Oscar Night Review
This was the 81 Academy Awards with a new host, Hugh Jackman. I think the format of this years show was excellent. I like the idea of handing out the awards (of which there seemed to be less wasn’t there?) based on the stages a film is made.
They would start with writing, then art direction, wardrobe, technical stuff like special effects, editing, music, etc. It seemed like such a natural progression. Then it went into the actors, directors and finally the best picture. I like this way of doing it over previous years not because it taught you the steps of making a film, but it was very natural and flowed.
Having previous winners present to the nominees was a brilliant and well done idea and worked very well. It didn’t seem like any of them were reading what to say at all. And the fact that the stage was so close to the audience (since the musicians were off away from the stage) it seemed much more personal and intimate.
Jackman made use of the cozy set often getting very close up with some of the actors. Standalone I enjoyed his performance, it was a great host and a pretty good song and dance man. He also had a funny charm about him. However, I was waiting the whole night for him to run out with claws and stab someone, I just can’t help but think Wolverine went sissy! All jokes aside I see him returning soon to host the night.
Other than that it was like any other award show, the rest of the presenters (except maybe Will Smith and Ben Stiller) seemed to just woodenly read their lines of what to say and I have never liked the writing for these. It seems so robotic and planned. I think the presenters really need to come up with something on their own and not have a telepromter at all.
Just like any other award show I haven’t seen the movie that won best picture. I’m a fan of action films and big budget movies. I was hoping The Dark Knight (which has made over a billion dollars) would have been nominated for best picture. I also noted Heath Ledger one (and not by any surprise) the best supporting actor award (very deservingly). I did find it odd in the montage of actors that have passed on he wasn’t in it, did they honor him last year?
Good award show, stage was excellent, there wasn’t a lot of music (except that hard to listen to theme from the Slumbog movie).