7:25... Here we are... the first blog of February, and its the Academy Awards... I love the Oscars, because I love movies, so once again, I'm excited to be watching it...
...And unlike the Golden Globes, its not a monsoon outside, which means the chances of satellite going out are slim to none.
Me: The Lovely Steph Leann, what are you wearing?
The Lovely Steph Leann (blank stare)
Five minutes to GO!!!
728... I kinda feel like "Splash", aka "Celebrity Diving", is on the air because there was a bit too much vodka in the planning meeting...
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| Joseph Gordon-Levitt (is it Joseph-Gordon Levitt?) (l) and Harry Potter (r) join Seth MacFarlane for a soft shoe dance as part of his opening monologue |
731p... Seth tells us that this years theme is celebrating music in film. Something tells me Annie 2 won't be mentioned.
732p... The obligatory "Win an Oscar, disappear from the industry" joke...
734p... Seth is trying, and mostly succeeding... you can tell he's testing his waters, getting a "oooh" from a Chris Brown & Rihanna joke.
735p... SHATNER!!! SHATNER!!! SHATNER!!!
738p... What the... what is happening? Boobs?
739p... I'll admit it... "We Saw Your Boobs".. funny. Really funny.
739p... I just typed "We Saw your Boobs" for the first time in the history of this blog. Ever.
742p... This is the best Oscar show in years.
744p... Seth looks like a walking Easter Seal symbol... or a gay pope.
745p... A real "Smokey and the Bandit" reference... in the Oscar monologue. The first time Oscars and Smokey & the Bandit have ever been used together.
747p... Let's get to some awards!!
748p... Octavia Spencer won last year for "The Help" for Best Supporting Actress... and she is out to give Best Supporting Actor to either Alan Arkin (Argo)... Bobby DeNiro (Silver Linings Playbook)... Phil Hoffman (The Master)... Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) and Chris Waltz (Django Unchained)...
My pick? Tommy Lee Jones.
Last year I did horribly at the Oscar picks... this time? Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained.... wow. Wow. He has now TWO Oscars for Tarantino Films.
This is good, though... Tommy Lee Jones didn't win, so he got the smiling out of the way. No more grins for the rest of the evening.
752p... So... as he walks off, they play the theme from ET: The Extra Terrestrial. What the what??
Commercial Break
755p... Paul Rudd! I love Paul Rudd!! Even though he was in "My Idiot Brother", which is terrible. Melissa McCarthy looks like a beluga whale in her grey dress, and her too-much-blush-cheeks.
756p... Paul Rudd looks like he stepped out of a 1977 Scorsese film
757p... Paul and Melissa pick up the Best Animated Short for "Paperman", a delightful little movie... I go 1-1 so far.
759p... The popular choice is "Brave" for Best Animated Film because its Pixar... but I went with Wreck-It-Ralph. "Brave" wins.
Here's my original review of "Brave"
Wow.
Wow.
That is all.
801p... Because there are 114 films nominated for Best Picture, they are doing away with the "Famous Actor Introducing One Nominted Film" thing, having Reese present "Les Miserables", "The Life of Pi" and "Beasts of the Southern Wild".
804p... Quavenzene Wallace, nominated for Beasts of the Southern Wild, looks up as Seth MacFarlane gives her a shout out.
Quavenzene: Why is that white man saying my name?
805p... Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye and Nick Fury come out to banter and do Cinematography...
806p... SAMUEL L. JACKSON'S JACKET--FOR THE WIN
807p... I chose Life of Pi... and it wins. Life of Pi will rack up several of these lesser awards tonight, I predict.
809p... I think Lucius Malfoy is giving an Oscar speech
810p... Visual Effects... I again chose Life of Pi... I love being right.
811p... So the "Get Done With Your Speech Music" is... Jaws?! That's HILL-AIR-EEOUS
Commercial Break
816p... Seth introduces Channin Tatum and Jennifer Aniston, two people so beautiful that somehow, I almost think their kids would be butt-ugly.
817p... And the award for Costume Design goes to Anna Kareninninanninana... when do you stop the last name...?
819p... "Hairstyling" added to the "Makeup" category... and there is only three films nominated... I guess they would either have to add "Hairstyling", or "Les Miserables" would run unopposed...
820p... I wonder how much of Les Mis' win was for the butchering of Anne Hathaway's hair...
821p... Halle Berry out now. Does it make me a bad person, or gay, if she doesn't appeal to me?
822p... My buddy Mikey Nipp is peeing himself right about now... Bond Tribute time.
We are treated to an extended Bond Tribute, full of clips and snips from all 23 James Bond movies. I'm just not a huge fan. I mean, I liked a few here and there, but none are considered "favorites" of any kind.
826p... I think I'm too young to appreciate Shirley Bassey... and probably 1/3 of the crowd is clapping because they don't want to be on camera not clapping.
Commercial Break
830p... I know Connery is retired, and maybe Daniel Craig is too busy... but Dalton, Lazenby, Moore and probably Brosnan were free, I'm sure. They couldn't have been recruited for that video montage?
831p... Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx, stars of Django Unchained, come out, looking almost as beautiful, though not quite, as Channing and Jen earlier.
832p... K-Wash and J-Foxx are here to give us the Best Live Action Short Film winner... I chose Buzkashi Boys, a shot in the dark. I feel like Oscar ballots should give you a five or six word description about these short films... "Curfew" wins. Whatever that is.
835p... Winners are now talking fast, in fear of the "Jaws" music..
835p... Best Documentary Short. The Oscar goes to Inocente... I picked Redemption. Again, who knows?!
837p... Seth MacFarlane is back up now, introducing Liam Neeson, the original Darkman.
837p... Liam has a very special set of skills
838p... "Argo"... "Lincoln"... "Zero Dark Thirty"... the films that Liam is introducing.
FYI.... Here's my review of "Argo"
841p... Seth tells us the other actors who played Lincoln... and said "the actor who really got into Lincoln's head is John Wilkes Booth... too soon?"
842p... Ben Affleck comes out to present the Documentary Feature...
844p... Searching for Sugarman takes the Oscar.
Commercial Break
849p... Jennifer Garner... gorgeous or hideous? I just cannot tell. I don't know the answer. I struggle with it.
849p... Jessica Chastain? Elegant. Not gorgeous, but elegant.
850p... Best Foreign Film. Not sure how "Amour" can be nominated for Best Picture and NOT win this award. Aaaaand... I'm right.
852p... Christoph + this guy for Amour = 2 Austrian Oscar Wins!
852p... Seth tells us about the Oscar Orchestra... who are performing down the street for the show!
852p... John Travolta comes out... I mean, onstage, not out-out...
853p... Travolta has a harder time saying "Miserables" than I do. I didn't add the "s" on the end, he added four more syllables.
855p... Catherine Zeta-Jones, singing a song from "Chicago"... and not sounding nearly as good as she did in "Chicago" 10 years ago...
857p... Zeta-Jones... a member of the "Angelina Jolie Chicks That I'm Supposed to Find Hot But Don't" Club...
858p... Jennifer Hudson is singing "And I Am Telling You That I Am Not Going", from DreamGirls... notably, the song that probably won her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. American Idol, anyone?
9p... Holy schmoly crap. Jennifer Hudson just smacked that song around and said "I'm your mama, now shut up". That was freakin' awesome.
9p... The Lovely Steph Leann just perked up as Colin Firth Member Hugh Jackman came on stage, singing.
The Colin Firth Club: Those that The Lovely Steph Leann would consider leaving me for... see: Downey Jr, Robert... Whitford, Bradley... Firth, Colin... Bon Jovi, Jon
903p... The cast of Les Mis comes out to sing "One Day More'... including Russell Crowe.
I imagine this conversation a month ago:
Agent: Russ, you have to sing again
Russell Crowe: What? What do you mean?
Agent: In your contract
Russell: People made fun of me singing!!
Agent: Its in your contract, Russ
Russell: #*&&# (throws phone)
908p... Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana, from Star Trek, and according to Seth, "Future Priceline.com spokespeople" are out... discussing the Tech Awards.
910p... Mark Wahlberg... and Ted, from the movie "Ted"... I haven't seen it.. sheepishly, I want to.
911p... Sound Mixing... I chose The Life of Pi. The Lovely Steph Leann says, "Wrong. Les Mis. Its the live singing."
912p... And its Les Mis. "I told you! Live singing! Live singing, baby!"
914p... Two presenters... one is funny and animated and fake... the other is Ted, the teddy bear. Oh!
915p... Sound Editing... I picked Zero Dark Thirty. THERE IS A TIE?!?!
916p... Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty pick up the Oscars... a Tie!?!
915p... Like, two Oscars? A Tie? Couldn't they do a run-off? Or a vote tonight, with the audience, with just these two films in the running?
917p... Last tie? Streisand and Hepburn in 1969 for Best Actress, for (I think) Funny Girl and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, respectively...
(screaming kid... not at The Oscars, but at my house...)
922p... Seth is making some Sound of Music references... but we have a screaming kid. Kinda killing the joke for me. Darn you, Campbell Isaiah.
922p... Christopher Plummer comes out to present the award for Best Supporting Actress... he won Best Supporting Actor last year for the family comedy "I'm Old and Gay", or something like that.
925p... So, they gave out the award for Supporting Actress just now.. but we are 3 minutes behind. Campbell is just going bonkers.
925p... Amy Adams, whom I'm in love with, is nominated... I love her. I really do. She'll win hers one day, a la Kate Winslet.
925p... And the award goes to... Anne Hathaway. The award should actually go to whoever said "Hey, let's just keep the camera on her for one, long single shot..."
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| I dreamed a dream that theeeeey... would stop talking about... my haaair... |
930p... Didn't notice it til just now... must be... well, cold in there.
The summation of the last few minutes... Campbell Isaiah woke up, screaming... I had to run and get the cookies we were cooking out of the oven... then toss in his dinner... making peas... sweet potatoes... plums... and a bottle of prune juice/water... some older dude is speaking about student films... and... we're about 10 minutes behind. Sigh.
I love my kid. But we are only having one. That's all I can deal with. Sigh.
944p... Sandra Bullock is onstage... Best Film Editing is the award she's giving out... William Goldenberg for "Argo"...
946p... 13 awards given, I've gotten 7 right. This night is a disaster.
947p... Jennifer Lawerence is exquisite. Not sure I have any other words for it...
948p... Adele is singing "Skyfall"... its nominated for Best Original Song... I chose "Pi's Lullaby" as the winner of that category, and this is what I regret the most--I should have gone "Skyfall".
949p... Adele is 24 years old. I cannot tell you what a bumbling no-direction hunk o'junk I was at 24. Or 34. Or now, actually.
Commercial Break
950p... Nicole Kidman comes out to present the final three Best Picture Nominees... "Silver Linings Playbook"... "Django Unchained"... and "Amour"
953p... Harry Potter and Bella from Twilight are onstage together. Kristen Stewart looks miserable, all the time. All. The. Time.
955p... Daniel Radcliffe, they are called tweezers.
956p... Seth calls out Salma Hayek... I think her neck has been lengthened by 8 inches due to that dress. Like, her dress is a volcano, and her face erupted.
959p... I think Salma was honoring those who won special awards. Then again, she could have been telling me a great recipe for Guadalajara bacon crispers, and I wouldn't know it.
Commercial Break
1001p... And here comes George Clooney.
1001p... The In Memorium segment... and Campbell quiets down. He knows how to respect Michael Clark Duncan and Ernest Borgnine. Re-cah-nize.
1003p... Adam Yauch from The Beastie Boys gets a nod. As does one half of the Sherman Brothers.
1004p... Barbra Streisand. Blech.
1006p... She is honoring the late composer Marvin Hamlisch. If I were Marvin, I'd be rolling in my grave. Any a'yall play Barbra at my funeral, and I'm coming back to knock some teeth out.
1007p... This exchange:
Me: Since we are still a few minutes behind, we can definitely fast forward this
The Lovely Steph Leann (dirty look)
1009p... Seth MacFarlane comes back out, Campbell cries. Maybe he just doesn't like Family Guy like I hoped he would.
1010p... The cast of "Chicago" comes out--Gere, Latifah, Zeta-Jones and Jewel!
1010p... Renee Zellweger looks like she's perpetually trying to hide pain.
1011p... And the winner for Best Score is... The Life of Pi...
1012p... I was secretly hoping John Williams would win for "Lincoln" so the Jaws theme could play him off stage.
1013p... Queen Latifah tells us the Best Song category is up now...
1014p... Why didn't someone tell me "Chasing Ice" was about our melting glaciers and how American Republicans are destroying the Earth? And whats more, why isn't that winning everything?
1017p... So now, the award goes to "Skyfall" from "Skyfall", sung by Adele. The first Academy Award to go to a Bond film.
1019p... "Gotta fank the acahdummy..."
Commercial Break (and finally back on live TV!)
1022p... Charlize Theron comes out with Dustin Hoffman...
1022p... This probably happened:
Charlize: So, cut my hair like Anne's in that Les Mis movie
Stylist: Before the cut or after?
Charlize: After
1023p... And its time for the Final Six--Picture, Director, Acting and Writing...
1024p... For Adapted Screenplay... the winner is Argo. I'm a little shocked that Beasts didnt get it.
1026p... For Original Screenplay... the winner is Django Unchained. That's fantastic. No, seriously... that's awesome.
1028p... The Oscars are only 2 minutes from ending! Or supposedly ending. Looks like it might not end on time. But it will probably end before next year's start.
Commercial Break
1032p... Seth introduces Hollywood Legends, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas--who starred together in The China Syndrome... not a bad movie.
1033p... Best Director Award. And its...
1034p... ANG LEE for Life of Pi. What the what?
1034p... They should give him 3.14 minutes to accept the award.
1035p... Campbell is crying again. He must have known Ang was the same dude who not only directed "Brokeback Mountain", but also "Hulk".
Commercial Break
1040p... Jean Deajunana (sp?) from The Artist is out to give the Best Actress Award... camera cuts to Kristen Stewart, who looks unhappy and unimpressed--meaning, her usual self.
1042p... Great goodness... please don't let Quivenzhannena win this. Not because I dislike her, but because Beasts of the Southern Wild is NOT A GOOD MOVIE
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| Whoops |
1044p... Hugh Jackman rushes to help her. The Lovely Steph Leann: He's so gallant. Happy sigh.
1045p... So Katniss can shoot a precise arrow, but can't climb a staircase?
1045p... Seth just says "Our next presenter needs no introduction", and drops mic and walks off. That was a great move
1046p... Everyone all together:
Daniel
Day
Lewis
For Lincoln
That was easy.
1046p... During the nomination readings, The Lovely Steph Leann sighed, "Oh... Hugh Jackman was so awesome... so... so awesome..."
1048p... Out of all the "Flight" clips, they show the one from the end? That's like showing a Bruce Willis clip from "The Sixth Sense" when he realizes he's dead... geez.
1049p... Watch closely. Meryl Streep doesn't even open the envelope. No joke.
1050p... "Before Lincoln, I was committed to playing Margaret Thatcher... and Meryl was scheduled to play Lincoln..." The delivery is fantastic.
1051p... Daniel Day-Lewis has reached Spielberg & Streep status... that is, "Don't dare play them offstage..."
1052p... Seth introduces Jack Nicholson to present Best Picture.
1053p... And Jack sends it up to... Michelle Obama at the White House? What is the point of...? What?
1054p... So, Michelle just talks about movies, and then asks Jack to do the nominees? Seriously? That was pointless.
1055p... If Les Mis wins this, The Lovely Steph Leann's head might explode with Hugh Jackman glee
1055p... And Michelle Obama opens the envelope, and its.. Argo!
1058p... So three producers--Affleck, Clooney and Some Guy... and since Ben didn't get a directing nomination (for which Ang Lee is thankful), you'd think Some Guy would let him talk... and finally, Some Guy lets Ben talk.
1059p... Argo is a great, great film.
11p... If directly following Gigli, you knew an Affleck film would win Best Picture, raise your hand... (crickets chirping)
1104p... Kristen Chenoweth and Seth MacFarlane sing us off into the night, nodding to the losers of the evening... and thats our 2013 Academy Awards... thanks for reading!
1105p: Argo to bed now...
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| Seth is being brutalized by the press for a terrible Oscar hosting job.. first, I think he did pretty good. Secondly, I know even know who would do a good job... even Billy Crystal's return was met with bad reviews. And, I do love Kristen Chenoweth, all 4ft 9 inches of her. |
