A couple of people asked me this week if I have any special plans for the Oscars on Sunday.
Well, if fact yes I do. I'm going to do the same thing to the Oscars that they did to "Public Enemies," ignore it.
I'm sure this sounds like sour grapes, and maybe it is. But I've got to be honest, I put the Academy Awards in the same category as American Idol. Not always the best win, or are even nominated.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying PE was the best movie of the year, or maybe even close to it. It had stiff competition, for sure.
"Avatar" is excellent, although it should have a category of its own. "Inglorious Basterds" was also excellent. As were several others.
But compare "Up In the Air" with "Public Enemies" and PE wins hands down. "Up In the Air" is medicore, at best. It's just an average film. Nothing special.
And I have nothing against George Clooney, in fact I'm told his aunt Rosemary Clooney, frequented my father's -- Benny Asher -- cocktail lounge "Tin Pan Alley" on Oak Street in Chicago during the 1940s, along with numerous other celebrities.
However, there is no way Clooney's performance in "Up In the Air" can compare to that of Johnny Depp in PE. Sorry. I may be biased, but this is my blog so I'm entitled.
Okay, exclude Depp's PE performance, Hell, he should have won an Oscar a long time ago. His range of acting skills transcends anyone on the big screen today. I can hardly wait to see him as the Mad Hatter in "Alice and Wonderland," which opens today.
No, my vision of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences members who vote on the Oscars are a bunch of old cronies -- or maybe even young cronies -- paying off political debts for votes, just like Illinois politics.
It's obvious the fact that "Public Enemies" was selected as the centerpiece film for the Los Angeles film festival, or that Johnny Depp was voted best actor by the People Choice Awards for his role in PE, makes no difference to the cronies.
Clearly the highlight of the evening will be Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Maybe I'll DVR it and fast forward everything but those two.
In the meantime, Michael Mann should at least be acknowledged for his penchant for authenticity and creativity. To his credit, Mann marches to his own beat. That probably doesn't sit well with the LA/NY pack.
And somewhere along the line I'm confident Depp will be recognized by the Academy for his amazing versatility and acting skills.