Well, it's all over. The 80th Academy Awards ceremony has come and gone, although I suspect there are parties still raging as I type this. Everyone who walked away with a statuette should be proud; you accomplished something. You made a film that a large group of people truly enjoyed and was deemed strong enough to be considered one of the greats; no one can take that away from you. While I may not agree with all of the choices, or even with some of the nominations in general, there is no denying that films of quality were being recognized.
Now, I could be cynical and complain about how the Oscars, and awards ceremonies in general, are little more than backslapping sessions put together and used as a marketing tool by the studios to squeeze a few more dollars out of their product. To some extent, that is probably true. However I choose not to take that bent; the Oscars get something of a free pass. There is something about the over the top night that appeals to me.
Before getting to how well my predictions measured up, I would like to share some general observations about the show. Mind you, I had a few things going on at the same time, so I did not have my eye on the screen for every moment, but I think I saw enough.
Jon Stewart hosted, following up his fine job in 2006 with yet another. He does a good job of sprinkling in some funny jokes and keeping the show moving along, including the classy move of bringing Marketa Irglova on stage so she could deliver her speech.
Each year the broadcast brings a few moments that are memorable or stand out in the moment. This year was no exception. Among the moments this year, the ones that stood out to me included:
Javier Bardem's acceptance speech for the best supporting actor for his role in No Country for Old Men was very good. There was a great sense of genuine emotion from him as he thanked the Coens for the haircut and then spoke to his mother in Spanish. I have no idea what he said and do not feel the desire to know; I just that he was truly happy and it showed.
In a backstage interview Bardem had nothing but praise for the other nominees: "I mean, Philip Seymour Hoffman, for me, is one of the most amazing actors of all time ... Hal Holbrook ... When I saw Into the Wild, I have a heart attack almost, and I almost have to leave the theatre in Toronto with the scene in the truck when he wants to adopt him ... Casey Affleck, the whole journey is a piece of jewelry, jewelry, like every piece on time in order to create a really a spectrum of a ghost. And Tom Wilkinson, I haven't ever seen a madman so funny, crazy, dangerous, and the same time so heartbroken."
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