Originally Posted By Inspector 57 I didn't see the whole thing, but here are some personal reactions... Great set design! I loved the lighting in the floor and the way that the color bands were used both there and on the video graphics. Wasn't as crazy about the twirling Tower-O-Oscars, but oh well. So did Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana have to rush backstage, wrestle Beyonce to the ground, tie her up, then run out and perform before she freed herself? Sheesh. That was enough Beyonce to last me for a while, thank you very much. Especially after that "Phantom" song, which seemed to get away from her. Speaking of Antonio... not bad. (Did he ever sing before "Evita"?) Not sure I like the Monty Hall-style awarding of Oscars in the middle of the aisle. Also undecided about having all the nominees for an Award stand on stage before the winner is announced. I appreciate that they're trying new things, and this at least ensures that all the nominees get a little face time, but... It would have been better if the losers were standing on trap doors. Yay, INCREDIBLES! Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Adam Sandler, and others struggled more than I've ever seen. Much of the writing was just not good.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<Great set design! I loved the lighting in the floor and the way that the color bands were used both there and on the video graphics. Wasn't as crazy about the twirling Tower-O-Oscars, but oh well.>>> I liked the set design as well. I thought it looked really cool. <<<Speaking of Antonio... not bad. (Did he ever sing before "Evita"?)>>> OMG - he butchered that song. I thought it was horrible. Santana was Santana not much for him to foul up, I didn't care of this interpretation of the song. I don't think it was his singing that bothered me as much as his over top drama in his movements. And please get a hair cut - you look greasy Antonio. <<<Not sure I like the Monty Hall-style awarding of Oscars in the middle of the aisle.>>> Did not like that at all. If you noticed Best Actor/Actress was not done from the aisles, it set up a class difference and I thought it was tacky. <<<Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Adam Sandler, and others struggled more than I've ever seen. Much of the writing was just not good.>>> I'm a HUGE fan of Chris Rock. I like him better uncensored. I know people will disagree with this. I don't think he could really be himself and please the Academy so he was watered down. I thought his opening monologue had some funny stuff in it but I don't think it's right for the Oscar's. The presenters dialogue is always painful and silly so I didn't find this year much difference. Additional comments: 1. Sean Penn - Dude, lighten up, sheesh! 2. I think any money Lemut has made directoring films went to breast implants for his daughters (the chicks in the balcony seating). 3. Ok, just like Whitney, Faith and Mariah - I've now had enough of Beyonce. 4. Johnny Depp - so odd & so breathtaking at the same time! 5. Am I the only one who doesn't get Josh Groban?
Originally Posted By LadyKluck >>5. Am I the only one who doesn't get Josh Groban?<< NO! You aren't! Oh, and I MUST have Charlize Theron's dress. Thanks, that's all I had to say!!
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>It would have been better if the losers were standing on trap doors.<< ROFL!!!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip 1) Dump Chris Rock. I wish we could have Johnny back. 2) I liked the nominees standing on stage; I disliked the presentations in the aisle. 3) Can you believe how everyone connected with The Aviator sucked up to Scorsese? 4) Lemut's daughters - so odd & so breathtaking at the same time!
Originally Posted By Mos Def Chris Rock wasnt very good. Black/White jokes can only go so far. I had enough of seeing Oprah, I was happy with most of the winners. Sean Penn needs to relax. Hoffman was on some horse tranqs. Beyonce was gorgeous. The set design was good. And why did they keep playing the theme to the Terminator?
Originally Posted By Jafar30 Let's see I didn't watch much. I only saw the Incredibles when for Best Animated film which was very cool. Then I watched the last four awards screenplay happy with that choice, the Incredibles could have one too. Actor was expected but I was happy with it. Foxx acted his @$$ in Ray. And as for director and picure the only movie of those nominated that I saw was Ray and the Aviator. If I were to pick I'd say the Aviator for director and picture. But this proves I need to see Million Dollar Baby.
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder -While overall I didn't think much of Rock's opening (I don't think Rock is funny no matter what anyway, as a disclaimer), Penn should have let it go. Apparently he let that grudge fester for three hours or so before getting his shot. I'd like to have this be Rock's only time hosting. -Far too much Beyonce Knowles. Anyone know why? -I thought one of the best momemts, much less a moment of sweet revenge, was when the actual singer/songwriter of The Other Side of the River, Jorge Drexler, accepted his award and sung a verse as it was SUPPOSED to have been done, instead of the overwrought version from Banderas/Santana. I just don't understand this Oscar proclivity over the years to have other people sing someone else's nominated song. About the only time this should occur is when the actual nominee isn't available. How can they be deemed not "good enough" or "marquee worthy" for the Oscars if their song has been nominated in the first place? I read yesterday where originally Enrique Iglesias was first picked to sing, and this appalled Drexler to the point where he contacted Gil Cates directly. -Morgan Freeman is a class act. (As an aside, years ago, around 1991, I arrested his then-teenage son for shoplifting. Don't know what happened there.) But Freeman really is a class guy. I liked the spontaneous reaction shot they got of him sitting in his seat, holding his Oscar, and winking at the camera. -Who wouldn't want to work with Eastwood? Penn with Mystic River, Swank and Freeman this year, he knows how to get great performances out of his actors. The L.A. Times said yesterday that before Eastwood got a hold of Million Dollar Baby, original casting ideas had Arnold Schwarzenegger as the boxing coach and Sandra Bullock as the boxer. Seriously. -Why only Whoopi Goldberg in the Carson tribute? I can't imagine that Letterman, Crystal, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, even Leno weren't available and/or willing to chip in their opinion. For me, Goldberg didn't raise it to any kind of a special level. Actually, for me, she pulled it down a notch or two because I can't stand her. -Ditch the Let's Make a Deal style of presenting, along with the Beauty Show line up style, as someone else put it. -What was up with all the empty seats in the balconies?
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<Hoffman was on some horse tranqs.>> Truly. Pierce Brosnan and a cartoon character were smoother together than Barbra and Dustin were. <<And please get a hair cut - you look greasy Antonio.>> That's what Bill said about Mike Meyers! I thought Antonio was probably trying to look muy "Spanish." I kinda liked the look. (And he was certainly no greasier than Leo.) Speaking of Spanish... Prince pretty much butchered the nominees as he read them. But he smiled at one of his own mistakes, which made him a look a lot more appealing, IMHO.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<Jorge Drexler, accepted his award and sung a verse as it was SUPPOSED to have been done, instead of the overwrought version from Banderas/Santana>>> Did you see his look of horror when the did of close up of him while they were performing. I was cracking up. I loved it when he sung while accepting his award!
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA 1. Overall, boring. 2. Chris Rock was neither cutting edge nor bland. Whether he felt hamstrung or whatever, he wasn't utilized enough. I could have hosted and had as much impact. 3. The remote Rock did from Magic Johnson Theaters was terrific. Funniest part of the whole show. Why is that? Why are the Oscars so serious? 4. I liked the feature of the nominees on stage, and from their seats. The hard cold truth is that the T.V. audience is there to see Hilary Swank win an Oscar for Best Actress, not Barry H. Garpel win an Oscar for Best Sound Mixing. 5. Sean Penn, griping that Chris Rock says 'Who's Jude Law?' -- yeah, we know who Jude Law is Sean. So does Chris Rock. See, that's why it's funny. 6. Overall, the Oscars are SOOOOO serious. The girls in the prom gowns. The men in the tuxedos. With the advent of the MTV awards, and even the Grammys, the Oscars don't look more sophisticated, just stodgy and out of touch.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<3. The remote Rock did from Magic Johnson Theaters was terrific. Funniest part of the whole show. Why is that? Why are the Oscars so serious?>> LOL - can we say "White Chicks". I thought that was funny too! I don't want to turn this into World Events, but Rock's take on Bush being like the employee at The Gap, was pretty damn funny to me.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Sean Penn, griping that Chris Rock says 'Who's Jude Law?'<< How great is it that Penn didn't get the joke? LOL! Which reminds me of my favorite Chris Rock line of the evening... "When our next presenter's not dazzling us with his acting ability, he's boring us to death with his politics: Tim Robbins." Come back next year, Chris! : )
Originally Posted By mmaus1962 Actually, one of my favorite moments was when Jeremy Irons came to present an award and there was a loud 'bang!' from the direction of the stage. His droll comment: "I hope they missed." I, too, thought the funniest segment was the Magic Johnson Theater/White Chicks bit. Has anyone heard *why* Beyonce was chosed to butcher not one, but three Best Song Nominees? I was also shocked by Dustin Hoffman's 'performance.' Too bad he wasn't as entertaining in his inebriated state as Jack Palance was that one year.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Are you referring to THIS quote Lisa: "Bush did some things you could never get away with at your job. When Bush started his job, there was a budget surplus. Now there¡¯s like a $70 trillion deficit. Now just imagine you worked at the Gap. You¡¯re closing out your register and it¡¯s $70 trillion short. The average person would get in trouble for something like that. Then he started a war? Now just imagine you worked at the Gap. You¡¯re 70 trillion behind on your register. And you start a war with Banana Republic. You finally take over Banana Republic and you find out they never made tank tops in the first place." I was ROTFLMAO!!! Unfortunately, I was only able to READ it, I missed the opening . But man, it still busted my gut just reading it. I WISH I still wrote on World Events so I can put it some where . Of course, they would just mention Banana Replublic had art designs for the tank tops, so that's all the proof needed. And BTW, can someone tell me who IS a suitable host for the oscars? I mean, every year, I just seem to hear how the last host was complete crap. The only person most seem to agree to on that isn't too white, ethnic, old, bland, controverserial, etc, etc, is Billy Crystal and I guess its safe to say he's filled in his time. I admit, I didn't see much of Rock, but just reading some of his "best of" jokes tonight, he appeals to me, but then I am a Black 30 year old male . I'm certainly not saying he's the BEST choice, but it seems like there have been far worst ones though.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>And BTW, can someone tell me who IS a suitable host for the oscars?<< Don't ask me. I liked Letterman.
Originally Posted By jasmine7 I liked Billy Crystal. I didn't watch all of the Oscars, a first in several years for me. I'm not sure why. I liked some of Chris' stuff, but the show was just ehh for me. Maybe it's because there were no LOTR awards this year, lol. Very glad that The Incredibles won, though, and I laughed my head off at Edna and Pierce.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^^LOL, me TOO!! I thought up to that point he was the funnist ever (when you FORGET that whole Uma/Oprah thing). Next day at school, everybody was saying how horrible he was. I still wish they would ask him to do another one. On that note, I always wondered why they haven't asked Leno? He's 10 times Hollywood Letterman is and honestly knows how to create a good, well solid monolouge. Again, that's just me. Keep Rock though!
