One song.

Tonight is Oscar night.

Personally, I've never cared for Award shows. They just seem to be an excuse for Halle Berry to cry, Julia Roberts to show off her armpit hair, and Roberto Benigni to act like a methamphetamine-addled idiot. Ok, Benigni doesn't need an awards night to act like a complete fool. But spending an evening watching people pat each other on the back isn't really my idea of a good time.

The Grammys might be an exception for me, as the awards are separated by some occasionally worthy musical performances. But the Oscars? Unless the speeches were interspersed with some moments where Clint Eastwood and Heath Ledger do some fun improv, forget it, not worth my time.

Out of this year's nominees, my favourite film is "Walk the Line", starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. I want to share with you the dialog from my favourite part in the movie. In short, Johnny Cash auditions for legendary Sun Records producer, Sam Phillips, by performing a trite gospel song called "I Was There When It Happened". Phillips, unimpressed and uninterested, engages Johnny in the following conversation.

Sam Phillips: Hold on hold on. I hate to interrupt... but you guys got something else? I'm sorry. I can't market gospel. No more.
Johnny Cash: So that's it?
Sam Phillips: I don't record material that doesn't sell, Mr. Cash... And gospel, like that, doesn't sell.
Johnny Cash: Was it the gospel or the way I sing it?
Sam Phillips: Both.
Johnny Cash: Well, what's wrong with the way I sing it?
Sam Phillips: I don't believe you.
Johnny Cash: You saying I don't believe in God?
Marshall Grant: J.R. come on, let's go.
Johnny Cash: No. I want to understand. I mean, we come down here, we play for a minute, and he tells me I don't believe in God.
Sam Phillips: You know exactly what I'm telling you. We've already heard that song a hundred times, just like that, just like how you sang it .
Johnny Cash: Well, you didn't let us bring it home.
Sam Phillips: Bring... bring it home? All right, let's bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you were lying out in that gutter dying, and you had time to sing one song, huh, one song people would remember before you're dirt, one song that would let God know what you felt about your time here on earth, one song that would sum you up, you telling me that's the song you'd sing? That same Jimmie Davis tune we hear on the radio all day? About your peace within, and how it's real, and how your' going to shout it? Or... would you sing something different? Something real. Something you felt? Because I'm telling you right now, that the song that people want to hear. That's the kind of song that truly saves people. It ain't got nothing to do with believing in God, Mr. Cash. It has to do with believing in yourself.
Johnny Cash: Well I've got a couple songs I wrote in the Air Force. You got anything against the Air Force?
Sam Phillips: No.
Johnny Cash: I do.
(Johnny Cash begins playing "Folsom Prison Blues")

Awesome. The whole movie is filled with great dialog. The music is incredible, and was produced by T Bone Burnett, who was responsible for the equally excellent soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou". Joaquin Phoenix does his own singing, and learned to play guitar for the film. Believe it or not, Johnny Cash hand picked Mr. Phoenix for the role before he died in 2003. (June Carter-Cash also hand picked Reese Witherspoon to play her in the film).

Rather than spend a couple hours to see if anyone else thinks it's got the Best Performance by an Actor/Actress in a leading role, I'm going to bypass the Oscars all together. My time will be better spent watching this excellent film (or ANY other film for that matter!).

You should give it a try too.

Currently playing: It Ain't Me, Babe - Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
Currently colouring: Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men vol.6
PS: If anyone is avoiding this movie because of a dislike for Reese Witherspoon, don't. I wasn't fond of her acting chops in the slightest until I saw her in this film.