I can admit when I’m wrong. I’m a grown up and that’s what grown ups do. So, here goes. The 2009 Academy Awards are over and they were not as boring and predictable as I thought.
For example, Penelope Cruz won for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Vicky, Christina Barcelona. What?! Who? For the love of come on now! She beat out Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis? How is that possible? And why does everyone think her performance was so fantastic in that movie? Please, someone tell me why she won.
Sean Penn beat out Mickey Rourke. I know I predicted that Sean would take home gold for his performance of Harvey Milk, but I didn’t actually believe he would. That’s the truth. I thought for sure it would go to Mickey Rourke, I mean the guy lost his cherished 18 year-old dog just days before the ceremony, can’t he catch a break?
Hugh Jackman didn’t suck. I know, I couldn’t believe it either. When the Academy first announced that he would be hosting the 2009 Oscars, I looked around the room for a hidden camera trying to capture my shock because I thought for sure it was a joke. And when he actually appeared onstage at the Kodak Theatre, I cringed. But very quickly, I found myself enjoying the opening sequence. Who knew that Hugh would be more entertaining than last year’s host, Jon Stewart who preforms for millions of fans every night. Hugh also held his own singing with Beyonce! The only downside: these five minute long musical numbers meant that the winners of the awards only had 45 seconds to give their speech. Sure hope they can talk real fast!
However, I wasn’t wrong about Slumdog Millionaire. They won eight out of the ten Oscar categories they were nominated for including Best Picture. What a pure delight watching the entire cast onstage rejoicing. The reality is, it’s not easy in Hollywood to get a movie like that made for one reason only: the movie had no stars in it… until now. I look forward to watching where stars Dev Patel and Frida Pinto go from here.
Well, it looks like awards season is officially over. But I still have one question: Where in the world was Jack Nicholson? His smiling, sunglass wearing face wasn’t at any of the awards show this year. I think someone needs to organize a search party to make sure he’s okay and to ensure this tragedy doesn’t happen again next year. I’m on it!
The biggest movie event of the year is this Sunday, live on ABC! But does anyone else feel like there will be no surprises in this years Academy Awards telecast? I think I can predict with 100% accuracy each winner for the big categories.
Best Director - Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
This choice is about as uncreative as one can get, I’m even embarrassed about this choice, but ce la vie, Danny has it in the bag.
Best Actor - Sean Penn for Milk
You’re thinking it’s going to be Mickey Rourke, right? Well, you would be wrong. I think he has lost the momentum from his win at the Golden Globes. I also think his performance was overrated. That’s right, I said it.
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Do I really need to defend myself on this choice? I thought not.
Best Actress - Kate Winslet for The Reader
She transformed everything about herself for this role. Her gestures, her speech, the way she carried herself… she thought of every nuance to help this character come to life and it worked.
Best Supporting Actress - Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Her performance was remarkable and so touching. I was enamored every second she was on screen.
Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
This will win, this should win, this film was the best picture of 2008, end of story!
Do you agree or disagree with my choices? And do you really think it’s going to be an interesting Oscars or do you think no surprises equals giant snoozefest? Fingers crossed for a good upset! I love drama!
If Heath Ledger wins the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight on Sunday, what happens to his Oscar?
Well, according to the Academy, this is the trickiest scenario they’ve had to deal with in all the years they’ve given out posthumous Oscars. If Heath wins, the Oscar goes to his three-year-old daughter, Matilda. However, it won’t actually be hers until she turns eighteen in 2023. And even then she isn’t just handed the statuette, she first will have to sign a contract promising that she won’t sell it.
In the meantime, the Oscar will be babysat AKA “held in trust” for Heath’s daughter by Matilda’s mother, Michelle Williams.
As for who will accept the award on stage should Heath win, that, like many of the Oscar show highlights, is being kept under wraps. I guess we will have to tune in on Sunday night to find out!
