In this film too was another, "We Have To Give An Award To An Old Performer Before They Die" move as the Academy awarded Best Supporting Actress to Judy Dench - for being in the movie all of 8 minutes.

I get the feeling they sit around up there looking at the films and notice somebody who has been acting since silent films and say, "Oh shit! This guy's still alive? Nominate him and let him win. Just pick the 4 other chumps out of a hat. Nobody will remember who didn't win."

Perhaps it has something to do with Saving Private Ryan being a movie about war. But then, Hollywood loves movies about Vietnam. 'The Deer Hunter' won in 1978. 'Apocalypse Now' was nominated in 1979. 'Platoon' won in 1986. 'Born On The 4th of July' was nominated in 1989. It wasn't until 1999, that 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'The Thin Red Line', two movies about World War II (Schindler's List doesn't count as it really wasnt a movie about the war) were nominated. 'Glory', one of the best movies of all time, and a Civil War movie, didn't even get nominated for Best Picture, though Denzel Washington did win for Best Supporting Actor - it was one of the few times when they departed from given the statue to some old fart.

'Shakespeare In Love.' Please.

Next Up: We go back in time!! One might think it only happened recently but we go all the way back to 1953 when 'The Greatest Show On Earth' beat out one of the most kick ass hero movies of all time, 'High Noon.'