I'm a little late with my Oscar rant, but hey - such is life.
So, the 81st Academy Awards were on sunday.
As I expected (along with anyone who has seen any awards shows this entire season) - the movie to win Best Picture was 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
No, I haven't seen it.
And no, I really don't have a clue what it's about....something regarding a poor Indian dude who both falls in love and wins a gameshow or something.
Sounds like afternoon television at its best, eh? Game shows and love. Ahhh....
Oh, I'm sure it's a good movie. It better be.
Our lovely host was the Sexiest Man Alive.
No, really.
Hugh Jackman was an apt host, I thought. Much more fun to look at for three and a half hours than say, Whoopie Goldberg or David Letterman, right?
I was in favor of a few other changes they had during the show as well, including when five previous winners came on stage and spoke directly to each nominee. I thought that was appropriate simply because the acting awards are what people actually watch the show for.
Sorry, makeup and documentary short...
I liked the opening montage of songs by Jackman, which kinda hearkened back to the Billy Crystal days...(shedding a tear here) Nowhere near as brilliant as that, but a start.
I also thought the stage looked better than it ever has. The in-the-round effect was much more personable than the stiff theater style that was the norm for so long.
Loved, loved, LOVED the skit by James Franco and Seth Rogen of them reprising their Pineapple Express stoner roles. Them watching clips of some of the best comedies of the year actually made me laugh out loud. More than once.
Liked seeing nervous nelly Robert Pattinson presenting. But hey, that's just me.
And I thought the Jimmy Kimmel commercial with Tom Cruise was freakin' hysterical. Hope you caught it.
Now for the bad stuff :(
Didn't like Queen Latifa singing 'I'll be seeing you' over the In Memoriam pictures. Matter of fact, I hated it. For one thing... dumb song to sing. No, you won't be seeing them. They're dead.
Also: with the cameras doing the wide-out (no offense Queenie), you couldn't even read the names on the screen behind her. I don't know what it was like at the Kodak Theater, but I can't imagine they could see it any better than us.
Hated the stupid production number in the middle of the show with Jackman and Beyonce (does she have to be every freakin' place these days or what?) and the stars of High School Musical (blah) and Mamma Mia. The hodge podge of musical themes being abruptly cut off every two seconds was choppy and poorly planned and executed. So yuck to that. And yuck to Beyonce's huge thunder thighs. Can someone please tell her she's not all that and a bag of potato chips.
And while they spent the time with that musical fluff (and folks, I
do like musicals), they completely botched the musical score section - I didn't hear one fluent piece of a congruent tune in any of that crap. And original song? Don't get me started. I can't get past the fact that they snubbed Bruce Springsteen's original song for 'The Wrestler'. Bad academy, bad! Boo!
The winners.
Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, Penelope Cruz
I, for one, was truly psyched that Kate Winslet won Best Actress. I've been a long time fan of hers (yes, even before Titanic) and after 5 nominations, she was a most deserving winner.
And kudos to Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actress. She's been around for a long time and has worked hard to get where she is - one of the most respected actresses to come from outside this country. Best Spanish born actress ever, IMHO.
Sean Penn. Best Actor. What can I say? Superior acting skills all around.
Was a bit surprised that Mickey Rourke didn't win, but if he couldn't, then Sean is a worthy substitute.
I have not seen any of the films that these actors won for (The Reader, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Milk -respectively)...but I have, indeed seen Heath Ledger's Best Supporting Actor performance. A tour de force, as I have
previously stated on this very blog.
His Joker was some of the best acting I have seen, and not just this past year.
It was heartwarming to see Heath's family accept his award so humbly. It had to be difficult for them.
And if there was anyone out there that actually believed Heath wouldn't win that Oscar, they should eat their shoe.
RIP Heath.
I wasn't too impressed with the fashions this year, but then again, I'm no fashionista myself.
But for me, best dressed (and winning 'most beautiful' as well) was 'Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto.
Kate Winslet also looked nice.
But it seemed like pretty much everyone else was wearing white or a shade thereof.
Or in Angelina's case... a wicked black. Makes sense, right?
So anyway... that's my take.
Soon as I actually see any of the nominated films, I'll let you know.
