Oscar Wrap Up

Some final thoughts on last night:

Best Dressed- Diane Lane and Tina Fey, and no it’s not just because of their beauty and brains. I thought both wore dresses that fit them perfectly and matched their style. Big props to Viola Davis as well for her stunning old Hollywood garb.

Worst Dressed- I thought Tilda Swinton had this wrapped up and was well on her way toward creating the Tilda Award for outstanding achievement in runway train wrecks, when Miley Cyrus walked in late. Her gown was all over the place and screamed “Look at me I’m trying to be an adult. Albeit a poorly dressed one.”

Most Confusing Dress- Reese Witherspoon came on stage in a dress that looked unsymmetrical and not on purpose. The straps and nude netting were completely distracting from a woman who usually shines on the center stage.

Best Host Moment- The opening number by Hugh Jackman certainly quieted all the naysayers including myself. While I thought his follow up small talk went on too long, the musical bit was just priceless and a lot of credit goes to Anne Hathaway for that.

Worst Host Moment- While Wolverine struggled the rest of the night, no moment was more painful then the musical tribute to musicals he starred in with Beyonce, the ABBA kids, and the HSM3 kids. Not only was it poorly staged (sorry Baz) but the singers stepped all over each other and made it a muddled mess.

Best Winning Moment- While we were all touched by Heath’s family I thought Kate Winslet’s moment was the most special of the night. Watching the love between her and Sam Mendes was simply beautiful.

Worst Winning Moment- I felt so sorry for anyone that had to share the stage with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. While many of the presenters had poor banter, theirs was by far the worst.

In the end, I think the Academy should be congratulated for trying something different. The old Hollywood theme with the crystal curtain was fun and Jackman showed promise early. However as the night progressed there were far too many snooze moments and not enough Oscar memories. Maybe next year they’ll ask Tina Fey and Steve Martin to host the whole thing. Now that’s something that would be worth watching for three and a half hours.