And the Oscar goes to...

I tried to faithfully attend to the Oscars last night, but you have to be a really DIEHARD Oscar viewer to sit through stuff like the "Achievement in Sound Editing" award without flipping channels. Basically, with banal awards like that, I just see who presents it, check what they're wearing, see if they have good banter, and then flip as soon as they announce the winner. I mean, I am ever so happy for whomever the hell it was that won the "Best Makeup " Oscar but I don't really care to hear them gush their thank-yous. Oh, but I did enjoy what they did when presenting the award for Best Costume Design-- the whole live mannequin thing. That was neat. And I actually listened to the winner's (that would be Milena Canonero) speech...I stopped myself, a milisecond before flipping, when I saw Canonero heading toward the stage. I was intrigued--who is this woman who dreams up such GORGEOUS costumes (in fact, after they showed all the nominee "mannequins" I was rooting for her Marie Antoinette costumes to win it) and yet dresses herself like Johnny Depp?? WTF?
Overall I did a lot of flipping during the telecast, and although I think I caught all of the key stuff, I still feel like I did a really half-arse job of watching, and am therefore ill-equipped to do a big synopsis. In fact I wouldn't have brought up the Oscars at all if I weren't strongly compelled to say this one thing. . .
I LOVE FOREST WHITAKER!!! I wanted him to win, but didn't expect that he would. First off, lemme say I have not seen ANY of the Oscar nominated movies (how sad is that? I NEVER go out to the movies anymore...) so I was just rooting for the acting awards based on whom I like as an actor /actress. And I've always liked Forest Whitaker... although I can't quite articulate why I like him. My regard for him increased immensely after his recent SNL hosting stint. Although the SNL writers didn't produce anything exceptional for him (speaking of which, they also sadly misused the great Rainn Wilson this past weekend) he did very well with what they did give him and proved himself quite willing to belt out a tune and unafraid to look like a jackass (both characteristics are HUGE assets in my book). But I did like him previously, before I knew the singing jackass side of him.
It was a pleasant surprise that he won-it was my #1 favorite thing about the Oscars. I thought my rooting for him was apt to jinx him (and I didn't try to aid him by deliberately NOT rooting for him, as such a cheap ruse would never fool the Jinx Gods) Also I'd heard some Oscar prognosticator on the telly saying how the Academy was very unlikely to grant the Best Actor nod to someone nominated for a villainous role. Cripes, I can't remember who said that, on what show or even on what network, but the dude must've said it very authoritatively because I had it ingrained in my head that the odds were totally stacked against Forest winning.
I think his acceptance speech was just great... got me a smidgeon verklempt actually. I guess in that speech he illustrated why I like him-- he just exuded sincerity, honor, sweetness. I suppose the sentimental favorite shoulda been Peter O'Toole , what with his 900 (approx)
nominations and never a win..but Forest seems like SUCH a great guy that I was even glad he beat out poor sad, Methuseluh.
My #2 favorite thing at this year's Oscars was Jerry Seinfeld. I know that was the briefest, most fleeting little bit of the Oscars but he really made me chortle. I think they should have cut out some (if not all) of those stupid shadow gymnastics performances and given Jer some more air time.
I was glad to see Jennifer Hudson win too. Not because I liked her performance (I might...I just haven't seen Dreamgirls...but I do want to) but simply 'cause it's fun to see a total novice win. What can I say? I'm a chronic champion of the underdog, I guess. Oh, but speaking of that underdog ...sweet girl that she is...I thought she was going to have one of "the twins" pop out during her musical performance! Holy guacamole! There was some very precarious jiggle action going on in the neighborhood of her decolletage... I was having panicky Superbowl XXXVIII flashbacks. As for her other get up...her brown dress was OK (nothing spectacular) and I was mucho-relieved that she'd ditched her bizarro sci-fi bolero before she accepted her Oscar.
Speaking of Oscar fashions, y'know who I thought was uncontestedly the most gorgeous chick at the whole fete? Helen Mirren. I'll bet she really suspected a win and made sure she looked her absolute BEST. Mission accomplished (on the Oscar & the look!) Dame!
Some other standouts --
Jennifer Lopez : Now, I'm not much of a J-Lo fan but I must concede she looked beautiful. My only quibble is that with all that neckline glitz on her terrific gown, she mighta been better off going totally sans jewelry
Reese Witherspoon: I dug her dress when I watched last night, but at that time, it looked black. In pics I've seen today, it's obviously purple, and I love it so much more. She also had a lot of pressure to nail her Oscar look...not only was she presenting one of the most crucial awards, but this would be her first single Oscars too. Oh, I don't suppose she's legally single just yet, but why not start advertising the goods in advance, eh?
Emily Blunt: I haven't seen this chick in anything, but hey kudos for rockin' that dress. It's sort of an unconventional color choice and I think that's why it caught my eye.

And there were a few notable flops...Naomi Watts also picked an eye-catching color...when the color is great--and this one is-- I am wanting to like the dress but this one I could not like as it felt like another waldrobe malfunction in the offing. Another precarious decolletage but this time without the fun Jello-esque kinetics.
I actually liked Gwyneth Paltrow's unique dress...and you cannot possibly fathom how it pains me to confess that. My disdain for Gwynnie runs deep. Fortunately, I can, in all honesty , give a thumbs-down to her overall look because her severely bland Pocohantas hair ruined the whole thing. How long has she had that blah 'do? Seems like ages. But it was particularly vexing me last night, I think because I did like her gown (does that make sense?).

Some things (non fashion related things)that puzzled me--
Clint Eastwood: He did say he left his glasses at home. But he came off really addled and foggy-brained -- that can't just be missing specs.
Why is Jack Nicholson totally bald? Is this for a role? I don't think Jack has any trouble with the ladies, so I can't imagine this is just a ploy to snag bald fetishists (oh, and yes there are such chicks...I KNOW ONE OF 'EM) Well my official guess is this-- instead of introducing yet another hue of lapel ribbon (y'know the ol' stand by ribbon loop pins long -used in H'wood to signify your fervent social activism-- pink for breast cancer, yellow for troop support, peuce for genital herpes and all that) Jack is using his radical new 'do (or lack thereof) to silently express his Britney solidarity.

The presentation of the Best Pic award puzzled me too. Y'see I had thought, for the Best Picture win, that a big chunk of the cast joined the producers & director on stage, but there were very few people, just producers (maybe just one, now that I think back actually) accepting last night for The Departed. Maybe that's not the usual case, (a big crowd on stage for Best Pic) but I remember it that way when Crash won, and also back when Shakespeare in Love got Best Picture honors. It's weird, I realize, that I'm reaching back a whole decade for that particular Oscar memory, but that one has always stuck out in my mind..as a freakish anomaly...that shoulda NEVER have won Best Picture. And -honestly- I am NOT just saying that due to the Paltrow factor. It was a good movie...but certainly not GREAT or Oscar-worthy.