a broken down VW Bus [the bus is almost a character in and of itself] from Albuquerque to California to take Olive to a beauty pageant. I won’t say much more for anyone who hasn’t seen it. But the film is cute with noteworthy performances and lots of laughs, if you can appreciate dark humor like me. Breslin was adorable and endearing but I don’t think her performance was worthy of taking the Oscar away from Jennifer Hudson or Cate Blanchette. My money is on Jennifer because Cate has already won and the academy loves the underdog and new comers for this category. For me, it was Steve Carell of "the Office" fame who stole the scenes and Paul Dano, who played Olive’s tormented Nietzsche-inspired brother, Dwayne who has taken a vow of silence which helps him deal with his quirky family. The film has also been nominated for Best Picture. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if it snuck up from behind as the long shot to steal the award, the same way it sneaks up and steals your heart.

Today, in preparation for the awards, I watched the “The Departed”, I’m glad I got to see it before the show. Martin Scorsese, who has been making films for the last forty years has, if you can even believe it, never won an Oscar. The Academy Award has somehow always eluded him. He was nominated six times for such tour de forces as "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "GoodFellas," "Gangs of New York" and "The Aviator," as well as several writing nominations but no win. And yet he continues to churn our these cinematic masterpieces one after another, like butter. I have a feeling this is his year. For a guy who makes such violent films, he’s such a humble gentle soft spoken soul. I might cry when he wins. I hope I do because I’m in need of a good cry.

The film opens “Some time ago” in Boston with Jack Nicholson in the foreground cloaked in mystery behind a black shadowy light. You don’t know it’s him except for his unmistakably recognizable voice but in this distinct Bostonian accent that makes him almost unrecognizable.

“I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me. Years ago we had the church. That was only a way of saying - we had each other. The Knights of Columbus were real head-breakers; true guineas. They took over their piece of the city. Twenty years after an Irishman couldn't get a fucking job, we had the presidency. May he rest in peace. If I got one thing against the black chappies, it's this - no one gives it to you. You have to take it.”

Segue into Rolling Stones, “It’s Just a Shout Away” and then we are introduced to the lead characters played by Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio as young cadets being inducted as State police detectives but end up on opposing sides of the law. From there it’s a bloody, gritty complex roller coller ride of rising in the ranks, betrayal, corruption and the Irish Mafia with Jack as the boss taking them under his criminal wing.

“You know what Freud said about the Irish, they’re the only people who were impervious to physco analysis.”

Fucking brilliant.

Here’s to you Marty.