A bunch of people have asked me, via e-mail, to comment on the Oscars.
Someday – and that day may never come – I’ll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as gift on my daughter’s wedding day.
Because we ran the race Sunday morning, Anne and I dedided not to go to any parties we weren’t invited to, and just watch at home in HD. (Here’s a fun fact about me: I am a complete sucker for HD. I have found myself watching the most dreadful tripe just because it’s in HD. But when something I actually enjoy is in HD, I’m in Heaven. [And let me add that I hope the real Heaven, if it exists, is nicer than my living room with a more comfortable couch and 100% fewer cat pee stains in the corner. Thank you.])
I have yet to see most of the movies that were nominated,(I just can’t stand the way audiences behave in movie theaters, so I usually wait for films to come out on DVD) so I can’t comment on who got screwed and who deserved it (other than The Incredibles for Best Animated Movie. That was the best movie I saw last year. Hooray for them! 🙂 Instead, I’ll comment on the show itself:
Usually, I can’t stand the Oscars. They feel like marketing to me, and the show is usually boring and predictable. I always turn the TV off after the second or thrid commercial, if I bother to watch it at all.
But this year, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I thought Chris Rock was very funny, (with the notable exception of the painfully bad Adam Sandler bit), and I hope he’ll be back next year. I loved his opening monologue, and I loved the way he nailed just about everyone who took themselves too seriously. I especially loved how he called out Sean Penn. I thought the bit down at the Magic Johnson theater was pretty offensive. I felt like they were saying, “Hey! Look White America! We be Black and Stupid! You White People like smart movies like Million Dollar Baby, but we like stupid movies like White Chicks! Ha ha ha! Yeah, we sure are stupid!” I thought they pulled it out a little bit at the end with Albert Brooks, but that’s more because I absolutely adore Albert Brooks, and if he ever loses all his money at my casino, I’ll gladly give it back to him. Maybe it’s because I just hate stereotypes, and maybe I’m too sensitive and need to sit down with Chris Rock’s accountants, but I thought they could have done something funnier, with more Albert Brooks.
I also hated that they had some people accept from the audience, and I didn’t like the way they brought some of the nominees all onstage at the same time. It felt like a line up to me. I hope they lose both of those things next year.
I loved that Sideshow Bob sang for Counting Crows, and I also loved that Yo Yo Ma played. It’s so easy for the cello to be maudlin, but he just makes it beautiful. And I’d forgotten Tony Randall died. Mr. Short-term Memory is going to be devastated many, many times.
I didn’t pay much attention to the acceptance speeches, but I thought some of the pretty pretty ladies were oh so very very pretty. But what the hell happened to Scarlett Johansson’s hair? That made baby jesus cry.
Even though there were some elements I didn’t like, I’ll be definitely tune in next year. I’m glad they took some chances and made some bold choices. I think they played it way too safe the last few years, and the telecast consequently became boring and preddictable.
Even though I haven’t been interested very much in going to the movies lately, I was inspired to see some movies because of the show. I’m actually going to get out of the house this weekend and see Motorcycle Diaries or Hotel Rwanda, and if you havent seen Super Size Me, you must. The power of Chris compels you!
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In past years, I too have gotten sort of underwhelmed by the Oscars. I chafe that the only films nominated for the big categories are drama; sci-fi or romantic comedy or silly comedy, no matter how poignant or profound, never have a chance. I think it would have been good to have nominated Lawrence Fishburne, for instance, for best supporting actor for The Matrix.
My solution to the Oscar duldrums has been to tune into the MTV Movie Awards. It’s a lot of the movie stars who seem to like to be able to really have fun, and so they put on a show that’s fun to be in. Some people wear jeans, other people take the opportunity to dress up. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a pretty handsome guy when he puts on a suit, and he’s quite funny. You end up with some skits/jokes that you groan at, but then, that’s true of the Oscars too.
Alias in HD is the reason television was invented.
Perhaps, Scarlett was going for the Bridgette Neilson look…..
I was seriously hoping that both Scarlett and Mr. Pacino would find combs in their swag bags.
OK, how many people think Dustin Hoffman WASN’T drunk when presenting the Best Picture award with Barbara Streisand?
When Scarlett Johansson spoke from the balcony regarding the sci-tech Oscar awards she hosted, she was twitching and moving her shoulders like she was on crack.
To LORD Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now that Beyonce (sp?) has performed one of your songs, are you going to marry her, too, and write a musical just for her? ($1 to Sarah Brightman).
Some guy on foxnews.com was pissed off regarding Chris Rock’s anti-Bush monologue. My reaction: GET OVER IT!!! The war isn’t popular and, considering the venue, you’re lucky Rock’s entire Oscar broadcast wasn’t one big anti-Bush bitch fest. Hell, consider yourself especially lucky that Tim Robbins didn’t let loose because you KNOW he wanted to.
I personally liked the different methods of presenting the awards. It’s not like those were the important awards of the night, after all, and I bet that’s when most people who don’t have TiVo get up and grab a drink/snack or take a pee.
Dustin Hoffman was indeed drunk… The man forgot that he was holding the envelope behind him.
I urge you to see “Finding Neverland”, Wil! It was so gorgeous.
Take tissues!
And “Super-Size Me” was MOST excellent! I still eat it, but not as much. And I also have an urge to re-read “fast Food Nation”!
On the Oscars, did you notice they played the Star Trek: Next Generation theme music right before one of the early commercial breaks? In our house, that’s, like, OUR theme song, so we were looking around at each other going, “‘Sup with that?” My four-year-old daughter piped up, “That sounds like the Star Trek blast-off.” (She doesn’t watch the whole show, but she watches the opening credits. She calls it “the blast-off” because of when the Enterprise jumps to warp. Yes, we are nerds, raising more nerds.) We finally figured out that they played it because Jerry Goldsmith, who wrote that music, died in July 2004. We have no short-term memory either, as it turns out.
FYI: Hotel Rwanda is still playing at the Arclight. I wish Motorcycle Diaries was still there, I haven’t seen that one yet either.
…sideshow bob… snicker…
On-stage lineups: I loved ’em. Think of it this way: every one of those nominees got to go up on The Big Stage whether they went home with an Oscar or not. That’s got to be one hell of a Big Moment in your life, especially if you’re nominated in a “minor category.”
And Mr. Hoffman? Oh yeah. Very chemically-enhanced appearance.
‘scuse me – I gotta go figure out how to put back that 47 billion in my cash drawer…
man, if you go see Hotel Rwanda, make sure you have something uplifting to do afterwards. my friend and i went to see it and wanted to plaster “SHAME ON YOU” signs all over America.
instead we went to a bar and tried to drink heavily but we forgot we don’t drink.
damn good movie. damn disturbing movie. everyone should *have* to see it.
Hotel Rwanda was an amazing movie. I’ve not cried in the theater in a really long time, and this one nailed me REPEATEDLY. I’d be interested in seeing your take on it.
i’m with you on the movie theater experience…i’d rather wait for the DVD and watch ’em at home…and at home…there is the great advantage of being able to freeze the movie…and pee whenever you want!…as for the OSCARS…i’ll watch when i’m nominated…or if you’re ever nominated…since i’ve never appeared in a film…and have really no thought of actually trying to get cast in a film…i’m probably going to wait until you’re nominated for something…unless one of my songs gets nominated…then i’d watch…hell…i might even go to the ceremony!
I just got HD last week, and it rocks my world. Sigh I could never go back. I wish all channels came in HD.
OK, I am a HUGE Oscar buff, to the point that I have had Oscar parties before. (Do not laugh!) Wil, I think seeing Hotel Rwanda would be a GREAT idea. 🙂 I also must see your suggested “Super Size Me” because I just saw an interview with the man who made the documentary and it seems like something I MUST see. There is not much I do not see in the theatres, it is like my drug to sit in that dark place at least twice a week. 🙂
I hadn’t watched the Oscars in years until I tuned in 2(?) years ago to see if Halle Berry won. I watched the whole thing this year because Chris Rock was the host and I think he is one funny guy.
I see what you mean about the Magic Theater skit but… being both black AND an Albert Brooks fan, I have to say I wasn’t offended, but that may have been because Chris Rock did the bit. If Adam Sandler had done it? Probably not funny. I thought that it was a commentary on how out of touch the Hollywood elite is with the average theatergoer. The number one movie last weekend? Diary of a Mad Black-Woman, now, I have to say that I will NOT be going to see that one, and the trailer for White Chicks made me nauseated, but…everyone is looking for something different. That said, I doubt Diary will be winning any Oscars next year.
Hotel Rwanda was easily one of the best movies this year, and although I thought Jamie Foxx did great, I believe that Don Cheadle deserved that award because he really was fabulous. It was just so amazing. I would also suggest two other badly cheated movies: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Collateral if you haven’t seen them, because they were also great movies. I watched a lot of this year’s movies, and I just feel that the academy has favorites, and they don’t have much to do with actual good movie watching. I am watching the Motercycle Diaries this weekend, so I’ll have to see what I think of that.
Paradise is exactly like where you are right now, only much, much better. -Laurie Anderson
I thought Beyonce was going to perform every single task throughout the show. I expected to see her doing peoples speeches, as well as hand out the oscars.
I bet they had her stay after the show and clean up the gum from under the seats. That girl was busy.
“But what the hell happened to Scarlett Johansson’s hair? That made baby jesus cry.”
Oh, good Lord. The funny, it is so bright and so shiny…
I can’t even be mad about my Oscar pool losses now.
P.S.
Adam Duritz’s hair? Was ANGRY. I love him bunches and bunches, but I wish he’d take the electrocuted poodle off his head. It scares me.
They didn’t show the ONE campaign spot…
I was gutted.
Check it out? http://one.org It’s a seriously good cause, and I’m pimping it like no other.
This year’s Oscars was better than usual. I think Chris Rock is to thank for that.
But, as usual, the same movies were nominated over and over again. *yawn*
Vanessa: I agree with you 100% (I’m a black female too). There is no way I’d see Diary or White Chicks. I found the theatre skit funny, but there were members of my family who were offended and thought it portrayed blacks as ignorant.
The “skit” at the Magic Theater was great! I didn’t find it offensive at all, but I’m white. Looking back, I guess I can see how it could be offensive. But the point of the skit, that Hollywood takes itself WAY too seriously and that the public rarely watches the movies that are nominated, was spot on. Perhaps the point would have been better made if he had interviewed a mixture of black/white/latino/etc. Still, I “got it,” and loved it.
Hey Wil,
The Motorcycle Diaries kicked butt! You must see it! Yeah Scarlette’s hair was a bit much is she trying to be Gwen Steffani or what?
Can’t wait to see your CSI! Got the VCR all ready to tape it!
Oh BTW – I didn’t really watch The Oscars. After hearing they way they were introducing people I just thought “how dumb” and turned of the TV.
“here he is now….. Funny Furry and short…….Robin Williams” phleeze!
Yeah I was offended by the whole let’s make African Americans look bad skit and I’m white. I guess I may be to PC????
My favorite part: Colin Mochrie as the Snack Fairy (in the commercials, not the actual program). That alone made it worth the admission price.
Nice to see you’re a fan of HD as well. 🙂
Any comments on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind winning for best original screen play? I’m more than a little obsessed with that movie, so I’m happy it at least won something. Best picture would have been better though.
Did anyone else notice that they played the Star Trek TNG theme song when Morgan Freeman walked off stage after accepting his Best Supporting Actor award? That was an odd choice.
I haven’t watched the Oscars in years, and even then, not really. I’m just not a movie watcher. (Now if they ran ads like the Super Bowl, maybe I’d tune in…) Your wrap-up made it interesting, though. thanks! You might want to fix the typo in “predictable” at the end of the 2nd to last paragraph.
Wil,
The Oscars were cool. It looks like a bunch of artist having a good time. I don’t know about many things, run by people, that are perfect. Maybe next year they will be. Hang in there Wil.
FG
Wil, I love you, but I think your comments on the Magic Johnson Theater segment are misguided. The way I saw it, it was intended as more of a commentary on WHO Hollywood is for (which is to say, white people). Black folks don’t see much on the big screen that speaks to them, except for those so-called “bad” movies. For my money, bad movies are just as important as good ones, if only because they make us realize just how good the good ones are. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not?