My Awards!

What with being so late on all my Oscars coverage, I completely forgot to pick winners for my own awards! Sheesh. Winners in Bold.

Okay - I really need to see my top three again. That said, on one viewing,

Best Film:
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Drive
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Tree of Life
Shame
Jane Eyre
Moneyball
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Martha Marcy Mae Marlene
Another Earth

Best Popcorn Film (those genre flicks worth your time):
Stake Land
The Guard
Hanna
Rango
The Muppets
Mission Impossible
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Rise of Planet of the Apes
Attack the Block
Source Code

Best Actress:
Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre)
Brit Marling (Another Earth)
Michelle Williams (Meek's Cutoff)
Rooney Mara (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Elizabeth Olson (Martha Marcy Mae Marlene)
Nikohl Boosheri (Circumstance)
Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower)

A few more bits and bobs

From Movieline: 8:52 We were off to such a nice, fast start! And now... this clip reel? "That's when movies were actually made on film." YOUR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER SHOT DIGITAL, ASSHOLE.

Not that he SHOULD have been best, but the point stands.

9:42 Robert Downey and Gwyneth Paltrow "introduce" Best Documentary Feature: Undefeated. Um, wow. Shocking upset over Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.

Oh good. I'm so glad someone else was surprised.

9:54 Emma Stone single-handedly saved at least the last half-hour of the Oscars. Thank you, Emma!

10:26 Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash win it for The Descendants. Payne, insufferably, to his mother: "If I ever won another Oscar, I had to dedicate it to you." Well, then.

Seriously. What an asshole. Jim Rash FTW.

11:08 Thank you to the Academy for elevating George Kuchar to roughly 10 dead-industry-people places below Elizabeth Taylor.

And from Slashfilm: Congrats Harvey, you grabbed another one. But, to be honest, the fact that a black and white silent film won Best Picture against such a star-studded line up is pretty extraordinary.

A video tribute to the snubs.  Yup. Shoulda been Drive.

Sadness, Anna Faris from the front is baggy and not as cute.

[Also: The 84th Annual Academy Awards. Brought to you by Susie's sequins emporium.] 

I don't think I ever mentioned, but Busy Phillips looked great. I loved when she randomly showed up on Sarah Connor.

Yup. I was right about Zachary Quinto's eyebrows. Ouch - that much plucking looks painful.

Also - I'm not sure I've said anything on here, but I'm thrilled with all the young hollywood stars coming out; him, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Sean Maher. I don't think stars should be hounded about their personal lives, but I'm also glad that it isn't being seen as a career-ender. [Oh, and he brought Jonathan Groff to the Indies. SO CUTE.]

Someone pointed out that Angelina went all Jessica Rabbit. YES.

You know, I'm pretty sure the yutes only cared about Bret McKenzie winning. I bet if he and Jermaine had performed, that would have brought up viewership. (Twenty year out of date reference! Whoooo! This is why I watch the Oscars! And goodnight.)

Final tally

1. Cinematography: “Hugo.”
2. Art Direction: “Hugo.”
3. Costume Design: “The Artist.”
4. Makeup: “The Iron Lady.”
5. Foreign Language Film: “A Separation,” Iran.
6. Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”
7. Film Editing: “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”
8. Sound Editing: “Hugo.”
9. Sound Mixing: “Hugo.”
10. Documentary Feature: “Undefeated.”
11. Animated Feature Film: “Rango.”
12. Visual Effects: “Hugo.”
13. Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”
14. Original Score: “The Artist.”
15. Original Song: “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets.”
16. Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, “The Descendants.”
17. Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”
18. Live Action Short Film: “The Shore.”
19. Documentary (short subject): “Saving Face.”
20. Animated Short Film: “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.”
21. Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist.”
22. Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist.”
23. Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady.”
24. Best Picture: “The Artist.”

Damn. 17/24 again. BUT! I am still beyond thrilled by Dragon Tattoo's editing win. And still pissed about the Visual Effects and Cinematography wins for Hugo. SO. WRONG.

@DougBenson: Thank God THE ARTIST won. I don't know if I could handle two surprises in one night.

@cracked: I liked the artist. I'm going to go eat 4 grilled cheeses. Goodnight.

The show itself

Not going to be a running commentary, because I'm mostly going to sit back and enjoy. But I may kibbutz and post in the commercials.

Why is the score playing over Morgan Freeman? DID JOHN WILLIAMS HIJACK THE CEREMONY?!?

Okay I love what Billy Crystal is going for, but the mixing is off and I can't hear half his lines.

I love the set design.

@EveryTweet_Ever: MAKE IT STOP MAKE THIS OPENING SONG STOP #OSCARS

@Ceilidhann: "First black-face, then Jonah Hill fat jokes? Really fucking funny, you obselete dinosaur, Crystal. #oscars" Seems a bit harsh, but... both not good.

Wow. Hugo for Cinematography. That does not bode well. TERRIBLE CHOICE OSCARS.

Liveblog

We'll see if I keep this up...

I think Zachary Quinto has been sporting those frames to cover up his Spock eyebrows. Also, I love that the interviewer just said, "I loved you in that sci-fi show... the one with Dylan McDermott... I can't remember the name..." (And I'm guessing a certain segment of tumblr just freaked out over that.)

Anyone sitting in the "fashion skyway" should know that Berenice Bejo is not wearing an empire waist. Come on, people. (That said, sea foam and sparkles with sheer sleeves is a little 80s. And with her forehead, I wouldn't have her hair pulled back like that, although I really like the design of the braid.)

I've switched over to E! Hmmm.... Not sure about Melissa McCarthy's dress.

Also, I only caught a glimpse of Missi Pyle and again with the sea foam. It is also apparently cruelty free to silk worms? I don't understand.

Jane Seymour? I need a better look, but that looks very shiny. In a bad way.


WOW. Jessica Chastain. WIN.

Younger viewers, cont.

What I meant to point out yesterday, and what I am not sure I entirely got across, was that the youtube awards (called the YouReview awards) picked good winners. Despite skewing younger, people weren't voting for Twilight. They voted for movies and performances that were critically well-reviewed by all ages, but which were, in many cases, more interesting, daring, or non status quo than what academy viewers would pick.

In the case of Drive and Dragon Tattoo, these are films that made top 10 lists or were best picture nominees at ceremonies or from critics groups such as the National Board of Review, the Washington, London, and Chicago Critics Associations, the Indie Spirits, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild, the Writers Guild, the American Film Institute, as well as groups that I assume would also skew to younger preferences; the Online Film Critics Society, the AV Club, and the Golden Satellites. The YouReviewers awards weren't picking pablum like War Horse, Extremely Twee, or The Help. (Although I'm sure the strong box office for the Help won't hurt Oscar viewership). Still, if the Academy's Best Picture list looked more like this:

BEST PICTURE
Drive
50/50
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2
Hugo
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
Warrior 

I'm sure there would be a younger audience. (Look old people! You can still have your Artist, Hugo, and Midnight in Paris!)

Now you can scoff at the youngsters and say that Rise of the Planet of the Apes doesn't deserve a spot in history as a cinematic achievement along the lines of your Citizen Kanes, your Grand Hotels, All About Eves, Deer Hunters, or Silence of the Lambses. (Pluralizing movies is fun!) I would only point out that neither did Greatest Show on Earth, Oliver! or Crash AND that the Wizard of Oz had flying monkeys.

As an aside, I was researching to see if there was a preferable term to non status quo and I came across this; "mutatis mutandis" - things that needed changing have been changed.

Youngening the Oscars

Now, I don't know WHY the Oscars need to appeal to a younger demographic. They've been going for 80 odd years. Get a good, reverent comedian, and let it play out like the elder statesman of awards shows that it is.

However, for at least the last several years (probably longer - what was that Rob Lowe'/Snow White thing again?) there has been much discussion in leading up to the broadcast of how to appeal to younger viewers. This culminated in last year's terrible host decisions. Clearly someone thought that younger hosts would appeal to younger viewers, without considering the actual hosts they were hiring. (Does anyone like those two?) That flop led to hiring Brett Ratner - whygodwhy - which was also a terrible decision.

The fact of the matter is, young people will either watch it because they grew up watching and revering it, or ignoring it because - let's face it - it's an awards show and they just don't care. Those that are on the fence will tune in if there are movies they've seen or enjoyed nominated. Now, the Academy has different artistic sensibilities than the young. If the nominated movies were those that appealed to a younger demographic, they'd get younger viewers.

Take, for example, the 2nd annual youtube awards.

I know. It sound ridiculous. Some sort of mashup of the teen choice and MTV movie awards. But check out what won:

BEST PICTURE
Drive

BEST DIRECTOR
Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

BEST ACTOR
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50)

BEST ACTRESS
Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Andy Serkis (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)

BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Michael Fassbender

BREAKTHROUGH ACTRESS
Rooney Mara

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Rango

BEST VILLAIN
Albert Brooks (Drive)

BEST HERO
Harry Potter (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2)

BEST SCORE
Drive

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

BEST TRAILER
The Dark Knight Rises Trailer 2

MOST UNDERRATED FILM
Warrior

THE I'M SHOCKED IT DIDN'T SUCK AWARD
Fast Five (tie)
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (tie)

Okay, some fun, silly categories. But they movies that were picked to win? Drive, 50/50, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Bridesmaids, Rango, Harry Potter, and Warrior are all very well received films critically (metacritic scores: 79, 72, 71, 68, 75, 75, 87, 71. Michael Fassbender's aggregate for the year is a 71. EvenFast Five is a 67.) (The best picture nominees are : 72, 46, 62, 81, 89, 83, 84, 85, 87.) Aside from Rango, one Dragon Tattoo, and one Bridesmaids nomination, none of these are up for major awards. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Drive, and Harry Potter all had legitimate shots at being a best picture inclusion at precursors. If they were, I bet you'd get more younger viewers.