Yes, it's that time of year again. Glitz, glamour, awkward speeches, and- oh yeah!- awards for excellence, or something like that.
This is the first year in, hmmm, three years(?) that I was able to throw my annual Oscar gathering. I invited some friends over, made some food, passed out some ballots, and turned on the tube, and... I wasn't as badly disappointed as I have been in the past. A few quick impressions:
I don't know yet what others thought of the opening sketch- I had a flashback to Billy Crystal's movie parody intro two(?) years ago when I saw the Brokeback-esque tent- but I liked it. It pretty much illustrates what the annual host-choosing process must have become in recent years. Hurray, MoviePhone, guy whoever you are! Although the Clooney moment was just long enough to be really aaawkward before we moved on.
Jon Stewart should avoid all monologues. He's at his best riffing off of others, quaintly quipping his way along a few lines at a time. I don't know if it was the weight of the Oscar audience, or his unfamiliarity with the format, but he didn't hit his stride until about a quarter of the way into it when there was enough happening around him to comment on instead of going off his prepared jokes. But how much did I love the attack ads? It was a wonderful way to take a poke at all of those "For your consideration" ads in a uniquely "Daily Show" kind of way. He hit a few speed bumps along the way, but overall, good job. Better than Chris Rock, and no one beats Billy Crystal, but once things got rolling, not bad. Not bad at all.
Why couldn't George Clooney win later in the night? He has such a laid-back approach to acceptance speeches, political without being preachy, they're charming, amusing. Here is a guy who knows his image (Sexiest Man to Batman to Oscar-winner) and he knows how to play (in)to it. Instead of gushing, he was appreciative, he knows this will define him, forever, as "Oscar Winner, George Clooney," but it won't define the work he does, or the image he presents. It was in a word, classy. More winners should be this cool.
Awwww! Moments- the masters of Wallace and Gromit brought bow ties for their Oscars! Love it! And the Director/Producers of March of the Penguins all had stuffed penguins with them.
The Sally Field Gusher Award goes too: Reese Witherspoon. She went on and on, but she was soooo cute! And sooo happy! (And for a minute, we all thought she was going to forget her husband, but... no- he got his shout-out, too.)
Memoirs of a Geisha ruled the "pretty things" categories. Picking up Cinematography, Costume and Art Direction awards, Geisha has proven, once again, that "historical"+ "colorful"+ "not-American"= Oscar. Thank the heavens that they weren't nominated in the Make-up category, too. Although, while we're on the subject...
Why was Cinderella Man even nominated? Were we really so short of nominees this year that a bunch of bruises and Depression-era hair became Oscar-worthy? And while I have no quarrel with the winner, The Chronicles Of Narnia, the only make-up job they really focused on was the Mr. Tumnus get-up, but the Ice Queen was amazing. Subtle, but powerfully effective. It was what make-up should be in something like this. The costumes were amazing, as well, but I guess the Academy is still in LOTR rehab....
Or is it, 'cause King Kong cleaned up the Sound and Visual FX awards.
Is it wrong to be gleeful that War of the Worlds was shut-out? No? Yippee!!! Don't get me wrong, Spielberg knows how to do the FX thing, (and the directing thing, and the producing bit) but it was so nice to see the "other guys" get their chance.
I like that the musical categories have opened up past the big historicals, and the traditional balladeering. But are we sure there weren't any more eligible songs out there?
Best ad-lib, not by the host- Jennifer Garner. She trips, she stumbles, she barely manages to stay on her feet, and- "I do my own stunts." Hee.
There weren't any real "upsets" although it kills me that Crash took home the big prize. I'm not surprised, just disappointed. The other pictures were so much better in plot, acting, and overall execution it's just criminal. (And since I haven't see all of them- thank you to all my friends, co-workers, and reviewers out there who have pointed this out to me. I'm sure I'll agree with you when I get around to catching up.)
As for the home awards- well, when it comes to picking the winners we kinda suck. The evening's winner only got a paltry 10 out of 24, a loss mostly due to holding out hope against hope that Brokeback was going to get more, and that there might actually be an upset somewhere and a dark horse could take it. Most everyone got Clooney and Witherspoon, and no one got Best Picture. We all loved Michelle Williams' dress/hair/everything, and everyone got really sick of me hating the set.
[But- I mean, the little box office add-on set was cute, but the presenters appearing out from those huge, gaudy columns, and the mono-chromatic awfulness of it all- I, I, God- it's called COLOR people! What I remember of the old movie houses (the ones that survived long enough for me to see anyway) , our chosen theme per the press release, are the vibrant blues and golds and reds. Velvet curtains, sculpted mouldings- OK we kinda had the mouldings, but as blown-up set pieces a story and a half high, and I know we don't want to possibly clash with the pretty dresses, but, again, it's COLOR people! COLOR and- (sigh) I'm stopping, I'm stopping.]
Oh, and last but not least, my favorite Oscar tradition: The "Official" Nicholson Count!- there were six reaction cuts to Jack Nicholson this year, and although I wasn't counting (but I may start) there were numerous cuts to Spielberg. Is he the new Jack? Maybe next year will tell. (This tradition started years ago when some friends and I were trying to figure out why the directors were cutting to certain people over and over again. I don't believe Nicholson was even IN a movie that year, but they kept cutting to him for some reason of seating and his general "look", and, well, we noticed. And have been noticing ever since.)
Well, that's the 78th annual Academy Awards. See ya next year!
