Techtite TV reviews

A Techtite Commentary

Another year, another Oscars. Yes, the best dramas were the most likely winners. Yes, at least one comedy/musical was nominated (Moulin Rouge), apparently, just for the sake of nomination. Yes, the most popular box office favorite was nominated (Lord of the Rings)...again, apparently, just for the sake of nomination. Yes, Billy Crystal wasn't available, so they went to Whoopi Goldberg for hosting duties (again). Yes, the show ran overtime. However: NO, the show was rarely dull. Now, that is unusual!

Unlike the show itself (which had East-Coast viewers wait after midnight for the top awards), let's get right to it, shall we? Starting with ladies first, Jennifer Connelly won as Best Supporting Actress for A Beautiful Mind, which shows the long way she's come from the sweet-16 teenager who worked alongside muppets in Labyrinth (1986). Halle Berry, later on, offered the most memorable moment of the evening, as she broke down in tears accepting the Best Actress Oscar (for Monster's Ball). After decades of pretentious "You really, really like me" speeches (including Julia Roberts, just last year), here's a moment where such emotion was felt by one and all, and was completely justified; the first African-American Best Actress recipient, EVER! How cool is that? To top it off, her speech was outstandingly humble, as she mentioned around a dozen other actresses her win was for, since "this door tonight has been opened." Well said.

Best Actor categories held back the tears, though not the huzzahs. This year's reason for "Biggest Losses in the Office Pool" goes to Best Supporting Actor recipient, Jim Broadbent, for Iris. Yes, Entertainment Weekly magazine called it right, and estimated his odds of winning at a very likely 3-to-1. However, let's just say I was hoping for the 2-to-1 choice: Ian McKellen, for Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. As for Denzel Washington's win (for Training Day); again, what a nice moment in Academy Award history. He held back the tears, though not the happiness, as he saluted the fact that the very night he follows in the footsteps of Sidney Poitier, they give Poitier a second Oscar. Much like Halle, Denzel was quite humble in his speech, enhancing the mood of the moment.

As for the much-ballyhooed Best Director and Picture categories, A Beautiful Mind won both of them. This is good news to anyone who has followed Ron Howard's directing career, which spans many movie favorites of the past 20 years. To make the moment even sweeter for him, actors from his most popular prior films were the presenters for both awards, including Tom Hanks (Splash) and Mel Gibson (Ransom). Not to be overshadowed, it was equally nice to see producer Brian Grazer win alongside Howard for the Best Picture Oscar; he has been producer to nearly all of Howard's best director work; they deserved to win together. However, did they deserve to win for A Beautiful Mind? Well, Grazer did muse that the envelope said the vote was very "close"...

Honorary Oscars were given to both Sidney Poitier and Robert Redford. They both deserved it, though I must admit, I had misgivings with exclusively African-Americans offering praise to Poitier (in a film montage). With the sole exception of In the Heat of the Night producer Walter Mirisch --who handed him the award-- no other races offered their own anecdotes, and that is a shame. Halle Berry's comment during his montage said it best: "He is an American treasure...and not just an 'African American' treasure; he is an American treasure." That comment should've been followed by an anecdote by at least one non-African-American. It's a shame it did not.

There's something to be said for a year when even the "other" categories were worth mentioning. Pixar (Monsters, Inc.) may have lost Best Animated Film to Shrek, though won for their hilarious animated short, "For The Birds" (which preceded Monsters, Inc. in most theaters). Lord of the Rings won --as it deserved-- for Cinematography, Makeup, Musical Score, and Visual Effects. In a similar vein, Moulin Rouge won for its vibrant art direction and costume design. Best of all, the Best Original Song Oscar went to Randy Newman, who --after 16 nominations, and not one Oscar-- finally went home with the gold, for his Monsters Inc. song, "If I didn't have you." John Goodman, a voice from the animated film, helped sing the song, and was visibly pleased to be present for that special moment. I think everyone was quite humbled by a man who was nominated 16 times, only to finally win tonight.

Disappointments? Only slightly...though in all cases, I could understand the reasons voters chose who they did. For one, it would have been nice to see Marisa Tomei win as Best Supporting Actress for In the Bedroom. After years of people saying her win for My Cousin Vinny was a "mistake" --as if anyone would be stupid enough to read the wrong name in a winning envelope-- this would've been sweet redemption for her. I was an even bigger supporter for Ian McKellan to win as Best Supporting Actor, although that category was a hard call. As for Russel Crowe's in A Beautiful Mind; regardless of the controversies that surrounded him lately, let's just say he deserved an Oscar for that film a lot more than he did for Gladiator, which is saying a lot. However, the odds were not in his favor, for both personal and professional reasons. Topping off the disappointments; I would've liked to see Lord of the Rings win the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Did you ever read the book? Abridging it to film length was no easy feat; even at over 170 minutes!

Whoopi Goldberg was host. Regardless of a very outspoken costumed entrance --lowered by swing from the ceiling, with the later comment, "I am the original 'Sexy Beast'!"-- she was actually on her better behavior. This was a surprise to many who ribbed her for her very PG-13 commentary as host in 1999 (most memorable was her musing how many dirty ways you can mispronounce the movie title, "What Dreams May Come"). This year, her ribald moments were counted at only three: the moment she promised to "slowly" announce presenter

Hugh Jackman, the moment she mused that the Australian term "down under" always made her think of Russel Crowe, and the time a very overly happy scream from the audience (for Randy Newman's Oscar) led Whoopi to muse to the screamer, "Just wipe up when you're done." Okay, Whoopi, okay...though your joke that John Ashcroft asked you to put a scarf on the "naked" Oscar statue was a little off the mark. Aside from that, though, she did a great job, and the parting shot where the back of her gown honored the brave men of the NYC fire and police departments was worth her whole night as host.

Presenters, as always, were a mixed bag. On the plus side, Woody Allen presenting a montage of NYC-based films was a highlight of the evening. Likewise, it was cute to see real-life couple Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon present an award, and when Sharon Stone and John Travolta were on stage, their joined laughter (I'm presuming, due to badly written teleprompter dialog) made the Foreign Film category even more fun to watch.

In truth, the only noteworthy thumbs-down presentation was from --who else?-- Julia Roberts, whose "acceptance speech" last year was self-gratifying enough, though this year, she acted like a Miss America has-been reluctant to give up her crown. She began by making some rude comment against Tom Conti, forgetting that the real name of the conductor last year was BILL Conti (see sidebar). Then, upon presenting the award, she latched onto poor Denzel Washington's back --like some "face-hugger" from the movie Alien-- all the way to the back stage. Julia, sweetie, you were only a presenter; if you wish to thank the winner, a hand shake and a smile is better than a slipped disc, dear. Denzel was a good sport about it, though.

Topping off the Oscar evening were the chosen in-between spots, to keep the live telecast rolling as presenters powdered noses. Commercial breaks, probably for this purpose, were all preceded by "my favorite movie" comments from celebrities, including Antonio Banderas, Britney Spears, and many others. A mid-show moment starred the performers of Cirque du Soleil, and while many might've used this time to get snacks from the fridge, they missed one of the most visually alluring stage productions in Oscar history. Let's just say, this was no frivolous dance number. Bravo to whoever sneaked it into the festivities this year.

In the end, what can be said about Oscar telecast, 2002? Here's the good news: the show wasn't upstaged by its own commercials this year (aside from a cute revision of Cindy Crawford's classic Pepsi commercial, and a truly adorable DisneyWorld ad, where a woman gets a "glass slipper" on her anniversary). Here's the better news: people who watched the whole show got to see nearly everyone who deserved to win tonight, actually win. That's worth staying up until 1:00 A.M., EST, any day of the week. Nice job Whoopi...good one, Oscar!

	Final Rating : Large Crater. Whoopi was great this year, as were the speeches. With the exception of an over-caffeinated Julia Roberts, the evening was perfect!
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The Academy Awards 2002

A Techtite Commentary