Oscar Oscar - How was it?

Well first things first, my predictions. I got 19 out of 24 correct. Not bad, I won the pool at the my party.The short films totally tripped me. I was happy to be wrong about Adapted Screenplay and for Geoffrey Fletcher to be the first African American to win a writing Oscar. Hopefully in a few years race and gender won't matter but first they have to start winning. Which they did this year.


The show itself was not that entertaining. Neil Patrick Harris, who was fantastic at the Tonys and Emmys, was only so-so here. Martin and Baldwin brought a retro vibe back to the Oscars, particularly after Jackman last year totally pushed it forward. They had a couple funny jokes (...that damn Helen Mirren, and the snuggles) but mostly predictable and not funny enough. And the show felt like it went forever.

The emotional highlight for me was Oprah's intro of Gabourey Sidibe, calling her "a new American Cinderella" while Gabby was moved to tears. If only that was followed by her actually winning. Alas the Sandy train could not be stopped, but she gave the best speech of the night. Funny, emotional, humble...hit all the right notes. And while Mon'Nique was criticized for not being humble enough, I liked that she paid a tribute to Hattie McDaniel, both in her speech and her outfit. While I see why she mentioned the politics of campaigning, in winning she should've risen above that. But so happy to see her win, if one person deserved an Oscar this year, it was Mo'Nique.


The Hurt Locker won 6. I think the last time my favourite film of the year won was back in 1996 with The English Patient. Happy for Bigelow, Boal and all the other winners. As Nathaniel Rogers from Film Experience called it "The Sexy Locker", everyone's so damn hot! The best film of the year won. Still I was surprised by how poorly "Avatar" did. I guess you can't win without acting and writing nominations.
Just a quick note about the fashion. It was not that interesting. Most people (except Charlize Theron and SJP) looked good. Loved the outrageousness of the mullet dress that Zoe Salanda wore. Hot! Carey Mulligan wore another mullet and I applaud them both for not being boring. Of the men Jake Gyllenhaal looked the best. But the Sexy Locker guys were up there too.

Another year, another Oscar. When the next one? February 2011, here we come. Maybe the kids will be alright, then.