Monday, February 23, 2009

Behold the Oscars!

I know, I know, I've been a very bad blogger. I just realized that I have blogged since before Valentine's Day. Well in my defense, I've been very busy. I had to re-edit the first part of my book proposal for my agent which took some time. I'm still waiting her response to the sample chapters but I already know that I need to write a whole new chapter and cut the other two by at least 15 pages. All this before I leave for London in two weeks.

I went with the lovely Hope Tarr to see a mutual friend Leslie Nipkow read at KGB Bar here in New York on Valentine's day. Leslie read a great piece about how the actor Randolph Mantooth contributed to her awakening as a woman. It was nice to know that I wasn't the only woman who found her mother's copy of the Sensuous Woman as a kid.

Last night watched the Oscars of course. No real suprises what with the other 400 award ceremonies that came before. I was hoping Mickey Rourke would win Best Actor just so I could hear what he would say for an acceptance speech. The one he gave at the BAFTA's was hysterical.

Hugh Jackman, what can I say. I adore every hair on his Australian head. I think he is gorgeous, talented and witty and I hope they ask him to host again. I could have done without the middle production number directed by Baz Luhrmann, but all in all it was a great night. Jennifer Aniston and Angelina did not get into a cat fight but that might have been because Jennifer Aniston skipped the red carpet.

What was the deal with Javier Bardem and Daniel Day-Lewis not showing up to give out Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor? Isn't that usually tradition? Normally Best Supporting Actor gives out actor and vice-versa. Still I thought the idea of having 5 prior winners give out the award was kind of nice, although it would have been nice to see clips of the Best Actor and Actress nominees.

So what did everyone think? Any disasters? Any undeserving winners?

3 comments:

Hope Tarr said...

I watched the Oscars with friends. The Oscars are my Super Bowl. Even though I too adore the scrumptious Hugh, I didn't think this year's ceremony lived up to previous. Re the middle medley-cum-dance number, Beyonce is an amazing (multi) talent and a gorgeous young woman and we've already established The Hugh is uber hot. Still, it had the feeling of trying too hard like a better than usual high school musical compressed and placed smack-dab in the center of an awards program. It just didn't fit.

Speaking of fitting...

Half the fun for moi is watching the pre-show where celebs stroll down the red carpet in their designer duds. I think Sarah Jessica Parker got unfairly dissed. Though not a classic beauty, she always manages to look stylish and lovely and really, her princess gown didn't show anymore cleavage than many/most. And give the girl a break. She had to accessorize with that bozo of a husband, Matthew Broderick.

Per the latter, please someone tell me those ridiculous highlights were for a fim role. Please...

Amanda McCabe/Amanda Carmack/Laurel McKee said...

That musical number was a big hot mess, no doubt about it! Plus it made them compress the actual Best ong nominees into something like 3 minutes, and they sang OVER each other. Sigh.

But there were a few genuinely funny bits, which is unusual. :) Tina Fey and Steve Martin, Ben Stiller pretending to be Joaquin Phoenix. And whoever put SJP and Daniel Craig onstage together was geni-us!

Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said...

I know, I loved the way, he kept asking her if there was something wrong! The Ben Stiller/Joaquin Phoenix thing was funny, but I'm not sure how many people in the audience at home got it.

I agree that musical number with Beyonce and the kids from Mamma Mia had the whiff of putting on a show in someone's garage which worked for the opening but not in the middle.