Will you watch the Oscars this year?

[Shasta542]

I liked the way that 5 people came out and individually talked about the nominees in some categories.

Hugh Jackman was very good and very handsome.

I'm so happy and not surprised that Heath won. He was brilliant in "The Dark Knight".

I wish Mickey Rourke had won best actor instead of Sean Penn.

[Katie77]

Why does everyone in Heath's family sound more "Australian" than Heath did? I know this is partly my ignorance of Australian accents, but to me Heath didn't speak with the accent I think of as typically Australian. Yet his family members do, including his sister.

I have often mentioned Heath's accent here.

To tell you the truth, in interviews I saw him in, I did not think that he sounded like an Aussie at all.  I used to put it down to the fact that he went to a private school, and also that he probably has had voice training in his acting classes. His accent seemed more of an "international" accent rather than an Aussie accent, and maybe it was the accent he chose to use in interviews. To tell you the truth, when I think about him knocking around with his Aussie mates, I think the REAL Aussie accent probably came out.

As you say, his parents and sister have a very different accent than he did, which makes me feel more that Heath's was manufactured or learnt.

[serious crayons]

I'm confused - you guys thought it was good when Robert De Niro made the remark about Sean Penn being able to pull off playing straight guys all these years?  I thought it sounded like an insult to gay people.

Well, it made me pause a bit. But ultimately I took it as a) a compliment to Penn's acting and b) a mocking allusion to the supposed difficulty, according to conventional foolishness, of straight actors playing gay characters and vise versa. As such, not offensive, IMO.

Know who else's acceptance speech I loved? Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's.

I have often mentioned Heath's accent here.

To tell you the truth, in interviews I saw him in, I did not think that he sounded like an Aussie at all.  I used to put it down to the fact that he went to a private school, and also that he probably has had voice training in his acting classes. His accent seemed more of an "international" accent rather than an Aussie accent, and maybe it was the accent he chose to use in interviews. To tell you the truth, when I think about him knocking around with his Aussie mates, I think the REAL Aussie accent probably came out.

As you say, his parents and sister have a very different accent than he did, which makes me feel more that Heath's was manufactured or learnt.

Thanks, Sue. I do recall Aussie Brokies having addressed this topic before. I was surprised, though, when I heard his family's accents, particularly his sister's. Children often have markedly different accents from their parents, but rarely from their siblings.

To my ears, Heath sounded sort of British. It's interesting what accents people strive for when they attempt to remove their native dialect. In the US, they strive to sound sort of Midwestern.

[delalluvia]

I have been boycotting the Oscars since the BBM debacle, but it was a friend's birthday and she wanted to watch it, so we watched it.  Hugh did a good job, especially liked his musical admission that he hadn't seen "The Reader"  though my friend thought it was funny that Will Smith had more time on stage than Hugh.

1) The women looked like they all went to the same cream-colored/metallic dress sale.  Only Natalie Portman stood out spectacularly.  I saw her and completely ignored Ben Stiller, wishing I could come back as her in my next life. 

2) Was it really necessary to have Jennifer Aniston present their awards from the same side of the stage in front of where Brad and Angelina were sitting?   Then the camera shot to them every so often, hoping - for what? - it was like the Academy was trying to drum up some drama.  Jennifer had her chance to knock everyone out of the back of the auditorium that night, but instead she looked liked she just came from the beach and hadn't combed her hair.  Brad and Angie took it well.

3)  Beyonce - I love you for making women of all sizes sexy - but there are some outfits that shouldn't be worn by women with serious junk in the trunk because they're just not flattering.  High-cut spangled red sequined leotards are one of them.

4) Cuba Gooding, Jr.  You, da man!!  Why don't they have him host the Oscars?

5)  I like how everyone got to say their thing.  Maybe two people - at most - got cut off.

6)  My girl Kate Winslet the winner seemed the most sincere (and she looked wonderful to boot).

7)  Eddie Murphy and the legend Jerry Lewis?  Strange comedian out of all of them to give him the award.

8 )  Will they stop moving the goddamned camera during the memorials?!?!?      There was no need to pan out and show Queen Latifah singing, I know it's her singing, I want to see the pics of the people who have passed on!!!  Ending on Paul Newman was nice.

9)  I was glad Heath's family showed up and kept their composure, his sister looked wonderful.

10)  Boring "Slumdog Millionaire" sweep.  They could have just called in the rest of the awards.   

[Katie77]

2) Was it really necessary to have Jennifer Aniston present their awards from the same side of the stage in front of where Brad and Angelina were sitting?   Then the camera shot to them every so often, hoping -for what? - it was like the Academy was trying to drum up some drama.  Jennifer had her chance to knock everyone out of the back of the auditorium that night, but instead she looked liked she just came from the beach and hadn't combed her hair.  Brad and Angie took it well.

I think Jen, Brad and Angie used the Awards ceremony to finally end all the negative stuff thats been written about them concerning the marriage break up. Finally they have come face to face in public, and their were no cat fights or sneers from one to the other. Nothing at these awards ceremonies are done without a reason, a lot of thought and planning goes into them. Jen and Brad and Angie would have been aware of where she would stand and where they would be sitting, Angie probably even knew that the camera was going to pan to her. It was a very public way of saying to everyone, "we have moved on, now everyone else move on too"

4) Cuba Gooding, Jr.  You, da man!!  Why don't they have him host the Oscars?

   

Oh yeah, he is so cool and very very funny.

10)  Boring "Slumdog Millionaire" sweep.  They could have just called in the rest of the awards. 
  

Yeah, I cant put my finger on it, but it seemed to be an anti-climax to the whole show, when everyone from from Slumdog Millionaire came up on the stage.  I have not seen the movie, but by all accounts it must be very good to have won so many awards,  and no doubt to the cast and people involved the occassion was memorable and exciting, but it seemed that THEY were far more excited about it than anyone else in the audience and possibly most of the viewers.  Maybe it was because they were all virtual unknowns, maybe it was the thought that they may only be "one hit wonders". I dont mean to sound cruel, but there is a chance that that might be the case, and why maybe we couldn't really care less everytime they won something.

[southendmd]

Yeah, I cant put my finger on it, but it seemed to be an anti-climax to the whole show, when everyone from from Slumdog Millionaire came up on the stage.  I have not seen the movie, but by all accounts it must be very good to have won so many awards,  and no doubt to the cast and people involved the occassion was memorable and exciting, but it seemed that THEY were far more excited about it than anyone else in the audience and possibly most of the viewers.  Maybe it was because they were all virtual unknowns, maybe it was the thought that they may only be "one hit wonders". I dont mean to sound cruel, but there is a chance that that might be the case, and why maybe we couldn't really care less everytime they won something.

Hmm, some people might have felt the same about Brokeback.    It had frontrunner status and was "other". 

I've seen the film, and it is great story-telling.  And I was excited for them at every turn.  And I cared a lot.  Especially knowing the odds they were up against.  Those little kid actors who really are from the slums of Mumbai. 

Sue, you really should try to see it--it's beautiful.

[delalluvia]

Danny Boyle did "Slumdog Millionaire" and he is no one hit wonder to be sure having directed/produced movies/shows like

   2. (8.10) - Trainspotting (1996)
   3. (7.52) - "Inspector Morse: Masonic Mysteries (#4.4)" (1990)
   4. (7.50) - 28 Days Later... (2002)
   5. (7.44) - "Inspector Morse: Cherubim & Seraphim (#6.5)" (1992)
   6. (7.40) - Shallow Grave (1995)
   7. (7.30) - Sunshine (2007)
   8. (7.20) - Millions (2004)
   9. (6.46) - Strumpet (2001) (TV)
  10. (6.42) - Alien Love Triangle (2002)
  11. (6.37) - Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise (2001) (TV)
  12. (6.30) - A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
  13. (6.20) - The Beach (2000/I)


As for the cast...who knows?  They might make it big in India.

BBM wasn't a one hit wonder either.  All the actors had careers before and have (had in the case of Heath  ) them after and the director was also quite famous before as well as since.

I was happy for them, but the plot as told to me by friends who have seen it and loved it sounds pretty run of the mill and cliche.  One of my friends finally realized after describing it to me that the reason she hated "Wall-E" was the same reason she liked "Slumdog Millionaire".

The underdog geeky guy got the devastatingly gorgeous girl. [shrug]

[delalluvia]

I think Jen, Brad and Angie used the Awards ceremony to finally end all the negative stuff thats been written about them concerning the marriage break up. Finally they have come face to face in public, and their were no cat fights or sneers from one to the other. Nothing at these awards ceremonies are done without a reason, a lot of thought and planning goes into them. Jen and Brad and Angie would have been aware of where she would stand and where they would be sitting, Angie probably even knew that the camera was going to pan to her. It was a very public way of saying to everyone, "we have moved on, now everyone else move on too"

I'd like to think so, for Jennifer's sake, but in reality I can't help but think she's still grinding her teeth.  After all, the best revenge is living well.  But Jennifer is still a B-list-er at best, still not having broken out of her TV-to-movies romantic comedy sweetheart roles which are rapidly running out as she ages, she's not settled down with a long-time love or family or children, just a boy-toy who slammed her in the tabloids.  Jenn wanted a great movie career, note where Brad and Angie were sitting versus where Jen and John Mayer were sitting.

Brad and Angie are swinging the world on a string - they're beyond famous, rapidly becoming more famous for their philanthropy than for their movie roles - i.e. something that's truly meaningful and important in this world.  Jen was in "Marley" and Me and had a Cancun vacation with John Mayer.

[shrug]

We can only hope she's found some sort of peace.

[Katie77]

Hmm, some people might have felt the same about Brokeback.    It had frontrunner status and was "other". 

I've seen the film, and it is great story-telling.  And I was excited for them at every turn.  And I cared a lot.  Especially knowing the odds they were up against.  Those little kid actors who really are from the slums of Mumbai. 

Sue, you really should try to see it--it's beautiful.

Oh I plan to Paul and I am sure I will love it....I'm a sucker for a feel good story when the underdog comes out on top.

And I did not mean to be cruel with my comments, maybe it was because I had NOT seen it, that it did not mean anything to me. I have seen Benjamin Button which I thought was great.

Do you think people thought that way about Brokeback? I was so far into my obsession with it, and talking about it all the time here, that I never ever thought what people on the "outside" might be thinking.

[southendmd]

Oh I plan to Paul and I am sure I will love it....I'm a sucker for a feel good story when the underdog comes out on top.

And I did not mean to be cruel with my comments, maybe it was because I had NOT seen it, that it did not mean anything to me. I have seen Benjamin Button which I thought was great.

Do you think people thought that way about Brokeback? I was so far into my obsession with it, and talking about it all the time here, that I never ever thought what people on the "outside" might be thinking.

I know, Sue, I know you didn't mean to be cruel, plus, I loved Benjamin Button, also.

Sure enough, some people thought that way, especially those who hadn't seen Brokeback, and had made up their minds that it was "wrong". 

Just like Brokeback, once you've seen it, the "outside" thinking just melts away.