Love it?  Hate it?  Let’s dig in!

Anne and James

Okay, let’s start with our hosts, Anne Hathaway and James Franco.  In an attempt to make the broadcast more relevant to a younger demographic, we got young, supposedly hip hosts.  While I suspect abject failure in attracting younger viewers, I didn’t think the hosts were all bad.  Hathaway is preternaturally comfortable in front of the camera, in addition to being absolutely stunning.  She does need to be told to stop the “woo-hoo”-ing into her microphone, it makes her sound like a teenager at a high school basketball game.

James Franco looked stoned.  Can’t win ’em all.

The Presenters

Personally, I thought the presenters were exactly as good as they always are.  Meaning a few funny hits and mostly awkward misses.  They do try, I’ll give them credit for that.  Loved Kirk Douglas and the Robert Downey, Jr./Jude Law combo.  I was embarrassed for Justin Timberlake  – what the hell was he talking about and, more importantly, why?

Everybody did, however, look fabulous.  I didn’t see much heinousness in the dress department this year, although my eyes were burning from the parade of tangerine ball gowns after a while.  Did someone send out a memo pronouncing that the color of the year?

The Production Numbers

The what?  Yeah, there really weren’t any to speak of.  There was a little song from Anne Hathaway, stuck inexplicably into the proceedings, and some schtick from Billy Crystal that I actually thought was pretty funny.  The orchestra played and nominees for best song were performed.  The orchestra was great, the songs, well, I just don’t care.  I don’t need to hear Randy Newman sing.  His songs are all identical.  I don’t need to hear songs from animated musicals, they’re without exception cloying and sappy.  There was one interesting looking song from 127 Hours but it turned out to be completely uninteresting so it got unceremoniously fast forwarded through.  And I never want to see Gwyneth Paltrow sing anything, anywhere.   For the love of God, can’t someone make that woman stand up straight?

Though I hate to admit it, Celine Dion was actually a really good decision.  Not as a performer, but putting a live song with the In Memorium section worked like magic to keep the popularity applause away.  Every year I cringe at the indignity of grown people clapping for which dead person they liked the best.  It’s completely horrid and I was glad to see it end.  I can do without Celine’s theatrics, but I didn’t have to watch much of them, and since she provided a valuable service I’m willing to overlook the Titanic song PTSD she always causes.

The Winners.  The Losers.

I was so glad to see Melissa Leo, Natalie Portman, Colin Firth, Tom Hooper and The King’s Speech take home statues!  I’ve admired Leo since the days of Homicide: Life on the Streets and even if her acceptance speech was weird, it was filled with honest emotion.  Natalie Portman looked radiant and happy – it’s good to see her with a little meat on her bones as she gestates.

Colin Firth was understatedly witty and British, as was Tom Hooper who I think had the best anecdote of the night.   How many directors are willing to admit that their mom found their star-making movie?

While I tend to find the acceptance of the Best Picture award rather anticlimactic (who the hell are all those people?) I was glad The King’s Speech came out on top.  There were a lot of great nominees this year, but that’s the one I saw and loved most recently, so of course I was happy that it won.  Yes, my memory is that short.

Red Carpet Hotness

I love movies and all, but I’m not immune to simply watching the parade of pretty people in expensive clothing parade along the red carpet.  Usually there is a whole lot of ugliness mixing in with those pretty people making them look like they were styled by sadists.  It’s both painful and fun – in what world do I not love to mock?

But this year not only did most everyone look fabulous, there were a few who looked uber-fabulous.  Reese Witherspoon in her simple black and white, Jennifer Hudson in her incredibly flattering eye-searing tangerine and Anne Hathaway in every single thing she put on.  But no one was more sizzling than Mila Kunis, who looked absolutely amazing in a relatively simple purple gown that made her stand out from everyone else in attendance as a shining beacon of hotness.

Wrap it up!

Generally there was nothing particularly special about the 83rd Academy Awards, but I enjoyed them as always.  From the comfort of my couch, DVR saving me from the most boring parts and a pan of brownies with my name on it, it was a night to remember.  Even if I forget who won tomorrow.  I’m also going to buy myself an Oscar of my very own, just because I can.  It will be for Best Performance by Flannel Pajamas in a Leading Role.  Dammit, they earned it.

images by www.lancashire.gov.uk, Nick Stepowyj and Anirudh Koul

Sue Millinocket

Sue reads a lot, writes a lot, edits a lot, and loves a good craft. She was deemed “too picky” to proofread her children’s school papers and wears this as a badge of honor. She is also proud of her aggressively average knitting skills  She is the Editorial Director at Silver Beacon Marketing and an aspiring Crazy Cat Lady.