Congratulations to Susan Thomas and Tina Perantonakis, the winners in our first ever Oscar contest! Read their acceptance speeches here. A few of the more interesting moments from last night’s ceremony:
Adrien Brody‘s speech. Good for him. The Pianist was awesome. Speaking of him, I was going through my website referral logs, and since last night a whole flurry of people have come to my site from Google searches for his speech. Check it out. As of this writing, the string of search terms “adrien brody oscar speech” (and slight variations) will give you Rebel Prince, no lower than fifth on the list of search results. I’m sort of delighted and bewildered. Maybe Google happened to run a search crawl right after I posted about the Oscars, but still, I’m beating out sites like Hollywood.com. Heh. Anyway, if you’re really looking for his speech, find it at the official Awards site. (The extended Halle Berry kiss was a bit much, though.)
- Barbra Streisand‘s reaction at presenting the Original Song award to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile. Herself a winner in this category back in the day, she looked more than surprised. Film-score great John Williams, seated on the aisle, making way for Luis Resto to get through and accept the award, was rather symbolic.
- Peter O’Toole, a class act all around (who originally said “no thanks, I’m not done working yet” to the Honorary Award), gave a great, gracious speech.
- Michael Moore can say whatever he likes—I won’t argue his politics either way—but just because cameras are rolling and the world is watching, the Academy Awards isn’t the time and place for protest. It’s like if someone held a party in my honor, and then I got up and ranted about our government. It’s just inappropriate for the occasion. He could have at least related the themes of his winning documentary Bowling for Columbine to his message.
- Could Sean Connery at least have gone the whole nine yards and worn a kilt to go with his frilly shirt? And Gael Garcia Bernal needed a tie. Matthew McConaughey‘s boutonniere of red, white, and blue flowerbuds: very classy.
- What did we think of Steve Martin? I’m usually a fan, but I thought his material last night was a bit hokey.
- Yay for Pedro Almodóvar. Talk to Her is one of the most fascinating and strange and original movies I’ve seen.
What are your high and low moments from this year’s Oscars?
4 replies on “Oscar 2003 review”
I’d just like to say the the two Oscar contest winners’ speeches were extraordinary. They both have a deep appreciation for Old Navy, too!
Congrats to my fellow winner! We should all have a power lunch and talk movies next time I’m in D.C. I bet I was wearing Old Navy when I picked my winners too!
I will do my very own Discovery Channel special, “How to Win an Oscar Contest,” at my journal, Invalid Cookies, very soon.
Jeffy, I totallly agree with you re: Gael Garcia Bernal. I told him via the television, “This isn’t a GARDEN party, put on a tie!” Jeffy, if only we could help all these hapless men.
Rajani here from the Hollywood Foreign Press.
[switches on bright lights as boom swings right in front of Susan]
So Susan, the world wishes to know—what will your awarded movie selection be? And are you currently working on any projects that you’d like to tell the world about? And how’s your personal life?
[Rajani spots a former child star—Gary Coleman, perhaps?]
Oops, gotta run!
[lights go off, Rajani and Boom Man run off in search of Gary Coleman]
exeunt all
*flashes bright smile*
I have yet to decide on my film selection, but I can tell you it will be a musical! My focus now after the Oscars will be on saving the seals from whatever it is they need saving from. And I would like to keep my personal life private at this time, I feel it helps the public to know nothing about me especially the fact that my best friend works for the Oscars Accounting firm.
*runs after Rajani and boom man* Tell Gary Coleman I loved him on Star Dates!!!*
My Oscar wrap-up is now posted here.