Oscar Sunday vs Superbowl Sunday

February 6th, 2011 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Movies

At the beginning of every year, film nerds and sports fans are treated to extremely different Super Sundays.

Superbowl Sunday and Oscar Sunday

My entire life, I’ve been an athlete.

I played competitive basketball, baseball, volleyball and soccer for years and still do to this day. (When I can) I’m also a massive sports fan and follow virtually every professional sport you can name.

Add my career in television and you can safely assume that I’m surrounded by sports on a daily basis. You can imagine how excited I become when huge events like Superbowl Sunday approach.

This is why I love sports. Everything comes down to the championship game, the series clinching thrillers, the walk off home runs and last second heroics.

It’s about delivering on the hype and this is why Superbowl Sunday is one of the best days of the year for a sports fan.

But I’m also a nerd.

I’ve been addicted to filmmaking and movies just as long. It’s my first and most beloved passion. I love everything about movies and spend most of my time away from my job working on scripts, blogs and anything else that fuels my love of films.

When it comes to comparing Oscar Sunday to Superbowl Sunday it’s easy to see the similarities. Everything builds up to a single day when all the hype surrounding the nominated movies reaches a boiling point. It’s the day you find out which of your favorites succeed (In the Academy’s eyes at least) and if you love movies, you’ll cheer on your picks.

Each Sunday fills people with an overwhelming sense of anticipation. While they are completely different, they both represent a super day in which people are glued to the screen and celebrate the simple joy of being a fan.

Superbowl & Movies Unite!

One thing I’m always excited about are the Superbowl commercials. It’s one of the most exciting days of the year for fans of huge summer movies. You’re always guaranteed to see a ton of fantastic trailers, TV spots and clips from some of the years most anticipated movies.

Oh man… I can’t handle it! I can’t wait to see this years crop of trailers.

The Verdict?

It’s been over 15 years since one of my teams won a championship. (That’s what you get when you are a fan of sports in Toronto!) There’s nothing like dedicating yourself to a team and watching them succeed. Even though it’s been a while, I’m still filled with hope at the beginning of every season. Whether it’s the Raptors, Leafs or Jays, I’ll always cheer for my teams and wait for that special moment to arrive again.

In this way, the Athletic side of me wins this battle because you spend so much time and energy invested in your team. Seeing them make the final game and winning is an unbelievable event to witness.

Films are a little different because it differs from year to year. This could be seen as an advantage because films are discovered ever year and will never be winner’s twice. You really only get one shot to win the coveted Best Picture Oscar so the intensity is cranked up even more if your favorite is nominated.

I love the Oscars because it makes me want to become a better filmmaker. I’m not saying I’m going to be walking the red carpet next year but it’s certainly a dream I wouldn’t mind achieving some day.

It’s for this reason that Oscar Sunday wins for me.

Also because I’ll NEVER play in a Superbowl…