Sollecito questions her behavior

• The united cry of innocence may be crumbling, as Raffaele Sollecito changes his tone


• He finds Knox's behavior, the morning Meredith Kercher was found dead, odd


• His lawyer advises that his case must be considered separately from hers


• Sollecito still says the evidence exonerates them both

(CNN) -- "We are innocent." For six years, that has been the cry that has united Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, as they have faced trials in the murder of Knox's former roommate Meredith Kercher.

But that unity may be crumbling, as she and Raffaele Sollecito prepare to appeal their convictions before Italy's Supreme Court next year.

Knox, who is living in the United States, appears to be sticking by the maxim.

Just over two weeks ago, she posted it in a photo to her Facebook page in Italian: "Siamo innocente."

Appeals Court Judge Alessandro Nencini, center, reads out the verdict for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Florence, Italy, on Thursday, January 30, 2014. The appeals court upheld the convictions of U.S. student Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 murder of her British roommate. Knox was sentenced to 28 1/2 years in prison, raising the specter of a long legal battle over her extradition. Sollecito's sentence was 25 years.

Sollecito, left, and his father Francesco leave after attending the final hearing before the verdict on January 30. After nearly 12 hours of deliberation, the court reinstated the guilty verdict first handed down against Knox and Sollecito in 2009.

Patrick Lumumba, the Congolese bartender Knox originally accused of Kercher's murder, talks to the press outside the courthouse during a break form the appeal trial of Knox and Sollecito on September 30.

Knox appears on NBC's "Today" show. Knox spent four years in jail because of murder charges in the death of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy.

Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito were convicted in 2009 to 25 years in prison (Sollecito got 26 years). The conviction was overturned in 2011 for "lack of evidence." But Italy's Supreme Court decided last year to retry the case, saying the jury that acquitted them didn't consider all the evidence and that discrepancies in testimony needed to be answered.

Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found dead with her throat slit in an apartment she shared with Knox on November 2, 2007.

When Knox was detained for questioning in 2007, she implicated Lumumba, the owner of a bar where Knox worked. Lumumba was taken into custody and released after two weeks in prison when his alibi was corroborated. He later won a libel suit against Knox.

Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder, was convicted in December 2009 with Knox and released when their cases were overturned. Prosecutors testified that police scientists found Sollecito's genetic material on a bra clasp of Kercher's found in her room, while his defense claimed there wasn't enough DNA for a positive ID.

Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native raised in Perugia, was convicted separately from Knox and Sollecito and is now serving 16 years. Guede admitted to being with Kercher on the night she died, but said he didn't kill her. Both Knox and Sollecito argued that he was the killer, and Guede suggested the couple took Kercher's life.

Meredith Kercher's family lawyer Francesco Maresca, left, argued in court in 2011 that the multiple stab wounds implied more than one aggressor killed Kercher. Pictured from left are Maresca, Kercher's father John, sister Stephanie, brother Lyle and brother John at a press conference in 2008.

Carlo Dalla Vedova, one lawyer on Knox's defense team, argued in court that "the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox" in his closing argument for her appeal hearing.

Carlo Pacelli represented Patrick Lumumba in his civil suit case. He called Knox two-faced and a "she-devil."

Giulia Bongiorno, the lead lawyer on Raffaele Sollecito's defense team, compared Knox to Jessica Rabbit on the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Knox is not bad, just "drawn that way," Bongiorno said in her closing statements in the 2011 trial.

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

The Knox-Sollecito retrial

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Photos: The Knox-Sollecito retrial

Sollecito: 'I still have to fight'

Sollecito: I am not responsible for this

Will Amanda Knox go back to Italy?

But Sollecito, who is still in Italy, no longer seems so adamant about it, as the prospect of a long prison term stares him in the face.

He was sentenced to 25, Knox to 28 years in prison.

Yes, but

Though he still says that the evidence exonerates them both, he is using more selective language.

"There is nothing against me and nothing very strong against Amanda," Sollecito recently told CNN. "And in my case, I really did nothing wrong, and I don't want to pay for someone else's peculiar behavior."

Knox's behavior on the morning Kercher was found stabbed to death in the apartment she and Knox shared seems to be a new hitch for Sollecito.

That was early November 2007, and he and Knox had only been dating for a week.

Sollecito expanded on his doubts in a new interview with Italian television this week that aired in part on NBC.

Knox had spent the night with him but went back to her place to shower, he said. When she returned, she was "very agitated."

She told him that it looked like someone had broken in and that there was blood in the bathroom, Sollecito said. But rather than call the police, she showered and returned to his place.

He finds it odd, he now says.

"Certainly I asked her questions," he said. "Why did you take a shower? Why did she spend so much time there?"

He didn't get any real answers from her, he said in the interview.

Lawyer's advice

Sollecito's apparent distancing from Knox echoes the position of his lawyer, John Kelly.

"It's imperative that the Italian courts consider Raffaele's case separate from Amanda's case," he said. "By necessity, he has to distance himself and his case from Amanda and her case."

In a note on her Facebook page, Knox acknowledges Sollecito's new stance and appears to back it up.

She said he's a scapegoat.

"The only reason he has been dragged into this is because he happens to be my alibi," she wrote.

Since Kercher's death, Knox and Sollecito have gone through a legal odyssey that led to a conviction that was overturned, followed by a second conviction.

Another man, drifter and drug dealer Rudy Guede from the Ivory Coast is currently serving 16 years for Kercher's murder. He was tried separately from Knox and Sollecito.

He admitted having sex with the young British woman but said someone else killed her while he was in the bathroom.

READ: Amanda Knox's ex-boyfriend says he'll face new 'ordeal'

READ: Amanda Knox retrial verdict: Six things to know

READ: What's next for Amanda Knox?

Secrets of Louis Vuitton success

Louis Vuitton has become synonymous with luxury travel through their now iconic monogrammed trunks. Forbes estimates the brand is worth just a little shy of $30 billion.

Since its founding in Paris in 1854, the Louis Vuitton company catered to the more glamorous-minded members of society, including empresses, explorers and artists. In this photo from 1888, Louis Vuitton's son Georges and grandson Gaston-Louis pose with factory workers in front of a horse-drawn delivery van.

In order to meet the growing demand for his trunks, Louis Vuitton opened a new workshop in Asnières, northwest of Paris in 1859. The factory, seen here on the back of the 1897 Vuitton catalog, was designed using the most modern architectural developments of the time.

Here, a group of workers is photographed inside the workshop in 1909. The company's long history has been inextricably linked to travel, and Vuitton trunks were designed with a flat top to fit the modern requirements of mass-journeys by train and steamboat.

The town of Asnières was chosen as the location of Louis Vuitton's workshop because of its convenient transport links - it sits along the Seine, and is connected to Paris by rail. Here, a 1903 photo shows poplar boards used for manufacturing of trunks unloaded from a barge.

The wood would then be sorted inside a warehouse such as this one, and artisans would select the finest planks which would then be cut and classified according to what product would be made out of them.

Delivery cars with the famous LV logo are parked in front of the factory in 1909.

This advertising leaflet for Louis Vuitton from 1910 shows the interior of the factory, and is a world away from the brand's glossy and elaborate ads found in high-end magazine today. CEO Bernard Arnault says that Vuitton always relied primarily on quality, not marketing, to sell its products.

Artisans work in a room bathed in natural light in this image from 1902. This is where fine touches that distinguished Vuitton products were made.

Items that were still unfinished were stored in this area.

On the first floor, artisans put finishing touches on the trunks and boxes bound for the French elite. Today, it takes between 18 months and two years to fully train a worker to produce items of the quality required by Louis Vuitton.

This print shows the interior of the Louis Vuitton factory in Asnières, and also displays the bronze medal awarded for his participation at the International Exposition of Paris in 1867. The print also carries an advertising slogan: "La Maison Vuitton packs the most fragile objects with safety."

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• Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker for the French elite, including Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III


• The company has always had a spirit of adventure at its core


• Today, it is one of the most valuable luxury brands in the world

(CNN) -- On a breezy spring day in 1835, a 13-year-old boy from the Jura region of eastern France set out for the glittering metropolis of Paris to seek his fortune.

He traveled the 292 mile road on foot, sleeping wherever he could find shelter and taking odd jobs to survive. It took him two years to reach the city, where he promptly became an apprentice to a box maker, and ultimately opened his own chest-making workshop.

His name was Louis Vuitton.

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault tells CNN's Isa Soares what's the secret of Louis Vuitton's longevity.

A century and a half later, the eponymous company he founded is among the most recognizable luxury brands in the world and, according to Forbes, is worth nearly $30 billion.

It's part of the LVMH consortium whose CEO (and France's richest man), Bernard Arnault, spoke exclusively to CNN about the firm's heritage, and the spirit of adventure which, he says, defined it from the start: "The history of Louis Vuitton is linked to travel. We created luggage for explorers, and during the 20th century our products gradually evolved to reflect the lifestyle of the customer."

Louis Vuitton was one of the first luxury retailers to open boutiques in China and Mongolia and now the label is seeking new frontiers -- looking towards unexplored markets in Indonesia and South America.

Luxury group LVMH CEO and France's richest man Bernard Arnault

"When I went to China in 1991 for the opening of the first Louis Vuitton shop, you hardly saw any cars on the streets of Beijing, only bicycles. In spite of that we opened a luxury boutique, and now we have more than 20 across the country" says Arnault.

The company is ever keen to trumpet its craftsmanship ethos. Indeed, many items are still hand-made in its French factories - with some workers being trained between 18 months and two years. Mr Arnault credits this attention to detail with Louis Vuitton's longevity on the luxury market.

Paris vs New York: Who wins in clash of the culture capitals?

The brand's well-known LV monogram was introduced in 1896 in an effort to combat counterfeits, but Arnault says that it doesn't take a logo to recognize the company's signature handicraft: "What made Louis Vuitton famous was the quality. We don't do marketing, we just create products which are exceptional in their design and craftsmanship."

Flamboyant flair

In 1997 the company hired Marc Jacobs as the creative director, initiating a long-standing and successful partnership that come to an end in 2013. Jacobs designed Louis Vuitton's first ready-to-wear clothing line which premiered at Paris Fashion Week to both critical and commercial success, and the brand has since become known for its theatrical and flamboyant fashion shows.

Delivery trucks with the famous LV logo parked in front of the Louis Vuitton factory in Asnières.

Courtesy ARCHIVES LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER

"It's very important that when you have a designer like Marc Jacobs, who is a genius, you give him complete freedom. So what you see as theatrical scenery is in fact his creativity poured into the fashion show" says Arnault.

The latest from the City of Love

Staging a runway presentation remains crucial when it comes to capturing the imagination of customers and the media, even if some of the more outlandish designs don't make it from the catwalk to the stores: "Fashion week is a moment in which designers can show their ideas to the world. On the catwalk you see pieces which are innovative and trigger the desire of the customer. From these ideas you can then create products which follow that direction, but in a more accessible way."

Spirit of entrepreneurship

Louis Vuitton's parent company LVMH also owns French luxury giants Christian Dior, Givenchy and Dom Perignon, and Arnault travels the world at the helm of the consortium much like an ambassador of Gallic style.

Is Paris still cool? Hell yeah! (But not for the reasons you think)

However, he also looks beyond the world of traditional, large companies, and is eager to apply the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley to fashion establishments in Paris and London.

"Today everybody, including myself, is interested in internet start-ups. But you also have start-ups in the designer world, and it's fascinating to see how we can transform a small company into something very successful on a global scale" he says.

And when it comes to his goals for the future? "We want Louis Vuitton to still be the number one brand in ten years. In our business, the most important word is desire, so we want to continue creating desire."

Watch: Why is Paris Fashion Week so important?

Man offers home for Dogecoins

It started off as a parody to the widely traded digital currency Bitcoin, but now Dogecoin is becoming a popular cryptocurrency in its own right. The coins' playful symbol is a Shiba Inu, inspired by an Internet meme in which "doge" became another term for "dog."

Matt Thompson, a user of cryptocurrency, decided to accept Dogecoins as a form of payment for his Wisconsin vacation home which he put up for sale last summer.

Thompson's vacation home is located in Hayward, Wisconsin. He's selling the house for 100 million Dogecoins, or about $135,000.

Although it started as a joke three months ago, Dogecoin's community has come together to finance several causes, including raising $30,000 on Crowdtilt to send the Jamaican bobsled team to the Sochi Winter Olympics. Here's the team sporting their check and Dogecoin T-shirts.

Billy Markus, the creator of Dogecoin, says the cryptocurrency is meant to be fun and accessible. That could explain the silliness of its website, which features a Shiba Inu zipping around in a rocket ship. "I hope Dogecoin continues to grow as the Internet's tipping currency and brings people joy," he said.

• After failing to get any offers, a man says he'll take Dogecoins for his vacation home


• Dogecoin is an alternative digital coin to the popularly traded cryptocurrency Bitcoin


• Although it started off as a parody to Bitcoin, Dogecoin is now worth more than $65 million

Do you have an interesting story on technology that you want to share? Send it to CNN iReport.

(CNN) -- The Dogecoin started off as a penniless Internet joke. But Matt Thompson plans on selling his vacation home for this meme-inspired currency.

The 27-year-old entrepreneur has been selling games and gadgets over the Internet for years, but nothing as big as his Wisconsin vacation home, which he is offering for 100 million Dogecoins.

Dogecoin (pronounced DOHJ-coin) isn't something tangible like the dollar bills in your wallet. It's an open source file-sharing form of cryptocurrency that was created by programmer Billy Markus in December 2013. The newbie cryptocurrency started off as a parody of Bitcoin, using the image of a perplexed Japanese dog. Chances are, you've probably seen Dogecoin's mascot somewhere on the Internet already. As the Shiba Inu would say: Wow, much coin-cidence.

But this satirical currency isn't just a punchline anymore. Through trading and transactions between users, the currency went from being worth nothing to being valued at more than $65 million, and it has a uniquely supportive community of users from the site Reddit.

Thompson, a user of Bitcoins since 2011, started buying and selling Dogecoins two days after they were made available online. But the early adopter didn't think of selling his vacation home for cryptocurrency until his property got no offers after several months on the market. His three-bedroom, two-bath home is one of 2,300 properties on sale in Sawyer County, in the state's northern woods.

To attract potential buyers, he decided to accept Dogecoins as a payment form. He sees potential in it.

"I don't mind holding on to (Dogecoins) for a multitude of reasons, including that I believe I can use them to further my business," he explained. Thompson, who lives in Minnesota, primarily sells video and electronic game accessories online. He's been able to buy and sell inventory from places such as China by using the digital currency. "It's safe and easy with minimal fees," he said. "To date, I've found it to be very good for supplementing payment methods."

Timothy Lee, who has written about cryptocurrency for The Washington Post, says Dogecoin can be a feasible alternative to Bitcoin, but it is important to put it into context. Bitcoin is the most popularly traded cryptocurrency and has the largest community of users in the digital currency realm. Dogecoin is one of the top 10 cryptocurrencies, but it has a far smaller following.

Ben Doernberg of the Dogecoin Foundation -- yes, the founders even established a nonprofit organization -- says what makes it special compared with its competitors is its community.

"It was important to the founders that the currency would be friendly and accepting. Most of these Bitcoin competitors are created to make a lot of money, but it's hard to generate a healthy supportive community," he said. Doernberg estimates that more than 100,000 people use Dogecoin actively.

That does make for a limited pool of users who can fork up Thompson's 100 million Dogecoin price tag, which translates to roughly $135,000. The value of a Dogecoin is about one-tenth of a penny, whereas a Bitcoin is valued at a hefty $630 -- and at their peak Bitcoins were trading at $1,200.

Bitcoin prices plunge as technical problems persist

Even though the value of Dogecoin is only a fraction of other cryptocurrenices, that doesn't mean it's easy to earn.

There's a process, says Dogecoin user Lionel Vogt, who first shared Thompson's story with CNN iReport. The Georgia resident explained that people use graphic cards and their computers to help "mine" Dogecoins. (In doge-ism speak, it's called "digging" for coins.) Mining is the process used to create digital currencies -- it's where computers solve mathematical equations in exchange for Dogecoins.

It's similar to producing other popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin and Peercoin.

Dogecoin even has its own website, which has step-by-step instructions on how to get started using the currency. It also features a flashy introductory video of an animated Shiba Inu flying through a fictional city on a rocket ship.

I may have started it, but as a decentralized currency with open source code, it fully belongs to the community.

Billy Markus, creator of Dogecoin

The Dogecoin community is doing more than just joking around and financing online shopping sprees. The currency is being used to raise money for events and people. Before the Sochi Winter Olympics kicked off, Dogecoin fundraisers helped send the Jamaican bobsled team and an Indian luge contender to Russia to compete in the Games. The Dogecoin Foundation and Reddit's r/Dogecoin community were able to raise more than $30,000 for the two causes.

Bitcoin regulations coming this year

Despite the Dogecoin community's generosity, Thompson says the cryptocurrency has its critics.

"So many people, especially people involved with Bitcoin, tend to believe it's a copycat. I really don't think you can be so shortsighted. I believe the value of an economic system is the sum of all of its parts. So, there is room for all sorts of coins," he said.

Markus, the creator of Dogecoin, explains that the currency is not meant to be a rival to Bitcoin. Both use the same technology. "Dogecoin wouldn't be where it is without Bitcoin leading the way," said the Portland, Oregon, resident. "Bitcoin is the trailblazer and Dogecoin is a friendly spin that helps introduce the world of cryptocurrency."

Dogecoin's longevity is also dependent on network effect, Lee explains. "Dogecoin is sort of this self-fulfilling prophecy," he said. "The more people who accept it, the more value it has. Bitcoin has a head start on that," he said.

Bitcoin has been around for five years whereas Dogecoin has been in circulation for three months.

I hope Dogecoin continues to grow as the Internet's tipping currency and brings people joy.

Billy Markus, creator of Dogecoin

With the cryptocurrency still in its infancy and only a fraction of the value of its popular counterparts, it begs the question: Has Thompson received any offers for his six-acre vacation home?

Not yet, he says. But he's definitely made an impression with the Dogecoin community. "I've been asked a lot of questions about this house, and I think it's a good effect. It gets more people talking," he said.

Dogecoin Foundation's Doernberg says all the chatter is a good thing for the digital currency.

"The U.S. dollar is only valuable because people are willing to accept it. In currency, that is the most important thing," he said.

"Dogecoin's priorities are 'let's get everyone to the moon,' " Doernberg said. "Cryptocurrency is really powerful and instead of locking it up for a few people, let's get everyone in the world on it."

No respect: The Oscars ignore young people

Filmmaker John Hughes was a master of teenage angst -- and romance, as seen here in "Sixteen Candles" (1984) with Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling. From "The Breakfast Club" to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" to "Pretty in Pink," Hughes' movies are as relatable as they are quotable. Yet his work as a writer or director was never nominated for an Academy Award. See other more recent films about youth that Oscar has overlooked:

"The Kings of Summer" (2013): This coming-of-age comedy features three teenage boys Joe (Nick Robinson, left), Patrick (Gabriel Basso, right) and Biaggio (Moises Arias) who run away from home to build a house in the woods.

"The Way, Way Back" (2013): A touching, witty new take on "How I Spent My Summer Vacation," the film stars Liam James, left, as a 14-year-old who joins his mother (Toni Collette) and her unbearable boyfriend (Steve Carell) and his daughter at a beach resort town. Duncan survives by striking up an unexpected friendship with water park manager Owen (Sam Rockwell). AnnaSophia Robb, right, as a next-door neighbor, also wins his affection.

"The Spectacular Now" (2013): Miles Teller, who made CNN's Fresh Faces list, stars as Sutter Keely, a sweet guy who falls in love with Shailene Woodley's "good girl" Aimee Finecky in this film adaptation of Tim Tharp's novel.

"Short Term 12" (2013): This full-length version of director Destin Daniel Cretton's 2008 short film portrays Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) and Grace (Brie Larson) as a couple in their 20s who run a home for troubled teens and help themselves in the process.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013): Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen must return to the Hunger Games arena that nearly took her life for the sadistic Quarter Quell. Here, past Hunger Games winners have to re-compete and fight to the death again. Katniss is paired with Josh Hutcherson's Peeta Mellark, both a lifesaver -- and at times a liability -- to the courageous Katniss.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012): Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, this coming-of-age story with Logan Lerman, pictured, and Emma Watson captures the agony and the ecstasy of what it's like to be an adolescent.

• The Academy Awards tend to overlook movies about young people


• Films such as "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and "Short Term 12" were snubbed


• Some of these movies brought in more money or accolades than many Oscar nominees

(CNN) -- When people talk about the cinematic geniuses of the 1980s, one name invariably comes up -- John Hughes. For young people growing up then and even today, the writer-director's name conjures up memories of unforgettable films.

From "Sixteen Candles" (1984) and "The Breakfast Club" (1985) to "Pretty in Pink" (1986) and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986), Hughes was responsible for a series of films that openly and honestly explored the exhilaration and tumultuousness of adolescence.

It's been nearly three decades since those movies arrived in theaters, but audiences still watch and enjoy them as if they were made yesterday. However, despite the love audiences have shown for his work, Hughes was never nominated for an Academy Award.

Hughes isn't alone in being an outstanding filmmaker whose features about people under 30 were overlooked during awards season. It's unfortunate but undeniable that award shows -- and the Oscars in particular -- have a history of ignoring great movies made for and about young people.

In 2013 alone, several such films received raves from critics, earning spots on "best of" lists. "The Kings of Summer" and "The Way, Way Back" scored approval ratings of 76% and 85% of critics, respectively, on RottenTomatoes.com, while "The Spectacular Now," written by the duo behind 2009's underappreciated "(500) Days of Summer," earned the approval of 92% of critics.

"Short Term 12" received a 99% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, a higher ranking than any of this year's best picture nominees. "Spring Breakers," starring James Franco and Selena Gomez, may have divided some moviegoers, but the film was also lauded for its provocative depiction of disaffected youth. And it's not for nothing that "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" was the top grossing film of 2013.

Yet not one of these movies earned a single Oscar nomination.

Meanwhile, "The Wolf of Wall Street -- which secured a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes -- received five Academy Award nods, including ones for best picture and best adapted screenplay.

2014 Oscars nominees list

That's not to say that "Wolf" didn't deserve recognition, but these other movies focused on characters in the early stages of adulthood. From three teenage boys running away from home to build a house in "The Kings of Summer" to a couple in their 20s managing a treatment facility for troubled children in "Short Term 12," these films were about young people finding their way -- a seeming disadvantage in the academy's eyes.

In an e-mail interview, Dana Polan, a professor of cinema studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, noted that "Hollywood associates youth with escapist entertainment. (There) is the assumption here (no doubt, a biased one) that to be important, a theme has to be adult and mature, and youth films just don't make it."

Over the years, there have been some exceptions to this rule. For example, "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955) received three Oscar nominations, and "American Graffiti" (1973) grabbed five nods -- though both films ultimately walked away empty-handed. "Juno," the 2007 comedy about a pregnant high schooler (Ellen Page), was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture and best director. The film took home the award for best original screenplay -- a win that one could argue had more to do with the quirkiness of Diablo Cody's script than the subject matter itself.

Film critic Nell Minow (the Movie Mom) also observed that "Oscar voters skew older."

"They are more interested in stories about grown-ups and more likely to have relationships with actors and filmmakers who are 30 and older," Minow said via e-mail.

That may be part of the reason why movies such as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which delighted critics with one of 2012's best scripts and stellar performances from Logan Lerman and Emma Watson -- also didn't receive any recognition from the academy.

Such snubs seem particularly egregious, partly because the academy often blatantly attempts to appeal to a younger demographic. In 2011, the Oscars chose James Franco and Anne Hathaway as hosts in hopes of attracting younger viewers. The plan failed, with the ratings dipping and the duo receiving poor reviews.

The intention may have been a noble one, but perhaps a better idea would have been for the academy to begin honoring movies that speak to what it's like to be a young person today.

"The Youth," a song performed by MGMT on "The Kings of Summer" soundtrack, speaks of the transition between adolescence and adulthood. It includes the following lyrics:

The youth is starting to change.

Are you starting to change?

Hoffman's pal: We weren't lovers

• Philip Seymour Hoffman wasn't self-destructive, friend says


• David Bar Katz later sued National Enquirer over story


• He will use proceeds to set up an award for playwrights

(CNN) -- The friend who found actor Philip Seymour Hoffman dead of a drug overdose said Wednesday on CNN's "New Day" that media portrayals have painted an inaccurate picture of the Oscar winner's life and death.

Hoffman was not in a destructive death-spiral the night he died, playwright David Bar Katz said in an exclusive interview with "New Day" host Chris Cuomo.

"It's a cliché that makes it very easy and that people like, but Phil was not that guy," Katz said.

"I can just say that I think a lot of it has been totally overblown," he continued. "It gives a false picture of him because he was focused, he was working, he was focused on his family, he was not a partier, he was not someone that was in a spiral, he was not self-destructive in any way."

Amy Adams cries over Hoffman's death

Bob Forrest: Addicts are narcissistic

Katz found Hoffman dead February 2. When police were called to the actor's fourth-floor Manhattan apartment, they found him lying on the bathroom floor with a syringe in his left arm.

Investigators discovered close to 50 envelopes of what they believed was heroin in the apartment, law enforcement sources said. They also found used syringes, prescription drugs and empty plastic bags of a type commonly used to hold drugs, the sources said.

After the death, the National Enquirer published a story indicating that Katz and Hoffman were lovers. Katz sued the publication. Katz and the Enquirer agreed to a settlement, which will be used to fund an award for playwrights.

The newspaper apparently based its story on an interview with someone claiming to be Katz, he said.

"I always knew they made stuff up, but I never knew they made up even having an interview with someone that they never had, and then the degree of seeing how everyone picks it up and, as you just said, treats it like news," Katz told Cuomo. "I was really stunned by that."

Hoffman's will guides son away from Hollywood