I'm even grumpier than usual about the Oscars, which I both love and hate. Most years, I have a movie I love that's somewhere in the hunt. Last year, even though I knew "Winter's Bone" wasn't going to win anything, it was fun to root for it.
The year before, I most rooted against "Avatar," and cherished the notion that "District 9" was in many ways the most original and thoughtful movie among the nominees.
The year before that -- well, at least there was the certainty that Heath Ledger's performance in "The Dark Knight" was the best work anybody did all year.