Well, I may have wished to see the show live, but it doesn’t appear I missed anything, based on the always-funny minute-by-minute blogging by Tom, the lovely folks at Empire magazine and dear old BBC. It also meant I didn’t stay up late fruitlessly, which would’ve fucked me up for the rest of the week, so it’s good news all round.
I was brushing my teeth when Radio 4 announced that Crash had won best picture; I nearly did that overreacting-spitting-out-contents-of-mouth double-take that is so popular in comedy films. How did that happen? My thoughts then were the same as other people: the Academy doesn’t have the balls to vote a gay film best picture; there are a lot of actors in the academy who like seeing a lot of actors in their best picture; and a lot of actors (who make up the majority of the academy) live in LA, so I guess they thought that Crash ‘spoke’ to them, in some deep and meaningful way we non-actor types wouldn’t understand. Ah, well, who cares? Apart from the producers of Brokeback Mountain, that is …
I’m no Oscar expert, but my predictions were pretty good, which makes me feel like a smug bastard for no sound reason.
The only other upset in my tally was George Clooney getting the supporting statue; I really wasn’t expecting that, although I really wanted him to win it, based on what a decent and smart chap he is and the films he makes (and it’s not just me; Warren Ellis feels the same too …)
I may be a Brit, but it wasn’t patriotism that stirred when Wallace & Gromit won best animated picture; the short films are a British institution and works of staggering genius, so it’s nice to see excellence rewarded. Cracking decision, Academy!
Jon Stewart seems to have acquitted himself well but hasn’t guaranteed himself the slot next year. I think he’s the right man for the job, as he knows how to handle this sort of thing, he’s a comedian as well as an anchor, and he’s even done the acting thing. It appears that people were expecting him to be more political, but that’s not the point of the Oscars, and Stewart knows that; sly digs and sharp one-liners are the order of the night, not cheap jokes about Bush. I’d like to see him back for next year.
And so, the silly season is over for another year, and we can get back to watching brain-free action flicks and adaptations of television programmes and bland comedies to appeal to as many money-paying demographics as possible for the rest of the year …