February 25, 2009 --
Yes! After watching every Oscar telecast since I can remember (ffg never reveals his age), I can say this show was the Best EVER!
Why? Two simple reasons:
1. No Louis J. Horvitz directing it -- and cutting off all spontaneity and life from the four-hour slog to Best Picture (stay home and polish your undeserved Emmy, cuz you ain't gettin' another one, Horvitz!);
2. NO BILL CONTI! You know him: the musical director who boorishly started playing-off every winner in mid-acceptance speech (as if we were going to miss a precious second of another Horvitz-directed mess). He's the guy whose last (and only) hit was "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky! That's Rocky I !! I defy you to listen to that song today all the way through without cringing.
The new blood the Academy injected for this show was spot-on: I cannot even criticize the bloated production number that brought the show to a halt halfway through -- because it was directed by Baz Luhrmann (props to Australia!)
Hugh Jackman was awesome. Anne Hathaway bravely took part in the opening number--and pulled it off...live! Steve Martin & Tina Fey killed! The five past acting winners paying homage to the new nominees was inspired and inspiring (but will it work next year?) The other presenters were, for the most part, brilliant. Exceptions: Zach Efron/Alicia Keys? Who and Why? Ben Stiller's riff on Joaquin Phoenix wasn't as funny as it could have been... and it was a rip-off from the previous night's Independent Spirit Awards! (That show teamed a comic Phoenix with a Christian Bale in an Adam West Batman get-up! Now that was funny!) Of course, the red carpet special was tortured and unnecessary (everybody watches E! nowadays, don't they?)
For the record, I scored 15 points, missing only the Best Actor of the Top 6 categories (I had a last-minute conversion to Mickey Roarke--his dog died!)
I miss you, too, Loki.
Biggest shock of the night: Best Foreign Film (Departures, Japan).
Lastly, my annual, totally-biased list of who looked and dressed the best! (No Renee Zellweger this year, and Amy Adams looked cute except for that coral reef attached to her neck, so I'll have to settle for the following):
7. In a nod to Milk, I start with Daniel Craig (the dude looks good in a tux!)
6. Marisa Tomei (for sentimental reasons)
5. (tie) Evan Rachel Wood / Freida Pinto
4. Penelope Cruz
3. Diane Lane (classy!)
2. Anne Hathaway
Yes! After watching every Oscar telecast since I can remember (ffg never reveals his age), I can say this show was the Best EVER!
Why? Two simple reasons:
1. No Louis J. Horvitz directing it -- and cutting off all spontaneity and life from the four-hour slog to Best Picture (stay home and polish your undeserved Emmy, cuz you ain't gettin' another one, Horvitz!);
2. NO BILL CONTI! You know him: the musical director who boorishly started playing-off every winner in mid-acceptance speech (as if we were going to miss a precious second of another Horvitz-directed mess). He's the guy whose last (and only) hit was "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky! That's Rocky I !! I defy you to listen to that song today all the way through without cringing.
The new blood the Academy injected for this show was spot-on: I cannot even criticize the bloated production number that brought the show to a halt halfway through -- because it was directed by Baz Luhrmann (props to Australia!)
Hugh Jackman was awesome. Anne Hathaway bravely took part in the opening number--and pulled it off...live! Steve Martin & Tina Fey killed! The five past acting winners paying homage to the new nominees was inspired and inspiring (but will it work next year?) The other presenters were, for the most part, brilliant. Exceptions: Zach Efron/Alicia Keys? Who and Why? Ben Stiller's riff on Joaquin Phoenix wasn't as funny as it could have been... and it was a rip-off from the previous night's Independent Spirit Awards! (That show teamed a comic Phoenix with a Christian Bale in an Adam West Batman get-up! Now that was funny!) Of course, the red carpet special was tortured and unnecessary (everybody watches E! nowadays, don't they?)
For the record, I scored 15 points, missing only the Best Actor of the Top 6 categories (I had a last-minute conversion to Mickey Roarke--his dog died!)
I miss you, too, Loki.
Biggest shock of the night: Best Foreign Film (Departures, Japan).
Lastly, my annual, totally-biased list of who looked and dressed the best! (No Renee Zellweger this year, and Amy Adams looked cute except for that coral reef attached to her neck, so I'll have to settle for the following):
7. In a nod to Milk, I start with Daniel Craig (the dude looks good in a tux!)
6. Marisa Tomei (for sentimental reasons)
5. (tie) Evan Rachel Wood / Freida Pinto
4. Penelope Cruz
3. Diane Lane (classy!)
2. Anne Hathaway
1. Natalie Portman
#2 (just like in the Best Actress race)
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