Oscars 2011

[DFF]

The King's Speech was brilliant, and I'm happy it won (though, Black Swan should have won really). I can't really complain at most of the awards as they seem 'about' right.

I'm happy The Social Network didn't sweep the board though, as it always just came across as a 'good' film. (As opposed to Black Swan/King's Speech/Inception which all seemed 'special' in their respective ways).

[zero]

I agree with Zero on Toy Story, and disagree with him on Anne Hathaway.

Fuck you, Zero, she is sweet and cutesy.

I like Anne Hathaway, but I think she has a certain realness and edge to her that was completely missing tonight. She tried way too hard to suck up, which is nice and all, but it just came across as a little forced to me. Show needed more Ricky Gervais, less John Cena meeting a WWE legend.

Also, it's hilarious how terrific actors can't read a goddamn teleprompter. Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams were the worst, but on a night full of people who play pretend for a living, they were all upstaged by Oprah.

Oh and Jennifer Hudson needs to put the weight back on. Her head is way too big for that freakish Star Jones weight loss.

[GoGo Yubari]

What she really needed was a co-host who wasn't James Franco so she didn't feel like she needed to overcompensate for his being stiff as a board. Seriously, I bet if she were given someone more "let's put on a show" like, oh, Hugh Jackman was she would have been great.

[LL!]

My choice for Best Picture wasn't gonna get the win, so, all I could hope for was that Black Swan didn't get it. And it didn't. Although my interest in seeing The King's Speech is quite low, I'm still curious to see it. I know it's not gonna live up to the hype set in by the Academy, but whatever.

I called tons of the nominations, and a lot of them deserved it. I really would have liked to have seen Exit Through The Gift Shop win best doc, but the Academy copped out on that one.

Hailee Steinfeld was in the wrong category. She should've been up for best actress, but whatever. Either way, she was going to lose. Melissa Leo did a fantastic job and so did Natalie Portman.

It wasn't bad, but it was quite predictable. I long for the day Robert Downey Jr. hosts the Oscars.

[Noah]

Should The King's Speech have won the Best Picture Oscar?

Yes 15533

No 5650

Saw that poll, thought it might prove to be of some minor interest.

[SeanDMan]

The Kirk Douglass thing was awesome.

[LL!]

The Kirk Douglass thing was awesome.

Also, this. Kirk Douglas was amazing.

[Walker]

The King's Speech is perfect Oscar fodder. A great film that is safe and catch-all. It didn't blow me away by any means, but I'm not exactly the target audience. However, the Oscars need to get over themselves by forcing the "big winners". Tom Hooper did NOT deserve the Best Director prize over any of the others in the category, The King's Speech direction-wise is as cut and dry as they come, not at all original or daring, I can't see how in the world you can't give that award to Aronofsky or Fincher. It seems a bit contradictory saying "Colin Firth deserves to be best actor, because it is his turn" and then give the direction trophy to someone so new to the scene.

Every other category King's Speech won is hard to argue against though, so it isn't all bad. Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress would be my only other big dispute since I didn't like her performance at all.

[Pesci]

I haven't seen King's Speech so I can't really comment on that, but I'm glad something I've seen didn't win in a way, because I don't think anything I've seen deserved to beat Black Swan. Speaking of Black Swan, glad Portman got her Oscar and Bale too. And while Melissa Leo was good, I'm sure there had to be better supporting actresses out there somewhere. I don't really care about the rest.

[Jimmy]

I liked The King's Speech a lot, but I think it definitely got more than it deserved. Agreed that Tom Hooper didn't deserve the best directing award; should've given to Fincher in my opinion. However, I'm glad to see Firth get his award, even though it was pretty much guaranteed. Happy to see Bale finally get his oscar, seeing as I'm a huge fan of his.

Though, I can't quite wrap my head around Inception losing to The King's Speech for best original screenplay. I knew Inception would most likely get snubbed for a lot of the 'major' awards, but I thought they had a shot at that one.

[Sousa]

Inception didn't win because the category was Best Original Screenplay, not Most Circuitous Dull As Ditch Water Screenplay.

[Meacon Keaton]

Say what you will about Inception, but at least it wasn't a re-make of an already great movie.

[Jimmy]

Inception didn't win because the category was Best Original Screenplay, not Most Circuitous Dull As Ditch Water Screenplay.

Oh yeah. Sorry, I missed that.

[Hobo]

No win for The Illusionist. Damn you Pixar!

[Josh]

Anyone know of any online video of whatever the fuck Kirk Douglas did? I had no interest in watching this, but after skimming the thread, that one thing sounds fun.

[Jimmy]

I watched it on youtube. Just put in 'Oscars 2011 Kirk Douglas' and it should come up. (Y)

Edit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dz4OsP5D14

[Josh]

Yup. That was awesome.

You may now resume discussion of the Promotional Purposes Only awards.

[GoGo Yubari]

http://tv.gawker.com/#!5771900/kirk-douglas-just-saved-the-oscars

EDIT: Stupid college internet!

[LL!]

Say what you will about Inception, but at least it wasn't a re-make of an already great movie.

Actually, True Grit wasn't so much a remake as it was a more faithful adaptation of the novel.

[VinnyT]

The Social Network was the best film of 2010. Closely followed by Black Swan, then Inception, then 127 Hours.

Notice that a fucking TV movie wasn't on that previous list.

Colin Firth won. Deserved.

Natalie Portman won. VERY deserved (Performance of the year)

Melissa Leo won. FUCK HER! (Whoops, I dropped and F-bomb by "mistake") SHUT UP! You gave a very hammy and overrated performance. AND GIVE KIRK DOUGLAS HIS CANE BACK HE'S 94 YEARS OLD! HE WANTED TO SNAP YOUR UGLY ASS NECK YOU BINT!

Christian Bale won. Hell yes!

Tom Hooper won Best Director. David Fincher's anti-campaigning did him in. Hooper isn't bad by anymeans, but this was fucking Fincher's time! And forget that Christopher Nolan wasn't even fucking NOMINATED.

Inception won four awards. Every winner got up, and the first thing they did was praise Nolan. They all told the Academy "Hey look, it's the guy that put all this shit together! Where's his nomination?"

Oh, he was nominated for Screenplay. Against that pablum of a TV movie. Awesome.

Nolan goes home Oscarless, ready to direct Academy Award winners Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, and Morgan Freeman, along with Oscar-Nom Anne Hathaway in what will be the next great film from Nolan to get ignored. (and yes, I know that a Batman movie really shouldn't get nominated for Best Picture/Director)

Aaron Sorkin get's his Oscar. Finally! I'm happy there.

Toy Story 3 won when it was announced 4-5 years ago.

Live Action Short: God of Love was arguably the worst of the nominees, but still pretty good. Maybe a little too quirky for my tastes. The Crush should have gotten it.

Alice in Wonderland is now a multiple Oscar winner. BOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Exit Through The Gift Shop deserved Best Documentary.

Overall, the show was boring. Anne Hathaway tried, and kinda worked. James Franco smoked pot and twittered the whole time. I admire his confidence, and don't think he did a HORRIBLE job.

They brought out Billy Crystal, and he showed he still had it. I hope they bring him back one more time.

So...yeah.

These are the rantings of someone whose watched the Oscars out of family tradition since the mid '90's. And someone who went out of their way to see all the films each year around 2006.

It's become a hobby to watch and predict the Oscars. And it's also become a basis for some of my best friendships. It means a little more to me than others, but it's not a way of life.

All this somewhat disappointing year has done has gotten me hyped for 2011 in film. I'll try to see more, I'll hopefully have a job by the end of the week to help that quest. All this does is increase my hunger for more films. And more knowledge.

It's oddly enough been more inspiring than I thought it would be. So, it's very bittersweet at the moment.