The Academy and I Have Our Facts + We're Voting: Other

Ok, first the truth: I haven't seen any of the films that were nominated for this past Sunday's Oscars. Some kind of unwritten/small print sin for anyone who knows what a F stop is. However, my brother, Matthew is not only a regular @ his local theater but he's also been known to go not once, not twice -up to four times, to see one movie (believe it or not, there is no math involved in this entry). In turn, he keeps me on the up and up w/ what's good, what's bad. Please allow me to share a few of his reviews:

The Departed: "AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Children of Men: "AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Little Miss Sunshine: "AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
The Departed: "I JUST WENT AND SAW IT AGAIN! AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Borat: "AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Babel: "AMAZING! BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Devil Wears Prada: "Who would go and see that!? I just saw the Departed again! AMAZING! BEST MOVIE EVER!"

(I should note that Matthew also saw "Good Burger," in theater ...I'm just saying he's a well-rounded fella)

So, it's safe to say, I know a thing or two about this year's nominees. With that knowledge, I found myself watching the 2007 Oscar Awards and thought I'd share a few thoughts/comments/observations/what I caught while glancing up from a book I was reading (in no particular order):

-I was glad to see Ellen hosting. I've been an Ellen fan for years. Honestly, I could have just sat and watched her stand up for 3 hrs. Plus, I'm a big fan of anyone with a tambourine and a velvet suit.
-Jack Nicholson's shaved head vs. Britney Spears 'do: I called it early, the comparisons/jabs will be all over the E! Channel's Oscar wrap up (And I was right).
-Rumor has it that Eddie Murphy left shortly after losing to Alan Arkin for best male supporting actor ...What a sore loser. Or was he leaving to attend the premiere of "Norbit"? Hmm.
-Ryan Secreast. How much longer will he deny the gay rumors by overcompensating in heterosexual male rhetoric? "She's HOT! I mean HOT! Man, I'd like some of that! HOT!" ...It's hard to pull off when you're asking "Who are you wearing?"
-Why isn't anyone covering the best dressed for the evening: Diane Keaton. She was the only one that I thought "Wow!" when I saw her walking out w/ Jack, to present best picture.
-Am I the only one that noticed a certain someone who was missing from this year's memorial reel? I'm speaking of course about Anna Nicole Smith. Um, Naked Gun 33 1/3? How quickly the Academy forgets that slice of cinematic gold ...And yet, they'll honor Robert Altman? I think Leslie Nielsen, Prince Frederick Von Anhalt and I stand amongst many when we ask: "What gives!?"
-And ok, her name escapes me but she was honored as the former president of Paramount Pictures (and accepted her award w/ a lovely TelePrompTer-penned speech) ...During her whole "achievement" montage they made mention of her Mother's passing, from cancer. I'm not pointing fun there but I doubt I was alone in stiffling the laughter when they mentioned the charitable foundation she started in her Mother's honor: "STOP CANCER" ...C'mon. I have a hunch that fitness guru Susan Powter was behind that one.
-"Best Director goes to ...Martin Scorcese ...BUT for Raging Bull ...Sorry for the delay"
-I have nothing to say about the shadow dancers ...Nothing ...Oo crap!
-Congrats to former VP Al Gore and his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". Yeah ok, I haven't seen it yet but you know I'm vegan, in my 20s, voted within the past century and have all the intentions to recycle so I love it! Good job. STOP GLOBAL WARMING. Also, thank you for keeping your speech brief and not making out w/ Tipper, as a friend pointed out earlier.

And on the note of voting and saving energy (not Tipper and breath mints): I, myself, will be voting later on today. More out of civic duty than the belief that Major Richard M. Daley will ever leave office (his recorded message called the other day -I thought that was thoughtful).

My days of voting just to wear an "I Voted" sticker are of yesteryear now that they've stopped w/ the stickers and started w/ the rather unstickable/impersonal voting receipts. Plus, my apartment building is the central voting station for my neighborhood and since I have to go to work and check my mail anyways ...