The Golden Boy - Part II

A lot of things have changed since I last wrote. I have changed. I changed on Saturday evening. How you ask? The truth is, I am not wholly sure yet, the change being of spirit, mind and soul. I can, however, tell you this much for sure:

FACT: Leo Dicaprio is the single greatest actor of his generation.
FACT: In the Martin Scorcese directed “The Aviator” he has given us not only the performance of his young, and blindingly promising career – but he has also given us, hands down, the performance of the year, male or female.
FACT: The fact that Leo keeps wanting to work with a guy named “Martin” may or may not mean that we are kindred spirits (but it probably does).


American Idol

YOU: Whoah whoah, isn’t that a bit of a strong reaction to the Titanic dude?
ME: No, as a matter of fact, it is most certainly not. Your reference to Titanic indicates that you are having a hard time getting by Leo’s handsome face and seeing him for the actor (and gentleman) that he is. Don’t pigeon-hole him dude, don’t get freaked that he is so good looking and lose sight of his other merits. He is the total package, so just sit back and drink it in. He is really good, and in really good form, and you would be doing yourselves a great disservice to do anything less that watch, enjoy and celebrate his feats.
YOU: But the movie was so loooong, and the part where he got in the accident and burned his hands on the glass of his cockpit seemed sickly comical in the heat of the moment!
ME: True and true. But you don’t start complaining about the quality of champagne if it is served in a Styrofoam cup, do you? Or saying you don’t like Haagen Daaz if it is served on a piece of disgusting pumpkin pie? Or discredit the validity of a third, completely relevant example, just because it is completely unnecessary, as the point was clearly made by the first example? No, No and NO. Leo shines bright, and while the movie as a whole is maybe not the best picture of the year, this does nothing to tarnish Leo’s stellar performance. You could even argue that his performance is even more spectacular on account of it being in a somewhat less than spectacular movie.
YOU: Bullshit! A performance should be viewed in relation to the quality of the movie that it’s in? So Matt Leblanc should win for Ed?
ME: Of course not, that’s just stupid. First of all: Ed was a pile of shit, about a baseball-playing monkey, whereas The Aviator was a very good (almost excellent movie), and well deserving of its Best Picture nomination. All I am saying is that any flaws you can point out with the movie did nothing to tarnish the excellence of Leonardo’s performance. It was, at all times, nothing short of brilliant. And while we are on the topic of the movie content, it is also worth noting that Leo (as discussed with Jules on the way home from the film) signed up for this movie based on the basic premise that it would be, essentially, a movie about how good an actor he is. And he pulled it off in spades! It is the ultimate coup for any actor, let alone the baby faced kid who eight short years ago was thought to be nothing more than a pin-up. It is a truly commendable accomplishment, one that cements an actor in the annals of Hollywood lore, and while I am far from a film scholar, I would question if it has ever been done by an actor so young. While oft attempted, it is a recipe that delivers far fewer Oscars (Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump) than flops (virtually every movie Russell Crowe has ever made ESPECIALLY “A Beautiful Mind” which was, in so many ways, a shitty, bizarro version of “The Aviator”, and still managed to get Crowe a best actor nom).
YOU: Are you finished?
ME: Yes, I suppose I am, why do you ask?
YOU: Because I love Leo now!
ME: Not as much as I do!
YOU: But will he win the Oscar?
ME: He has to.
YOU: But what about Clint Eastwood?
ME: Clint Eastwood is good, but his best days (as an actor) are behind him. He’s geriatric, and you shouldn’t get an Oscar for crying in a movie. Even if you are Clint Eastwood. Leo is too good to ignore. It is the only way.
YOU: Didn’t you call this back in December?
ME: I did. On Dec. 14th in a post titled “The Golden Boy”, I wrote:

"Leo will win the Golden Globe for Best Actor". There I said it. Whew! That wasn't too bad. Alright why not? "Leo is going to win a fricking Oscar!" Whoah man that felt good. Just imagine L.D standing in front of the assembled masses: the live crowd, A-Listers and starlets abound; the betting types, sitting with their Oscar pool money on the table, cursing themselves for picking Paul Giamatti; all unified in their love and appreciation for Leo, the murmers, then the whispers giving way to a low rumble, and if you turn your T.V up and lean in real close you can start to make out the words, sinking together into a slow, loving chant, "we're sorry Leo, we were wrong to doubt you and make fun, we are stupid, stupid people Leo". Perfection.

YOU: How are you holding up now that it is all so close to becoming a reality?
ME: I am just fine thank you, cool as a fan. I think Oprah put it best when she said:



“Go get your Oscar, Leo!”