The Oscars...*sigh...*

     So, as I'm sure you all heard, the Academy Award nominees were chosen for this year's Oscars.  From what I've heard, most people are pretty upset about the choices.  I've gotta say...so am I.  It seems that more and more the Oscars are becoming "the producer's choice awards," and doing nothing but promoting the producers' newest picture.  One thing as well that's always bothered me is that the academy seems to ignore a movie if it does well financially.  It's almost like they consider blockbusters to have less credentials than that of an art house picture.
     A lot of the controversy has come from the Academy's picks for best actor/actress.  Many fans, I've heard, are very upset that Leonardo Dicaprio wasn't even nominated for his villainous role in "Django Unchained."  I saw Django, and I've got to say, Leo's performance was incredible, and nothing like he's ever done.  I fully agree that he should have at least been nominated.
     One cool heads up in the nominations was with Best Actress.  "Beasts of the Southern Wild" star Quvenzhané Wallis has become the youngest actor to be nominated for a Best Actor role in the Oscars. At 9 years old, she's already put her stamp on the film industry.
     With some cool nominations and surprise showings, the Oscars will definitely be interesting.  However, I feel there are some definite snubs.  In my opinion, over the past few years the Academy Awards has become less and less interesting.  Hopefully, they'll realize and start to pick it back up.

JJ Abrams: Humanitarian?

     So a lot of the industry people in Hollywood are known to be success hungry sharks, who are really only interested in getting ahead and staying ahead.  As this is more or less true, (it's what keeps the industry alive and evolving) it's not entirely true of everyone.  JJ Abrams, director of the 2009 Star Trek movie, has always been known as a fun-loving, kid at heart kind of director.  But who'd a thought this talented filmmaker would also have a soft spot for one of his fans.   Over the past week it had been reported, according to The Hollywood Reporter, that a man by the name of Daniel Craft, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer had made one last request before his inevitable death.  He wished that he could see the new Star Trek: Into Darkness film, by JJ Abrams, before he died.  Abrams got wind of this and found the man.  He personally showed him a finished rough cut of the film, as the man's story hit him in the heart.
     JJ Abrams and the film's producer showed up at Craft's door with a copy of the film and watched it with him.  It was reported, unfortunately, that Daniel Craft died a few weeks after his special viewing.  This is really awesome, I think.  I like seeing Hollywood personally attending to it's fans.  It is the fans that keep us in business.  It's nice to see that Mr. Craft's sickness allowed him to achieve his once last wish.  I definitely applaud Mr. Abrams, and would hope to see more charitable actions like this by many other industry people.  I would feel honored if someone's last wish was to watch a film I was working on, and I would do everything I could to make that a reality.  So again, kudos JJ Abrams...you get the "thumbs-up" seal of approval.