Million Dollar Winner
While none of the Big Five Movies at the Oscars was a box-office smash hit, they certainly provided some interest in the Oscars because they were truly all movie-lovers movies. And the Big Winner was of course Clint Eastwood and Million Dollar Baby. This was not the Epic Movie that The Aviator was. It was more on the level of On The Waterfront, for example. It was an intensely personal and intimate character study of three intense and interesting characters. It wowed people who love movies because it is the art at its best.

But it is interesting to note how much time, energy, press, and money goes into the whole Oscar event. It may be driven by the entertainment media themselves- press and TV along with the movies- but the power of movies is very evident by the immense cultural place the Oscars have in our society. Even though the winners and losers don't really mean a hill of beans to most of us on the morning after (or even the day before for that matter) the brief shining moment of movie stardom dazzled us last night.

So why does this happen? Where is the power of this medium? What about the spiritual dimension of it all, for surely with something this powerful in the culture there is a spiritual dimension?

I wish those were simple questions- I never ask simple questions. Many, many people have written and pondered these far more deeply that I am able to do. For me, as I have said, they offer a glimpse into life and even truth. For example:

• The Aviator gave me a glimpse into madness, cause by whatever reason, the drive for power and the incredible hubris and self-centerednes that was Howard Hughes.


• Ray told a rags to riches story of a talented by flawed human being, warts and all. Again, like The Aviator, it was a glimpse into what happens when personal ambition takes over. Unlike Hughes, Ray Charles wasn't destroyed by it, but I wonder how many others were destroyed by Ray himself.


• Finding Neverland looks into the deeply healing power of story.


• Sideways was a powerful meditation on alcoholism, lost dreams, and just plain meanness.


• Million Dollar Baby was a look into what happens when the spiritual dimensions of life are placed into the hands of a dream that can be fragile- at best.

We are touched by these and they speak of the ills of our society as well as its strengths. We see ourselves and hope that there is a way out.

Even without a blockbuster of a movie, it was a great Oscar season.