| The Oscar. It is the most prestigious award in the | | | | then they were either brain dead or without |
| film industry. It is given out as a symbol of | | | | feeling. This movie was the clear favorite to win |
| excellence. The best of the best are supposed to | | | | that year's award, except for one problem. The |
| be the ones who get these little statues. But is it | | | | movie was extremely violent and showed war as |
| really like that in real life? Do the most deserving | | | | it really is, ugly and disgusting. You needed a |
| always get the awards or is Oscar nothing more | | | | strong stomach to be able to watch this powerful |
| than a popularity contest? While we will in no way | | | | film without getting sick. Well, when Oscar time |
| attempt to answer that question, since it could | | | | came, the winner for best picture went to an |
| never really be proved, we are going to take a | | | | obscure film by the name of "Shakespeare In |
| look at some of Oscar's more dubious moments | | | | Love". This had many people scratching their |
| that left people wondering if this award is really | | | | heads wondering what went wrong.In 1981 one of |
| nothing more than a poorly disguised popularity | | | | the greatest action movies of all time was |
| contest.You don't have to go any farther back | | | | released. This movie brought back the old time |
| than this past years ceremony when Brokeback | | | | serial cliff hanger days and literally had people on |
| Mountain was the overwhelming favorite to win | | | | the edge of their seat from beginning to end. The |
| the award for best movie. Critics from all over | | | | movie was "Raiders Of The Lost Ark". This movie |
| almost agreed unanimously that it was the best | | | | was the clear favorite to win the Oscar for best |
| movie of the year. But there was a big problem | | | | picture. But that same year, a sentimental movie |
| with Brokeback Mountain. It focused on a theme | | | | by the name of "Chariots Of Fire" came out. It |
| that the powers that be at Oscar land viewed as | | | | was nowhere near as great a movie, but the |
| very controversial, that of homosexual cowboys. | | | | sentimental theme made it very "popular" with |
| Plenty of people, especially in the Mid West were | | | | the academy and it ultimately won for best |
| up in arms over this movie. Ultimately, the best | | | | picture. Again, people were left wondering what |
| picture award went to a movie called "Crash" that | | | | happened.All throughout the history of the Oscars, |
| most people never even heard of. One can't help | | | | upsets like these have been going on, either |
| but feel that Brokeback Mountain lost because of | | | | because one movie was controversial or another |
| the controversy surrounding it.In 1998 there was | | | | movie tugged on some heart strings, even though |
| a powerful anti war film by the name of "Saving | | | | it was not a technically great movie. So one has |
| Private Ryan". It was said that the first 15 | | | | to wonder. Is Oscar really nothing more than a |
| minutes of the film were such that if it didn't | | | | politically correct popularity contest?One will never |
| make a lasting impression on anyone seeing it | | | | really know. |