Double Feature

March 2008 - By the time you read this, the Oscars will be over – that's assuming that the writers' strike is also over and they actually had a ceremony. Anyway, it seems that I need to get out more, because the only Best Picture nominee I managed to see last year was No Country for Old Men, and I think I need to see it again before offering up any thoughts. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on two previous Oscar-winning films.

2005's Hustle & Flow earned Terrence Howard an Oscar nomination. He lost, but the original song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" did win an Academy Award.

Howard plays DJay, a pot-selling pimp in Memphis who dreams of being a rap star. He sees his chance when he delivers some weed to Isaac Hayes, the owner of a local bar. Hayes tells DJay that Skinny Black (Ludacris), a local rapper who hit it big, will be there for a private party on the Fourth of July. DJay claims that he knows Skinny from "back in the day" so maybe Skinny will help him get on his way. Ultimately, DJ's plan doesn't work out as expected, but it seems his dream still might come true.

Overall review: Liked it. The soundtrack is great. And, if you can get past all the references to bitches and hos in this R-rated movie, you'll find a film about a man doing whatever he can to change his circumstances.

The only disappointment was the movie's failure to effectively utilize Memphis. I felt that DJay's story could have been told in any city, it just happened to be told in Memphis.

For more family-friendly fare, try The Incredibles, a PG-rated film from 2004. Its many awards include the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and another for sound editing.

The movie opens with Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) driving in his car. He hears trouble on the police scanner and decides to help. Next thing you know, Bob is transformed into a superhero called Mr. Incredible. He saves the day with some help from Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter), and gets to the church on time for his wedding to Helen - who just happens to be Elastigirl.

But, in saving the day, Mr. Incredible did some damage. So, the government forces all superheroes into something like the witness protection program and orders them to keep their secret identities under wraps.

Fast-forward 15 years. Bob and Helen now have three children. Bob works at an insurance agency but gets fired for actually trying to help the people who file claims. Soon, a mysterious offer comes Bob's way. It turns out to be from a superhero wannabe who, years ago, Mr. Incredible told to get a life. Now the kid is all grown up and his mission in life is to destroy the real superheroes.

Overall rating: Loved it! Good story, good voices, excellent animation, attention to detail, and a moral message. The Incredibles is incredible!