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Monday, March 06, 2006

Oscar Review

I love Jon Stewart as presenter this year. I thought the "commercials" for the sound editing nominees were hilarious. The gay cowboy montage was a riot. Fingers crossed that they ask him back again next year. (Delayed props to Chris Rock for last year, I thought he was great too.)

I'm torn between being excited for Crash and disappointed for Brokeback Mountain. I am pleased that the Academy chose to split the two big awards, best director and film; it's a great way to honor both movies. Ang Lee has a beautiful vision and an impressive ability to put it on film.

For the most part folks dressed well, although what the heck was on Charleze Theron's shoulder? Poor Naomi Watts' dress looked like it was designed by Santino from Project Runway in under an hour. The green screen joke kind of bombed, but I finally got it when a bronzed J-Lo presented a montage (or something) and she blended with the background so well all you could see was her teeth.

My people have a tradition where we cast ballots and the folks with the top scores take possession of Oscar and lil'Oscar. This year P&J finally took home both trophies. They look so happy.

2 comments:

MWR said...

I missed the show due to what Dick Cheney might call "other priorities." But I have heard really mixed reviews of Stewart. They should really bow to the inevitability of Conan hosting this show. Surely it has to happen, and he will very likely KILL when it does.

I'll have to watch "Crash." Most of what I've heard about it lately hasn't been so positive--along the lines of it being a Brentwood auteur's idea of a daring look at race in America, freighted with cardboard-cutout characters and dialogue that empody stereotypes as much as anything anyone associated with the project thought it was combatting.

I have to disagree with you about splitting the main awards. I think if you look at the history, it has often ended up as an unsatisfying way to tip a hat to a film that doesn't win best picture. It's unsatisfying because rarely is the director of such film the most deserving. Better to have silver and bronze statuettes than to single out the director of the de facto runner up. Certainly Ang Lee was a fine choice this year, but Ron Howard? Mel Gibson? Kevin Costner? Plus, this type of splitting is bound to screw over the director of the Best Picture on many occasions. I think it's a terrible way to honor both movies. They should just tell who came in second. What would be the harm in that?

Are you telling us that you called 5 out of 6 of the main categories and still lost?

tp_gal said...

Actually, I lost due to a technicality. On my ballot I accidentally marked Francis McDormand for best supporting actress. Rather than argue it was a mistake and be open to an accusation of cheating, I let it stand.

So... I lost. no big deal. It was an honor just to be nominated.