The 2006 Oscars

[urnofosiris]

It is that time of the year again, the most important elections we can´t vote for in the world are almost upon us and this year I get the E entertainment channel on my TV, what more can one want out of life.

I just want to say that I really really want Dolly Parton to win one for best song. I have no idea who else is nominated for what this year, but I am sure I shall find out soon enough.

[Culzean]

I'm sorry Dolly didn't win for best song. We were rooting for her. Actually, that was the only song I liked of the three.

I thought Jon Stewart did a good job hosting, but they had WAY too many montages. We also didn't like the music playing in the background during the acceptance speeches. That was annoying.

I liked Dolly's performance and George Clooney's acceptance speech. I always enjoy Ang Lee. Nothing against Reese Witherspoon, but I was rooting for Felecity Huffman. She gave a great speech at the Independent Film Awards the night before. It would have been fun watching her win.

As for fashion - I'm not really a gown person, but I thought Kiera Knightly looked great. And Salma Hayek...be still my heart!

[GayNow]

For the most part, I think the winners in the "big award" categories were pretty predictable. I think the closest was between Reese and Felicity in the Best Acting category. Otherwise, no big surprises.

Until 'Crash' won best picture.

Everyone automatically expected it to be 'Brokeback Mountain' -- especially since Ang Lee captured Best Director. Well, let's hear it for the little film that wouldn't quit. I say, "Good for 'Crash'!"

Fashion:

Reese...beautiful. Keira...beautiful. Felicity...beautiful. Helena Bonham Carter...what was she thinking? Charlize...what was with the huge bow on her shoulder? did she think she'd need a pillow? Michelle...beautiful (and yes I was surprised).

The men...I can't think of any who stand out as "eeww" in my mind. Maybe Phillip Seymour Hoffman could have used a haircut...but that's sort of his trademark look. I'm glad to see that Heath Ledger shaved. Tim Burton...well, I've given up on figuring that man out.

All-in-all, it really was a return to glamour for the Oscars. It was nice to see the elegance return to this event.

[sam7777]

Loved that Reese Witherspoon got the best actress nod. I was also really happy to see Ang Lee get best director. "Brokeback Mountain" was a great film but Ang Lee's great body of work also deserved a nod IMHO. I wasn't thrilled that "Crash" won:
Crash: Worst Movie of the Year

Still it's nice to see the smaller movies get the nod and the attention even if they aren't my favs.

[GayNow]

What I liked about this year's awards is that there wasn't one film that dominated (i.e. Lord of the Rings). There was a nice spread of awards. Many films got nods in one way or another, whether it be for acting, directing, screenplays or technical work.

I think that's what it's about. Recognizing excellence throughout the industry.

[dorksrcool]

Hey sam, thanks for posting that link about "Crash." I despised that film. I thought it was one of the worst films I have ever seen. I actually found it insulting and offensive. I can't believe it won so many awards.

[Trom DeGrey]

Another Crash related missive: Oscar Misfire: Crash and Burn

And one I agree with completely. The Advocate, of course, is already throwing the homophobia question out there about Brokeback not winning.

As far as fashion went, I thought Rachel Weisz was radiant.

[oneyedchicklet]

I really didn't like Crash at all. So I watched it again today to see if maybe I missed something. Nope, still didn't like it.

As far as fashion, I thought everyone looked good. I didn't see any gowns that stood out as horrible. My only question is what was with the bow on Charlize Therone's shoulder? My daughter said she looked like Mickey Mouse. And in my opinion, Lauren Bacall is still beautiful.

HUGS
Barb

[YMKA]

I actually liked this year Oscars....and I was rooting for "Crash". The movie was really uncomfortable at some points....but that's exactly what I liked about it....it was blunt. Something that makes you think, there are two sides to each story. So I was really happy (and yes, surprised too) that it won!

And..."Best Supporting Actress"....when I saw Amy Adams...I thought to myself that she looked familiar....and then I remembered... "you selfish bitch"..... Cousin Beth!!!! didn't even know her name till yesterday.... kinda sad....and she was actually very nice in interviews.... I'm going to check some of her work later....that movie "Junebugs" looked interesting...

[Gatito Grande]

OMIGOD, YMKA: you're right! (I was thinking she looked familiar, too---but couldn't place her! )

That's pretty amazing: an actress "from the Romantic Saga of Willow & Tara", making it to the Oscars!

GG Always like to imagine that Tara standing up to "Cousin Beth", began a world-rocking which culminated in . . . well, at least her "getting the heck outta Dodge"! Out

[seurat]

I might never have realized Amy Adams played that part if it hadn't been pointed out here, so thanks for that. I liked her anyway, but now I feel a little greater connection to her.

Put me in the Crash camp. I know opinion is sharply divided on this, but there are just as many critics who loved Crash than are ripping it. (Ebert and Reoper for example, Ebert named it best film of the year in fact.) I have a lot fo respect for Brokeback Mountain and found it very moving and beautifully acted and filmed. But I would have voted for Crash too. Mind you I didn't pick it as my best film of the year, just the best of the ones nominated for Oscar.

On the shallow end, didn't Jessica Alba look amazing? And Rachel McAdams too. To name just two. And yeah , they were way too many montages, but I really liked the western subtext one. Jon Stewart was ok, don't know who else they could try now, but as long as they never give it to Jay Leno I won't complain.

[umgaynow]

I was rather disappointed...the writers just didn't play to Jon Stewart's strengths...then again if they had been thinking about that, they would have realized just how wrong for the job he really was...don't get me wrong, I adore Jon Stewart...but he was totally out of his element...the Oscar audience isn't generally the same sort to be fans of sardonic political satire...the Oscar broadcast is all about mainstream...

The biggest shock of the night for me...that the guy who did those montage sequences was an Oscar winner...I thought they were atrocious...they usually do a pretty good job with that sort of thing in The Oscars...which are in large part about tradition and nostalgia...but this year's were a big miss...also apalled that they had the nerve to "play off" the Best Picture winners during their speech...bad form all around on that...was very happy to see Phillip Seymour Hoffman win...he has been my favorite actor for several years now...never fails to turn in an outstanding performance...also thrilled for Rachel Weisz...there's just something about her I have alwasy liked...fell in love with her in The Mummy...but she has more range...The Shape of Things was a huge surprise and earned her a lot of respect from me on the acting front...I haven't actually seen any of the nominated movies...no money makes it kind of difficult...but based on all the clips I have seen...I was almost hoping that Amy Adams was going to win...of course she was too much of a dark horse...my biggest disappointment was that Reese Witherspoon beat out Felicity Huffman...I mean talk about a difficult performance! To get into a space that is so completely alien and do so well with it is a lot harder than doing a bio-pic...plus I think she was horribly miscast however well she might have done in the film...Reese Witherspoon is way too pretty to play June Carter...a woman whose picture was practically beside plain in the dictionary...they could have at least made the effort to try and create some sort of resemblance...OK I'll stop or I'll continue ranting...we all know the Oscars are mainly about who has the best publicist anyway...we should just be glad that a couple of people who actually deserved to win did this year...

BTW, would it really have killed them to give some awards to Brokeback Mountain...widely regarded by almost all the critics as the best movie of the year...I guess if they had awarded Brokeback and/or Capote and/or Transamerica all in one year, middle America's collective heads would have exploded...I guess the only thing they were worthy of was a bunch of cheap jokes

[SySnootles]

Um, Brokeback Mountain did receive three Oscars, including one of the biggest ones.

[umgaynow]

I know, I know...just all behind the camera stuff...anyway, sorry about the rant...I was in a mood last night

My favorite thing was the after party broadcast...when while being interviewed outside some party tent, Serena Williams (what do tennis players have to do with the Oscars?) said how happy she was that Phillip Semen Hoffmore had won...yikes!

[Gatito Grande]

On the shallow end, didn't Jessica Alba look amazing?

Yeah, but not in a good way. Now I normally think that JA is sex-on-legs, but I was truly distressed at the way she seemed to have fallen into the H'wood anorexia trap (for women). Her arms, especially, just looked all spindley.

GG Does an actress have to be preggers (like Rachel Weisz---who looked amazingly wonderful!), before H'wood will allow her to have a healthy amount of body-fat??? Double-standard b*stards. Out

My picks for best lookin' on Oscar night: Salma Hayek. Felicity Huffman (favorite dress of the night). Naomi Watts. J-Lo.

(Can't remember: who gave George Clooney his Oscar? Because it just occurs to me that I don't think that last year's winner, Cate Blanchett, was there... )