TCM 31 Days of Oscar

The Turner Classic Movie channel is having a campaign(?) called "The Thirty-One Days of Oscar" during which they show Oscar-nominated films for a month and a bit. Now, I don't know enough about it to say they're showing EVERY winning film since the Academy's founding but that is possible considering they just show film after film with no commercial breaks and no end to their broadcast day. Well I guess it would be all the full-length and non-foreign films. Anyways, I had the pleasure of watching both Saturday Night Fever (1976) and Kramer vs. Krameri (1979) last night.

The first one I had to do it because who hasn't seen that film. The second one I figured I'd give it a shot. I was intrigued by the cast and then by the plot as they explained it in the lil intro. I think it's cool that they have a host (like the Masterpiece Theatre dude, probably) who tells you historical facts and whatever other points of interest. Even between films sometimes, they run little mini-documentaries - basically like a special feature on a DVD - and that makes me understand how committed this network is to the appreciation of film.

Saturday Night Fever was disappointing. I was relieved to know it wasn't a cheesy feel-good film but I was disappointed that the plot felt so slow and almost uneventful -- though I do get it. One thing I appreciate about it is that it made me realize that I've never really competed for something with strangers and a prize or title. I've given many performances, I've been part of concerts, I play competitive games but nothing like a baseball tournament, art contest, dance-off, bowling tourney...all those things in the movies - and all those things in many people's real lives. I feel like I've missed out on some important formative thing in my life. Thankfully my life's not over yet. :)

5/10

Kramer vs. Kramer blew me away. (Slowly by slowly, I am starting to understand why people think of Meryl Streep as they do.) It looks like it was a kind of pace-setter for this kind of film though later ones have infused much more comedy and have a harder time showing the tragedy. I never thought I would say this but it was a smack in the face by the horrible reality of divorce. I'm starting to see what other Christians have been telling me or how they formed their standpoint on divorce. They seem to see it as a special taboo in a class AAALLL its own. Me I have a hard time with that because marriage is hard and complicated and no one but the couple knows what's going on in that relationship. Essentially I'm saying, who are we to judge?
But the other side - the non-judgmental almost objective side - I see how it's just SO bad and someone (if not everyone) always gets hurt irreparably that if you can avoid it, do WHATEVER YOU CAN to avoid it.
Just fascinating. And touching. I call it a remarkable film. I see how the little kid in it is the youngest actor to date nominated for an Oscar. (He was eight at the time.) I highly recommend it.

10/10