Best Picture of the Year

Since I'm on vacation, I'm doing something I don't get a lot of chance to do: namely read a ton, spend time with my son, and watch movies.

I saw a good one the other day. I saw Batman Begins. Lot of good stuff going on in that movie. I enjoyed it, but I'm probably the most biased person in the world, since I collected Batman comic books for years as a boy. Something about an orphaned boy wanting to be something important has always stirred me in ways that no other hero could.

But then I saw a movie that reminded me about what movies are for. I'm not the only one who thought so, apparently. The Academy Awards gave it "Best Picture" last year. It's called Million Dollar Baby.

It's undeniably brilliant. People who know tell me the cinematography is simply shocking. But where the movie really shines in from a screenplay-writing perspective. Paul Haggis did an astounding job. Consider the scene where Clint Eastwood tells Morgan Freeman that he has holes in his socks. The scene plays out for two minutes, and is the kind of thing that's just a joy to watch and listen to. It has the feel of a conversation between friends who have been talking for decades to each other. It's just brilliant. Lesser minds would have cut it: Eastwood leaves it in. Because it's important to the characters. This isn't a boxing movie: it's a movie about people who happen to be boxers.

The movie - like all art - is designed to be discussed and felt.

If you've seen it, I'd like to hear what you thought about it. If you haven't: don't chime in, and don't read the comments because I don't want to give anything away.

This is a movie that deserves to be seen.