And the Oscar goes to....

Another year has come and gone. All of our favorites and not so favorites have done their little turn on the catwalk, sauntered down the proverbial carpet and been met with either gleeful vindication in their craft or felt the devastating sting of defeat. Ah, rejection, she is a cold, cold mistress. This year was no different. We laughed, we cried, we were taken aback by the occasional drop of an f-bomb.

While in years past, I have occasionally been surprised by a winner (Chicago for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress in 2003? Guess it was a lighthearted year,) this year the surprises were few and far between. I suppose if you had wildly overlooked all of this year’s previous award shows and or lived in a state of film deprivation, you would not have foreseen The King’s Speech sweeping the major awards (Best Picture, Best Director (Tom Hooper), and Best Actor) and Natalie Portman waddling up to mock surprisingly accept her Best Actress. You also might have missed Melissa Leo finally lose it when she got her Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Fighter. I’ll give her a by though because, despite having also won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award, I think she’s boggled she actually pulled it off (closest she got previously was a few noms for 2008’s Frozen River.) Not shocked that Toy Story 3 got Best Animated and thoroughly not shocked that Inception swept the technicals (Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects, Cinematography.) However, what would a show be without a few surprises?

Namely, I was somewhat surprised that Social Network took home so many. I mean sure, it was a good movie and definitely well done but, with so many other heavy hitters in there, I’m a little shocked and, to be true, a little perturbed. Original Score over Inception? Over The King’s Speech? It was good but nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Best Editing over Black Swan? Ok maybe the two were equal but, see, I’m a lady who errs towards the more dramatic. I’m sure many will disagree with me but I probably would have awarded it Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay… and frankly that was only because The King’s Speech was in the Original category (didn’t he say it was from a play? The mysteries never cease.) Also, what happened to True Grit? I kind of can see how Winter’s Bone got overlooked but really, a John Wayne remake? 10 nominations and not a single win. Sad. Just sad.

Couple of side mentions: loved Alice In Wonderland so I’m glad it got Best Art Direction and Best Costumes (for all you purists, yea I know. The first one was a gem and a half but you know what, let us open our minds. Let us embrace the unfamiliar -ok well no one who has spotted a Tim Burton would really call it unfamiliar- and let us go forth into the darkness to give credit where credit is due. It was beautifully done.) I was somewhat disappointed to not see Geoffrey Rush get Best Supporting Actor. Christian Bale was excellent to be sure, but, c’mon, Geoffrey Rush is a classic.

I’m sorry I don’t have much to say in the way of the shorts or documentaries. Maybe next year (if there were any particularly amazing ones, let me know and I’ll make a note.) I can however comment on The Wolfman. I’m sorry, ok the makeup was good but is turning Benicio del Toro into a burly aggressive man-wolf really that much of a stretch?


PS: Do I need to address my thoughts on the hosts? I think I'll leave that to the pros.... as perhaps some other people should have.