Waltz With Winslet

So Waltz With Bashir somehow managed not to win the Oscar. Pity. It was, far and away, the best thing I watched last year, combining stunning visuals and an engaging narrative. Whatever Gideon Levy might think, I think it is an important social document, all the more relevant because despite the pretty explicit anti-war narrative

(again, whatever Gideon Levy might say or think. On this point, he's wrong, just wrong. If he wants to criticise the director, Ari Folman, for not speaking out about the Gaza campaign, fine. But that's something else altogether)

...it actually was seen - and talked about - by a lot of people far outside what one might consider the core left wing constituency for the film. The first thing to do in making amends with the past is to acknowledge that there is a past. And that Waltz with Bashir does, with honours.

Still, whilst an Oscar would have been nice, it doesn't require an award to grant it the seal authenticity or significance. Here's a short clip for the the two people in Israel who still haven't watched it, and anyone else who may be interested...(Absolute killer soundtrack too - it isn't every day you get to hear PiL anywhere).






However, the fragrant Kate Winslet did win - at long last - and for her 'Holocaust drama'.

?

Let me explain. A few years ago, she had a cameo on Ricky Gervais' excellent 'Extras' (available, btw, for free on HOT VOD - worth checking out) and...well, just watch the clip - with a healthy dose of British humour.






(Not related to anything - a couple of years ago, a heavily pregnant - week 39 - Mrs Goy attended a special screening of Ms Winslet's last Oscar nominated film, Little Children. As is the wont of pregnant women everywhere, at some point she needed to use the bathroom. On opening the door, she ran into - literally - Ms Winslet, sending her flying. Ms Winslet, however, was much more concerned about Mrs Goy, apologising for not looking where she was walking, although [knowing Mrs Goy as I do] she probably wasn't at all at fault. That's nice. You don't get Hollywood stars saying sorry to you every day.)