Oscar highs and lows
Filed under: Awards, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Oscar Watch
Thankfully, the Oscars are done for another year. We have some very interesting and astute comments from Cinematical readers on our Oscar posts:
Nobody commented on Tom Hank's really bad hairdo, but plenty of you noticed that he seemed to be saying "f***ing moron" or "f***ing idiot" as he stormed on stage to present the Best Director award. Many of our readers have speculated that his apparent anger was in response to host Jon Stewart's comment about the Brokeback Mountain screenwriters wearing jeans; others thought perhaps he was being rushed. Whatever the cause, people were rather shocked at Mr. Nice Guy Hanks using such language at the Oscars.
Personally, I was more shocked that no one seemed to be making huge deal out of Oscar finally giving a Best Director trophy to someone who isn't a white male. I was excited about it, but then again, I was also one of the ten or so people rooting for Sofia Coppola to take Best Director in 2004.
There's a decided difference of opinion on whether or not Jon Stewart did a good job hosting the Oscars. I thought he did great; Roger Ebert thinks he can write his own ticket as a network late-night host and that the Oscars are his as long as he wants them; some of our readers, however, beg to disagree.
The Best Original Song winner, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp", has stirred up a raging debate between people who are stunned that a rap song about a pimp would win an Oscar, and people who are celebrating the first ever Oscar for a rap song. I thought Dolly Parton gave a better performance, but that "Pimp" was more deserving of the Oscar.
As for Best Picture, well, not surprisingly, it's pretty much equally divided between those who are thrilled that Crash won (Roger Ebert will be able to crow about that one to his fellow critics for a long time), and those who were shocked and disappointed that Brokeback Mountain didn't. I'm willing to bet that our own Karina Longworth wasn't thrilled by the results, and the Carpetbagger is probably regretting he didn't stick to his guns with his initial prediction. Some folks are blaming poor Roger for Crash's victory, and hey - they may be right. Have you ever seen a critic go after supporting a film like that?
Nobody seems to care about Munich, Capote or Good Night, and Good Luck - it's all about racism and gay cowboys. And can I just note, for the record, that George Clooney, in addition to now being an Oscar winner and Sexiest Man Alive in 1997, was most definitely the Sexiest Man at the Oscars last night? He finally bought a new tux, and he was looking mighty fine. I'm just saying.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-06-2006 @ 10:25PM
Erik Davis said...
okay, seriously, we are having a George Clooney intervention for Kim and Martha ASAP.
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3-06-2006 @ 10:51PM
Michael Cicconi said...
I know it will feel like sacrelige to visit one of Gawker's blogs, but check out Defamer for info about the Tom Hanks swearing debacle. They have a vid, and an explanation: apparently Tommy boy didn't want them to play him out with the theme from Forrest Gump, and he was mighty angry with someone. Who he's yelling at is a mystery ... it looks like it's in Jon's direction, but he wouldn't have been responsible for that, so who knows.
Maybe it was the same guy who spelled Will Ferrell's name wrong, and he'll be DOUBLE fired.
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3-06-2006 @ 10:54PM
David R said...
I think the first rap song to win best Original Song was actually "Lose Yourself" in 2003.
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3-06-2006 @ 11:19PM
Richard Testani said...
I think Tom Hanks was swearing in jest to being hit over the head with a viola.
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3-06-2006 @ 11:49PM
Adam said...
Jon Stewart's buddy Stephen Colbert outdid Ebert by predicting all major 5 awards correctly on his show last week. Maybe someone slipped him some inside info...
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3-07-2006 @ 2:30AM
Cyberphin said...
I'm surprised more websites haven't talked about the DVD bashing going on. Not just overtly with the President of the MPAA but with comments scripted for Jake Gyllenhaal about some movies can't be experienced on the small screen. Which is true of Duece Bigalow. Hollywood still can't get with the change in viewing habits. Though in today's Harrisburg PA newpaper there was an article about how so many new theaters are opening. There is a disconnect between oscars and what people are seeing. I might see crash on DVD but I see no reason to see it theatrically.
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3-07-2006 @ 9:37AM
mick du russel said...
The glitter and glamour of Hollywood came out for all to see at this year's Academy Awards Show. Nothing outragious. The women looked like movie stars and the men gave their best matinee idol impressions. The hosting left a lot to be desired. I did not find much humor at all during the broadcast. The bits and skits were lame, undeserving for inclusion in a show of such high esteem. Whatever it takes, bring back Billy Crystay to his rightful place, front and center stage. If not, get Robin Williams...the funniest guy in the world. He may be unpredictable but I guarantee the show will be memorable. This year...a good try, could do much better.
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3-07-2006 @ 9:44AM
Karina said...
David R is right - Lose Yourself was the first rap song to win the Oscar. Which is why it's a little weird that Ludacris has been going around for the past couple of days commending Three 6 Mafia for "making history". I guess you could make a case for the fact that they're relatively unknown, compared to Emminem; that the song was created outside of the music industry for an independently made film ... blah blah blah. But yeah, it's a little weird.
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3-07-2006 @ 12:26PM
Kim Voynar said...
David R, thanks for pointing out my error. You're right, of course, and I should have known better because I love "Lose Yourself" and was glad when it won Best Song.
Karina, as for Ludacris - what was even more weird was how he was ALL over the cameras all night. At the after party coverage on E!, he was actually lurking during the JLo interview, waiting to get on camera - again. As for him talking about the rap song making history, I can only surmise that either he's referring to the song being by black artists, or that he doesn't consider Eminem a rapper - or both.
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3-07-2006 @ 12:39PM
Elliott said...
It was the first rap song ever PERFORMED at the Oscars. Eminem didn't show up to the Oscars when his song was nominated, which created one of my fave moments: the look of terror on Barbara Steisand's face when Em's friend accepted the award on his behalf.
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3-07-2006 @ 1:50PM
ChrisLao said...
I am just as shocked by Crash's win; people have not stopped talking about how unexpected that was. It's like when the killer jumps out of hiding to gruesomely kill the hero in a slasher flick... it's a really gruesome, terrible and ultimately cheap-thrill moment. It doesn't change my view of the Oscars, really: it's just a costume drama. I will always consider Brokeback Mountain the Academy Award winner for Best Picture. And if someone tells me: "Crash is Best Picture." I'll happily tell them: "You're WRONG!"
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3-07-2006 @ 1:52PM
Erik Davis said...
Wasn't it the first ever performance of a rap song at the Oscars? Did Eminem perform Lose Yourself at the actual ceremony? Perhaps that's what Ludacris was alluding to.
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3-07-2006 @ 3:56PM
Jo said...
Okay, personally I thought "Crash" was not all that good. I thought the characters acted way to irrationally and was very very turned off by the language (i.e. the numerous f-bombs). Maybe it won because Oprah loved it so much. I think any one of the other nominees should have won.
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3-07-2006 @ 5:24PM
John Heim said...
I'm flabergasted that Crash won for best picture because it is really a horrible picture. Forget what it beat out (even thought Brokeback was a far superior film). Crash was just a waste of time without a point. Many movies in 2005 were far better!
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3-07-2006 @ 6:00PM
bc12 said...
"evenly divided" -- what are you smoking? I get really into the Oscars about once every five years, and then something like this happens, and reminds me why they're so ridiculous.
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