A whole bunch of movies just got disallowed from being Foreign Films at the Academy awards ... let me go look ...

Yeah, either America is snarfing the world, or borders are just getting too blurry in these large efforts:

Since Oscar submissions for foreign-language films may only be made by the country in which they are made -- and only one film per country -- several of the top foreign language movies of 2004 have already been eliminated. They include Maria Full of Grace, A Very Long Engagement, The Motorcycle Diaries, and Bad Education, the Los Angeles Times observed today (Thursday). Also eliminated: Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, in which Aramaic was the principal spoken language. "This system doesn't work," producer and academy member Samuel Goldwyn Jr. told the Times. "The academy's job is to pick the best foreign-language picture of the year. But what happens when two of the best pictures of the year are both made in France? Or suppose you had Italy's The Bicycle Thief and La Dolce Vita in the same year. It would be criminal if you could only pick one."

Oh, while I was looking I found this:

Concerned about the recent backlash over the Janet Jackson incident and the FCC's apparent determination to enforce its decency rules to the letter, Sony Film Classics has asked director Michael Radford to digitally retouch a scene in his The Merchant of Venice in which a naked cupid is shown in a Veronese fresco, the London Financial Times reported today (Friday). The newspaper said that Radford had already anticipated the distributors' concerns by shooting extra scenes for television in which bare-breasted prostitutes who appear in the theatrical version are fully clothed for TV. But Radford said that he was perplexed when he received a request from the distributors to "paint-box the wallpaper" in one of the scenes. "I said, wallpaper, what wallpaper? This is the 16th century. People didn't have wallpaper." When it became clear that they were referring to the fresco, he said, he drew the line. "A billion dollars worth of Veronese great master's frescoes they want paint-boxed out because of this cupid's willy. It is absolutely absurd," he said.

Michael Radford rocks. He has the rat face-cage from 1984 in his dining room.

According to IMDB, she's 5'11", he's 6'2 1/2".

And, BTW, according to Guinness Book, the tallest leading actor of all time is Christopher Lee, at 6'5".

Hugh Jackman, 6'2"? Nonsense. In interviews, he usually cops to being 5'11".

(And I think he is like Brad Pitt and George Clooney, i.e. the sort of guy who is like, No I am not six foot. So?)

And, BTW, according to Guinness Book, the tallest leading actor of all time is Christopher Lee, at 6'5".

Shaquille O'Neal has played the lead in a couple of films.

Hugh Jackman, 6'2"? Nonsense. In interviews, he usually cops to being 5'11".

I dunno, it sounds about right to me after seeing him in Oklahoma!, unless everyone else was really short.

Shaquille O'Neal has played the lead in a couple of films.

Still not an actor.

Still not an actor.

Sadly, I think all we can say is that he's not a good actor.

I came to the conclusion, though, that Sarah Vowell's not only not an actor, she's not acting in The Incredibles. She's reading. To great effect, but she's reading.

Shaquille O'Neal has played the lead in a couple of films.

Maybe the people making the determination suffered traumatic amnesia after seeing Kazaam! and don't remember the movie at all?

Hey, don't forget his action epic 'Double Team' with Jean Claud Van something or other.

My favorite line is near the end, when the forensic psychologist, played by Max Von Sydow, turns to Donald Sutherland (the political officer) and Stephen Rhea (the cop who's been chasing the serial killer) and tells them "It's been a pleasure working with you. Together, the two of you make a wonderful person."

Yes! I loved that line!

Hey, don't forget his action epic 'Double Team' with Jean Claud Van something or other.

I think that was Dennis Rodman, not Shaq.