Anyone Here Watch the Oscars?

[Scott W. Davis]

Yeah I know horror is almost never noticed and often some of the riskiest projects don't get the credit they deserve, but I'm a sucker for this every year. It's my Superbowl. I do the whole movie geek thing - make out the ballots, get some wine and cheese, everything. So, if anyone here besides myself watched these, feel free to share.

My comments:

Chris Rock was awesome but they didn't really have him out there much for the second half of the show. His monologue was great. Sean Penn is a fantastic actor, but he really needs to lighten the fuck up. He's a comedian, it's his job to poke fun at certain things. Jude Law was in at least three films that got the four-star treatment from yours truly last year - SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, THE AVIATOR and I HEART HUCKABEES. But within the last six months of 2004, Law was in six damn movies! That makes him fair game and I'm sure if Law is any kind of sport, he was laughing right along with us. Rock's simple and great comeback - "Message to Sean Penn. My accountants would like to have a few words with you."

Rock's trip to the Magic Johnson Theatre was great, but a little depressing. Hearing people singing praises of ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK and Argh! WHITE CHICKS. Just treat it like one of Leno's Jaywalking sketches I guess. Always happy to see Albert Brooks appear on anything so it was great that they included him. Smart, classy and a comic genius.

As for the awards themselves, I don't like how they rounded the nominees up on stage,. Yes, it probably saves time from having them run down the aisles but it also lines them up like finalists in the beauty pageant.

I fucking hate Beyonce. I hated her before this telecast and I hate her more now. Her performances were like nails on a chalkboard to me. Interesting note, she was supposed to sing two songs. That's one more than most people get. But she looked at the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA song and said, "I want to sing that too." So, they wound up canning Minnie Driver who sang it for the film. Just so Beyonce could sing one more song, being a complete media whore. And of course the producers cave, because people will watch Beyonce. I hate this person. None of her songs won it, but neither did my fave in the category, "Accidentally In Love."

On my ballot of 24 categories, I guessed 14 correctly. Not great but not terrible either.

Turns out Best Documentry Short (I always have to guess at the Short categories, sorry to say) went to one of the guys who acted in both HILLS HAVE EYES movies, CHEERLEADER'S WILD WEEKENED and did some voiceover work for SHOGUN ASSASSIN. Didn't even notice until a poster on alt.horror brought it to my attention.

Best Full-Length Documentry went to BORN INTO BROTHELS which I really want to see. SUPERSIZE ME didn't get it. HA! Good, at least the obvious audience pleaser doesn't always win it. "Say, did you know McDonald's is bad for you?" Well, yeah. I look at myself in the mirror every day, so obviously it didn't help.

Best Adapted Screenplay went to SIDEWAYS. Okay, here's the thing. I recently saw SIDEWAYS and I liked it. But here is my overwhelming message this year - PEOPLE NEED TO STOP SUCKING ALEXANDER PAYNE'S COCK FOR TWO MINUTES! It was a good movie, it wasn't great. It wasn't a classic comedy. It wasn't "a great time at the movies." It wasn't "an amazingly smart and deep experience." All things I've heard to describe the film. Still, I have to say, Payne's last two films, ELECTION and ABOUT SCHMIDT were also critically acclaimed and I absolutely hated both of them. So the fact that I enjoyed this one does say a lot. But come on, people!

Best Original Screenplay went to my favorite film of last year, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. Charlie Kauffman is a genius and he finally has a golden boy. I am so happy.
Morgan Freeman wins for Best Supporting Actor - excellent. This guy deserved an award at long last. And he was great in MILLION DOLLAR BABY. Now, no more generic thrillers. I kind of liked SIDEWAYS but I am so glad Thomas Haden Church didn't get it. He was horrible in that film, the single worst thing in it.

Cate Blanchett for THE AVIATOR. Boy, she's pretty. Got that classic movie star way of carrying herself. And a fine actress too.

Jamie Foxx wins for RAY. We all saw this coming. Shouldn't discount that both Leonardo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood were awesome in THE AVIATOR and MILLION DOLLAR BABY respectively. But Foxx's performance was such a slam dunk, it was no contest. Never thought I'd be cheering on the star of BOOTY CALL as he accepted an Oscar, but Jamie deserved it.

Another thing I never thought I'd be saying, "two-time Oscar winner, Hillary Swank." But her performance in MILLION DOLLAR BABY was so great, she deserved the award. True, I'm still pulling for Kate Winslet, but I can't be upset about this one.

Now for Best Director. Yes, Martin Scorsese is perhaps the greatest living director and I would love it if he'd finally win an award one of these days. THE AVIATOR was another triumph and if we comparing it to MILLION DOLLAR BABY, it would be awfully close. But if we are judging on one film, which is what we're supposed to do and not judging on a body of work, MILLION DOLLAR BABY had the better direction. Perfect really. Expect them to toss Marty an honorary thing next year.

Best Picture is MILLION DOLLAR BABY. I have seen four of the five nominated and it is definitely the best I've seen. Sorry SIDEWAYS fans, you'll have to wank to the Indie Spirit Awards instead.

All in all, pretty pleased with the show.

[Fear]

i watched it dont know why cause i didnt like any of the films. Is there a oscars for cool films like gorey globes or something