Yeah, I was wondering about the sound editing as well.
However, I think I found an explanation. After the screenings, an intial ballot is sent out. The top 5 films that get the most votes in each category are then made the nominees. Then a second ballot is sent out, and that decides the winners. What I was thinking was that maybe those were the only films that made it to the second process (people only submitted votes for them). Not to offend anyone, but maybe it isn’t that popular of a category.
Though, now that I think back, at the end of the credits it said that besides the best picture things, each other one was voted on by specialists in each field. Another explanation might be that those were the only ones that stood out for those specialists.
I don’t like Crowe.
The press here in New Zealand are real fond of lauding him as a Kiwi success story – but he hates New Zealand where he was born and grew up, he said so in an unforgettable interview a few years back with the adoring media. He came from a suburb in Auckland called Mt Roskill, and he slagged off the grammar school there. Boo hoo! he got a tough time in school, so the whole country’s bad!
I don’t like Crowe. I love my country, warts an’ all, and I definitely don’t like Crowe.
Once again, the Academy blinked.
This year’s ceremony (and I use the term loosely) only further proves to me that the Academy is less about giving statuettes to movies on the basis of quality than it is on the basis of box-office receipts.
Gladiator has to be one of the worst Best Picture winners in history. A fine, riveting action film, but not in the same league as most of its fellow nominees.
And one of the most laughable nominees was Joaquin Phoenix for his role as Commodus in Gladiator. I haven’t seen acting that constipated in centuries. No emotion, no passion, no nothing. But he didn’t win, either… A more deserving man did! Go Benicio!
And sorry, Julia Roberts was not the best actress this year. Just because she did better than her usual crappy work doesn’t mean she’s the best. They would have been better off giving the Oscar to her Wonderbra.
brother rat, what girl from The Bangles? I must have missed that; I had a lot of the show muted.
I was very pleased that Steven Soderbergh won. Good! Traffic was astounding. Anyone here ever see Schizopolis?
I have always liked the montage of the entertainers who passed away. I always like to predict who’ll get the largest applause. John Gilgud (sp?) didn’t get as big an applause as I figured he would. Walter M. (I’m having a bad spelling day, I’m not going to attempt it) got the largest applause at the end, which I knew he would. Sir Alec Guiness got a huge applause, too, especially when they showed him as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The thing I hate most about awards shows are those perky sunshine yellow journalists. I was watching the pre-show and one of them stopped this one actor and you could tell he was trying to get away and wasn’t even paying attention to the stupid mundane questions she was asking.
Rat—You’re right, that Bangles chick couldn’t carry a tune in a briefcase, even if it had a shoulderstrap. And is it just me, or were all the nominated songs the EXACT SAME SONG? "Ooooh, I love you, you’re so important to my heart the world was dark till you became my friend . . . " As George Gershwin spins in his grave . . .
I stopped paying any attention to the Oscars as “awards” the year Lillian Gish wasn’t even goddam NOMINATED for “Whales of August.” Now I just watch for the funny gowns (pop on over to the Jennifer Lopez thread right here in MPSIMS for more on THAT).
Is it just me or does Bob Dylan look like Vincent Price?
As others have mentioned Gladiator winning BP is a travesty. I liked Galdiator but Best Picture? I don’t think so…
I personally feel that no one should be nominated much less win such categories as Best Costume Design when they didn’t design anything. CT/HD was nominated and Galdiator won. Both costume designers had to do little more than trot over to the local history museum and take pictures to get their designs. These are historical items. 101 Dalmatians (the sequel) or The Grinch were far more deserving…at least those costumes were truly original. (BTW CT/HD’s nomination for this was truly laughable since many characters wore little more than smocks.)
I like Steve Martin and I too thought he was flat.
What’s with Russell Crowe’s humorless demeanor? Is he really in a perpetual foul mood or is that a ‘cool guy’ image he’s cultivating?
I liked the close-up head shot of Jennifer Lopez after her nipply entrance earlier inthe evening. While in somewhat questionable taste at least Ms. Lopez has a body that can get away with no bra (I’ve seen that look on some women who were somewhat…pendulous…that didn’t work so well).
I thought I was so very clever for making that analogy (mine was actually like the love child of Vincent Price and Quentin Crisp), but Salon used it as well, so I guess he’s striking a lot of folks that way.
**
I was relieved not to have Billy Crystal, who tries to goddamn hard and consequently makes the ceremony too long. It’s so nice to have a host who amuses with words rather than mugging. And a big Bravo for his line about Russell Crowe…
No, apparently he’s just a congenital asshole who thinks class loyalty requires/excuses his nastiness. I was really hoping he wouldn’t win - especially when there was Javier Bardem as an alternative.
Ang Lee wuz robbed.
Oh, and on “designing” versus historical costumes - disagree with you completely; historical costumes require extensive research in addition to extraordinary design talent. In fact, if we were to stretch your reasoning, the only costumes that would require “design” are those involved in s.f. or fantasy, which is patently absurd and would reward nothing but self-indulgence. I mean, I’m sure costumers love assignments in which there are few constraints; but having to deal with constraint is, I think, the most interesting aspect of an art. To analogize to architecture, some of the most notorious examples of building without constraints - (almost) unlimited budgets and enormous, remote sites - have produced such pastiches as San Simeon and the Getty, whereas some of the best works are those that have been constrained by cost or location (e.g. FLW’s Usonian houses, or Thorncrown Chapel).
And the “little more than smocks”? Well, that’s the period, and they’re gorgeous, and they work in motion (crucial for CT/HG).
But what was up with Steven Soderbergh’s acceptance speech? “This award is for everyone who creates!” It sounded like something the principal at an arts school says on the first day of classes while all the drama kids sit in the back and sneer at her.
Steve Martin was understated, but had some funny lines. As good as Billy Cystal is, past shows sometimes become too much about him.
Tom Hanks mocking Russell Crowe’s demeanor when Martin told that lame joke about kidnapping was great.
And what is with Julia Roberts. Six weeks to prepare an acceptance speech, and she gets up there and rambles like she’s at her 13th birthday party. And (almost) everybody thinks it cute, because she is “making a statement” about how 45 seconds is too short for an acceptance speech. GAG!
Suprise of the night – Russell Crowe’s speech. I thought he might do a young Dustin Hoffman, and mumble about the whole thing being vulgar.
And Bob Dylan. Every fifty something in the house was “with him” on every note. Not a bad speech, though. You must have had to see the movie to understand what the song was about.
J Lo:fire the hairdresser! We now see she has ears to match the T&A.
Liked the one presenter, straight forward approach. I though Mike Myers was funny, until I read a review calling him tasteless. Maybe not tasteless, just inconsiderate.
And was mommy Goldie too happy last night. The daughter gets nominated, doesn’t win, then Goldie gets up and goes into “sock-it-to-me” mode when presenting whatever it was she was presenting. Hey, it worked in 1969.
Marcia Gay Harden: hottest female on the show. The dress, the look, the speech, the whole vibe.
And those comments to the “stick man”? Wonder if she realized how snobby she sounded. No class shown there.
Guess I’m not the only one who thought that. Every speach I’ve ever heard her give has been annoying, condescending and self-centered. Yet she’s always being called one of hollywod’s nicest stars. Hate to meet one of the jerkwads then.
I totally didn’t buy her attitude in her speach, it seemed … forced. Compare to Cuba’s oscar reaction a few years and see the difference, he was about to bounce off walls
I still don’t understand how everyone was so sure Roberts was going to win. I mean, I’ve seen predictions come true before, but this year seemed different. Everyone in the media kept saying and saying and saying that it was a foregone conclusion. Maybe I was imagining the subtext of “and the other four might as well stay home”, but I think it must have been unpleasant for them to hear it so much. People scoff at the term “It’s an honor just to be nominated”, but I’m sure it is a kick to spend those weeks thinking that it might happen to you, and what if it does…! Kind of a dis, IMO.
Oh, and I liked the commercials! Now I know what to say whenever someone says “Wazzzzzaaaap?!” to me: “How ya doon?” I always felt dumb saying “Wazzzzzzaaaaap?!” back, if I felt like saying it at all.