Oscar Fever

Contrary to popular belief, there are actually five seasons in the United States. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter ... and Awards Season. The annual film awards season starts in January with the Golden Globes, quickly followed by the Critics' Choice awards, the Screen Actors Guild, the Producers Guild, and the Directors Guild Awards, the BAFTA (technically British but I watch it anyway) Awards and finally the big one, the Academy Awards or as it is commonly called, the Oscars.

Dressed in vintage 20's the year The Artist won

I am pretty sure I have never missed an Academy Award broadcast. (I have a nagging feeling that last claim may not be entirely true, but even if I was out of the country at broadcast time, I am positive I taped it and watched it in its entirety with a bucket of popcorn afterwards.) The next day would always be spent dishing about the results, the fashion, the jewelry, and the jokes with my mother and sister on the telephone.

One thing is for sure, for the last ten years or more, except for when a blizzard kept me home, I know where I was on Oscars night. At my friend and fellow cinephile Dede's house for her annual Oscar party. Dede would invite 50 or so of her closest friends over for a viewing party worthy of Vanity Fair. Bowls of shrimp, bottles of champagne, plates of chocolate-covered strawberries. A red carpet, golden idols, and a humongous big screen HDTV. I will miss it this year! Dede has promised to set up her iPad in the middle of the buffet and let me Face Time-eavesdrop on the commentary.

my blue cocktail was named in honor of 2009's nominee Avatar

Some years I would get inspired and dress up like a character in my favorite film. I was never the only one! Some would dress in very formal attire as if they were actually walking the red carpet.

Most years I saw the majority of the films. At the very least all of the Best Picture and most of the Best Foreign Language Film nominees. That usually covered most of the individual Best Actor, Actress and Supporting Role nominees too. If I had time I would fill in with the remaining films.

Beast of the Southern Wild & Life of Pi's Richard Parker

This year will be very different. For one thing, no party. Unless you count Lou and Serge.

I will still try to watch it on television in real time. It will be on DStv about 3:00 in the morning here in Joburg so I will have to get up early in order to watch before I go to work.

And I will be wearing my jammies. Or maybe my Nelson Mandela tee shirt in honor of the nomination of  The Long Walk to Freedom.

I will also record it while I watch. If it is anything like the usual broadcasts, it will run long and I will miss the big awards at the end if I don't.

But unlike the typical years, I have hardly seen any of the movies. Going to the movies back in NY/NJ was a weekly affair for me if not even more often. Maybe it's the lack of advertising or my inattention to late night talk shows. I am just not compelled to go to the movies anymore.

But that will not stop me from enjoying my favorite part of Awards Season anyway. The Fashion and The Jewelry. I even get Joan Rivers and The Fashion Police on E! here. And I will still get to Face Time with my sister in Denver the next day and dish about it!

Who's the big winner? Me!