The 82nd Annual Academy Awards

Well, the world has changed. So did the people (specially the people). Not being American, i never shared the prime time family moment of watching the Oscars ceremony. I suppose that would have a symbolic impact in the lives of the Americans, at least until a couple decades ago.

Not today. I mean, people still value the prizes. The Oscar is still, like Fellini would put it, the highest prize in the mythology of cinema. People care about the prize, because it is invested of somewhat a mythical proportions. It's showbiz, and Hollywood has always known much about that, much about illusion. But today the Oscars-prizes, is a thing totally separated from the Oscars-ceremony. The first one still matters, despite its so celebrated unfairness, its so celebrated politics within, its so celebrated consideration that "the bigger the better" and that less risk in films equals higher entertainment and higher box office receipts. That's what ruled Citizen Kane or Taxi Driver out of the award. But hey, the thing is still hard-wired in the unconscious side of film goers. But not the ceremony. That one fades, increasingly. Television cannot be the only catalyzer of audiences, it just isn't possible, and the very idea of the gala, the party where famous people get together, with fancy dresses and fake smiles, and deliver and get awards, just isn't appealing anymore. Not as it used to be. So in a way, these Oscars TV shows do not work for us today for the same reason that, for instance, Elizabethan plays won't work in the same way: our minds are simply not immediately tuned to it, not anymore. We no longer immediately assume that a couple guys telling some jokes in front of lots of famous actors and directors is amusing. So, Unless the show is exceptionally well conceived, we just won't connect. That's why today we only care about The very best Elizabethan plays. The average and bad ones that were entertaining back than, simply aren't anymore. That's the thing with this ceremony.

This one was Not exceptionally well done, rather poor actually. So i didn't connect to it.

My opinion: 2/5

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I always look forward to the Oscars! This was the most enjoyable one for me in a long time. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were great hosts -- very funny. Baldwin is the epitome of cool. The only real disappointment was that there were no real surprises in most of the categories. So I made a pact with myself next year not to read magazines newspapers or watch television shows that pertain to Oscar predictions. Just so there will be an element of surprise next year.

Regardless of that it was one of the best Oscar telecasts in a long time. The tributes to the lead actors and actresses prior to the announcement of the winners in those categories was a bit tedious for me, even though, as I said, I pretty much knew who would win. Even at almost 3 and a half hours, it was pretty entertaining.

_The worst costume goes to: the dress worn by (Sandy Powell) the lady who won the Oscar for the best costume design!

_The best line goes to: "I love you baby more than the rainbows" said by (Ryan Bingham), the winner of the best song, to his wife.

_The most creative moment goes to: (Ben Stiller) wearing as Avatar's creatures!

_The meanest look upon someone's face: (Quentin Tarantino) when he heard that someone else him won the Oscar for the best screenplay. Hmmm, wait a minute. I don't think it was mean. He always looks this way!

_The worst jokes came from: (Steve Martin), talking about whores, (Sandra Bullock), or Avatar. Silly jokes Steve, silly and offensive. And you know what the worst part is? THEY ARE NOT FUNNY!

_The most mediocre factor goes to: The 2 hosts. They were between "Ok" and "Yawn". When you put (Martin) with (Baldwin) what you'll have is: half of good host!

_The most invisible moment goes to: honoring Hollywood's icons (the lifetime achievement Oscar and the Irving Thalberg award previously). Yes, they made them as one award, but with names like (Lauren Bacall) and (Roger Corman) how there wasn't even a short montage for their greatest works?!

_The most distracting moment goes to: the dead artists montage. 3 screens to Not be able to watch anything or anyone!

_The most predictable moments goes to: I always thought that the academy used to send deliberate hints through selecting certain stars to present certain awards, whereas you can predict the winner by seeing the presenter. So it was easy for me to relate (Sigourney Weaver) and (James Cameron), who she worked with in (Aliens) and recently in (Avatar), when it came to present the set award to (Avatar). So (Barbra Streisand) and (Kathryn Bigelow) when it came to the first female to win the Oscar for the best director. Then the not too starry now (Demi Moore) when it came to the dead artists montage!

_The best moment of the show goes to: (Kate Winslet) while declaring the award of the best actor, since she said wisely: "The Oscar Goes To" instead of "And The Winner is" which all the presenters said it this year in sort of ugly way that indicates how all the rest competitors are LOSERS!

Fair show by the way. Not the best, but fair.

This year's Oscar show was not exactly inspired (with rather sparse input from hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin) but quite tolerable altogether. As such there was little novelty (surprisingly, the individual presentation of the nominated songs was dropped but, then, there was still the usual ostentatious dance number which tried to 'illustrate' the nominated scores – the one for THE HURT LOCKER was particularly idiotic!), and the embarrassing display of reverence for the acting candidates (though this time it was restricted to the leading roles) from last year was reprised. Though appropriately featuring the accompaniment of The Beatles' track "In My Life" (beautifully played on guitar and sung by James Taylor), the "In Memoriam" section was not as moving as that of previous shows (due to the fact that, thankfully, no true cinema giant passed away during 2009); the individual tribute to John Hughes – by several of the (grown-up) actors he had honed – was an unexpected but pleasant surprise…as was the presence among the audience of Lauren Bacall and especially Roger Corman (recipients of an Honorary Oscar in a smaller-scale ceremony held back in November). The apologetic ode to Horror movies really came out of nowhere and, despite the obvious inclusion of clips from beloved classics and popular modern fare, mostly stuck out like a sore thumb! Again, none of the 'Thank You' speeches were particularly stirring – though Jeff Bridges dedicated his victory to his late parents, Mo'Nique acknowledged Hattie McDaniel (who had set a precedent with the first black win back in 1940), and costume designer Sandy Powell saluted those of her field typically involved in projects boasting contemporary settings (which she readily admitted were seldom recognized by the Academy). With respect to the results, apart from the AVATAR fiasco, the only real unforeseen victories were those of the Best Adapted Screenplay (won by PRECIOUS, complete with pretentious and baffling subtitle, rather than UP IN THE AIR) and Best Foreign-Language Film (Austrian Michael Haneke's highly-touted THE WHITE RIBBON missing out in favor of the Argentinian entry THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES). Typically, the night culminated with the Best Actor, Actress, Direction and Picture statuettes – all of which saw the winners venting their elation uninterrupted; though it was a given that Kathryn Bigelow would triumph (and receive a well-deserved standing ovation into the bargain) over her ex-husband James Cameron, thus awarding a woman director the first Oscar after 82 years, this became even more obvious when Barbra Streisand turned up to present that particular category. In the end, while hardly memorable, the show emerged (as ever) to be worth a watch for hardened movie-buffs.

"The 82nd Annual Academy Awards" will mainly be remembered as important because a woman won Best Director for the first time, and a movie about the Iraq War won Best Picture. I should admit that I haven't seen most of the nominated movies. I'll now have to see "The Hurt Locker", "The Blind Side" and "Crazy Heart" (I think that I'll pass on "Avatar"). Mo'Nique definitely deserved her Oscar. Christoph Waltz, who made one nasty Nazi, must be the first person who won an Oscar for playing a guy who eventually gets a swastika carved into his forehead.

I really liked it when Ben Stiller appeared made up to look like a Na'vi. Silly, yes, but anything that elicits humor is fine by me.

But the most important thing is that a woman has finally won a directing Oscar. To be certain, by awarding it to Kathryn Bigelow, the Academy really stuck it to James Cameron.

All in all, I liked what I saw.