It's Gonna Be a Great Year for Brad, Rat, and Damone

WATCHING THE Academy Awards telecast is a fool's errand for the parents of young children, one of them an infant. We simply don't get out to the movies much anymore, and, frankly, we're too tired to watch anything that spans longer than an hour, which is why we eighty-sixed our Netflix subscription. And so, while I may (and do) quite enjoy seeing nubile young actresses slither across the stage while poured into very, very snug dresses (hello, Emily Blunt!), from an arts perspective there's not much I can contribute. Which is why the best observation I can make about Sunday's ceremony is that Forest Whitaker's win for The Last King of Scotland officially makes Fast Times at Ridgemont High a harbinger for future awards. Sean Penn and Nicolas Cage have already won Oscars; Anthony Edwards was nominated for several Emmys for his work on ER; and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Eric Stoltz spent years as indie faves and nominees waiting to happen. Look for comebacks from Judge Reinhold, Brian Backer, and Robert Romanus in the years to come.

Comments

[Jason]

Don't forget about Fast Times writer Cameron Crowe, who picked up an Oscar a few years back for his Almost Famous screenplay.

But the fact that you wrote a whole paragraph about Fast Times without ever mentioning the words "Phoebe Cates" is downright shameful.

[GM-Carson]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High has my favorite cinematic scene of all-time...when Phoebe Cates comes out of the swimming pool...sweet Jesus!

[Tom Durso]

Absolutely correct re Mr. Crowe, Jason. Wonder if Heart ever won a Grammy ...

And, sweet fancy Moses, Phoebe Cates! Yes!