An Oscar-related self-diagnosis with a happy ending
In March 2010, KJ and I embarked on a fantastical mission to watch every single Oscar-winning best picture. I’m not really sure how it all started; I think I said something like, “wouldn’t it be great if we watched every single Oscar-winning best picture?” And he said something back like, “yeah.”
So it began.
We printed a list, stuck it to the fridge, and checked off the ones we had both already seen (there were only a handful). Then, we started with the most recent film, The Hurt Locker, and worked our way backwards. Side note: Netflix is quite possibly the best thing in the whole entire universe.
Every week, we’d eagerly tear into the red envelopes that arrived in our mailbox and highlight the movies on our list once we watched them. My favorite part? Dissecting and discussing the movies afterwards. It was like our own private, film-watching club where we threw out observations like, “Meryl Streep is TIMELESS!” and “The 1980’s were brutal. WHAT was the Academy thinking?!” and “How many war films am I going to have to sit through?” (My comment, not Keith’s, and I actually enjoyed many of them).
Last August, we finished our 82nd film, The Broadway Melody of 1929, and our Oscar journey was pert-near complete (we watched The King’s Speech that May). We had one movie left to watch. The end was in sight.
Then we discovered that Wings, the very first film to win an Oscar for best picture and the very last film we needed to see, was never released on DVD.
Ever.
And we couldn’t find it.
Anywhere.
Eventually, we did track down the VHS version on Amazon, but never got around to buying it. The momentum had fizzled and any motivation we’d had to buy the movie and find a VCR was lost. Maybe it was laziness, or maybe we were Oscar-ed out; whatever the case, we just couldn’t reach the finish line.
I hadn’t given much thought to Wings or to the list that still hangs on our fridge with one, lonely movie title yet to be highlighted. Until today.
Today, the nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards were announced, and amid my excitement to see which “Best Picture” film we’ll be watching next, I also found myself haunted with a very real, very serious affliction I can only describe as Wings-related guilt.
Luckily, there is a cure and I’m finally ready to embrace it.
Tonight, I will order Wings on Amazon.com. Then, I will find a VCR. And once our movie has arrived, I will cook a themed dinner (I’m thinking chicken wings?) to celebrate our finally watching it.
Whew. I feel better already.
___
Stay tuned later this week for a post about some of my favorite Oscar-winners.
Tags: Happ'nings.
