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February 25, 2007

Oscars Open Thread

I wasn't sure I wanted to liveblog this year's Oscars. After all, I'm trying to keep track of the broadcast and the online, interactive stuff. Plus, some friends at the Fayetteville Observer are already liveblogging. But I can't resist throwing out a few comments. Feel free to leave a comment or two, if you're so inclined.

Update: While I'm thinking about it, check out the Oscar coverage on the Risky Biz blog and Anne Thompson's column on Errol Morris's Oscar doc, one of my favorite segments of the show.

Posted by chuck at February 25, 2007 9:09 PM

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Comments

A little surprised that Alan Arkin won for Supporting Actor. I'm still convinced that LMS might win Best Picture. Really odd, btw, that Ellen interviews Mark Wahlberg immediately after he lost the Supporting Actor award.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 9:26 PM

I didn't like that interviewing in the aisle thing at all.

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 9:28 PM

The music cutting off Al Gore's announcement was predictable but very funny. Why did we think Al Gore was stiff?

And, of course, getting the Oscars to go green is pretty cool, too.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 9:40 PM

I still can't get used to the phrase, "Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Ben Affleck." I don't think I ever will.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 9:48 PM

So that's two references to not having a place to put down the Oscar. Glad to see William Monahan win for best adapted screenplay.

Could Tom Hanks's "more fun" comment have sounded any more sarcastic?

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 9:56 PM

Chuck, I thought that "More fun!" thing was hilarious. He looked like he wasn't to roll his eyes and flip Chris Whatsisname off.

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 9:57 PM

Oh, I thought that was the funniest thing Tom Hanks has done in years. Sarcasm is great!

The Meryl Streep-Devil Wears Prada bit was actually pretty smart. Milena Canonera winning for "Marie Antoinette" is probably a good choice for costume.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:05 PM

Okay, the interviews in the aisles are growing on me. Ellen getting her picture taken with Clint Eastwood for MySpace was funny. Although I can't help but think it was Hollywood's slightly threatened response to Web 2.0.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:13 PM

Wow, cinematography, too. Now I really feel like I need to see Pan's Labyrinth. But all of the cinematography nominees this year were really good.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:15 PM

I just thought it was funny that she told him he got the shot wrong.

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 10:16 PM

I had no idea Sherry Lansing was married to William Friedkin. How did I miss that?

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:18 PM

Especially glad to see Vilmos Zsigmond, one of my favorite cinematographers got a nomination for Black Dahlia.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:21 PM

Chris, I didn't know that about Lansing and Friedkin, either. But then again, I didn't know about Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren until tonight. Nobody tells me these things.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:22 PM

Visual effects winners -- not the most articulate award winners of the night...

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:24 PM

No, not so much, but the dude who gave a shout out to his son was pretty sweet. I'm really enjoying the "foreign language film" montage, but it makes me wish that *more* of these films would actually play in theaters. In the U.S.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:28 PM

Wow! Lives of Others was a bit of an upset. I'm curious to see it now.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:31 PM

You're right about the foreign language films -- I've seen none of them this year, but then again, none of them have actually come to my town!

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:34 PM

Pan's Labyrinth is here now, and Water was playing in DC around the time I left. Not sure why I missed it.

But my understanding is that fewer foreign language films are playing on US screens now than in past decades.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:38 PM

Well, Jennifer Hudson was no big surprise, though I was rooting a bit for Abigail Breslin, since she was, IMHO, the best part of LMS.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:39 PM

Pan's played here for a few weeks, and I didn't get to see it. Just didn't have/make the time.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:40 PM

Yeah, I would have enjoyed seeing Abigail Breslin win, but the Jennifer Hudson buzz has been too strong.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:42 PM

Glad to see "The Blood of Yingzhou District" win. It played at Silverdocs, and everyone said it was incredible.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:44 PM

No shock about An Inconvenient Truth, but Iraq in Fragments was also deserving. And yes, Gore used the "will to act is a renewable resource" line.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:50 PM

Yeah, I don't see how anything but Inconvenient Truth had a shot....

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:52 PM

Not when the theme of the Oscars was "going green" and nominees were showing up in hybrid-engine limos. Still, if you haven't seen Jesus Camp or Fragments, they're both worth checking out.

And I've heard great things about My Country, My Country, which also played at Silverdocs.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 10:55 PM

Ennio Morricone -- man, just listening to samples from his scores, it's amazing none of those won Oscars. His music is so iconic.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 10:58 PM

Say, what was Celine Dion singing? I can never pay attention when she sings. I thought it really disrupted the award for Ennio Morricone.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:00 PM

Whatever it was, he apparently wrote the music. But I agree -- don't care for her music at all.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:05 PM

My last comment got lost. Was going to mention that I first heard his music watching The Mission with you back when we were in high school. Great stuff.

Wow, the dude from Babel is turning into an Oscar regular. I would've liked to see Phillip Glass win, but I really don't think his score fit Notes on a Scandal very well. It simply wasn't a well-made film.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:09 PM

I was just saying to Sherry that the music from The Mission is amazing to me, even now, having heard it a hundred times.

I really like what they're doing with the screenplay awards, reading moments from the scripts while screening the visuals as the film interpreted them.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:15 PM

A little surprised that Little Miss Sunshine won for screenplay--I'm beginning to think it's going to win best picture.

Great anecdote about the basis for the broken clutch in LMS, though.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:16 PM

Yeah, reading from the screenplays is a really good idea.

Odd that they're trying to play up the Oscar pools. The "we're interactive" stuff isn't working that well in my opinion.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:18 PM

Is it still eating comments?

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 11:18 PM

Yeah, I just don't see LMS as a best pic/Oscar type film at all. I think it's got that "little film that could" vibe going on. In truth, I think the screenplay calls upon a bunch of cliches...

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:18 PM

I think it's working again, Veronica. Sorry if you lost a comment or two.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:20 PM

I agree with you about LMS, Chris. I don't *want* it to win except for the fact that it would confirm my somewhat cynical prediction.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:22 PM

I'm still hoping The Departed will break through for the big win. I admit it's not looking good, but then again, who knows how voters think...

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:23 PM

I'd like to see The Departed win, too. Jut not that confident about its chances. I do think that Scorsese has a great chance at director even if The Departed doesn't win for best pic.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:26 PM

I'll be shocked if he doesn't win. But stranger things have happened (i.e., Kevin Costner over Scorsese)... I'm sure no one was expecting that to happen either.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:28 PM

Wow. Good for Melissa Etheridge. BTW, has Randy Newman ever won an Oscar? I know he's been nominated like eighty-six times.

Sheez, maybe Al Gore should run for President.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:31 PM

Just checked and Newman won for Monsters, Inc after a Susan Lucci-like sixteen nominations.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:33 PM

BTW, Etheridge thanking her wife was a nice moment.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:35 PM

Yeah, I remember Newman winning that year and thinking "about time..."

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:38 PM

So this "America" montage is really odd. It's oddly cynical for the Academy Awards. Some great films, though.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:39 PM

Weirdest montage ever. What the hell?

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 11:40 PM

Yeah, not sure what Michael Mann was trying to do there or how some of those films (Blade Runner) were distinctly American.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:41 PM

Cool! Glad Thelma Schoonmaker won! Loved the editing in The Departed.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:43 PM

Way to go, Thelma Schoonmaker! It's funny to see this older lady editing this hard-hitting, violent film with such sharp editing.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:44 PM

Loved the description of working with Marty as being like "working in the best film school in the world." What a nice tribute.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:44 PM

Lovd seeing him crying, too.

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:46 PM

Yeah, it is a bit odd, but she's so deeply associated with Scorsese that it makes sense.

I probably comment on this every year, but I find the dead people montage incredibly odd. I'm never sure how to respond.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:49 PM

Wow, it's bad when you're making jokes about being that far behind schedule. Quite frankly I think the Oscars should just embrace it. They run late. Big deal.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:53 PM

Schoonmaker and Scorsese -- having worked together so long, I imagine they must have a very close friendship. I think it's kind of nice, LOL.

The In Memoriam montage -- well, I think a big part of my response each year is: "Wait, did I know he died?"

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:54 PM

Helen Mirren -- big surprise there ;-)

On how late they're running: yeah, if the show is good, people won't care. Why fight it?

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:55 PM

Helen Mirren is a good choice. Not a big surprise, of course. Love the awkwardness (carrying her purse on stage).

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:55 PM

I get why she was paying tribute to the Queen, of course, but was she saying that her Oscar was the queen? Confusing little moment there...

Posted by: Chris at February 25, 2007 11:57 PM

Chris, yeah, that's how I feel about the "dead people" montage.

Posted by: Chuck at February 25, 2007 11:57 PM

Yeah, the ending of Mirren's speech was a little odd.

Posted by: Veronica at February 25, 2007 11:58 PM

Love that little host comment (what's that guy's name again?) -- 'are YOU ready?'

Well, dude, we've been watching for 4 hours. What do YOU think?

Posted by: Chris at February 26, 2007 12:01 AM

The "I give you the Queen" bit was kind of strange.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:01 AM

Isn't it Chris Connelly? I think he's been about 40 years for like twenty years. But, nah, we're not ready. Maybe Celine Dion could sing a couple more songs?

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:03 AM

So it was a mediocre film, but I'm glad that Forest Whitaker won. He's really a great actor who has been under-appreciated until recently.

Really moving speech, by the way. Glad they didn't cut him off.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:10 AM

Woohoo! So fantastic that Marty finally won. And a very generous speech.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:11 AM

Of all the times for my server to get overloaded. How annoying.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:12 AM

yeah -- lost a few comments there. but WOO HOO marty. that was a nice moment.

And THE DEPARTED wins! Shock -- but a NICE shock.

Posted by: Chris at February 26, 2007 12:14 AM

Good for Marty! Glad The Departed won for picture.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:15 AM

Guess I was right after all.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:17 AM

well, a good night, in the end. signing off. 'night, chuck.

Posted by: Chris at February 26, 2007 12:19 AM

Sorry I'm just now getting to join in...

Glad Marty won... You could kind of see it coming when The Three Film School Directors were standing up there, but it was a nice moment...

Hey Chuck, I've been meaning to mention this to you, but in Roger Ebert's book "Awake in the Dark" (Which is strange to read right now, because it sort of feels like he's writing his own career-eulogy) there is an EXCELLENT section on documentaries... If you haven't yet, you should...

Posted by: Dylan at February 26, 2007 12:20 AM

Good night, Chris. It was fun. Hey, Dylan. Thanks for the tip on Ebert. I'll be sure to check it out.

And, yes, as soon as I saw Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg come out, I knew the deal was in the bag.

Posted by: Chuck at February 26, 2007 12:22 AM

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