The Daily OrangeThe gold standard
By Rebekah Jones
Posted: 2/23/09, 2:50 AM EST Section: Clicker
No one really knew what to expect out of Hugh Jackman as this year's host of the Academy Awards. No one could live up to Jon Stewart, but how could an actor, a "pretty face," keep the millions of people who tune in for the Oscars every year entertained? With song and dance, of course.
Beyoncé Knowles, Anne Hathaway and others teamed up with Jackman to make this year's Oscars a musical extravaganza. His jokes were clean, his voice was spectacular and his movie, well, didn't win. But never mind that, he commanded the audience as host and the seemingly odd choice turned out to be the right one.
Red Carpet highlights
Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick showed up arm in arm, after rumors of their split.
Mickey Rourke showed up doused in white - totally rock star style.
Jack Black embarrassed a reporter by calling him out on his poor question choices and for getting distracted when Brad Pitt entered the room.
Downers
While most of the night was filled with fun musicals, light-hearted jokes and extravagant gowns, some moments were less than enthusing. Jessica Biel's recap of previously distributed technical awards was a drag, an awkward and ungraceful speech that left viewers wanting to change the channel.
Zac Efron's cameo in Hugh Jackman's "Musicals are back!" presentation slowed the pace of the show. Efron looked greasy and homeless - not in a Johnny Depp good way, either.
The hour-long coverage of Miley Cyrus' fish-scale-looking gown was fashion coverage overkill, especially since every time she spoke viewers cringed at her over-the-top and exaggerated accent.
Best Actor:
Sean Penn - "Milk"
In an arguably very close call, Sean Penn took the award for best actor in a leading role for his flawless portrayal as the late gay activist Harvey Milk. He didn't expect it. Most of us didn't. Rourke fans were disappointed, and Adrien Brody said Richard Jenkins wouldn't get the credit he deserved. Frank Langella probably expected to get left out, and Brad Pitt was grateful just to be nominated. But Penn's performance was worth the gold.
Beyoncé Knowles, Anne Hathaway and others teamed up with Jackman to make this year's Oscars a musical extravaganza. His jokes were clean, his voice was spectacular and his movie, well, didn't win. But never mind that, he commanded the audience as host and the seemingly odd choice turned out to be the right one.
Red Carpet highlights
Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick showed up arm in arm, after rumors of their split.
Mickey Rourke showed up doused in white - totally rock star style.
Jack Black embarrassed a reporter by calling him out on his poor question choices and for getting distracted when Brad Pitt entered the room.
Downers
While most of the night was filled with fun musicals, light-hearted jokes and extravagant gowns, some moments were less than enthusing. Jessica Biel's recap of previously distributed technical awards was a drag, an awkward and ungraceful speech that left viewers wanting to change the channel.
Zac Efron's cameo in Hugh Jackman's "Musicals are back!" presentation slowed the pace of the show. Efron looked greasy and homeless - not in a Johnny Depp good way, either.
The hour-long coverage of Miley Cyrus' fish-scale-looking gown was fashion coverage overkill, especially since every time she spoke viewers cringed at her over-the-top and exaggerated accent.
Best Actor:
Sean Penn - "Milk"
In an arguably very close call, Sean Penn took the award for best actor in a leading role for his flawless portrayal as the late gay activist Harvey Milk. He didn't expect it. Most of us didn't. Rourke fans were disappointed, and Adrien Brody said Richard Jenkins wouldn't get the credit he deserved. Frank Langella probably expected to get left out, and Brad Pitt was grateful just to be nominated. But Penn's performance was worth the gold.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 4
Mat
posted 2/23/09 @ 4:33 PM EST
So because Slumdog was a foreign film, it should automatically have been eliminated from Best Picture contention?
You do realize that under your system, films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) or Life Is Beautiful (1998) would have been eliminated from contention. (Continued…)
peeved reader
posted 2/23/09 @ 7:00 PM EST
wow, no bias here.
I understand this is supposed to be a more conversational piece, a review (i think, but I really can't ever tell these days with the DO. (Continued…)
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