The Ten Reasons You Should Watch the Oscars...

1. Anne Hathaway and James Franco are hosting.
They're actors, it's not like Alec Baldwin or anything.

2. You may see a star on stage accepting an Academy Award before he/she is born.
 Oscar- Possible name for Natalie Portman's child?

3. Facebook may be unblocked at your workplace by Monday morning if The Social Network wins big.

You have been trying to convince your employer for months that Facebook has work related, intellectual value. Here's your chance.

4. Jesse Eisenberg does Mark Zuckerberg better than Zuckerberg can do himself. 
Zuckerberg is worth billions. He'd be worth trillions if he could talk as fast as Eisenberg.

5. If you can say a few words about The King's Speech, your friends might finally believe all that money you spent on college tuition was worth it.
It sounds so intelligent. Start talking about Colin Firth and tell them you're half British.

6. If Inception wins, you'll learn that cinematography is film lingo for the trick that made that movie look "freaking awesome."

Makeup is the reason you still have a crush on Leo.

7. There's a good chance Annette Bening will come dressed as a swan and Natalie Portman will bring Mila Kunis as her "date."
Darren Aronofsky will be directing this edition of "Best Actress Showdown."

8. You're ashamed to admit that you still haven't watched The Hurt Locker, and need to redeem yourself. 
You and the rest of the general populace had never heard of Kathryn Bigelow's prize winning picture. Just remember, no matter how much you cried during Toy Story 3, it won't win best picture.

9. Girl on girl action rules the nods.

This year's nominees have lots of girls kissing girls. Awkward to watch with your parents.


10. Oprah is presenting.
"Annnd the Oooooscar goooess tooooo..."      















Photo Credits: The Weinstein Company (True Grit), Fox Searchight (Black Swan), Sony Pictures (The Social Network) Warner Brothers (Inception) Focus Features (The Kids Are Alright)

Love and Other Drugs: Reels for Thought

If there is a movie that was made for someone like me, who has a degree in health policy and loves the intersection of media and society, it’s Love and Other Drugs. This film shows the average American many of the real problems that exist in our healthcare system, in a way that holds the viewer’s attention in a witty manner.  The film manages to intertwine an entertaining love story throughout, without overshadowing the other aspects of the story. Anne Hathaway’s performance opens the psyche of people with long term illness, a growing issue for healthcare providers.

Some aspects of this movie were far from accurate, but viewers need to realize they’re not watching a documentary, but a story with a message in mind, like any good screenplay. I have a lot of friends in the medical community and I know that a doctor’s first priority is what is best for the patient. There are exceptions to every rule, but as  Josh Randall (Josh Gad), states at the beginning of the film, “you don’t become a doctor to get rich”. This movie plays on exposing in an exaggerated way that drug companies are indeed running the show of the American healthcare system.  The senior citizen bus to Canada to get low cost prescriptions not only illustrates a huge problem in the system, it adds depth to the story, showing Maggie Murdock’s (Hathaway) investment in healthcare in light of her own struggles with the system.

 Love and Other Drugs uses many film clichés, that usually would be sinful for screenwriters, but they are used well to bring life to a message far more entertaining than any Michael Moore documentary.  A 26-year old with Parkinson’s who pushes people away is a pretty standard character in the film world, however, it works well and the sexual promiscuity of Maggie develops the character further, demonstrating her want to be needed as much as she will soon need to rely on others. Even funny moments bring light to current problems in the healthcare system, such as playing on the fact that insurance is the only gate to care.  A doctor asks Maggie if she has insurance, Maggie pulls out a wad of cash, and the doctor nods, wide eyed, and begins to examine her.  Love and Other Drugs brings a new light to the way people look at healthcare in a pleasurable way that will have you leaving the theater feeling artistically and politically stimulated.