Blogging the Oscars

Okay, this is starting a little late ... Just some random notes that probably won't make sense unless you've also been watching the Oscars:

• Chris Rock's doing a pretty good job as host - some of his jokes were a bit harsh, but his recorded piece interviewing the "man on the street" re. their favourite movies of the year was hilarious!
• Cate Blanchett is an absolute vision tonight in a gorgeous dress
• I HATE the stupid integration of a cartoon character from "The Incredibles" in presenting the award for costume design with Pierce Brosnan. Cheese.
• Any thoughts on the new format of the awards? The way nominees for certain categories all wait onstage until the winner is announced, or others are seated in the same area in the audience, and the presentation is made out there? I thought I wouldn't like it, but it's not too bad - and the pace of the ceremony is certainly much faster.
• Gosh, Natalie Portman is beautiful!!! It's not fair! But she kind of has a funny voice - I find it hard to take her seriously. And her dress tonight is ugly and shapeless.
  
• I don't like Kirsten Dunst's hair tonight. Too platinum blonde and structured.
• Hey, Orlando Bloom is one good-looking guy! He doesn't look like a teenager tonight - must be the tux.
• LOVED the fact that Morgan Freeman won Best Supporting Actor for "Million Dollar Baby". I saw this film last night and thought he delivered an elegant and understated performance that was absolutely worthy of the Oscar nod. Did you notice that he thanked Clint Eastwood for an opportunity to work with Eastwood AND Hilary Swank? What an honour for the young Ms. Swank!
  
• Adam Sandler and Catherine Zeta-Jones presenting together? Hahahaha - that was too funny - I knew it didn't make sense to have those two paired up!
• Hmmm ... I didn't think that "Sideways" deserved the best "Adapted Screenplay" award (I think it should have gone to "Million Dollar Baby", which was just a better movie on any level.)
• Ugh - ANOTHER song performed by Beyonce????? I like her, but for pity's sake, couldn't they find another singer? A tenor, perhaps, to sing a song intended for a man in "Phantom of the Opera"? (like a Josh Groban???) Beyonce doesn't seem to know what to do with her body when she's not doing the bump n' grind ...
  
• Laura Linney looks great from the neck up ... HATE the frayed effect on the bottom of her dress - and what's with the super-dull colour????
• What wind tunnel did Salma Hayek go through prior to presenting at the awards? Her hair is a scruffy mess!
• How many awards are yet to go? It's almost 10:30 and we're still lost in awards-noone-cares-about land! Sound editing? Don't waste my time!!! Let's get to best actor/actress/director/movie awards!!!
• Antonio Banderas singing? Accompanied by Carlos Santana? Not my cup of tea ... time to clean the apartment a bit!
  
• What???? A third song performed by Beyonce???? in a duet with Josh Groban??? C'mon, what gives? Does the producer of the Oscars have an uber-crush or something??? And that sparkly dress makes her hips look HUGE!!!
  
• What is Prince wearing? Are his pants really pink like they look on my television? Considering my TV is as old as dirt, and hoping that even the Purple One wouldn't wear billowy pink pants to any occasion, I'm blaming it on the TV
  
• Best actress: Hilary Swank!!!!! (ugly dress tho) Do you think Annette Benning hates her???
  
• Gwyneth: Lame joke prior to presenting. I don't like the bottom of her dress either. But I think the girl is fluent in Spanish - gotta give her creds.
• Antonio Banderas is endearing for the way he is so open about supporting his fellow latinos ...
  
• Charlize Theron is beautiful of course, but again I don't like the skirt of her dress. I guess it must be me who doesn't have the right fashion sense.
  
• Jamie Foxx as Best Actor. No surprise there.
• Clint Eastwood as Best Director!!!!! I let out a whoop before I realized that I might disturb some of my neighbours in my apartment building .... Sorry!!!
• Is it just me, or does Barbara Streisand wear the same dress (or kind of dress) every time?
• Dustin Hoffman seems to be having a problem articulating ... He probably didn't have enough time to get into characer or something?
• "Million Dollar Baby" is Best Picture! This award is truly deserved - the film is a gem, with wonderful themes and heartfelt emotion. It's not about boxing, but about the human condition, about loyalty, redemption, and most of all love.
  
• Well, time for bed finally!

P.S. - I forget exactly when Julia Roberts came onstage, but I thought she looked terrific! She's gained some weight, but it looks good on her. And I appreciate that she didn't make some excuse to refer to her babies as she presented whatever award she presented.

Okay, that's IT for this blog posting, I swear!!!