By Matt Brunson
1. On the local front, Mez proved to be a terrific host for the annual Oscar Night America party (benefiting United Family Services). I’ve attended this fund-raising event twice in the past at other Charlotte venues, and while they were similarly memorable, there admittedly was a problem whenever the auction portion of the night drowned out the live telecast. At Mez, however, the auction was kept separate from the actual broadcast, meaning those who wanted to watch the entire show (like me) were accommodated while those who wanted to take breaks to enjoy the bidding and socializing likewise came out ahead. (For more photos from the Mez bash, go to the bottom of the article.)
2. As for the Oscar telecast itself, the show proved to be the usual mix of shining moments and embarrassing bits. First, though, let it be said that Steve Martin has still got it. Co-host Alec Baldwin’s contributions were for the most part negligible, but Martin was at the top of his game. Here’s hoping he can once again consistently find film roles suitable for his talents.
3. Sandra Bullock’s Best Actress win for The Blind Side will rapidly become one of those “What the heck were they thinking?” Oscar moments (see also Helen Hunt, Roberto Benigni), but she at least gave a gracious acceptance speech. In fact, the speeches by the women – Bullock and Precious’ Mo’Nique – far outshone those by the men. Crazy Heart’s Jeff Bridges and Inglourious Basterds’ Christoph Waltz began well but soon got sidetracked by issuing the usual laundry list of thank-you’s.
4. It was disheartening to see the year’s best film go 0-for-6, but that was the fate of Up in the Air, which was at least expected to take the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Instead, that award went to Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.
5. As usual, the musical numbers were terrible. That opening skit with Doogie Howser – excuse me, Neil Patrick Harris – was squirm-inducing, and having interpretative dances accompany the melodies for the five Best Original Score nominees was a head-scratcher. Seeing breakdancers “perform” the theme to The Hurt Locker was not only ludicrous but a bit tasteless as well.
6. Loved the Paranormal Activity skit by Martin and Baldwin.
7. Presenter Ben Stiller was a bust last year as Joaquin Phoenix, but he made up for it in a funny bit as an Avatar Na’vi this year.
8. The clip honoring horror movies was a good idea, but why were so many lame genre films included alongside such classics as Jaws and The Exorcist?
9. Most emotional moment? Arguably, Oprah Winfrey’s lovely praise of Precious star Gabourey Sibide.
10. Most awkward moment? That would easily go to what’s been tagged the “Kanye West incident,” when Music by Prudence producer Elinor Burkett bulldozed her way to the stage and interrupted the film’s director, Roger Ross Williams, as he accepted the prize for Best Documentary Short. Kanye could not be reached for comment.
More Mez images:
This article appears in Mar 9-15, 2010.
Here’s my question – why does “Precious…” have such a long title? It just irks me.
Up in the Air isn’t called “Up in the Air based on the book Up in the Air by Walter Kirn.” Just call it “Precious” and get on with it.
I think there are plenty of one-time winners — Sandra Bullock, Mo’Nique, Adrien Brody, Jennifer Connelley, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Helen Hunt, Roberto Begnini… Not that any one of them was not deserving for their part that won, but the problem is finding another role that isn’t similar in which they could shine.
Speaking of Mo’Nique – I thought her speech was very self-absorbed. “Performance over politics” – that says a lot about your fellow nominees. I’m sure they love you for it. She also seems to forget that Whoopi and Jennifer Hudson also won Oscars, so it’s not like she was the second black actress to win…
“year’s best film go 0-for-6” – looks like Oscar thought the year’s best film was The Hurt Locker… 😉
Let’s be honest – Gabourey Sibide… how many roles can she get where she isn’t the girl who is picked on or the depressed youth? Stereotype? Yes, but you have to call it as you see it. McCauley Culkin never grew out of Home Alone either…
I believe Ben Stiller has the dressiest Na’Vi adult halloween costumes out there. You would think he would show some more!
In answer to the above questions:
The long title is because the filmmakers wanted to keep the name of the book in the title, but couldn’t simply call it Push for fear that it would be confused with that Dakota Fanning sci-fi flick from the previous year. So this was their (unwieldy) compromise.
My point was that Bullock, Hunt and Benigni were NOT “deserving for their part that won.”
During awards season, Mo’Nique was being lambasted by pot-stirring journalists and bloggers who were chiding her for not playing the Oscar game as they felt she should (e.g. she skipped some important awards dinners and passed on some high-profile interviews since she was busy working on her show). Her take was that Academy members should vote for the acting, not the campaigning. So she was correct in saying that they apparently chose “performance over politics.” (In the case of Bullock, though, they left politics out altogether and chose “popularity over performance.”)
“year’s best film go 0-for-6” – looks like Oscar thought the year’s best film was The Hurt Locker… 😉 — It’s OK to disagree with the majority of Oscar voters (and Grammy voters, and Emmy voters) and go with your own heart and mind. It’s allowed; really! 😉
Who knows, Gabourey Sibide may indeed have trouble landing quality roles in the future. But on Oscar night, this vivacious young woman was on top of the world, and the mix of delight, pride and appreciation on her face during Oprah’s speech really moved me.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100310/tv_nm/us_sidibe
Gabby has a role in a Showtime pilot with Laura Linney..
I do not work in film but knew about the politics with Monique. (she even refused Ophrah.) I think everyone did…. Don’t show your ignorance, Jeff.
…..Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt…..
I have to say that it is my own opinion Mez, Mo’Nique and other Oscar musings | theCLog is regarded as a substantially developed editorial. Certainly perfectly worth referfing to and consequently meriting bringing up http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/theclog/2010/03/09/mez-monique-and-other-oscar-musings/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theclogblog+(the+CLog) additionally. Really, Isaiah Kinan
T – opinions are allowed by everyone – so, who says you’re right?
Regardless of Mo’Nique’s politicking or not, she still could have given some kind of nod to her fellow nominees… the way she stated it was too egotistical. The way it came out still sounded like her “performance” won over the others “politicking.”
At least I’m not the only one:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/03/how-smug-and-selfrighteous-was-monique-ctd.html
http://bossip.com/223766/samuel-l-jackson-after-moniques-speech-what-is-wrong-with-this-picture/
So Jeff, you know how to use Google. Good for you. Why didn;t you use it before you commented in the first place? Half of your stupid comment would have been answered with one Google hit.