Reaction to the Oscars

Wow. This was barely a bit better than last year's edition. Instead of pretentiousness and duo hosts with bad chemistry, we got a dire mess with a truly insufferable host.

At least my predictions went to 16-8, up from the 12 even last year.

I like Billy Crystal, but not last night's version of him. He simply does not look good or is suited for HD and his tired shtick was embarrassingly bad (Blackface, everyone!). He was once a funny Oscar host but even his mannerisms, singing, and opening video numbers were losing luster in the 90's. Here, everything was stripped to the bone, only leaving a homunculus in its wake. I gladly take a producer-hating James Franco any time than the desperate, pathetic loser Crystal has become.

Too bad the show runners couldn't steal the energy and excitement the Tonys have every year when they stole their set design.

I'm one of the few who like the montages produced for the show, whether for how great they can be (Tribute to Foreign Language Film winners at the 79th edition) or hilarious to laugh at (Including Space Chimps and Twilight in celebrations of Animation and Horror respectively). Tonight featured some of the worst I can recall, not only for the yawning-enducing "great film" montage, again featuring Twilight, that wouldn't be fit to air on Turner Classic Movies but for those Errol Morris rip-off segments. I don't believe, and really hope, that Morris didn't do those, since the people were sitting down and in front of a black screen instead of white. However, despite the laughable "profound" statements of Adam Sandler, I will award bonus points for featuring Patton Oswalt and having Brad Pitt explain his childhood love of watching the Toho Studios monster movie War of the Gargantuas.

The Christopher Guest troupe sketch. They really did try, especially Fred Willard, with what little material they were given.

FLYING CARY GRANTS! I truly appreciate the hard work and determination the Circus de Soleil group has to go through to perform but their entire segment had absolutely nothing to do with going and experiencing the joys of the cinema. It was just a televised publicity stunt and a waste of time.

The Emma Stone-Ben Stiller pairing for Best Visual Effects was probably the funniest thing staged, extremely greater than anything Crystal did.

You know what I wanted to see instead of longer time frames for people to speak? Random women wearing retro movie theater outfits, handing out refreshments. Because that is what's really happening in movie chains right now!

If Chris Rock was mocking how Hollywood animated films often incorporate celebrity voices for lame prestige, easy money and bad voice direction, then his bit was funny. However, knowing him, he not only was rude to the several great actors and actresses who can bring passion to voice work, he made a disgrace to animation and its award just so he can spread his ego.

I love you, Jim Rash. For mocking Jolie's sexy leg and getting applause for it. Even though your film still sucks.

No Eiko Ishioka in the "In Memoriam" montage. Her costume artistry really did make me first notice one of the hidden beauties of film.

Honestly, I wasn't really jazzed up and hoping for many winners, since the Academy often fails or picks easy fare over the richly deserved. There were a few exceptions; Drive didn't win Sound Mixing, The Tree of Life somehow got skipped over for Cinematography, and the unjust anti-Andy Serkis sentiment hurt the visual effects crew of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I did get to see The Muppets and A Separation win though, so that was nice.

You know what would have been even more better? If the Muppets actually got to perform their Oscar winning song!

Jean Dujardin won, started to make a Oscar highlight reel for himself and the stupid show director cuts away and botches it. Combined with the horrible mic work, the orchestra music playing over the people talking, and constant shots of a bored audience, you have a lot of pink slips that need to be delivered.

Why yes, Meryl Streep. I was thinking just that. I was thinking you didn't need it, nor should you have it from the more deserving nominees.

The Artist was the big winner and Harvey Weinstein still has the touch to be at the top. Though that hasn't exactly translated to boffo box office business. Frankly, I'm happy the film won but I wasn't surprised. In fact, that's the biggest nitpick the Oscars have been facing for quite some time now.

There's always next year.