E o Oscar Vai Para ...

On the opening night of its annual 31 Days of Oscar festival, Turner Classic Movies presents the world premiere of "And the Oscar Goes To...", a documentary tracing the history of the Academy Awards.

Let us not try to say the movies are any more important than they are. And the Oscars are a celebration of these not terribly important things. But, at the same time, let us not underestimate how important the movies really are. They bind us as a culture, connect us to other cultures and define generations. Sometimes they even change the way we look at the world.

And we get some great classic moments (Charlie Chaplin) alongside some more modern moments (Affleck and Damon, Diablo Cody). I almost wish I had started watching them sooner...

This is a power packed 90 minutes. Granted the whole history of the Oscars should be a mini-series, maybe produced by Ken Burns, but for a quick historical perspective and a look at the glamor of the whole thing, this isn't bad. We get to see a multitude of stars, a few acceptance speeches, features on the different categories, all done in snippets, and there is a friendliness and honesty here that isn't usually present in these kinds of shows. I always look forward to the Oscars and ever time I'm bored and disappointed because the show is often so dull (the first five minutes is usually the best with a great production number) and endless. The other problem lately is that it's like watching election coverage where all of the races are already called before the show starts. The internet and the press usually tell us who all the winners are ahead of time. Granted, in close races, there are some surprises, but you immediately know that three of the five nominees don't have a chance. Anyway, I thought that for a little insight into the Academy Awards, this was a nice job.

And the Oscar Goes To... (2014)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Very good documentary taking a look at the history of the Oscars. That's pretty much the only plot description that this thing needs as the 90-minute running time is all about the big event. We learn about the very first awards and how it came to be. We learn about various rule changes that have taken place over time. We also get to hear from countless winners as they talk about what it's like getting up there to give a speech but we also get to hear from the other side in what it feels like to lose. Just about every topic is covered including some winners who started controversy, the smaller categories that most people don't care about and there's even a list of people who never won the award and it's just as impressive as the list of winners. AND THE Oscar GOES TO... is a very entertaining look at the end, which is full of interviews with current winners but I thought this was the least entertaining thing. Do we really need to hear from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg again? Yes, it's always great seeing these two but we've already had so many other documentaries about their films and careers. I thought the most interesting moments were the ones dealing with the older footage that we don't get to see as often. This includes Hattie McDaniel's acceptance speech for GONE WITH THE WIND and various clips of Bob Hope hosting the event. The stuff dealing with the legends of Hollywood who are no longer with us are clearly the best moments of this and it makes you wonder why these full shows (and the AFI tributes) aren't available for viewing.

"And the Oscar Goes To..." is a documentary about, naturally, the Oscar. However, if you are looking for an exhaustive film about the awards or one that is chronological, then you might be disappointed. Instead, the film mostly consists of some living Oscar recipients talking about their experience receiving the award along with a few clips of past winners. The past winners are mostly from the 1950s on--which isn't surprising since that is when they started showing the ceremony on television. And, many recent recipients aren't interviewed as well--making me wonder how they picked who would be on the show.

While the film isn't perfect, it is enjoyable and gives you many nice little vignettes about the film and the craftspeople who make movies.

This documentary is an historic look at the Oscars, from their inception till today. It is well worthy watching for fans of cinema.

Originally, the Oscars did not have much prestige. But they immediately began to reflect changes in society. By the second year, they were chronicling the advent of sound in films.

But this documentary does more than present historic milestones. If you are really a lover of film, you may--like me--feel tears welling up a few times, with the many clips of past stars who are no longer with us. And clips of films that have meant something to you during your lifetime.

Cinema is an art form and we cherish the films that remind us of past events in our lives. Ands films that became memories we love to recall. It may be "Casablanca", "Gone with the Wind" or "Schindler's List", but there are probably films that can elicit an emotional response from each of us. Knowing that so many of my favorites are gone is enough to get me started. William Holden. Audrey Hepburn. Fred Astaire.

This film does more than document the ways in which films reflected the issues of their times (issue of race, gender, HIV/Aids, blacklisting). It captures the magic, the aura and the traditions of cinema. And it celebrates those who gave us so many wonderful memories.