And The Oscar Goes To...

The Super Bowl of Hollywood events occurred last night: The Academy Awards. Hundreds of Hollywood heavyweights sashayed down the red carpet stopping for countless photographs and interview after interview. The repeated question of “Who are you wearing?” was answered with wonderful names such as Armani Prive, Gucci, Valentino, and Chanel. There were certain celebrities who looked stunning – Sandra Bullock, Anna Kendrick, and I'm throwing Ryan Reynolds in here because he always looks gorgeous – celebrities who I would give a solid C+ – Sarah Jessica Parker, Charlize Theron, and Demi Moore – and celebrities who should have stayed home – Diane Kruger, Mariah Carey, and Tina Fey (although Tina Fey’s skit with Robert Downey Jr. had me falling off the couch laughing, so maybe not stayed home, but picked a better dress).

I absolutely love the Oscars. All of the glitz and glamour never ceases to make me envious of the lives of celebrities. My TV was tuned into E’s Red Carpet coverage (I have a soft spot for Ryan Seacrest) at 6pm as the less important people filed into the Kodak Theatre. I did not move from my spot until the awards wrapped up at Midnight. As with every year, there were some things I absolutely loved about the show, and there were things I hated.

Let’s begin with the bad…
-Too Long. This is an issue the Academy has been dealing with for years. I understand there is no easy solution, but at 3 ½ hours long, I was dying towards the end…and those are the best awards! An even three hours would have been tolerable.
- The short speeches given by friends and co-stars of the Best Actor/Best Actress nominees need to go. They do not help with the length of the show, and some I just found to be boring. Also there is a reason why I don’t watch Oprah everyday…so why was she on my TV during the Oscars?
- The “Kanye” moment of the show. The director who won for Best Short Documentary was interrupted during his speech by a woman who used to be associated with the project and wanted recognition. I thought it was awful how that man will never get his moment back.

Now for the good…
- Neil Patrick Harris’s opening. I personally believe he should be a part of every awards show. What a fantastic, talented, adorable guy!
- Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin hosting. I laughed at almost every one of their jokes and thought they were hysterical. My favorite moment when they were “caught” backstage wearing snuggies.
- Kathryn Bigelow and The Hurt Locker winning big! She’s the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. Enough said.
-Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech. I wanted her to win, (there’s a good chance she won’t win again) and her speech was touching, funny, and eloquent. I’m so happy for her.

All things considered, it was quite a good show. There were a few winners, many losers, and lots of entertainment. I now have about twenty movies on my “to-watch” list, and I’m eager to see what brilliant work is born in the coming year in the world of cinema.