Reality, Oscar Style

Who are these Oscar voters, anyway? “It’s become something of an annual sport to deride them for being too conservative or simply too enamoured of spectacle for spectacle’s sake to recognise the more understated, more subversive sides of cinematic endeavour. And yet, the Academy’s choices often end up saying a surprising amount about the times we live in.”

Blair Stands Behind His Culture Minister

Tony Blair says he stands by his culture minister Tessa Jowell in a scandal over an improper payment. “Critics are expected to seize on a number of peculiarities in her statement, notably how she appeared to be unaware of the injection of £350,000 into the household finances for four years despite having made a subsequent joint mortgage application on the same property 18 months later.”

Muti After La Scala

It’s been a year since Riccardo Muti left La Scala. “The fevered reports that appeared in some European newspapers during the time of troubles, to the effect that Mr. Muti, tyrant that he evidently was, would never find gainful employ again, were always laughable. ‘Immediately, everybody jumped on me, so I have worked more at saying no than saying yes. Actually, when I left La Scala, I received a great demonstration of friendship and admiration throughout the world’.”