SMAC - SHOWS, MOVIES & CHICKS

So the 81st Annual Acadamy Awards are over. I have to admit, I was kinda sceptical beforehand and couldn't really get on the OSCAR-Hype-Train. There was just nothing that promised a spectacular or at least an interesting show. The nominated movies were quite unspectacular, boring or just wrong. With some exceptions of course. I loved FROST/NIXON, though I don't think this well crafted and well acted piece of work deserved a statue that says "this is one of the most important movies ever made". I was however disappointed, that THE DARK KNIGHT did not get a nomination for Best Picture. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fanboy and I'm not basing my opinion on Box Office sales, BUT I doubt a Blockbuster can get any better than this. If you hand out 11 statues to TITANIC and don't even "nominate" TDK for Best Picture, you should not wonder why people lose interest in the Acadamy Awards. If the OSCARS aren't believable and credibile, than what's the point? That being said, of course I watched the whole show and... I enjoyed it.

First of all, I thought HUGH JACKMAN did a terrific job. I was really really sceptical if he could pull this thing. I was like "Wolverine? Really?", but credit where credit is due, I have to cut the man some slack. He was very likeable and the good thing was he didn't force himself to the audience. He sang, he danced, he shook some hands and hosted very smoothly. I have to admit though, that I still prefer a comedian like Jon Stewart, Steve Martin or Chris Rock. JACKMANN was good, but he was too clean for my taste. And what's with all the singing and dancing and "Musicals are alive" shit? Come on...

However I LOVED the idea of presenting the awards for best Actor/Actress by former winners. It was beautiful to see so many great actors together on one stage talking directly and in front of the nominated actors/actresses.
Another thing that was very nicely done was the way how they announced the categories and explained and showed what it meant. Like when they talked about Best Screenplay, they showed actual excerpts of that particular script and the scene as it was in the finished movie. Great!

What else...loved the JAMES FRANCO , SETH ROGEN and JANUSZ KAMINSKI(!) skit (Rogen takes one of Kaminskis two Oscars and wonders "can you make a pipe out of this?"), loved BEN STILLER not wanting to be the funny guy anymore (very funny), loved BEYONCÉ...

Let's talk HEATH LEDGER. Is it just me, or was the Oscar for HEATH kinda boring... or unspectacular. I don't say it had to be particulary "special" in any kind of way, but it felt kinda cold from my perspective. The mother and sister of HEATH seemed to really enjoy the Oscars and judging from the hair of LEDGERs sister and the dress of his mom, they put quite some time and effort to look nice on stage, whereas their speech was pretty dull. I expected more emotions and feelings. Not "faked feelings" mind you. Don't get me wrong. No one has to burst out in tears, if they don't feel like it, but I thought he wasn't praised and honored enough. But maybe that's just me...

As for the winners, there was not really a big upset or surprise. I'm glad that BUTTON didn't get away with too many OSCARS, because it just didn't deserve them. The only thing that was, well at least a littlebit surprising, was SEAN PENNs OSCAR for best ACTOR. I haven't seen MILK yet, but I can imagine that it was an Oscar-worthy perfomance by PENN. I mean it's SEAN PENN ffs... BUT I would loved to see the award go to MICKEY ROURKE. I love that guy, loved the movie and I'm not sure if he will ever get a shot for an Oscar again. Well I guess I have to watch his kickass acceptance speech of the SPIRIT AWARD over and over again and imagine how it would have been, if had won an Oscar: