Our Obsession With Movies We Haven’t Seen (Complete With DVD Release Dates)

I love movies.  Almost every night, the wife and I curl up on the couch after the kids have gone to bed, flip on the Netflix, and catch a random movie.  I'm not the most "caught-up" on movies by any means though, as we don't get to the theater often.  However, Oscar buzz always leaves wondering, "How many of us HAVE seen these movies?"

I think when most of us go to the theaters, it's to see the BIG pictures: the most teased comedies, the big action blockbusters, and the family fun flicks.  Some of us go to see the dramas, but usually not enough to make them the top billing features of the year.  We usually wait till DVD or Netflix.  But when it comes to the Oscars, half of the movies we've never even heard of, and probably would never plan to watch if it wasn't for the "Oscar Buzz".  And then there a couple that seem to have just been released, or have never been put to major release.

Yet we become obsessed to know which movies "made the list," and then promptly put them on our "must see" list.  And almost always, half of them disappoint us, as we get frustrated that the movies we loved were passed up while this "junk" movie was nominated and won.  I guess that's why we're not part of the Academy.  But if we don't understand the "hows" and "whys" movies get nominated over others, why do we get so infatuated with the Oscars? (And why did "Lego Movie" not get an Animated Feature nod?)

So all that being said, I contradict myself.  With all the buzz and hype, I must say I'm excited to see quite a few of these movies.  Here's my list with "Friends-esque" descriptions and DVD release dates.  Which are you excited to see, or recommend?

• Whiplash - The One With the Farmer's Insurance Guy and the Drummer - Feb 24th
• Birdman - The One Where Batman Is A Different Superhero - Feb 17th
• Boyhood - The One With the Same Cast Filmed Over Many Years - Just released Jan 6th
• Selma - The One That Everyone Wants/Needs to See About Civil Rights - ??? (Still in theaters)
• American Sniper - The One With Bradley Cooper That's A War Movie That Isn't A War Movie - ??? (Major release in theaters THIS WEEKEND!)
• The Theory of Everything - The One That's About Stephen Hawking and His Wife - Feb 17th
• Wild - The One Where Reese Witherspoon Walks, A LOT - ???? (Still in limited theaters)
• The Imitation Game - The One With That Benedict Guy Who Cracks Codes - ??? (Still In Theaters)
• Gone Girl - The One That Everyone Wanted To See and Was Confused By - Just release on DVD THIS WEEK
• Nightcrawler - The One Where Jake Gyllenhaal Looked Really Creepy - Feb. 10

-----------  OTHERS (Including Oscar Snubs) ----------

• Grand Budapest Hotel - The One By The Guy Who Does All Those Strange Films with Owen Wilson - Already on Netflix and DVD
• Foxcatcher - The One With Steve Carell (With a Big Nose) and Tanning Chatum - Feb 17
• Still Alice - The One With Julianne Moore - In theaters THIS WEEKEND
• The Judge - The One With Robert Duvall and Ironman - Jan 27th
• Inherent Vice - The One Where Joaquin Phoenix Looks Really, Really Wierd - ??? (Still in select theaters)
• Into the Woods - The One All About Fairy Tales - March 24th - (Still in Theaters)
• Big Eyes - The One With Amy Adams And Strange Art With Big Eyes - ??? Still in theaters
• St. Vincent - The One With A Drunk Bill Murray Taking Care of A Neighbor Kid - Feb. 17