This time around James Cameron hadn’t had the chance to say that he is the king of the world and of the entire galaxy! His ex wife (who looked pretty much like a Na’vi herself—the woman is TALL!!) swept all the major awards with the war film The Hurt Locker—for best directing (the first time a woman director receives it) and for best picture. The Hurt Locker is the lowest grossing film of all the films that have won Best Picture in the past. So Cameron eat your heart out!
I guess the Academy isn’t ready yet to give the best picture award to a Science Fiction film. The SF films over the years have been the Cinderella of the Oscars, never being nominated for best picture, even though masterpieces like Blade Runner or Matrix surely needed recognition beyond the technical awards (the nerdy awards how some chick on the red carpet called them).
The Best Actor in a Supporting Role was Christoph Waltz in Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds and Moni’que won for her Supporting Role in Precious.
As expected, Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won as Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress respectively. “Atta boy!” that is what Jeff Bridges told one interviewer that his deceased father Lloyd would have said about his nomination. Sandy showing that she really is a good sport just days before picked up the Razzie Award for worst actress for her performance in All about Steve.
The presenting duo, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin haven’t blown my mind with their funniness. Maybe they should have asked Conan O’Brien to host the Oscars! He was free! (poor thing; I am considering these days to start an account on twitter to follow Conan and his amazing conversations with the squirrels in his back yard!). He did a great job hosting the Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2006!
The John Hughes in memoriam brought on the stage the stars of The Breakfast Club and tears in the eyes of those who grew up in the eighties. I both enjoyed and got freaked out by the horror movies retrospective (it was like 4 in the morning here in Italy while I was watching).
Other highlights of the evening were a blue Na’vi costumed Ben Stiller (tail and all) giving an award for best Make Up. The sketch originally included Borat’s Sacha Baron Cohen but the producers of the Oscars were afraid that James Cameron would have felt offended and would have stormed out of the Kodak Theatre during the ceremony. The intense director is not known to have a self-deprecating sense of humor.
The funniest moment of the evening came when Tim Robbins along with Colin Farrell, Michelle Pfeiffer, Vera Farmiga and Julianne Moore had to say a few words to praise the Best Actor Nominees. Tim Robbins said that at the end of filming Shawshank Redemption, Freeman talked to him about the value of friendship: “Being a friend is getting the other a cup of coffee. Can you do that for me TED?”.
And now THE RED CARPET FASHION!!!
Black and White and Everything in Between
Best Actress Nominee Meryl Streep was classy in a white Chris March gown with a V cleveage:
Elizabeth Banks in Versace. She’s the one with the nerd joke of before:
Nudes, peachy skin tones
Best Supporting Actress Nominee Anna Kendrick (Elie Saab gown) A lovely rosy-nude dress but unfortunately Anna looks a bit washed up in it. She did say it wasn’t her first choice:
Diane Kruger (Chanel) I don’t know what to make of this dress. You surely won’t see it on any best dressed lists:
Demi Moore looked great in the nude-peachy Versace gown:
Anika Noni Rose (voice in the Princess and the Frog) has an oscary look but maybe the bust of the dress should have been longer:
Ladies in Red and Blue
Red and blue in different tonalities were the main colours on the red carpet this year.
Best Actress Nominee Vera Farmiga was too fussy in Marchesa but the color looked great on her:
Sigourney Weaver can do no wrong (Lanvin dress):
Michelle Pfeiffer arrived backstage and co-presented the Best Actor Award:
George Clooney’s girl Elisabetta Canalis was patriotic in Cavalli:
Penelope Cruz was like lushy wine in Donna Karan:
Jane Seymour works it at sixty in a red David Meister gown:
Maggie Gyllenhaal in an interesting Dries Van Noten print dress:
Mariah Carey’s Valentino dress seemed unfinished:
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Moni’que in Tadashi Shoji:
Best Actress Nominee Gabourey Sidibe looked good in blue Marchesa. Maybe it’s not politically correct to say it but I really think that the girl should lose weight because I think she is in a health danger. Makes me think of the comment of Anna Wintour (maybe bitchy but true) that America’s problem is not anorexia but obesity:
Kristen Stewart looked mature in a midnight blue Monique Lhullier gown:
Silver, Gold and some Light Purple:
Best Actress Winner Sandra Bullock in Marchesa was siren like and princessy. As opposed to the “keeping away people except of her husband” dress of J Lo (see down) the dress of Sandy was like a second skin and she had her glossy hair wore down. It gave her a sweet air of vulnerability and her Oscar speech was so cute and all the faux flirting with Meryl Streep was hilarious. Sandy’s big tattooed husband had tears in his eyes!
Nicole Richie in a metallic Reem Acra dress. Her husband was deejaying at the reception in the publicity breaks:
Cameron Diaz exuded old Hollywood glamour in Oscar de la Renta:
Kate Winslet (Yves Saint Laurent). I’m feeling a bit zzzzz about this although she looked good in it:
One of the best dressed of the evening. Helen Mirren in Badgley Mischka:
Charlize Theron (Christian Dior) The color and shape of the dress are great on her but the roses on her breasts kinda distract you from her amazing face:
Queen Latifah (Badgley Mischka Couture). The snake shape of the bejewelled detail is very complimentary to her curvy body:
The Memorable, Quirky, and Sometimes Fun Dressed Category
Why rent multi-million dollars diamonds when you can get to the Oscars with little forks and knives on your dress! How cute and self ironic is Carey Mulligan's Prada dress? One of my favorites!
Zoe Saldana (Givenchy). I would have loved this dress if the lower half would have been less pompon—French cancan like. It kinda looks like some plant in Avatar and I expect it to light up when you touch it. But Zoe’s face and hair are perfect:
Sarah Jessica Parker (Chanel Couture) The choice of a true fashionista. But the hair looks like big loaves of bread :
Jennifer Lopez (Armani Prive) Sheer white or pink? J Lo’s it’s a "husband-only friendly" gown. She can keep her husband by the hand on the RIGHT side. All others keep a respectful distance. Exquisite hair and make up. The woman does not get old:
Rachel McAdams (Elie Saab Haute Couture & cool Lorraine Schwartz earrings) I adored the aquarelle painting quality of the dress. Rachel made one of the most interesting style choices of the evening:
