So, what did we think of the show? Well, even though Billy (Crystal) was back, the show still lacked some of its verve and vibrance from previous years. True, it was better than last year --but 2011 wasn't exactly a good year to compare things with, right? I mean at least Billy Crystal wasn't stoned (or at least didn't appear stoned) and he genuinely seemed like he was excited about hosting and being there. One good thing I can say for sure -- it was SHORT. I cannot remember a year when the Oscars doesn't hit the 3.5 hour mark. VERY GOOD in the length dept. In my own opinion, I could have done without the Cirque du Soleil and the overly self-serving montages of actors sharing why they love the movies. We get it...they are IN movies, so naturally they will LOVE movies. Move on! Aside from all of that, I thought Billy Crystal did a good job of keeping the show moving forward at a good pace. Of course, there are always going to be draggy speeches and long, drawn-out parts (it is the Oscars after-all -- this is the pinnacle for Hollywood's ego). Over-all, though, I thought the show was pretty entertaining.
Now, for the winners (and losers). I am still a little sore that I was deprived of another George Clooney acceptance speech. And though Jean Dujardin was good in The Artist, Clooney was uncharacteristicly excellent in The Descendants...which is saying a lot considering that he's usually gives strong performances (Solaris, anyone???). And I though I love Meryl Streep like most other movie fans, I really, really wanted to see the double hit of Octavia Spencer (who won) and Viola Davis (who lost to Streep) from The Help. Davis got a lot of flack from being in a movie where she plays a Southern maid and I thought she really knocked it out of the park, regardless of controversy. Streep acted the heck out of Maggie Thatcher in The Iron Lady (just as Helen Mirren did several years ago with Queen Elizabeth II in her Oscar-winning performance in The Queen) but Meryl has won twice before and doesn't need another Oscar to prove her worth. An Oscar for Viola would have confirmed what moviegoers have known for a while: she's a powerhouse actress who's finally getting the acclaim she deserves.
Just my two cents from someone who loves the Oscars, loves the movies and loves talking about both!
