Author Topic: The Oscars  (Read 31210 times)

Offline chowhound

  • Brokeback Mountain Resident
  • ****
  • Posts: 172
The Oscars
« on: February 26, 2013, 01:33:32 pm »
Before our collective memories of this year's Oscars starts to fade, I thought some might enjoy reading this graded list of the acceptance speeches just published in the New Yorker on-liine magazine. I was very glad that Daniel Day Lewis got the only A+ but Ang Lee was not far behind:

There are infinite ways to bomb an Oscar speech. Common pitfalls include self-aggrandizement (King of the World James Cameron), excessive weepiness (Gwyneth Paltrow), and sheer who-invited-this-person weirdness (Melissa Leo). Some are passive-aggressive (Shirley MacLaine, who thanked Debra Winger for her “turbulent brilliance”). Some are strident (Vanessa Redgrave, who chided “Zionist hoodlums”). Some are unsettling (Angelina Jolie, who declared herself “so in love with my brother right now”). At their best, they offer a jolt of liberating mania (Roberto Benigni), or a banquet of finely calibrated self-deprecation, gratitude, and poise (Meryl Streep, whose speeches are perfect and deserve their own awards).

So how did last night’s winners do? I should mention up front that extra points went to people with adorable accents.

Christoph Waltz, Best Supporting Actor: Waltz kicked off the evening with short and classy speech that acknowledged his competitors without condescension, and his collaborators without obligation. Speaking of his director, he said, “We participated in a hero’s journey, the hero here being Quentin.” Anyone who can make Quentin Tarantino seem like a selfless underdog knows his way around a speech. Plus: adorable accent. A-

Michael Haneke, Best Foreign Language Film: “Sank you to my wife.” B+

Anne Hathaway, Best Supporting Actress: All of us who have been following Hathaway’s ingratiating march through the awards season were bracing for the inevitable. Sure, that saccharine “It came true” was a step up from “Blerg,” the opening line from her Golden Globe speech. But the whole thing smacked of endless nights rehearsing in front of the mirror. After a dutifully memorized laundry list of names, Hathaway closed with the wish that “someday in the not too distant future, the misfortunes of Fantine will only be found in stories.” I’m sure all the consumptive French prostitutes with bad dentistry who were watching the Oscars appreciated that. C+

Adele, Best Song: Meanwhile, if you’re going to do teary-eyed earnestness, do it like Adele. She was gracious and disarming and—always a plus—brief. Loved that final arm wave to the auditorium with the line, “You’re all amazing as well!” B+

Quentin Tarantino, Best Original Screenplay: If you happen to find Tarantino’s rubber-faced self-mythologizing completely intolerable, this speech was not for you. Take note: humility is not thanking your actors by saying, “Boy, this time did I do it.” Nor is it necessary to point out that Charlize Theron is your neighbor. After talking over the “Gone with the Wind” play-off music (where’s “Jaws” when you need it?), Tarantino declared 2013 “the writer’s year, man” and signed off with an icky “peace out.” C

Ang Lee, Best Director: The menschiest speech of the night belonged to Lee, who began by thanking the “Movie God” and his cast, whom he called “the golden statue in my heart.” Coming from anyone else, these sentiments might have grated, but Lee seems to truly prize his moviemaking family. (Ronan Farrow, son of Woody Allen, agreed, tweeting, “Let’s be real, if we could pick our legendary director dads, we’d go with Ang Lee, right guys?” Ouch.) Extra credit for thanking Taiwan. Namaste. A

Jennifer Lawrence, Best Actress: At this point in the night, the ceremony desperately needed some spontaneity, so Lawrence’s tumble over her gigantic Scarlett O’Hara skirt was not unwelcome. She recovered quickly, saying, “You guys are just standing up ’cause you feel bad that I fell.” Aside from that, her speech was unmemorable if sweet: she thanked whom she needed to thank (which apparently didn’t include David O. Russell), wished Emmanuelle Riva a happy birthday, and seemed genuinely, breathlessly shocked. B+

Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Actor: Ladies and gentlemen, this is how to give an Oscar speech. Maybe it was magical Oscar dust from Meryl Streep, who gave Day-Lewis a big smooch that left his cheek smeared with lipstick. But this speech had it all: convincing humility, a slam-dunk bit about switching roles with Streep in “The Iron Lady” (and, yes, major points for making this a Meryl Streep speech by proxy), and heartfelt shout-outs to his wife, Steven Spielberg, and the “mysteriously beautiful mind, body, and spirit of Abraham Lincoln.” That’s how to thank someone from the nineteenth century, Anne. A+

Ben Affleck, Best Picture: Speaking like someone who has seen the best and worst of Hollywood, a snubbed-no-more Affleck described how the movie industry will pick you up, knock you down, and lift you back up again. After hours of Seth MacFarlane’s frat-boy comedy, cruise-line commercials, piano-bar bait, and William Shatner, we’d all been on a rocky journey, so this felt apt. Affleck spoke lightning-fast, but at that point it was practically Monday so all the better. Extra points for thanking Canada, Iran, and “my wife, who I normally don’t associate with Iran.” B+

Special Mentions: The two guys with Morlock hair who tied for Best Sound Editing; Chris Terrio, who dedicated his Best Adapted Screenplay award to those who “use creativity and intelligence to solve problems nonviolently.” After last night, that group does not include Seth MacFarlane.



« Last Edit: February 26, 2013, 07:01:39 pm by chowhound »

Offline CellarDweller

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 38,301
  • A city boy's mentality, with a cowboy's soul.
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2013, 04:53:13 pm »
awwww, I liked Anne's speech.

Oh well!


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline Sophia

  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,574
  • Your elbows, try to lick them
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2014, 03:50:02 pm »
Only a few hours left to the red carpet..... time to revival the Oscars thread. I guess we won´t be seeing many BBM folks this year, but I am hoping Ellen will do a fantastic job hosting the event. But it would have been nice to have seen Jake nominated for Prisoners.

Out of the nominated movies my favorite once is

Philomena



« Last Edit: March 03, 2014, 10:41:05 am by Sophia »

Offline tforster

  • Sr. Ranch Hand
  • ***
  • Posts: 86
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2014, 11:12:06 pm »
I can't help but think of Heath Ledger and Phillip Seymore Hoffman sitting in the audience only eight years ago...

Offline Meryl

  • BetterMost Supporter
  • BetterMost Moderator
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 12,205
  • There's no reins on this one....
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2014, 01:26:50 am »
I thought Ellen did well in the opening monologue, but after that it was downhill.  No jokes, just bits in the audience that were less than compelling.  And the special performances, like the Wizard of Oz tribute and the clips of "heroes" were kind of a yawn.  I was pleased at the winners, though.  Just about everyone won that I was rooting for, Cate Blanchett especially. 
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline CellarDweller

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 38,301
  • A city boy's mentality, with a cowboy's soul.
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2014, 06:50:53 pm »
I kind of agree with you Meryl.  I wasn't very into it this year.  I thought Ellen did a great opening monologue, liked the "group selfie" bit, as well as the pizza bit, but some of it was just.....meh.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline CellarDweller

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 38,301
  • A city boy's mentality, with a cowboy's soul.
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2014, 09:20:50 am »


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline Katie77

  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,998
  • Love is a force of Nature
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2014, 08:15:39 pm »
I've always been fascinated by film stars, so it was only natural that I sat glued to the tv for the Oscars. Over here in Australia, the live telecast started at 11.30am Monday morning and went through till 3pm in the afternoon...and I watched it all.

I thought Ellen did a good job, I like her subtle cheeky humour, and most of it gave me a giggle.

Of course I was proud to see the Australians who won awards, but wasn't that enthused about Kate's speech, didn't seem heartrfelt like some of the other speeches.

The speeches of Matthew McConoughey and Jared Leto, I thought were wonderful and honest, which made me glad they had won.

The appearance of Kim Novak, made me embarrassed for her, still not knowing why she was called on to be a presenter, except to show the younger starlets what a disaster plastic surgery can be. The same goes for Goldie Horn, who has always had a beautiful face, yet now filled with botox, looks awful. Why cant she age gracefully and with dignity like her partner Kurt Russell.

I enjoyed the songs that were nominated, which were performed brilliantly, and was glad to see the audience appreciate them.

Sorry that there were very few of the the "old school" actors who are usually familiar faces at the Oscars.

I do love oggling the dresses as well as all the eye candy like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie my favourites.

The standout for me for the night, was Sidney Poitier, looking a bit feeble now, but as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, the familiar dignity and poise  in his voice shone through like it always does, and made him stand tall and proud like he always has.

Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect.

It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfection

Offline delalluvia

  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *******
  • Posts: 8,289
  • "Truth is an iron bride"
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2014, 08:54:11 pm »
Matthew McConaughey is getting flak for not mentioning the man he portrayed in "Dallas Buyers Club" at all or the AIDS battle in his acceptance speech.

OK, bit of a miss there, but then he talked about god in his speech, so I'm sure he just wanted to avoid opening a can of worms.

Can't really fault him.  He's worked long and hard to get to where he was and as far as I'm concerned, he can talk about whatever he wants.

Cate Blanchett rambled.

Jared Leto - SO happy to see him win, some people lived a charmed life, you know?  Hasn't acted in 5 years, someone thinks of him for a role, sends the script to him, he likes it, and bang!  He wins an  Oscar.  I'm glad he was first up as he rambled a lot. I'm going to have to Google Venezuela to figure out what's going on there, that he bothered to mention them.  :-\

Ellen seemed a bit distant, but she didn't humiliate people, her humor was mild and the pizza thing was sort of awkward.  Those are $6000 frocks the women are wearing and she ordered pizza.

I got to see my favorites

Benedict Cumberbatch got a seat next to Angelina and Brad, not bad for his first trip to the Oscars and his Photobomb of U2 is the most popular going round.

Always happy to see Ewan McGregor. Man never seems to age.  Looks better every time I see him.

Chris Evans was pleasant surprise if he ever shaves that dead animal off his face.  I get it, I get it, you don't want to be a pretty boy and want to be taken seriously as a manly man and a talent and not on your looks...but c'mon, you ARE good looking.  Embrace it.

WTF was up with Liza Minelli?  She grabbed that Lupita girl like it was her last chance of getting in the tabloids...which it probably was.  Learn some class and grace, Liza.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

  • BetterMost Supporter!
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 31,165
  • "He somebody you cowboy'd with?"
Re: The Oscars
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2014, 09:17:56 pm »
Jared Leto - SO happy to see him win, some people lived a charmed life, you know?  Hasn't acted in 5 years, someone thinks of him for a role, sends the script to him, he likes it, and bang!  He wins an  Oscar.  I'm glad he was first up as he rambled a lot. I'm going to have to Google Venezuela to figure out what's going on there, that he bothered to mention them.  :-\

As someone commented in yesterday morning's newspaper, Jordan Catalano is now an Oscar winner.  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.