1998 Alternate Oscars

I guess it's time I got around to writing something about The Big Lebowski, my favorite Coen brothers movie and one of my all-time favorite comedies.

A spoof of crime writer Raymond Chandler and his famous L.A. private eye, Philip Marlowe, this is the story of Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges in the best performance of his career), better known as "the Dude," an avid bowler and dope smoker but otherwise the laziest man in Los Angeles — "which would place him high in the running for the laziest worldwide."

Thanks to a mix up, two of the dimmest-witted bulbs in henchman history rough up the Dude and pee on his rug — no ordinary rug, mind you, but a rug that really tied the room together.

The Dude is inclined to let the rug and matters lie but not his bowling buddy Walter Sobchak (a frothing-at-the-mouth John Goodman, who, like Bridges, should have won an Oscar). He insists the guy the hoods were really looking for — L.A.'s other Jeffrey Lebowski, an aging millionaire with a wild, young trophy wife who owes money all over town — should foot the bill for the rug.

What ensues is the sort of labyrinthine plot that would have done Chandler proud, taking the Dude on a tour of the seamy side of L.A. with its pornographers, corrupt sheriffs, avant garde artists, white Russians, unctuous undertakers, nihilists with nine toes, bowling psychopaths, and fifteen year old kids who make D's on their homework.

The best movie about bowling ever made and a nifty noir to boot.

The cast includes Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Sam Elliott, David Huddleston, John Turturro, Tara Reid, Peter Stormare, Jon Polito, Ben Gazzara, and singer Aimee Mann.

Great fun. Not to be missed.

Note: I probably would have voted for Saving Private Ryan if it had sustained the momentum of the Omaha Beach scene but that's what we have Band of Brothers for. Other good choices: Shakespeare in Love (don't knock it til you've tried it), Out of Sight (one of the best Elmore Leonard adaptations) ... et cetera. No need to list them all — you can read as well as I can, presumably.

My choices are noted with a ★. A tie is indicated with a ✪. Historical Oscar winners are noted with a ✔. Best foreign-language picture winners are noted with an ƒ. A historical winner who won in a different category is noted with a ✱.

1997 Alternate Oscars

1997 was a pretty good year for movies. I prefer L.A. Confidential to Titanic or the other popular choice, Boogie Nights, but you can't go wrong with whatever you pick ...

My choices are noted with a ★. A tie is indicated with a ✪. Historical Oscar winners are noted with a ✔. Best foreign-language picture winners are noted with an ƒ. A historical winner who won in a different category is noted with a ✱.

1996 Alternate Oscars

I don't have a lot to say about 1996 other than that I didn't care for the Academy's choice for best picture, The English Patient.

Me, I preferred the Coen Brothers' classic noir comedy Fargo instead. Frances McDormand won an Oscar. Steve Buscemi and William H. Macy gave terrific supporting performances. But, you know, if you like The English Patient, go for it, dude.

My choices are noted with a ★. A tie is indicated with a ✪. Historical Oscar winners are noted with a ✔. Best foreign-language picture winners are noted with an ƒ. A historical winner who won in a different category is noted with a ✱.