In 1999, I saw every movie nominated for a major award. If you recall, "American Beauty" won an Oscar that year, and so did Hilary Swank for her performance in "Boys Don't Cry."

I spent every Friday evening at the movies with my friends. I even skipped class one afternoon to see "Fight Club." I took in the good ones and the bad. It didn't matter. On Oscar night, I knew which films would walk away with the gold.

I guess you'd say I was a movie junkie.

But in the years since, something has changed and I'm not sure what. Have movies gotten worse? Or have I joined the crowd that would rather watch a flick from the comfort of my leather recliner?

I didn't run out to see "Brokeback Mountain" (I've read the short story, though). I haven't seen "Crash," "Munich" or "Capote."

In fact, in the past year I have seen a grand total of three films on the big screen: "Something New" (friends wanted to see it), "The Constant Gardener" (ditto) and "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" (I felt obligated).

— Marques G. Harper