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.
Julie Andrews was received with great warmth, 38 years after Mary Poppins, as she introduced a musical medley. She looks great - also aging very well are the twin towers of Hollywood liberalism Barbra Streisand and Susan Sarandon, who were restrained and nonpolitical in their presentations.
One of the most serendipitous byproducts of the aging of the Baby Boomers is that women can now be sexy and glamorous at least into their 50s. This is liberating for us all on the one hand, but also a challenge: there is no age now beyond which it is generally accepted you can "let yourself go." A nation is grateful but nervous.
Salma Hayek and Halle Berry are shockingly beautiful, have outrageous bodies, are strong and independent, and put the lie to the blonde myth.
I enjoyed watching Richard Gere, who was seated in the front row and about the only person associated with Chicago other than the caterer who wasn't nominated for an Oscar, beaming and glad-handing the Chicago winners (they picked up six including Best Film) as they went by. He looked like the usher at a wedding, very expressive, not a hint of resentment, very much enjoying the success of his compatriots. I'm not sure where Gere's image of being cold, dispassionate and selfish came from, but he was none of the above last night.
Moore, discussed elsewhere (the audio evidence is here), regardless of your political views committed the crime of violating the tone of the evening: he turned it into a circus, shouting and braying his condemnation of Bush, the war, etc., like a fishmonger.
Article comments
1 - san
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.
2 - Ryan
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.
3 - Bill Sherman
Eric, for the record, I liked this take on the show and on Moore's blustery comments. . .
4 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Bill, you rock
5 - James Russell
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? :)
6 - The Theory
yeah... give me a kilt any day.
*The Theory... would totally wear a kilt*
peace.
7 - Eric Olsen
I have seen the damage a kilt can do firsthand.
8 - Steve Rhodes
Ryan, Moore said he and the others make non-fiction films (his one feature film Canadian Bacon was pretty bad).
9 - Peter Petrisko
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
10 - Lynne
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.
11 - Eric Olsen
sorry Lynne