The Oscars in Review

Feb 28, 2011 - by Lester Brathwaite

The Academy Awards are over and with it, awards season, leaving a trophy-sized hole in all our hearts. The fashion was a hit, the show was a miss but god bless Anne Hathaway for trying and James Franco for showing up.

Everyone stood up for Billy Crystal when he showed up on stage at the Oscars last night, as if there was a certain sense of relief: daddy's home. Hosting the Oscars is basically a thankless job (see: Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, Alec Baldwin/Steve Martin etc., etc.). It's like walking a tightrope above a sea of sharks in couture gowns and Tom Ford tuxedos. Crystal was the go-to person for years and will probably be asked back next year.

Which isn't to say that Anne Hathaway and James Franco didn't do a decent job. The opening was hilarious and provided us with this little token of awesomeness, otherwise known as James Franco in a leotard:

They're actors so they were best in a pre-taped skit, but then things took a quick dive, salvaged only by Anne Hathaway's plucky charm and seven wardrobe changes (the best being the blue Armani Privé and the final Tom Ford, though in truth I would've preferred a few more looks; that first Givenchy Haute Couture seemed to last for. ever.)

Franco was high or just being James Franco, either way he was apparently too busy tweeting to commit fully to his hosting duties.  Though, honestly, it's James Franco and I could care less what he does as long as he's just around, perhaps lurking in a corner somewhere. And preferably in drag:

[caption id="attachment_187059" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Photo: Huffington Post"][/caption]

It wasn't Cher, but girl will throw a wig on at the drop of a hat.

The acceptance speeches were long-winded and boring, with the award for Most Pompous Grandstander going to Aaron Sorkin, natch. Luckily we had Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo throwing the F-word around like it was going out of style. Combined with 900-year-old Kirk Douglas stealing the show and hobbling away with it, there was nothing really to hold interest past the first 45 minutes of the show.

The King's Speech took home four awards, the four biggest awards at that: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and most deservedly, Best Actor for Colin Firth, who delivered an eloquent and clever speech like only the British can. I was pulling for dark horse, Black Swan, though The Social Network had blown its wad at the earlier awards shows.

Natalie Portman won Best Actress over multiple snubbee, Annette Bening and delivered another adorable speech. Christian Bale took home Best Supporting Actor and from the looks of him probably went back to living in a cardboard box. Though, forest beard or not, I'd still hit it.

Gwyneth Paltrow made an appearance on an Oscar stage for the first time in who gives a...performing "Coming Home" from Country Strong and Cee Lo's presence was certainly missed.

All in all, the show was a big snooze, but I'm seriously going to miss all the hooplah of awards season. There's nothing to look forward to now until the Emmys in September! Oh, and I guess the VMA s if you're into that kind of trash. Twas a good season though, full of great movies and a poorly produced Oscars telecast, but now we can all refer to that guy from Nine Inch Nails as "Academy Award winner Trent Reznor."

 

comments powered by Disqus