Oscars: Peace Si, Moore No
Published March 24, 2003
My general feelings toward the pampered poodles of Hollywood have changed dramatically for the better after a decorous Academy Awards presentation last night. Whatever their personal feelings about war and politics, all but Michael Moore put tradition and reverence for their art - obviously genuinely felt - above self-indulgence in a surprisingly moving ceremony.
The 75th Diamond Jubilee Oscars couldn't have come at a more difficult time, with the invasion of Iraq begun and on a day of grotesquery and the weight of mounting casualties hanging about the room.
Steve Martin proved a brave, engagingly flippant host who didn't shy away from taunting individuals or the pressing issues of the industry:
He called Queen Latifah "sequel money" referring to their joint hit Bringing Down the House.
"Did you hear what Miramax did to promote Chicago? They made a really good movie that everybody liked."
"I said something about the 'Hollywood Gay Mafia' last week and woke up with a poodle head in my bed."
"What is a movie star? Tall, short, thin ... or skinny. They can be Democrat ... or skinny. Any sex, race or religion ... sometimes in a single weekend. They can be straight [camera shows Harrison Ford] or gay [camera shows Jack Nicholson [to waves of laughter and applause]."
As the awards procession began, Chris Cooper, who won Best Supporting Actor for Adaptation, was clearly moved, hugged his rather unglamorous wife tearfully, and concluded his speech with "and with a ll the troubles of this world - I wish us all peace."
There was a sweet exchange between blindingly pulchritudinous Jennifer Garner - who was on the verge of looking TOO buff in a powder blue dress - and Mickey Mouse as they presented the Best Animated Short award to The Chubbchubbs and Live Action Short to This Charming Man.
Paul Simon, who keeps showing up at awards shows, looked old and bleary, but sang clear and true his nominated song from The Wild Thornberrys movie in front of the most multi-culti band you'd ever want to see: a black guitarist in a dashiki, another longhaired guitarist who looked like he fell out of a time warp from 1973, a "blind" drummer (I don't know if he is really blind, but he was wearing sunglasses indoors, at night). This was a UN moment.
There was an interesting moment as Sean Connery, dressed Scots Highlander formal (no kilt, thank God), presented Best Supporting Actress to the very pregnant Welsh woman Catherine Zeta Jones, who slipped into her native accent - the first I've heard it. Jones also performed a very game number from Chicago with Queen Latifah and a phalanx of dancers, proving herself no fragile flower and not overly concerned with her svelte image - she rules.
- Oscars: Peace Si, Moore No
- Published: March 24, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: News, Video: Television
- Writer: Eric Olsen
- Eric Olsen's BC Writer page
- Eric Olsen's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
Im Sorry What?
Some random guy who should spend his spare time in the gym instead of in the editing suite, is trying to tell the US Population what he thinks. And then he washes away his crying words with a bit of hipocracy..... Im sorry did you say you like making movies about fiction because we're living in a fictitious world...my ass Moore! The world we live in now is more non-fiction and real than I have ever seen it. Cancer, War, AIDS, Sept. 11... all these things are real, so take light Mr. Moore.. Untill anyone has the balls to take a seat in Mr. Bush's chair, please dont tell us what you would do if you were in it.
Eric, for the record, I liked this take on the show and on Moore's blustery comments. . .
Thanks Bill, you rock
Goddamn, Eric, first it was fattism and greasism, now it's kiltism. What is your problem with men in kilts? And what will you be opposed to next? :)
yeah... give me a kilt any day.
*The Theory... would totally wear a kilt*
peace.
I have seen the damage a kilt can do firsthand.
Ryan, Moore said he and the others make non-fiction films (his one feature film Canadian Bacon was pretty bad).
On MICHAEL MOORE:
The BAD news -
Moore makes a complete ass of himself (again), thus proving the old adage:
"Booze & Glitz just don't mix."
It wasn't just an acceptance speech, it was a Public Service Announcement.
The GOOD news -
Since it appeared on television, Moore is now eligible to be nominated in the "Best Performance by an Angry White Man in a Musical or Variety Show" category at next year's Emmy Awards.
Personally, I think his chances of winning that Emmy are pretty darn good.
Pete
I was startled by your reference to Peter O'Toole as an "aristocratic Englishman". He does play that part well, and probably would have been knighted by now - except that he is Irish.
sorry Lynne
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/4032)
But that's Moore's style. It has been since Roger & Me. And I respect his unwillingness to subvert his style, private forum or no.
Adrien Brody's brand of peace protest was, however, much more to my personal taste.
I understand where you're coming from in labeling Moore "fat and greasy". It's an emotional response. But I think that in a public forum, it weakens your case. (It might be appropriate with some humor, but I don't think that you had much of a sense of humor about it last night.) If in an anti-war plea I refer to President Bush as President Bush, then I may get some people to listen. If I call him that arrogant, idiotic, Nazi bastard, I'm losing my audience before I can even state my case.
Tell me you meant "fat and greasy" with a sarcastic sense of humor, and then I'll buy it. Otherwise, you can call him whatever you want, but I think it weakens everything you say after that.