Some random thoughts…
Best Actress: Halle Berry was overly emotional. I watched some of the Barbara Walters special beforehand. It showed her winning a few beauty pagents. Apparently, no one told her that you don’t act the same way winning a beauty pagent as you do winning Best Actress. What was with all of the special mentions for her lawyer? Seemed kind of tacky. I can’t comment on whether she deserved it as I haven’t seen the movie. No matter how overemotional, she’s still hot. Of the nominees I did see, Sissy Spacek was amazing in In the Bedroom
Supporting Actress: While Halle Berry was over the top, Jennifer Connelly seemed way too subdued. Perhaps she had to concentrate too much on reading. She’s still hot even though she’s going for Calista Flockhart skinny.
Best Actor:I didn’t see Training Day or Beautiful Mind, so I don’t have much of a leg to stand on here. I’m glad Russell Crowe didn’t win. He may be a great actor, but he’s an a-hole. I’ll definitely be checking out Training Day. Denzel should have been denied for agreeing to star in John Q. They were making up for snubbing him for Malcolm X. Tom Wilkinson also deserved the nod for In the Bedroom. I think he was passed up because he’s an unknown and the academy hates downer movies.
Supporting Actor: I didn’t see Iris, but Ben Kingsley was the front runner in my opinion. If you haven’t seen Sexy Beast, you should rent it. Broadbent, the winner, was pretty amusing in Moulin Rouge. McKellan should have won four years ago for Gods and Monsters.
Best Picture/Director: As I mentioned, I haven’t seen Beautiful Mind. Ron Howard is a nice enough guy and he does a lot of guest spots on the Simpsons, so I’ll let him have it. Peter Jackson will get it for the whole trilogy at the end of LOTR. Even though I didn’t see Mulholland Drive (sensing a trend here?), I would’ve given it to David Lynch.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Akiva Goldsman? This is the guy responsible for Batman and Robin.
Best Original Screenplay: I actually think Gosford Park was pretty good, but Memento was snubbed. I imagine Royal Tenebaums was deserving as well, although that’s another one I’ll have to rent.
Whoopi is better than Billy Crystal, but I’m not too fond of her either. She’s got to go. They should bring back Steve Martin or perhaps go with Ben Stiller or Jon Stewart. My personal choice would be Joe Rogan or David Cross. Like that’ll ever happen.
Overall, the ceremony was pretty good. I liked most of the pre-prepared shorts. I missed the Cirque De Soleil stuff and the music performances. Both of the honorary oscars were good. I’m not a big Redford fan, but he gave a good speech. Poitier rocks.
Best Moment: Jello Biafra channelling Mommie Dearest in the Erroll Morris directed montage at the beginning of the show.
Worst Moment: Britney Spears talking about how great Pretty Woman was.
P.S. What the hell happened to Will Smith? He was there at the beginning, but when it came time to announce his category, they had to show a still from earlier in the evening.
P.P.S. Could they have shoved Josh Hartnett down our throats any more? Anytime they mentioned Pearl Harbor or Black Hawk Down, they showed him. I think he got more screen time than some of the nominees.
Check out this highly amusing take on last night’s proceedings.