Quick Oscar Post
They always say the Oscars were worse than ever – but these really were.
NOTE TO PRODUCERS: You should really use entertainers, not dull, flat actors, as your hosts. James Franco and Anne Hathaway were like two stiff presenters at a high school graduation. It’s no accident that the audience rose for a standing ovation when Billy Crystal appeared. They were relieved. It was like seeing a water in the desert. He could even crack a joke. And the holographic Bob Hope was even better. Oh, for another era when Hollywood was Hollywood and had a little glamor.
What kind of an evening was it? There wasn’t even any good phony leftist politics (well, a little). The whole event even made you yearn for Marlon Brando sending an Indian to collect his prize, dopey as it was. At least that had some pizzazz.
Ironically, this snore fest came in the midst of a pretty good year for movies. There were at least three excellent films: The King’s Speech, The Social Network and Toy Story 3. Although I cast my Academy ballot for The KS, good as that is, I should really have voted for Toy Story 3. Taken as a trilogy, The Toy Story movies are for the ages, masterpieces of a new form of animation. Pixar is the ONLY move studio functioning the way the studios once functioned in the glory days, producing film after excellent film with their unique stamp on them. Is it because they are out of Hollywood? Because of Steve Jobs (or John Lasseter)? Who knows, but they’re doing it.
Best acceptance speeches: David Seidler, KS writer, and Tom Hooper, KS director, who acknowledged his mother for giving him idea to do film.
Lionel Chetwynd and I will have more on Poliwood. We’ll try not to be boring.
Oscar Host doesn’t seem to be a job many talented people want to do.
We tuned it out even earlier than usual. Ten minutes at the most. Don’t they know what’s funny anymore? So happy we missed Kirk Douglas. Heard it was excruciating. What’s wrong with those people?
I’m shocked that a high status circle jerk just isn’t entertaining to the masses.
Comedians always have seemed to be the best hosts. But what comedians are around now that you would want to see? Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes was a glimpse into what I mean.
All the “comedians” these days are either aggressively offensive or imagine themselves to be philosophers and political sages. Or both. Billy Crystal seems a little dated these days. So, who you gonna call? Jon Stewart? That didn’t work so well. Maybe Steve Colbert, huh? That would be classy. Or maybe Bill Maher? Larry the Cable guy? Jerry Seinfeld is the only onw I can imagine pulling it off (Cosby has lost too much to pull it poff.) And Seinfeld presumably has nothing to gain from doing it, since I’m sure he has been repeatedly offered the job.
Poise, restraint and a quiet but subtly commanding authority are necessary for the event, and no one has those qualities any more.
Given the choices, I vote Larry-the-Cable-Guy. Get a couple of beers in him and he would be tolerable.
Come to think of it, it would be high art watching him do his stick in the heart of snoots-ville.
Ron ‘Tater Salad’ White. Complete with cigar and bottle.
Since the studios stopped keeping the ‘talent’ on a short leash it’s pretty much been a race to the bottom. Case in point, you don’t read or hear about Toy Story’s leads getting picked up naked at Hollywood and Vine for DUI and meth possession now, do you? Pixar’s got them securely under their thumb.
No, Pixar has all that merchandising money to throw at the police and press.
Robin Williams. Larry would be good, as would Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, or Ron White. Whoops, I see jsallison has already mentioned White!
Rita Rudner. Sinbad.
…I wonder what an Academy Awards ceremony MC’d by Carlos Mencia would look like? :-/
I attended an Oscar-style social party. THAT made the award up and presentations moments quite entertaining, compared to the past. Obviously, this is a squewed setting from alone-at-home.
Franco particularly was a curious choice. He’s not a very good actor (see his leaden performances in the Spider Man movies); it’s a stretch to think he has the charisma and weight to carry off a host gig.
“Toy Story 3″ also had the best movie line in support freedom this year …
Aha. Pixar slips in a sly plug for Sarah Palin, one that needles lefties for their caricature of her. Cool.
I thought that Randy Newman’s acceptance speech was the best of the evening.
As for Kirk Douglas, I had left the room and missed his introduction and when I returned I asked my wife who it was. I sure did not recognize him and I winced at his wizened appearance, but soon started laughing – not at Kirk, God bless him, but because he was more entertaining and witty than either Franco or Hathaway, or both of ‘em put together. At 94, he’s still got it mentally, but he just can’t do it quickly.
I’m wondering if the inevitable selection of Toy Story 3 for the “Best Animated Film” oscar makes it impossible for it to win any other award, because it already has “Best picture” in its genre.
Still, we can’t shed much of a tear for John Lassater and crew, with the most amazing winning streak in the history of cinema …
D
What? Do real people even watch the Oscars anymore?
I know I’d much rather help a kid with a Scout project (Boy or Girl) or attend a high school choir concert or theatrical performance than most of what has been shoveled our way out of Hollywood.
Two other first-rate movies this year, both of which found big audiences despite the lack of a committed marketing push by their studios: Inception and True Grit. Inception, granted, was not for everyone; a geek notion that did not neglect heart and did not compromise on the complexity of the story, it meets the Nabokovian challenge of being a completely and lovingly realized world for us to live in. True Grit showed that there are writers, like Charles Portis, whom the Coen Brothers can adapt faithfully and remain completely within their own metier and predilections. It was early going, during the horse-trading scene, which anyone else in Hollywood would have kept to half the length but which everyone in the theater wanted to go blissfully on and on forever, that I realized True Grit would be one of the best movies of the year. Without saying anything against the winners, I remain outraged that True Grit went 0 for 10. Yeah, Bridges and the Coens have both won very recently and the Academy favors old-trooper adults over kids who will get another chance, okay, but 0 for 10? Shame!
So, you voted for The King’s Speech over Toy Story 3 and we’re supposed to take you seriously in the future? C’mon.
Two years from now, NOBODY will remember that The King’s Speech won the Best Picture Academy Award. Everybody who saw it will remember that there was more wisdom about relationships and the struggle to keep moving forward in Toy Story 3 than there typically is in any movie with a human cast.
I’ll put the brief scene where Andy’s Mom sees Andy’s empty room and says “oh” in the smallest, saddest voice against anything in The King’s Speech. Jebus. How could you watch something like that and still vote for something like The King’s Speech? Yes, The King’s Speech is a fine movie. It’s not a GREAT movie.
Wonder why Pixar will never win a Best Picture film? Because even people like you won’t vote for it when it’s obvious that Pixar is making better movies than other studio out there. You think you’ve done penance by mentioning that you SHOULD have voted for Toy Story 3. Sorry, it’s not enough. Voted for The King’s Speech? You’re just as complicit in the dullness of the Academy Awards as the show was. Keep voting for good-but-not-great films and you get the show you deserve.
‘Toy Story 3′ is a cartoon. Great story. Great execution. Terrific production values. And it’s still a cartoon. Remember in “Raging Bull” Jake La Motta wanted to take on Marciano and be the premier boxing champion of the world. His brother (?) says to him “Jake, that’s not possible. You’re a middleweight!”. Same thing. Think of a great movie, ‘The Godfather’, ‘Gone With The Wind’, now imagine a cartoon version, equally skillfully executed by Pixar. That’s the difference. Sugar Ray Robinson was a wonder but he could never be Muhammad Ali. In art the medium may or may not be the message, but it delineates the horizon beyond which the message cannot pass.
Given what happened with the Godfather trilogy (Sofia Coppola, anyone? Try finding a flaw that big in the Toy Story trilogy!), I’m not sure I would be comparing that to the Toy Story trilogy. You’re saying a cartoon can never be better than a movie with people? I’m not saying that Toy Story 3 is the greatest movie of all time. I’m simply saying that Mr. Simon and I both know that Toy Story 3 is a far better movie than The King’s Speech. He knew it and still voted against it.
The question is not whether you could make a cartoon version of Gone With the Wind. The question is whether you can make a cartoon movie that has the same effect on people as a non-cartoon movie. I would argue that Toy Story 3 conveys as much or more human emotion in its cartoon world than the non-cartoon movies nominated for Best Picture this year.
Huh. I’ve not been a careful follower of the situation by any means, but my impression was that the recent Oscar hosts had sucked. My conclusion was the problem was whoever is writing their material for the show…
Two minutes of Bob Hope outshined the whole show. I busted a gut. “Welcome to the Oscars, or, as we call them at my house…Passover.”
You know who else would be perfect? Kevin Spacey.
Every time I see him in an emcee-type role, he fills the bill magnificently. He wears a tux well, has that classy old-school Hollywood glamor, is quick-witted, and has a dry and wry sense of humor that works well on the stage – he can pull off a punchline.
I think he’d be perfect, but then, I’m also sure he has plenty of other things to keep him busy.
“Oscar Host” is often equal to “Dead Career.”
As for Pixar — they are so good because they are outside the buzz of Hollywood.
You see how films come in waves — a few years ago there were three or four animated films about penguins as a wave of penguin love saturated Hollywood output, IIRC as a response to the success of March of the Penguins.
They avoid the buzz that later becomes a buzzkill as an idea saturates Hollywood and Hollywood churns out five flavors of the same junk, especially in kids movies.
Pixar also doesn’t get caught up in remake fever. They don’t own past properties like Scooby Doo or the Smurfs to abuse, and so far they seem to have high enough standards to avoid franchise killing sequels such as Jaws 2 or Phantom Menace.
Thanks,
J
Quality of the writing and poor host selection does go a long way toward explaining why the Academy Awards is such an awful bore of a show. Ultimately, however, it comes down to the movies. If the Academy voters continue to reward good movies at the expense of great movies, there’s not much that can be done to improve the show. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Imagine the chatter today had Toy Story 3 won Best Picture.
I guess what galls me is when people like Mr. Simon say “I should have done this but I did that instead.” Everybody makes mistakes but Mr. Simon probably knew all along that Toy Story 3 was a much, much better movie than The King’s Speech. So, why did he vote for The King’s Speech? Was it a “safe” choice? Was it because he knew that Toy Story 3 would win the Best Animated Feature award?
Here’s why the show was so dull:
1. Poor hosts. Franco was just a warm body on the stage. No presence whatsoever. Hathaway had a little sparkle but ended up overcompensating for her poor co-host. (One wondered whether she would STOP yelling “Whooo!” every time she introduced a presenter.)
2. Poor writing. Allegedly, new talent was brought in to help Villanche and the rest of the writing team. Either the writing stunk or the words were never uttered. (While we’re at it, could somebody tell Robert Downey, Jr. that we’re familiar with his past and oh-so-familiar with his seemingly endless use of that past as presenter fodder? Enough already.)
3. Expected movie selection, expected winners. Was the outcome ever truly in doubt for most of the “big” awards? How much excitement can a show generate when it’s going to celebrate a movie as good-but-forgettable as The King’s Speech?
Quick note to say:
- Kirk Douglas was fantastic. He was one of the only ones really trying to entertain (and doing it well, I might add). Let’s not forget he’s 94 years old.
- Inception is EASILY right up there if not better than King’s Speech, Toy Story 3, and The Social Network.
- The King’s Speech stands at least toe to toe with Toy Story 3 anytime. Except when being watched by children. I’ll definitely concede that.
Too few nude women.
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
This was the first Oscar broadcast I’d watched in years. I found Anne Hathaway very entertaining, but Franco seemed to have over-medicated himself to get rid of the jitters — to the point I was surprised he was vertical.
As to Robert’s gush about Toy Story vs The King’s Speech — well, I guess some things work better on an adult level. Like loyalty, perseverence in duty no matter what a person would *like* to do — you know, things grown-ups have to deal with and perpetual adolescents don’t understand. I found the juxtaposition of Bertie (adult) and David (perpetual adolescent) to be such a profound reflection on all that is wrong with so many areas of society that it takes my breath away.
Knowing that Elizabeth II’s father died of lung cancer adds quite a bit more bite to the “breath deeply, pull the nicotine deep into your lungs” scene and references.
I saw The King’s Speech exactly once, and was so riveted I can still paraphrase entire lines of dialog. I saw Toy Story 3 the same (singular) number of times, and I can’t even remember how they got out of the giant incinerator.
As I said, what speaks to a person more? Feelings, or dealing with life and getting the job done in spite of how a person feels about it?
Ah yes, the clever rejoinder that anyone who enjoys art cleverly made for children and their parents must be a perpetual adolescent! So adult to posit a stark choice between feelings or dealing with life. Because it’s one or the other, right?
You’ll excuse me if I don’t worry about being called childish by somebody who cannot even remember how the toys got out of the incinerator, for pete’s sake.
Me: How did the toys get out of the incinerator?
My Five-Year Old Son: What?
Me: Remember when Buzz and Woody and their friends were about to be burnt in the big garbage pile? How did they get out?
My Five-Year Old Son: Those little aliens worked the giant claw and scooped them right up!
The claaaawwww!
I actually read that comment as saying the character of David in the Kings Speech was the perpetual adolescent, in contrast with Bertie, not any kind of remark about the sort of person who might enjoy well made children’s films.
I loved the King’s Speech – for many of the same reasons, but also because it was witty and intelligent and moving without any obvious special effects. I was cheering for it all night, and I’d put Colin Firth’s acceptance speech on the list among the best.
“Toby Hooper, KS director”
Tom Hooper directed The King’s Speech; Tobe Hooper directed the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Pixar is about entertainment and making money. Not PC. Not forcing a political
agenda. Family films make money.
Man, I disagree, Anne Hathaway really put herself out there. As a performer, she took great risks in front of the entire Industry and I expect her to gain longterm rewards.
I really liked your phrase, a “movie for the ages.” I’m starting to hear that line in meetings on both sides of the desk. I think it gives the executive or writer a chance to step away from current trends and pitch a project they really care about.
I also enjoyed your line about Pixar being “the ONLY move studio functioning the way the studios once functioned.” Pixar has really influenced Disney’s culture on the Burbank lot. They’re even sending writers/producers up to Emeryville to discuss/workshop their live action scripts with the Pixar creative team.
“Toby Hooper” as KING’S SPEECH director? Okay, I laughed.
Dennis Miller was born to be Oscar host.
With her Fabulous Red Gown, Anne Hathaway makes her stunning on the awards night. I am more impressed with her today than before. Good thing she didn’t pursue in becoming a nun; otherwise, we wouldn’t have come to know a great actress like her. I just read her newest release of biography at http://biography.co/anne-hathaway-unauthorized-biography
Anne Hathaway’s witty, “This has been the year of The Lesbians”, certainly reminds me of the talented people who have hosted in the past. The writer and/or Anne who didn’t deep-six that comment prior to broadcast will have to live with it.
I will remember The King’s Speech the rest of my life and I had already forgotten that I have seen Toy Story 3 until details of the garbage inferno were brought up here. I saw TKS 3 days ago and am still mulling the plot, dialogue, acting expertise and human pathos over in my mind as I go through my day and drift off to sleep. Can’t think of a better Best Picture since Raging Bull. TS3 was a good film, TKS was memorably great (even if, in fact Churchill was really desperate for David to remain King and never had a bad word to say about him).