I don't know how close Hollywood shows and films are close at depicting reality when it comes time for the CIA, or other U.S. intelligence services, but I really hope to a degree that they aren't like what I have been seeing in the show Homeland. I started watching season one today, and I have to agree that it is highly engaging and interesting, especially to a writer and aspiring psychologist. Torture, brainwashing, and PTSD are fascinating subjects to try and understand and explore in regards as to what drives and motivates people to do horrible things to others, or the processes involved in reshaping someone's entire identity and belief system. For those of you who haven't seen the show, it is about an American soldier who returns from Iraq after being held for 8 years. He is hailed as a hero, but a single CIA agent believes him to be more than he appears. Slowly she begins to build a case around this man and the labyrinth of deception that the former soldier is hiding. Good writing and excellent characters so far, and I like how the antagonists are always seemingly 5 steps ahead of everyone, makes for some believable danger for the heroes and those on the sidelines. Hopefully the characters remain up to scratch and the gratuitous sex decreases as the series continues. So tonight on for the Oscar countdown, we begin with Best Picture: American Hustle, Captain Philips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave, and The Wolf of Wall Street. Now I (as usual) have seen none of these films, although I almost watched a few. So American Hustle is too....well it doesn't have the gravitas to win, Captain Philips sounds too boring, Dallas Buyers Club sounds like a card game for senior citizens, Gravity is too successful and cutting edge, Her is too weird, Nebraska....well that just says it all right there, Philomena....well no one knows what that even means, The Wolf of Wall Street can't win because Martin Scorsese recently won an Oscar (at least in Oscar years), so that leaves 12 Years a Slave which sounds inspirational, an underdog story, controversial topic, and lots of emotions. That is my pick to win and that film that I want to win as well, and yes I say all of that even after I haven't seen a single film, but hey all of them have to be good because they were nominated, right? Of course. Good night and Good luck everyone, and stay away from heroin; it's bad for your heart and wreaks havoc on the human central nervous system.Homeland Season 1 trailer
2014 Oscars Best Picture Mashup
