The Oscars for 2011

Some thoughts on last night's Oscar Awards and the telecast....

• I have written of my thoughts on "The Artist" many times, so I won't rehash them again. I can't say that it is an undeserving winner, but I do not think that, ten years from now, we will be looking back on it and saying "Man, that really is a GREAT movie."


• As for Best Actor Jean Dujardin, while my preference was George Clooney of "The Descendants", I can't argue that Dujardin didn't deserve the Oscar.


• On the other hand, I am betting that American movie audiences will see a passel of great performances by Clooney in the future before we ever see another one from Dujardin.


• I have yet to see "The Iron Lady", but I am delighted that Meryl Streep finally picked up her third Oscar.


• Speaking of three Acting Oscars, Katherine Hepburn holds the record with four, and Streep now joins three other actors with three. They are Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman, and Walter Brennan. Walter Brennan????? As they said on Sesame Street, which one doesn't belong?


• Leading up to the Academy Awards, Octavia Spencer won every award for her role in "The Help." Nobody, and I mean nobody, predicted anyone else as winner of the Best Supporting Actress honor. Yet, when her name is called, she is tearful and shocked to the point of being almost unable to speak. THAT, my friends, is acting.


• Then there was Christopher Plummer's speech. Very classy.


• I also liked that Director Michel Hazanavicius paid tribute to Billy Wilder in his acceptance speech.


• Regular readers will also not be surprised to know that I am very happy that Woody Allen won for Best Original Screenplay for the wonderful "Midnight in Paris." True to form, The Woodman was not in attendance to accept his Oscar.


• As for the telecast itself, I thought it was great. I thought that Billy Crystal was terrific as the host, and I thought the whole thing moved very quickly even though it lasted a shade over three hours, or about an hour shorter than you average Yankees-Red Sox game.


• I would go so far to say that Crystal should host every year, but having a year with some stiff like James Franco hosting serves the purpose of making you appreciate Crystal as Host all the more.


• Loved the film of the "Test Audience" for "The Wizard of Oz" as performed by the Christopher Guest repertory company. How can you not love Fred Willard? Makes me want to go rent "Best In Show" immediately.


• Did you read Rob Owen's rather dyspeptic review of the telecast in this morning's Post-Gazette? Sounded like he is trying to edge out Ron Cook as the Grouchiest Guy at the PG. Maybe a career as a TV critic will do that to a person.


• Best Gown of the Night? Jennifer Lopez, hands down!


• I also loved the Cirque d'Soliel performance.


• In terms of sheer numbers, the big winner was "Hugo" with five Oscars, all in technical categories. I have no problem with that, and to hear the winners in their acceptances, it is obvious that Martin Scorsese must be a true genius and a great guy for whom to work.


• Speaking of technical achievement, why no nominations for "A Very Harold and Kumar 3-D Christmas"?


• I most definitely did NOT miss the performances of all the nominated Original Songs.


• Come to think of it, since there were only two such songs nominated, should this even be a relevant award anymore?


• I thought that the commercials on the telecast were great, better, as a whole, than the Super Bowl. Ellen DeGeneris in those commercials for JC Penney was terrific.


• The Grandstander went 7-for-8 in his Oscar predictions, missing only on Streep's Best Actress win. Not as good as BigPoppy at the Tonys, but not bad.


• Of the nominated and winning movies, I still need to see "Iron Lady" and "War Horse", although I am thinking that the latter viewing will probably come when it is released on DVD.


• And if you still haven't seen them, do make it a point to see "The Artist" and "The Descendants." Both really good, if not great, movies. And "The Ides of March." As stated in previous posts, that may have been a better movie that any of them, in my humble opinion.