VICTORY aka PROGRESSION aka SLUMDOG

It's been about 4 months since Obama's historic win and I already feel like the "air of change" is carrying over into other forms. In the 2009 Oscars, Slumdog Millionaire won eight out of the nine awards it was up for. And for those who don't know the remarkable story of Slumdog Millionaire (and how it was literally this close to going straight to DVD) read my review coming up on it later this week. But the fact that movie-goers and critics are celebrating such a cultural film keeps my spirits high. Black films no longer have an excuse. If a low-budget, no starred, Indian film can win Best Picture, then the floodgates are open. 

Also, both Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black won for Milk, which has to say something about equal rights issues in this post-Proposition 8 era. As far as the show is concerned, say what you will about Hugh Jackman's clunky dance numbers, I think Bill Condom completely revitalized the Oscars and needs to be rewarded for his efforts. The five former winners playing homage to the five current nominees was a nice, sentimental touch. And the tribute to the different genres was a spat in the face of Oscar critics who say the Academy is to stringent. As was Jackman's electro-boggie confession to not seeing The Reader. "The line was too long." Complete diss. 

All in all, I faired very well. 4 wrong out of 24 categories ain't bad. I missed Best Actor, Animated Short, Sound Mixing, and Foreign Film. I should have only been two off, but I honestly thought The Dark Knight deserved Sound Mixing, and the Mickey Rourke - Sean Penn race was too close to call. 

In other news, Tyler Perry's Medea Goes To Jail bowed in at #1, AGAIN. I have strong feelings about Tyler Perry's movies but I respect the man for all his success and pavement he's paving for black filmmakers. Between Perry and Will Smith, Hollywood has been bowing down. 

Onto next years Oscars. I'm already rooting for Lee Daniel's PUSH.