This is cute - Daniel Day-Lewis, Tilda Swinton, Marion Cotillard and Javier Bardem toasted one another with their golden statues in the press room. Photo by Steve Granitz, Wireimage.com
So yes, I actually sat through the whole 3 hours (repeated telecast) of the Oscars and contrary to the common lamentation of viewers or entertainment reviewers, I didn't find it lengthy or tedious. Getting to watch the finest actors and actresses gathering together dressed to impress and commendable, quality films and their cast and crew getting the kind of recognition they deserved, all beamed right into the comforts of my living room. I mean, seriously, what is there to gripe about?
As I've probably mentioned before, one thing I like about such award shows are how they are able to bring all the best people in the film industry together. We can put faces to the usually unseen and unheralded writers and crew members of deserving works. During the presentation of Best Director in last year's Oscars, they actually had Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas on stage together to present the award to the long deserving Martin Scorsese. That was really a moment. Its impossible not to notice ladies man Jack Nicholson with his trademark shades prominently sitting in the front row, regardless of whether he is nominated for any awards. Where else are you able to find the likes of Daniel Day Lewis, George Clooney, Johnny Depp and co, seated side by side in such a gawk worthy manner?
Thankfully for us viewers and for the greater good of the entire film industry, the writer's strike ended just in the nick of time for Oscar to proceed with his 80th celebration. This year we've got Jon Steward, talkshow host of The Daily Show, as host. He kept the show lively without losing its formality with a balance of measured demeanor and string of tongue-in-cheek jokes. Political potshots were fired light-heartedly and even the "untouchable" celebrities were not spared. His hosting was one of the highlights of the show.
The second highlight is a tie - when Tilda Swinton and Marion Cotillard won in their respective nominated categories. The British and French actresses, together with Briton Daniel Day-Lewis and Spaniard Javier Bardem added to the international flavour that was to dominated this year's Oscars.
Power actress Tilda Swinton trade jabs with George Clooney in the law drama Michael Clayton. Image from Yahoo movies.
Tilda Swinton, whom I think carries off her flaming red hair really well, is known for her unconventional and dark roles such as fallen angel Gabriel in Constantine and sinister witch in The Chronicles of Nardia. She also starred alongside Leonardo Dicaprio in The Beach. Tilda looked genuinely shocked to hear her name being announced but recovered in time to give a priceless acceptance speech.
"I have an American agent who is the spitting image of this — really, truly the same shaped head and, it has to be said, the buttocks. And I'm giving this to him because there's no way I would be in America at all. "George Clooney, you know, the seriousness and the dedication to your art, seeing you climb into that rubber bat suit from 'Batman and Robin,' the one with the nipples, every morning under your costume ... on the set, off the set, hanging upside down during lunch. You rock man."
Marion Cotillard wins critical acclaim for her startling transformation as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. Image from yahoo movies.
Then came the equally shocked and visibly overwhelmed Marion Cotillard who won Best Actress for her biographic role as legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose". Coincidentally, the same song was used in her earlier film "Jeux d'enfants", which was the film that made me fall in love with her. Though the actress is recognized for her French works, she also gave English-speaking performances in Tim Burton's Big Fish and Ridley Scott's A Good Year. Marion beat favourite Julie Christie, who was nominated for her role as a woman wasting away from Alzheimer in the precious indie "Away From Her". Backstage, she continued to gush in adorable exhilarance.
"It feels so good. I'm totally overwhelmed with joy and sparkles and fireworks and everything which goes like bom-bom-bom."
There were no surprises in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories. Daniel Day-Lewis took his well-deserved prize for his violent turn as an mercenary oil magnate in There Will Be Blood while Javier Bardem continued his winning streak after Best Supporting Actor wins at the Golden Globes, SAGs and BAFTAs. Speaking of violent, most of the top films were of darker material and erm, violent characters and Jon Stewart didn't miss a beat when he commented in his opening monologue,
"Does this town need a hug? What happened? No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood. All I can say is, thank God for teen pregnancy."
Another highlight was when independent musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova performed the irresistably romantic duet "Falling Slowly" from their film Once. Their winning song certainly outshoned the cheesier ditties from the Disney musical Enchanted.
No Country For Old Men, which had generated alot of pre Oscar buzz, was the big winner of the night. The catchy-sounding modern Western literally strolled away (due in part to the Coen brothers' reticience in displaying their emotions) with 4 awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.
So at the end of the day, I'm just left with a violent desire to watch No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood.
