Review of The 83rd Academy Awards
Well...
That wasn't so bad. Pretty much every movie that we have seen won in previous awards ceremonies went on to pick the king's share (no pun intended) at the Oscars. The ceremony itself reminded me of something Terry Gilliam said about his films: it was different from what I envisioned but, simultaneously, very close to what I envisioned. Let's give a round of applause to Nikki Finke of Deadline.com for linking the blueprint to this year's ceremony.
This year's Academy Awards was, by far, one of the most interesting ceremonies I have ever seen. I give kudos to the producers for paying homage to films by their elegant set pieces. But as far as the whole presentation goes, it came off a little muddled.
The hosts. Okay, I am going to give Mr. Franco and Ms. Hathaway their due because I am sure there will be supporters and detractors of the two running to this board soon. I applaud their effort, they weren't the greatest hosts but certainly not the most horrible. I could tell they were nervous and why not, they have never frontrun an Oscars ceremony in front of millions of people both at the Kodak Theatre and home.
But they carried the show with grace and humor. They lacked the incendiary wit of Ricky Gervais, arguably the greatest Golden Globes host ever, but they entertained and brought dazzle to the ceremony. Would they return next year? These days, the Oscars change hosts every year as often as I change my socks.
There were a number of memorable moments: probably the most mentioned, one that will be talked about near the water cooler, was Kirk Douglas presenting the Oscar to Melissa Leo. It was moving and inspirational to see Kirk Douglas walk on stage. 94 years old and still harboring the gravitas and dignity that were earmarks to his body of work. Along with these fine qualities was a playful humor that he brought to the presentation.
Gosh, do I miss Billy Crystal. He has certainly aged since the last time we saw him host the Oscars in 2004, but what has not aged is the humor that has become a hallmark to the legendary entertainer. I enjoyed his presentation of the very first Oscars ceremony in 1929.
Speaking of Billy Crystal, the Bob Hope presentation was nifty but when he was made to "announce" the presenters for Visual Effects, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, any smart computer guy can tell that was contrived.
The winners for the lead Acting Oscars were deserving of their win. Natalie Portman has come a long way from playing the young girl who became an orphan in The Professional. Her performance as Nina in Black Swan manifested her remarkable talent and range. Colin Firth did not Daniel Day-Lewis his way through his portrayal of King George VI. But in handling the King's affliction with humanity, we came to sympathize Colin's King George and look at him not as a monarch but as an Everyman.
Who knows if anybody will remember this year's Academy Awards? It certainly was not as memorable as the heartwarming, emotional 81st Oscars (2009) or the politically charged 75th Oscars (2003), but it was a worthy effort this year to celebrate movies.
If only they could allow Ricky Gervais to host next year, even though the odds are slim.....
Grade: B+
Navid Sitarian
February 27, 2011