tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post7149036762555391608..comments2024-03-25T19:18:14.047-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: It's a wonderful night for an Oscar! Oscar Oscar! Who will win?Alan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-2963543514928575312009-02-25T16:12:00.000-05:002009-02-25T16:12:00.000-05:00that post had been sitting on my nokia since sunda...that post had been sitting on my nokia since sunday nightPamela Jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135379188588301400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44035187451156769122009-02-25T16:11:00.000-05:002009-02-25T16:11:00.000-05:00i was going to skip it, but Jay wants to watch it....i was going to skip it, but Jay wants to watch it.<BR/><BR/>i could offer him the golen globes or SAGs instead. neither of those got watched this year (DVR has 4 hard drives and the last one is a terabyte)<BR/><BR/>btw, i really loved Grey's this weekPamela Jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135379188588301400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-22438241330480489072009-02-23T15:42:00.000-05:002009-02-23T15:42:00.000-05:00@ todmod: I've heard the theories that the Phoeni...@ todmod: I've heard the theories that the Phoenix Letterman appearance is all one big publicity stunt. If so, then Stiller shouldn't have played along. Either way, the bit was painfully unfunny, not unlike most of Ben Stiller's movies.Pandyorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14443878083667539708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-39936088267239483312009-02-23T12:41:00.000-05:002009-02-23T12:41:00.000-05:00Having "met" Rob Lowe via the West Wing, I'm kind ...<I>Having "met" Rob Lowe via the West Wing, I'm kind of blown away by that clip. Sam? What in the world are you doing up there, Sam?</I><BR/><BR/>Well when we first met Sam, one of the "finest minds of his generation," he was sleeping with a call girl he'd just met!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-9828345290475935002009-02-23T10:15:00.000-05:002009-02-23T10:15:00.000-05:00Overall they were just blah - Ditto on previous po...Overall they were just blah - Ditto on previous posts though about 2 VERY annoying segments. <BR/><BR/>Ben Stiller's "impersonation"-first of all it was not funny and to do it during a presentation was very classless. Have more respect for your peers bozo. (fortunately I could focus on Natalie Portman - yowza)<BR/><BR/>The in memorial was terrible. Latifah should definitely not have been singing but the worst part is I couldn't see half the people because damn cameras kept moving. I'm really tired of these directors assuming everyone has big screens and hd - I don't.<BR/><BR/>One other thing that was very irritating -and maybe it was just my sound system- but the background jazz during the makeup/costume etc awards was so loud it was very distracting (I also didn't understand the reason for it)<BR/><BR/>Oh- one more thing- thank God Peter Gabriel had the sense to back out of performing. The Indian songs were very good and very well done - but to throw his song in the middle of those two was ridiculous.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06336003200003462670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44222032799343813692009-02-23T10:08:00.000-05:002009-02-23T10:08:00.000-05:00Wow, Pandyora - you do realize that Joaquin Phoeni...Wow, Pandyora - you do realize that Joaquin Phoenix is doing a bit right? He has a fake mockumentary coming out later detailing his also fake career change to rap. Absurd yes, serious issue - no.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-45927154268709694022009-02-23T09:41:00.000-05:002009-02-23T09:41:00.000-05:00Generally a yawn but a couple of quick thoughts:- ...Generally a yawn but a couple of quick thoughts:<BR/><BR/>- I am with Tom E and others. Unless Queen Latifah has died, she should not be singing over the "in memorial" tribute.<BR/><BR/>- I liked the BSG "final five"-style introductions for acting categories. Having recognizable faces introduce the current nominees personalized the whole process, making it seem less like one giant three-hour advertisement.<BR/><BR/>- The Stiller Joaquin Phoenix bit was tasteless and unfunny. Phoenix is either a drug addict, seriously mentally ill, or both. Mocking him with a cheap impression that got zero laughs doesn't make you an edgy comedian, it makes you an insensitive ass.Pandyorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14443878083667539708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-35319529915086191542009-02-23T09:31:00.000-05:002009-02-23T09:31:00.000-05:00Oscar post-mortem column is up here now.Oscar post-mortem column is <A HREF="http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/02/sepinwall_on_tv_oscarcast_post.html" REL="nofollow">up here</A> now.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-66833746510184106552009-02-23T09:11:00.000-05:002009-02-23T09:11:00.000-05:00I thought it was great (although too long, but the...I thought it was great (although too long, but then the Oscars are ALWAYS too long). I'm always amused when people say how boring the Oscars are (or the emmys, or the grammys, etc.) They're awards shows. They're never THAT exciting. The complaints are the same every year. Keep your expectations low, your love for fashion high, and bring a book for all the commercials!<BR/><BR/>I thought Hugh Jackman's opener was terrific, and very funny, so I guess it's just a matter of personal taste whether you liked it or not. I've cringed through some crappy comedian bits from prior hosts, and I didn't think he made a wrong step. Really wished Rourke would've won, as it felt like I was watching a documentary about a wrestler, and also Milk was such a two-dimensional character--Saint Harvey, if you will, no flaws--but I will agree that Penn did a fantastic job with him. I would've supported a best actor tie as well if it'd gone that way.<BR/><BR/>Loved Slumdog, and thought it lived up to the hype. And hooray for Kate! She looked beautiful, and she deserved it. Good show, good show!erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16186483042206438665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-3499284738064930852009-02-23T07:15:00.000-05:002009-02-23T07:15:00.000-05:00I was surprisingly not bored this year - perhaps b...I was surprisingly not bored this year - perhaps because I expected the worse.<BR/><BR/>I liked Hugh Jackman giving a stripped down opening number due to the recession -- however, the joke didn't work well when you looked at the stage and realized they spent an excessive amount of money on all of it. Too me, all of it should have been stripped down.<BR/><BR/>I loved Tina Fey and Steve Martin here (much better than on 30 Rock). <BR/><BR/>And I agreed with the complaints about the "in Memoriam" -- I could barely read the names. We didn't need 500 TVs up there - just one big screen would have worked better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-91716464522312906172009-02-23T05:44:00.000-05:002009-02-23T05:44:00.000-05:00Um... is there a sync error on that YouTube clip (...Um... is there a sync error on that YouTube clip (it happens sometimes) or is she the recipient of the Academy Award for Worst Lip-Synching?<BR/><BR/>(FYI: my word verification was walizin, which made me hear in my head "WALL*E's In", but I never could bring myself to watch WALL*E -- reminds me too much of Number 5 from the movie Short Circuit)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-52477800252726838362009-02-23T04:20:00.000-05:002009-02-23T04:20:00.000-05:00Am I the only one that loved the idea of five past...<I>Am I the only one that loved the idea of five past winners introducing each nominee personally? I thought it went spectacularly well...you could see that the nominees were genuinely touched to be honoured by their friends and colleagues, relative unknowns like Shannon, Leo and Jenkins got their moment in the sun rather than just being an anonymous name and a film clip, and I liked the 'welcome to the club' image of the past winners greeting the latest Oscar champion.<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>As a concept, yes, it is a nice idea. <BR/>In practice, however, it meant that the "stars" get special treatment that the behind-the-scenes people (even the directors) didn't get, and it really slowed the show down since you had five speeches instead of one. Like I said in my post, they were worried about time so they cut down on things like the musical performances, which are actually entertaining, and replaced it with more speeches, some seemingly made up on the spot.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08196372589248892579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-59191480355428071702009-02-23T01:35:00.000-05:002009-02-23T01:35:00.000-05:00Personally, I enjoy the Oscars. They're the only ...Personally, I enjoy the Oscars. They're the only awards I watch (well, and the Emmys), and I tend to try even to avoid hearing about who wins in other awards, so I tend to come to the Oscars fresh. They're often really rather bad, but I can't imagine not watching, because sometimes they can be fun. <BR/><BR/><I>Someone wanna remind me again why Wall*E wasn't nominated for Best Picture?</I><BR/><BR/>Because Beauty and Beast was nominated for Best Picture, so they created a special category to prevent kids films from intruding on the proper films ever again.<BR/>I agree, it was an absolute injustice that Wall-E wasn't nominated (especially when The Reader was nominated), and it should have won Best Picture (although I agree with not nominating Dark Knight - really really loved that film, but it wasn't at that level). <BR/><BR/>The opening song-and-dance was all rather disappointing. Jackman did a technically good performance job, but (once you get past the joke of a recession-era low-budget number) the material was just weak and unfunny.<BR/><BR/>I wasn't happy how they did the Actor awards. I already hate how people focus just on the actors at the Oscars anyway (I remember one year watching with a friend, she went off to do something and told me to call her when the big awards were given - and then got annoyed that I called her in for the screenplay awards, because they weren't the important ones), so creating this excessive self-indulgent mess for just the actors (not even the directors!) that just took up so much time was annoying and just reinforced this idea.<BR/>(And the really annoying thing was, they could easily have fit in full performances of all the nominated songs - actual entertainment! - if they had just presented those awards same as every other.)<BR/><BR/>Tina Fey and Steve Martin were seriously great. I don't think I can say much else.<BR/><BR/>I hated hated hated what Ben Stiller did. If what Joaquin Phoenix is currently doing is genuine, then he was making fun of an actor who seems to be going through a lot of problems at the moment, and was basically cruel. And if it really is faked by Phoenix, then Stiller comes across as making jokes about a joke (which never really works), or completely missing the point. In any case, the worst thing was that it meant the crowd was laughing when the cinematography nominations were read out, which is the absolute last thing you want to have happen.<BR/>(For "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" -- ha ha ha -- cinematography by Claudio Miranda -- HA HA --)<BR/><BR/><I>I also think Leonard Bernstein was probably turning over in his grave at the music from "West Side Story" being put on equal footing with a song from "High School Musical 3."<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>There were many things I was annoyed by about this Oscars. But this (and Ben Stiller) were the only things I hated.<BR/><BR/><I>Just when I thought this ceremony couldn't be any worse come the words "Coming up, a tribute to Jerry Lewis!"</I><BR/><BR/>To be fair, acknowledging his work for Muscular Dystrophy is appropriate. He has done a lot in that area. <BR/><BR/>The Pineapple Express guys looking at the comedies was great - confused The Love Guru for Slumdog? The hysterical reactions to The Reader? Or James Franco as they watched Milk. And then they threw in Kaminski, just because it was something to do. That was funny.<BR/><BR/><I>The Oscars should hand out an award to the best stuntman/stunt team. It might be the most under-appreciated segment in movie-making.<BR/>So many action movies create their appeal by the innovative and death-defying stunts. It's about time that the Academy recognizes it.</I><BR/><BR/>Absolutely agree with you on that point. Unfortunately the Academy have refused to create the category, which is shameful.<BR/><BR/><I>Boo on the "In Memoriam" segment. Too many long shots of Queen Latifah. Just put up a full screen of the clip-show.</I><BR/><BR/>The "In Memorium" is the wrong part of the show to try to be impressive and stylised. It needs to be calm, sober, contemplative, just for a moment. The worst part of it was the fact that, because of the way it was filmed, a lot of the names were actually hard to read (and I'm a 30-year-old with good eyesight watching on a 46 inch screen). How many people would have found those names impossible to read?<BR/><BR/>I know a lot of people disliked Charlton Heston's politics, but I would have hoped there would be a bit of applause for his memorium, but the crowd just stayed silent.<BR/><BR/>I did like the moment when Kate Winslet got her father to whistle so she could find him him - a nice real moment. <BR/><BR/>"You commie homo-loving sons of guns." Best quote of the night. <BR/><BR/>All in all, it wasn't a great show. Watchable, there were some good bits, more bad bits, and nothing that will be replayed in 20 years as an Oscar highlight.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08196372589248892579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-91843361412254012402009-02-23T01:07:00.000-05:002009-02-23T01:07:00.000-05:00i gave up whe Jay left. what happened after 11:10?...i gave up whe Jay left. what happened after 11:10?Pamela Jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135379188588301400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-2294665060395111642009-02-23T01:02:00.000-05:002009-02-23T01:02:00.000-05:00Am I the only one that loved the idea of five past...Am I the only one that loved the idea of five past winners introducing each nominee personally? I thought it went spectacularly well...you could see that the nominees were genuinely touched to be honoured by their friends and colleagues, relative unknowns like Shannon, Leo and Jenkins got their moment in the sun rather than just being an anonymous name and a film clip, and I liked the 'welcome to the club' image of the past winners greeting the latest Oscar champion.<BR/><BR/>I thought the broadcast was fantastic overall. Having just one presenter do 2-3 awards at a time really sped things up. They could probably do without the 'genre 2008' montages next year, but overall this was the best Oscar telecast I've seen in years.Question Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00267485396018087075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-32674499341750704532009-02-23T00:08:00.000-05:002009-02-23T00:08:00.000-05:00why wasn't carlin in the people that died sequence...why wasn't carlin in the people that died sequence? he was in a dozen or so movies right?Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08616823699793337943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-55064875545142401282009-02-23T00:00:00.001-05:002009-02-23T00:00:00.001-05:00Rourke was awesome in the Wrestler... I was convin...Rourke was awesome in the Wrestler... I was convinced that he himself was a washed up, juicing wrestler. However, I think some of the hype was due to his Phoenix-like comeback.<BR/><BR/>Penn, I thought, displayed more range emotionally in his role as Harvey Milk. It was one of those years where I would not have minded a tie.<BR/><BR/>However, the biggest snub of the night was a lack of a nomination for Wall-E for Best Picture.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-61255352216119647342009-02-23T00:00:00.000-05:002009-02-23T00:00:00.000-05:00At least it was mostly on-time...30 minutes over.....At least it was mostly on-time...30 minutes over...not bad. Annoyed by the Benjamin Buttons wins (even if it was based on a story by my second favorite author). I really would have liked Mickey Rourke to win, but I still would question who is the bigger douche...him or Penn. Either way, they both gave great performances and not-winning shouldn't hurt Rourke's chances for getting more work. If I had won a technical award, however, I would have spoke up for TDK in a larger sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-65666363278784569942009-02-22T23:57:00.000-05:002009-02-22T23:57:00.000-05:00Predictable win...but the montage was really neat,...Predictable win...but the montage was really neat, with all the thematically similar clips juxtaposed with each nominee.<BR/><BR/>Not a terrible show, but not particularly exciting either. Ah well.<BR/><BR/>Good night all!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-8538093593963027722009-02-22T23:55:00.000-05:002009-02-22T23:55:00.000-05:00I enjoyed it. Penn's speech was cute.I enjoyed it. Penn's speech was cute.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-52423630961182665802009-02-22T23:53:00.000-05:002009-02-22T23:53:00.000-05:00And thus ends an incredibly predictable night.And thus ends an incredibly predictable night.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-28288866353916237112009-02-22T23:44:00.001-05:002009-02-22T23:44:00.001-05:00Being a close friend of De Niro's does mean someth...Being a close friend of De Niro's does mean something in LaLa Land . . .Mapeelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12149683683413237283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-7365776885092305432009-02-22T23:44:00.000-05:002009-02-22T23:44:00.000-05:00Wanted Rourke to win... but Penn was so incredible...Wanted Rourke to win... but Penn was so incredible as Milk that I cannot be disappointedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-11728590254951980862009-02-22T23:43:00.000-05:002009-02-22T23:43:00.000-05:00"You sly dog! You caught me monologuing!"I don't k..."You sly dog! You caught me monologuing!"<BR/><BR/>I don't know what would help more, more variety/exciting sequences or more interesting/competitive races?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-73318412557510943822009-02-22T23:42:00.001-05:002009-02-22T23:42:00.001-05:00Hopkins looks great.. unless he's sickHopkins looks great.. unless he's sickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com