Oscars!

The Oscars to me are like the Super Bowl for everyone else. I have always been a major film buff, even going so far as to applying to film school and actually getting into NYU. Needless to say I did not get to go, more out of financial concerns than anything else. So now, I just sit on the sidelines and enjoy the movies as they are made. Tonight is the 2009 Oscars and although I am not overly excited by the list of nominees, I will dutifully watch them. This is the first time I have a had a blog for the evening, so I will be basically commenting as the evening is going. I will only be commenting on the categories I have some familiarity with.

Red Carpet:

Ryan Seacrest is amazingly annoying, but not as annoying as Evan Rachel Wood (what drug did she take beforehand?).

Outfits are very subdued this year.

Best so far: Kate Winslet, Anne Hathaway, gasp Meryl Streep (she opted for non frumpy for a change), Taraji P. Henson, Amy Adams, Heidi Klum, Viola Davis, Penelope Cruz, Marisa Tomei.

Worst: Tilda Swinton (love ya honey, but the outfit is awful), Miley Cyrus (bedazzler hell), Mickey Rourke (it might be Gaultier, but still hideous), Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel.

Oooh. Tim Gunn on the Red Carpet. Heaven.

Ceremony:

Hugh Jackman was such a charmer. Amazing talent. Good choice for the host.

Interesting use of former winners to announce the nominees and the winner. Eva Marie Saint looked awesome.

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Penelope Cruz

Not really a shock. Didn't see the movie or any of her performance, so I don't know how to judge it. But I love her so much; so pretty and charming. I just wish she could have won for Volver or for All About My Mother. So glad she gave a shout out to Almodovar though and thanking him for being such an inspiration.

Tina Fey and Steve Martin were pretty funny.

Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Milk

Very deserved. Saw the movie on Thursday and was deeply moved by the passion of Harvey Milk. The screenplay was phenomenal. It was tremendously inspiring. Wonderful acceptance speech by the screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

While I enjoyed Slumdog, I have not made it a secret that it wasn't one of my favorite movies. I would have given the adapted screenplay to Frost/Nixon, which was just incredible.

Best Animated Feature
Winner: WALL-E

Should have been nominated for Best Picture. Was probably the best movie of last year. Completely moving, hilarious, and wonderfully done. Everytime I watch it I find something new.

Best Art Direction
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Was not able to see the movie before the telecast. From the trailers it looks like it was a deserved winner.

Best Costume Design
Winner: The Duchess

Deserved winner. I saw the movie a few weeks ago and the costumes were amazing. I think she had over 200 costume changes.

Best Makeup
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Seems pretty well deserved.

I am over the endless montages though.

Natalie Portman needs to eat a cracker or something.

Best Cinematography
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

I would have chosen The Dark Knight. But the cinematography in Slumdog was pretty good.

Jessica Biel looks like she made her dress out of some bad hotel drapes. What the heck does Justin Timberlake see in her?

Funny short movie with James Franco/Januz Kaminsky/Seth Rogen. James Franco is hilarious.

About time Hugh Jackman came back. He must have disappeared for about an hour. Though I could have done without the musical number.

Still enjoying them having the past winners of the acting awards give the awards out. Though where the hell did Cuba Gooding Jr. come from. He has been such a disappointing best supporting actor winner.

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Heath Ledger

So deserving and so sad that he passed away without being able to receive the honor. Brilliant performance. He will not be soon forgotten.

Best Documentary Feature
Winner: Man On Wire

Very deserving. Story of the man who tightrope walked across the two towers of the World Trade Center.

Best Visual Effects
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The effects seemed pretty amazing so probably deserving. Dark Knight and Ironman were pretty amazing as well.

Best Sound Editing
Winner: The Dark Knight

Very deserving.

Best Sound Mixing
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Should have gone to The Dark Knight.

Best Film Editing
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Should have gone to The Dark Knight.

Hard to enjoy the award to Jerry Lewis considering all of the homophobic remarks he has made over the years.

Best Original Score
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

I don't recall the score for Slumdog being all that memorable. I'm trying not to be completely anti-Slumdog. I thought it was a good movie, but just not so deserving of all the gushing accolades.

Not understanding why John Legend is singing the Peter Gabriel song from WALL-E. And I guess M.I.A has not recovered from having her baby in order to sing her song from Slumdog.

Best Original Song
Winner: Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire

Didn't particularly care of the song. Would have given it Bruce Springsteen, but his song from The Wrestler wasn't even nominated.

Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: Departures

Haven't seen it. Would have thought it would go to The Class or Waltz With Bashir.

Reese Witherspoon, wonderful actress, terrible dress.

Best Director
Winner: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Don't get me wrong, I like Danny Boyle. Just not for this movie. Really thought Gus Van Sant deserved it more.

I love Anne Hathaway. Her thanking of Shirley Maclaine was touching. Kate Winslet was luminous looking. Although I liked the actresses commenting on the nominees, but would have liked to have seen clips from their performances.

Best Actress
Winner: Kate Winslet

I think she definitely deserves the Oscar, but not for The Reader. I though it was more of a supporting role. She was much much better in Revolutionary Road. But I love her so much. Very happy for her. Wonderful acceptance speech.

Best Actor
Winner: Sean Penn

Very thrilled about Sean. He was absolutely fearless and moving as Harvey Milk. Wonderful, self depreciating acceptance speech.

Best Picture
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Well, we all know what my opinion of the movie is so I will leave it at that.

It is late and I am off to bed.