The Oscar(tm) thread for dilettantes

Cafe Society
21

The best part for me was the set -it was gorgeous.

Count me as one who liked the show. As a matter of fact, I thought this year’s show was the best I’ve seen in ages. I really liked the fact that is was played straight - not like a parody show of an awards ceremony. Not having a comedian MC was part of that. Do we REALLY need another shlub telling “inside” jokes about stuff that’s been on the cover of People? Sometimes you need to see the real thing, not the folks making fun of the real thing. Otherwise it’s like never hearing real classic music, only P.D.Q. Bach records.

I think the earnest tone reflected where the country is now as well.
Plus, after Jon Stewart and David Letterman bombing, the ironic take thing had been completely beaten to death and they needed to go 180 degrees opposite.

I didn’t like the montages - they were poorly done and distracting. I’d rather see more of individual nominees. The exception was best picture - I really liked how each nominee was contrasted with earlier great movies that used the same themes.

22

The screenwriter (who won for Best Original Screenplay and gave a very nice speech).

Dunno on the protesters – the preshow was all about the gowns, as it should be. Maybe the Phelpsians were in town?

23

That was Dustin Lance Black, who wrote the screenplay, won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for it, and is a gay man. (and hot! haha)

I also really liked Slumdog but did feel that they won just too many awards and other films did get slighted. I never like it when one movie just takes all the awards, even if the film is good. I like to see others have a chance.

24

The Good: Hugh Jackman, except when ad-libbing. Anne Hathaway is a darling. And despite my better instincts, Bill Maher was quite good. Take away his smarm and he is the consummate Oscars guest – natural, smooth and dialed-in.

The Bad: The story arc. The ultra-indulgent off-off-off-Broadway tribute. Finally, in a year when a film about gay rights is up for bona fide awards, don’t hand a gimme to Jerry Lewis. Love ya Jer, but your fag jokes make me want you to just go away.

The Ugly: The 5-star treatment of the award contenders. With the exception of Kevin Kline, for giving “heartfelt” wishes they not card-read so good. I mean, Alan Arkin calling him “Seymour Philip Hoffman” followed by Hoffman’s reaction was truly cringe-inducing.

Above all else, this show was boooring. I fell asleep after Best Supporting Actor – so the other abominations I’ll just leave to you.

25

Twickster, just curious why you put “™” after “Oscar” in the title of your OP.

Maybe it’s a joke that’s just going over my head?

-FrL-

26

I watched reruns on Cartoon Network, myself. My daughter was in her room though, watching the show, and she reports that Heath Ledger and Eartha Kitt were left out of the “In Memoriam” list. Is this correct?

27

It’s a joke. Read the fine print on a DVD or videotape box of a nominated or winning movie some time.

28

Heath Ledger died in January of last year, before the Oscar telecast. I don’t specifically recall, but I assume he was in last year’s list.

As for Eartha Kitt, I can’t confirm or deny. See upthread for a discussion of how badly the segment was botched. It would have been easy to miss any given name.

29

Best:
The arch of lights
The screenwriter for “Milk”
The whole gang of “Slumdog Millionaire” on-stage
Sean Penn’s acceptance speech
The Olive Oyl lookalike, and the back of her dress
Sophia Loren, in spite of the botox.
Will Smith

Worst:
The In Memoriam camerawork: really, really pissed me off.
Putting poor Shirley McLaine next to Sophia Loren
Jerry Lewis: sad (at least he didn’t say anything homophobic)
The 5 previous winners concept: they should have given a brief sentence, rather than a eulogy.

30

I liked the show much more than I thought I would, as I am not a big fan of Hugh Jackman. But I thought he did a great job with the opening.

I would really have liked to see Peter Gabriel perform “Down To Earth” on the show and I was really rooting for him to win. Then both lead singers of Genesis would have won Oscars!! (Phil Collins won a few years ago for some Disney movie, IIRC) John Legend did OK, but he looked oddly uncomfortable. I think he would have been better sitting at a piano.

I really don’t care for any of the musical/dance sequences at any Oscars. Just give out the awards, show a few clips of performances, remind us who died last year and we’re done! So the tribute to musicals was a great reason for me to get a load of laundry finished. Count me among those who like Beyonce, but enough of her already!!! Surely there are other worthy singers…Alicia Keyes, anyone??

I did like the groupings of past winners handing out the big awards, but it got a bit ponderous as it went. Great idea, maybe it could be tweaked a bit in future shows. I thought it interesting that they didn’t show any clips at all of performances…that was a strange choice.

I love anything Steve Martin does so it was great to see him and Tina Fey, they were definitely one of the highlights of the show. “Don’t fall in love with me!!!” Hilarious!

I hated Bill Maher, his suit and his shameless plugging of his movie. He came across as overly smug and I noticed not much laughter from the crowd, either.

The Seth Rogan and James Franco piece cracked me up, and I haven’t even seen Pineapple Express. When they were ROTFL while watching Doubt…funny!!!

Adrian Brody all but said “It’s amazing you were even nominated” to Richard Jenkins during the Best Actor presentation.

I didn’t feel alot of love in the room for Jerry Lewis. Is it horrible to say that I was worried his teeth (dentures) might fall out while he was talking?

I was surprised that Sean Penn won, I thought for sure it would be Rourke, but I can understand he may have burned some bridges through the years. Nice touch by Penn to give a shout out to Rourke. Good speech…coherent and self-depreciating, well done by Penn.

Hugh Jackman didn’t see The Reader, and I didn’t see Slumdog Millionaire, so I was ambivalent about it winning. Will catch it when it comes out on DVD.

Overall it was a very entertaining show. If they would just cut out the superfluous musical numbers they could definitely bring this show in in under 2.5 hours. Not sure why they don’t realize this, year after year.

31

Totally inappropriate, pedantic hijack: twickster, was your ™ ironic, I hope?

Sorry, this just bugs me. There is no requirement to note a trademark, especially in casual, non-commercial speech such as this forum. The owners of a trademark always note it, because they’re trying to protect their own property, but no one else is required to do so. (What are they, gonna send the trademark police to your door?)

Anyway, perhaps the most insignificant thing in the world, but it always bugs me a little to see this.

As you were.

32

To comment on the hijack: I also find a tiny bit of humor in noting what doesn’t need to be noted; to insert something that’s not required in a casual setting, in parody of the usage in a commercial setting. So I found the ™ droll and amusing.

Carry on.

33

I was also very put-off by the In Memorium segment, which is usually one of my favorite moments in the Oscars. I actually got up and walked closer to the TV so I could actually read the names.

34

Louise Rainer should have been there (at the event, I mean. Didn’t mean to scare anyone).

35

Agreed. As per the comment upthread about him being the consummate Oscar guest if you take away his smarm- if you take away Bill Maher’s smarm, he’d disappear.

My hope for next year- have Tina Fey and Steve Martin co-host. Or just Tina Fey. Or she can just stand there in that dress and read the phone book for 3.5 hours, that’ll work too.

36

I have watched Jackman’s Tony Hosting presentation on Youtube, so I knew he would do just fine with presenting. He is a class act. Would watch again A++++
The Tina Fey jab at ‘making up their own religion’ was wonderfully funny.
The “Domo Arigoto, mr. Roboto” guy was so charming.
I thought the past winners presenting the nominees was nice, but overly long.

Cuba Gooding Jr. has to be the whitest black man on the planet. Robert Downey Jr as an Aussie playing a black man was more black than CGj doing a black man.

37

I just remembered Will Smith’s flub followed by “boom goes the dynamite.” In a dilettante thread is it too lowbrow to mention a Family Guy shoutout?

38

What was the Family Guy shoutout?

39

What, you’ve never seen Wayne Brady??

40

That’s not a Family Guy shoutout, it’s a reference to this guy. The clip is probably still on YouTube and it’s very funny.