84 Years of Oscar

BY HEATHER JOHNSON

Ladies and gentlemen, Sunday marked the 84th Annual Academy Awards, broadcasted live on ABC. The stars were out in droves to honor the movies, the actors and the music that moved us this year. But, did it move some people to disgust?

One of the biggest awards of the night was Best Supporting Actress, in which I’d say the competition was tight. But, the winner which was no surprise was Octavia Spencer, for her portrayal of Minnie in “The Help.” The film itself was nominated for three categories, including Best Picture, but took home only this one. I don’t know about you folks, but seems to me “Hugo,” which was nominated for 11 awards and took home five on the technical side, was shunned in favor of “The Artist.”

“The Artist,” for those who don’t know, was a silent black and white film. It took home Best Picture, along with three other major awards. This made it the first silent film since the very first Academy Awards in 1929’s winner “Wings” to take home this accolade.

Overlooked was the word of the evening, in my opinion, as Meryl Streep took home Best Actress, instead of Viola Davis, who had not only taken home the Screen Actor’s Guild Award but the Golden Globe as well. This was Streep’s third Oscar win. Her film “The Iron Lady,” also won Best Makeup for turning Streep into Margaret Thatcher. Somehow, I think Harry Potter’s goblins and Voldemort were more impressive.

Visual categories also left some overlooked this year, as the Academy chose to pick humanity over effects. Hugo was dominating in categories such as Best Visual Effects, Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. All of these should have easily went to “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” If there is nothing else Michael Bay knows, it’s the impressive visual side of the movies. Optimus Prime vs. Martin Scorsese’s Orphan? Sorry Marty, I think you may be a Decepticon.

So I guess what is left for me to say then, what the wardrobe malfunction batman! So everyone is talking and thinking that Jennifer Lopez, in her sheer clingy number, let go a nip slip. Sorry to disappoint guys, but at most it was the top of larger things and not worth the drama. After all, you look that good in a dress like that and see how good scotch tape works for you. And the other fashion show stopper, Angelina Jolie and her hitch hiking leg which has inspired Internet chatter galore including some hilarious parody photos.

Over all, I think that Octavia was by far the best dressed, then again, Kermit and Miss Piggy did have on coutour.

Folks, it was a good night, a good time, and let’s thank the Oscar gods for a few things…that Billy Crystal (of course I didn’t forget him!) hosted instead of James Franco and Anne Hathaway again, but maybe not for the tasteless jokes about the Kodak Theatre. We thank them for not having to sit through Woody Allen’s acceptance speech for Best Director. We thank them for having the oh so bendy people of Cirque du Soleil; yet how was that a relevant performance? And most of all, we thank them for not playing one single clip of “The Bodyguard” in memorial to Whitney Houston.

So ladies and gentlemen, we roll up the red carpet, and await to see where we will hold next year’s awards. But until then, don’t stop seeing movies and always, stay tuned…

  84 years, oscars, the artist