Last night marked the telecast of the 85th Annual Academy Awards. All the stars turned out to see the unveiling of the winners. A lot of great films of the past year were deservedly recognized. Others were not, however. Now is the time to recap on the best and worst of last night's ceremony in...
The Lists of the Best and Worst of the 85th Annual Academy Awards!
The Good Sides of Oscar's 85th Year:
10. Captain Kirk's warning to Seth MacFarlane- The evening began with a funny and creative warning from the Priceline Negotiator trying to prevent MacFarlane from being "the worst Oscar host." The comedy here was especially funny in that it was unexpected and showed how the writers have been more effective with their material than they have been during past ceremonies.9.
9. The 50th Anniversary of James Bond - That was the cause for remembering five decades of 007. The montage of scenes from the 23 installments in the series was a wonderfully visual celebration of the man who takes his martini's shaken, not stirred.
8. Shirley Bassey performing Goldfinger theme- One of the best Bond themes was brought about by the singer who helped bring it to fruition, Shirley Bassey. Bassey was able to display that she was still able to bring about the riveting theme song she is known for all these years later.
7. Ang Lee winning for Best Director- With Life of Pi, Lee proves once again that he is a gifted director able to transport audiences into different worlds and stories. The win came as a surprise because I didn't really have an idea as to which director would win in the category. Lee's talent in the profession is noticed for the second time. He is one of a bunch of directors who proved in the past year that they have earned the right to be acknowledged as a member in their field.
6. Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress- Another surprise win was Jennifer Lawrence scoring the Best Actress award. This was another category that was a question mark when it came to who would win. The 85th Oscars featuring some surprise winners made the evening interesting. It is good to view moments such as these because of not always having an idea as to who will triumph. It could be a tough choice when all the nominees are all worthy of being noticed for their work.
5. Musical number- A trio of songs from three different movie adaptation of musicals concluded in an ambitious and well-crafted moment of entertainment. Actors from Chicago, Dreamgirls, and Les Miserables helped to show that the Musical genre is still strong and active on the big screen.
4. Equal attention to all Best Picture nominees- All 9 films competing for the big prize received the same amount of attention when they were displayed on screen in groups of three. A moment did not exist where one film received more time than the other. Each film earned the same amount of time to have scenes be shown to the audience. These moments established how all films were different and unique in their own ways.
3. Seth MacFarlane as host- Every time a novice Oscar host comes around I become a bit unsure as to whether or not they will prevail. MacFarlane was able to display both his comic and singing talents very well. There was some doubt as to if he would succeed, but I was surprised at how the host fared better than I assumed he would.
2. Michelle Obama announcing Best Picture- The evening concluded with a surprise introduction from Jack Nicholson stating that America's First Lady, Michelle Obama, would assist him in announcing the Best Picture winner. The unexpected pairing was successful in my view.
1. Argo winning Best Picture- The past year consisted of a lot of wonderful films. But the one I probably enjoyed the most was Argo. Hearing its name announced by the First Lady was satisfying because of how entertaining the film was. It was a brilliant blend of a Hollywood satire, political drama, and thriller. Ben Affleck and his cohorts pulled off an accomplished telling of a rescue attempt taking the form of a fake film in order to save lives.
9. The 50th Anniversary of James Bond - That was the cause for remembering five decades of 007. The montage of scenes from the 23 installments in the series was a wonderfully visual celebration of the man who takes his martini's shaken, not stirred.
8. Shirley Bassey performing Goldfinger theme- One of the best Bond themes was brought about by the singer who helped bring it to fruition, Shirley Bassey. Bassey was able to display that she was still able to bring about the riveting theme song she is known for all these years later.
7. Ang Lee winning for Best Director- With Life of Pi, Lee proves once again that he is a gifted director able to transport audiences into different worlds and stories. The win came as a surprise because I didn't really have an idea as to which director would win in the category. Lee's talent in the profession is noticed for the second time. He is one of a bunch of directors who proved in the past year that they have earned the right to be acknowledged as a member in their field.
6. Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress- Another surprise win was Jennifer Lawrence scoring the Best Actress award. This was another category that was a question mark when it came to who would win. The 85th Oscars featuring some surprise winners made the evening interesting. It is good to view moments such as these because of not always having an idea as to who will triumph. It could be a tough choice when all the nominees are all worthy of being noticed for their work.
5. Musical number- A trio of songs from three different movie adaptation of musicals concluded in an ambitious and well-crafted moment of entertainment. Actors from Chicago, Dreamgirls, and Les Miserables helped to show that the Musical genre is still strong and active on the big screen.
4. Equal attention to all Best Picture nominees- All 9 films competing for the big prize received the same amount of attention when they were displayed on screen in groups of three. A moment did not exist where one film received more time than the other. Each film earned the same amount of time to have scenes be shown to the audience. These moments established how all films were different and unique in their own ways.
3. Seth MacFarlane as host- Every time a novice Oscar host comes around I become a bit unsure as to whether or not they will prevail. MacFarlane was able to display both his comic and singing talents very well. There was some doubt as to if he would succeed, but I was surprised at how the host fared better than I assumed he would.
2. Michelle Obama announcing Best Picture- The evening concluded with a surprise introduction from Jack Nicholson stating that America's First Lady, Michelle Obama, would assist him in announcing the Best Picture winner. The unexpected pairing was successful in my view.
1. Argo winning Best Picture- The past year consisted of a lot of wonderful films. But the one I probably enjoyed the most was Argo. Hearing its name announced by the First Lady was satisfying because of how entertaining the film was. It was a brilliant blend of a Hollywood satire, political drama, and thriller. Ben Affleck and his cohorts pulled off an accomplished telling of a rescue attempt taking the form of a fake film in order to save lives.
The Bad Sides of Oscar's 85th Birthday:
10. Seth MacFarlane announcing, "We'll be right back." - It felt awkward having the host announce when the telecast would be going to a commercial break. It became confusing because it seemed like he was about to announce the next presenter. Usually, an announcer performs that task.
9. The lack of all six 007's - The Academy did a good job of getting five of the Avengers and four Chicago cast members. But I feel that the Bond tribute could have been a bit more special had all six actors been assembled to come onstage together. Her Majesty's Secret Service must have needed all six of them badly. Maybe one Bond is not enough!
8. Melissa McCarthy and Paul Rudd - This duo were anything but funny when they presented the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The result was also surprising given that McCarthy was funnier when she showed up at last year's ceremony. She and Rudd came off like children being unsuccessful with their attempt at comedy. The only good thing was that it was short.
7. In Memoriam M.I.A.'s - It appears that almost every year at least a few of the notably deceased are left out of the In Memoriam portion of the ceremony. Andy Griffith, Larry Hagman, and Phyllis Diller were three of the ones who were left out this year. Jack Klugman is similar to Griffith and Hagman by doing a decent amount of film work but being better known for television. He was mentioned and they were not? That is kind of unfair.
6. A tie for Sound Editing - Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall shared the Sound Editing victory. This is the fifth time a tie occurred at the Oscars. This year's nominees for the category might have been difficult for the Academy to choose. But, come on! It feels as if the Academy is made up of kindergartners when it comes to this type of occurrence, even if it is rare!
5. Adele's performance of Skyfall - The theme song for Skyfall sounds as if its on its way to become another Bond classic. Adele has a wonderful voice, but her performance of the song missed the perfection mark mainly due to the orchestra performing a bit too loud. Her voice became drowned out at a certain point and she seemed to lack her normal energy.
4. A highly anticipated film being ignored - I have already stated my disappointment in The Dark Knight Rises being ignored as far as nominations are concerned. But I feel that an eagerly-awaited film like this should get a little bit of recognition for at least someone who helped contribute to the film's enormous success.
3. Orchestra sinking winners with Jaws theme - At first the orchestra rushing winners via John Williams' Jaws score was not much of a bother for me. However, it eventually lost its comical point and became rude. The interruption of the Visual Effects winner was a perfect example of this, especially when the microphone was cut off.
2. Jennifer Lawrence taking the fall - Perhaps Lawrence was a bit too surprised by the fact her name had just been announced as the winner or the train to the dress was just too long. I do not blame her at all because I would be excited too. But maybe more caution should be applied when the individual is wearing a dress twice the length of themselves.
1. Kristen Stewart's limping leg, etc. - Stewart's decision to attempt to walk without the aid of her crutches was distracting because she seemed to stsruggle a bit. She had used them on the Red Carpet earlier in the day. She was a weird sight to behold with hair that looked as if she had just sprung out of bed without consulting a mirror. She also looked as if she was thinking about something else and not paying attention during the presentation. At one point It actually appeared that she was grinning about something to herself. Daniel Radcliffe looked as if he wanted a wand to make her disappear.
9. The lack of all six 007's - The Academy did a good job of getting five of the Avengers and four Chicago cast members. But I feel that the Bond tribute could have been a bit more special had all six actors been assembled to come onstage together. Her Majesty's Secret Service must have needed all six of them badly. Maybe one Bond is not enough!
8. Melissa McCarthy and Paul Rudd - This duo were anything but funny when they presented the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The result was also surprising given that McCarthy was funnier when she showed up at last year's ceremony. She and Rudd came off like children being unsuccessful with their attempt at comedy. The only good thing was that it was short.
7. In Memoriam M.I.A.'s - It appears that almost every year at least a few of the notably deceased are left out of the In Memoriam portion of the ceremony. Andy Griffith, Larry Hagman, and Phyllis Diller were three of the ones who were left out this year. Jack Klugman is similar to Griffith and Hagman by doing a decent amount of film work but being better known for television. He was mentioned and they were not? That is kind of unfair.
6. A tie for Sound Editing - Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall shared the Sound Editing victory. This is the fifth time a tie occurred at the Oscars. This year's nominees for the category might have been difficult for the Academy to choose. But, come on! It feels as if the Academy is made up of kindergartners when it comes to this type of occurrence, even if it is rare!
5. Adele's performance of Skyfall - The theme song for Skyfall sounds as if its on its way to become another Bond classic. Adele has a wonderful voice, but her performance of the song missed the perfection mark mainly due to the orchestra performing a bit too loud. Her voice became drowned out at a certain point and she seemed to lack her normal energy.
4. A highly anticipated film being ignored - I have already stated my disappointment in The Dark Knight Rises being ignored as far as nominations are concerned. But I feel that an eagerly-awaited film like this should get a little bit of recognition for at least someone who helped contribute to the film's enormous success.
3. Orchestra sinking winners with Jaws theme - At first the orchestra rushing winners via John Williams' Jaws score was not much of a bother for me. However, it eventually lost its comical point and became rude. The interruption of the Visual Effects winner was a perfect example of this, especially when the microphone was cut off.
2. Jennifer Lawrence taking the fall - Perhaps Lawrence was a bit too surprised by the fact her name had just been announced as the winner or the train to the dress was just too long. I do not blame her at all because I would be excited too. But maybe more caution should be applied when the individual is wearing a dress twice the length of themselves.
1. Kristen Stewart's limping leg, etc. - Stewart's decision to attempt to walk without the aid of her crutches was distracting because she seemed to stsruggle a bit. She had used them on the Red Carpet earlier in the day. She was a weird sight to behold with hair that looked as if she had just sprung out of bed without consulting a mirror. She also looked as if she was thinking about something else and not paying attention during the presentation. At one point It actually appeared that she was grinning about something to herself. Daniel Radcliffe looked as if he wanted a wand to make her disappear.