Yes, I've got Oscar fever

The Academy Awards are my Super Bowl. I eagerly anticipate Oscar Sunday as much as any professional football fan counts down the weeks and days to Super Bowl Sunday. 

I love movies and love all the hoopla around these awards. I go see as many of the contenders as possible, and can rattle off a fair amount of Oscar trivia--as well as any football fan can recount players' stats. Yeah, I know that the Academy's love affair with films about upper-crust Brits (this year's The King's Speech) goes back to 1932-33, when a filmed Noel Coward play, Calvacade, won for Best Picture. I'm also aware of when certain actors won their consolation prizes out of sympathy or for being overlooked for their really deserving performances in previous years (Bette Davis in 1935; Elizabeth Taylor in 1960; Paul Newman in 1986; and Al Pacino in 1992).

I'm also amused by the stinkers or less than brilliant films that edged out now verified classics or edgier, more ground-breaking films because of the milquetoast tastes of Academy voters, box office or massive campaign by the likes of Harvey Weinstein (The Greatest Show on Earth, Titanic, Shakespeare in Love), Crash). Maybe some of you know some of this trivia, too: the most nominated actor of all time; the biggest slight in Oscar history; and the big name, truly great talents who never won for performances, writing or directing.  

But I also get excited when the Academy gets it right, and bestows an award that recognizes a film or film arist that is really great, that transcended the ordinary. 

I'll probably be watching the ceremony with my son, who even at his middle-school age, has seen all the top contenders for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Screenplay. And that includes Winter's Bone, which came out over the summer, and Javier Bardem's nominated performance in the emotionally wrenching Spanish-language Biutiful. 

We've already done the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild awards so we know how these awards are likely to turn out. No, we don't think The King's Speech or Annette Bening will pull off major upsets and take the prizes away from The Social Network or Natalie Portman. But media's attempt to create the proverbial horse race out of these competitions adds to the fun. 

And, I, for one, am not at all upset that Christopher Nolan was "overlooked" for a Best Director nomination. Inception was an most static, overrated piece of CGI-infused nonsense. And, don't tell me that its confusing plot and leaden dialogue is part of the point. Its narrative strategy was video-game lite, and the plot mess was a clear sign of an artist has lost major control of his work. Nolan showed signs of loss of control and trying too hard with The Dark Knight. Inception is this year's Crash or The English Patient--the movie everyone was told they should like.

OK, my rant is done. I've been wanting to rant about that movie for months ...

Actually, if I were super serious about being fully knowledgable about the contenders I would have made an effort to see the nominees for Best Documentary, including Inside Job. Or, I'd be heading to CineArts (AKA The Dome) in Pleasant Hill where today, the theater will be screening films nominated for Best Short and Best Short Animated program.

And, if you are in the mood to celebrate the Oscars in a big way--and benefit a good cause at the same time--there is the 7th Annual Academy Awards STAND! benefit party at , starting at 4:30 p.m. This fundraiser for the STAND for Families Free of Violence lets you view the 83rd Academy Awards on the big screen. This fundraiser will feature a live simulcast of the Oscars, food, raffles and prizes. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. and costs $45 in advance, $55 at the door. 

And, if you want to host a party in your home, the official site for the Academy Awards has an "Oscar party kit," including recipes for cocktails and appetizers. The site also has an Oscar ballot. You can compete with other guests on guessing the most number of winners. 

But, I'll be at home, curled up on my couch, in my sweat pants, under a blankie. And probably eating warm chocolate chip cookies, fresh-baked by my son. The awards kick off at 5 p.m. 

However, true confession: I'd be tempted to get off my couch if Graydon Carter sent me an invite to the Vanity Fair famed post-Oscar bash. For the past two years the magazine editor has gotten Danville hero pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger down to LA for his party to rub elbows with Hollywood royalty.  Hey, I can only dream.