Sunday, February 27, 2011

MEN, YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A GREAT CRUSADE TO STAMP OUT RUNAWAY DECENCY IN THE WEST. NOW YOU MEN WILL ONLY BE RISKING YOUR LIVES, WHILST I WILL BE RISKING AN ALMOST CERTAIN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Welcome to our third annual Academy Awards Cover-It-Liveblog -- updated!-- it's now below the fold.  Your comments are welcome ... in the comments.

added, Monday AM:  I'm struck in retrospect -- as I noted during the liveblog -- at the oddness of a show that claimed to be reaching for the young/hip demographic which failed to include the current generation of comic film actors among its presenters. Where were Seth Rogen, Jack Black, Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, any Wilson (or Wayans) brother, Paul Rudd, Michael Cera, Leslie Mann, Tyler Perry or Zach Galifianakis? Were they even in the audience? If you want a lively show, have lively people on the stage.  I don't care how young Cate Blanchett, Jake Gyllenhaal or Hugh Jackman are -- a ceremony with them on the dais will feel old.




15 comments:

  1. Dan Suitor11:49 PM

    I know I already said it in the CIL: but @amywatts and whatever Saray and Maret use as online handles. Follow/support/sockpuppet them. They deserve it.

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  2. Cecilia6:38 AM

    Oh, man.  I thought that was an awful show.  For all of the emphasis leading up to the "youth" hosts this year, the show just felt stale to me, and almost like no one was really trying with the directing, producing, or writing.  I want some coherence and excitement to my Academy Awards.

    Also: I was one of the minority who hated the King's Speech (but not upset about Colin winning), so there was that.

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  3. Hathaway can come back any time she wants; Franco added nothing.  The low point of the evening, other than the applause-free Necrology?  Billy Crystel and the Bob Hope tribute. Added nothing.

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  4. Meghan9:09 AM

    I feel bad because Hathaway's going to take a hit for this but I just feel like the show was set up to fail.  Other than presenters handing out multliple related awards, it just sucked.  But I don't feel like it was her fault--I feel like it's what she was given.  James Franco might as well have not been there.

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  5. 1.  It seemed for much of the broadcast like Hathaway was hosting in character as "tipsy sorority girl.' (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

    2.  The show would have been much improved if rather than the kids from PS 22, we had closed with "Ladies and Gentlemen, Morris Day and the Time!" with all the nominees joining on "ooo-eee-ooo-eee-ooo!"

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  6. <span>I'm wondering how much of Hathaway's "woo girl" was a reaction to Franco showing up as a reanimated corpse.
    </span>

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  7. Aw, Dan - I appreciated your "Updates from the Room."  Next year, webcam that stuff.

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  8. Thus proving my theory, yet again.  Seriously, why not have former Oscar winner Prince (Best Original Sound Score, 1984) present an award?

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  9. KCosmo's neighbor10:44 AM

    I just spent the better part of the last hour reading everyone's comments from last night...good stuff. But not a one of you made mention of what was on NBC at the same time. Minute to Win It with Aaron Ralston playing for his favorite charity. Yes! One arm, and he can still get six nails to balance on a wire in less than 60 seconds. When I last checked in, he was at the 125K mark. Am I the only person watching that show (well, me and my friend Andrea)? The forced drama is a riot, and I'm sure at some point SNL will get wind of this.

    Yes, I did watch the Oscars...all 600 hours. I thought we'd all witness Kirk Douglas "checking out" live. As for Eli Wallach, I too loved his perfomance in the Holiday, but that's like telling Baryshnikov, "I loved you in Sex and the City!"

    Anne looked great (I wonder if Rachel Zoe styled her) and I agree James added nothing to the show. Hosting the Oscars has to be the hardest job in Hollywood, and should be left to only the most seasoned performers. Oh well.

    I would have preferred a few upsets to liven things up a bit.

    That's all from me.

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  10. In addition to the presenter choice, I don't understand choosing "young, hip" hosts and then spending so much time looking to the past for no apparent reason. Starting with the theme from Gone With the Wind because it's a movie that won Best Picture, Cinematography and Art Direction?  Having a previous Oscar host (Crystal) come on to introduce clips from an even further back host (Bob Hope)?  Kirk Douglas? Obama talking about "As Time Goes By"?  It all felt very old and musty, right up through that random, strange ending with the kids from Staten Island (why?) singing that oh-so-modern tune, "Over the Rainbow."

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  11. The problem is that the Academy wants to have it both ways--to be young, hip, and appealing to a younger demographic without running the risk of doing humor that's "cheap" or alienating the old fogeys who apparently continue to dominate the Academy's voting tanks.  The frat packers are too "risky" for them.  Of course, this likely means we're going to be subjected to an endless series of Leno-hosted awards.  Heck, that might actually be a good use for him.  Let him do standup in Vegas 40 weeks a year and host this show and keep him OFF MY TV SET the rest of the year. 

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  12. Anonymous11:55 AM

    My dream host? Tom Bergeron. He'd keep it moving, he's good on his feet, and because he's not a "star" if his bits needed to get cut short, no biggie. 

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  13. Anonymous12:18 PM

    My thoughts exactly.

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  14. Genevieve1:10 PM

    Not to mention that the kids from Staten Island are known for singing modern stuff (La Vida Loca, Just Dance, etc.) and would've been much more interesting doing that.  And also at an hour when kids watching could actually be awake and enjoying it.

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  15. Adlai1:36 PM

    The culmination of the Academy's worst impulses will occur within 5 years, when we'll have the technology to have holograms of dead people hosting the Oscars. Look forward to John Wayne, Judy Garland, and Cary Grant delivering jokes written by Bruce Vilanch!

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