Oscar Reflections

A good night overall, but not without controversy

Okay, I watched most of the 78th Annual Academy Awards last night, and here's what I have to say about the Oscars...

Funniest moment? Steve Carell and Will Farrell presenting the best makeup category. In "Pineapple Bliss", Carell and Ferrell made the show's best moment...

2nd funniest moment? Wallace & Gromit's creators, doled up in big floppy Wallace-esque bow ties. And to top it off, they brought mini-bow ties for the statues.

...

Happy to see Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit take best animated film. One of the few Oscar-nominated films I actually have seen.

Host?

Contrary to the Washington Post, I though Jon Stewart did a crack-up job.
Do you know how hard it is to keep this show rolling for 3+ hours?

It's hard to believe that professional entertainers could have put together a show less entertaining than this year's Oscars, hosted with a smug humorlessness by comic Jon Stewart, a sad and pale shadow of great hosts gone by... Stewart had five months, working with his legions of writers from the "Daily Show" on Comedy Central, to come up with good material. It goes to prove that there's still a big, big difference between basic cable and big-time network television after all.

Yeah, whatever. I still like Jon, and thought he did an excellent job with the material he had available. He was trying to puncture a self-inflated Hollywood bubble... for the amusement of the narcissistic people who blew it up in the first place.

Best outfit?
Jessica Alba.

Oh yeah, never better.

Before I forget: thank you, Three-Six Mafia... thanks to you, it's slightly easier out there to be a pimp.

Academy Awards producer Gil Cates has requested that the rap group Three 6 Mafia take the f-word, the s-word, and the n-word out of their song “It’s Hard Out There for a Pimp,” to be performed Sunday night. The words “bitch” and “hoes,” however, will be allowed. The song from the film Hustle & Flow is up for Best Original Song. Group member Jordan “Juicy J” Houston says that they were happy to substitute less offensive words for the song’s vulgar lyrics.

“We know that there will be children watching and we want it to be family friendly,” Houston told Reuters.
But, wait... what family doesn’t like bitches and hoes?

Best picture controversy? I don't think so. When Brokeback Mountain did not win apparently it was perceived as an intentional snub against homosexuality. From the Washington Post article:
Film buffs and the politically minded, meanwhile, will be arguing this morning about whether the Best Picture Oscar to "Crash" was really for the film's merit or just a cop-out by the Motion Picture Academy so it wouldn't have to give the prize to "Brokeback Mountain," a movie about two cowboys who fall reluctantly but passionately in love.

"Mountain" won two of the major awards leading up to Best Picture: Best Screenplay Adaptation (co-winner Larry McMurtry wore baggy jeans with his tuxedo jacket) and Best Director, for Ang Lee. In his acceptance speech, Lee said the movie was not just about a homosexual affair but about "the greatness of love itself."

But the Academy ran out of love for the film at that point, making "Crash" the surprise winner. To its credit, "Crash" (which won two other Oscars) deals with important social issues too, especially racism in American society.

Again, whatever. "Brokeback" lost because it lost. Crash was a far more layered, textured film dealing with more important social issues than homosexuality. It took in a broad swath of humanity... it was an ensemble piece, with no one or two leads... oh yeah, and it was a better film! Come to terms, Hollywood. It's not about gay cowboys, it's not even about "the greatness of love itself". You want to make this about gays and homosexuality, go ahead. But for me, it's about filmmaking and the conveying of a plot to an audience by way of a cast.

Since when does a movie have to have a message anyway? Saw A Beautiful Mind over the weekend, for the first time, and that was a fantastic film. Had a plot, had brilliant acting, had a compelling story, and NO MESSAGE. Still won "Best Picture" of 2001, along with Best Actress, Best Directing, and Best Adapted Screenplay... Hmmm... does good filmmaking have to have a message? And does a non-message film like Beautiful Mind prevent it from wining Oscars? Apparently not.

Speaking of charged message, George Clooney relishes being out of step with America. In his acceptance speech for best supporting actor for "Syriana" George Clooney had this to say:

"We are the ones who talked about AIDS when it was just a gay disease...This group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the back of theaters...I'm proud to be part of this academy, proud to be part of this community, proud to be out of touch."

So Hollywood was progressive... back in 1939! Bully for you, Mr. Clooney. Your aunt Rosemary and her contemporaries were really progressive. Now, however, Hollywood is out to CHANGE THE WORLD.

And not in a good way.

entertainment

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