So what did everybody think of this years Oscars?

Who watched realtime? It is my first time I'm actually watching it.

You can't watch it realtime! Because of the Janet Jackson incident they're broadcasting with a delay of several seconds in case they need to "bleep" something. Ridiculous...

<<<-- Originally posted by Boyd Ostroff : Ridiculous... -->>>

Ok, why is it Ridiculous?

...because Janet wasn't even there?

A ho-hum year. Only awards surprise was the statue for Coppola--no especially funny comedy from the host--subdued musical performances--consistently flat gags from the presenters, Jack Black and Will Ferrell excepted--potential for censorship from the delay insured there'd be nothing resembling controversy (even the usually unpredictable Sean Penn held back).

The sweep for Lord of the Rings was for the trilogy, and not for the third film per se.

In my opinion it was about time Penn received the accolades he so richly deserves.

I meant with realtime watching it as it went instead of watching
the reruns. I went to bed at 06:15 AM... ouch. Up at 9.30 again.
I had a nice time watching it and thought the little intro movie
was nice.

I don't think LoTR deserved 11 oscars in my humble opinion. It
was a very nice movie (and trilogy), but not I guess it just isn't
my story. I really liked all of the movies and will own them all on
DVD, but there are a lot of movies (including releases from 2003)
that are above any of the LoTR movies on my list.

Must have been a pain for all the other nominies that LoTR got
so many. Oh well.

LOTR won an award for EVERY nomination they had.

hwm

At least they have shortened the acceptance speeches.

Although a brilliant actor, Penn should keep his mouth shut unless he is reading his scripted lines!

RB

<<<-- Originally posted by Heath McKnight : LOTR won an award for EVERY nomination they had.

hwm -->>>

While many of the awards were deserved, was the Oscar for best song, which runs over the credits, really recognizable? OK, everyone, hum the tune, "Into the West" (or whatever....).

I thought the music number for "Les Triplettes de Belleville" was the highlight of the evening. Bet it had Django grinnin' in his grave.

I rented Lost in Translation instead. Very beautiful and tender movie. I expect good things from Sofia Coppola. Very assured direction.

I'll just repeat my reaction to the Oscars from my blog here:

I have no problem with Return of the King getting such a lot of recognition this year (11 wins out of 11 noms) except that it is silly Oscar voting again.

The Return of the King wasn't the best individual film of the year. The trilogy as a whole was probably the greatest achievement of the past five years in film. But since there is no such category for that in the Oscars, the voters did the predictable and rewarded Jackson and all for their monumental efforts.

Lost in Translation, out of all the nominees for Best Picture, was the best choice that I had seen. Even Seabiscuit, the cliched horse racing movie, deserved recognition over King. It had cinematography that would have won in any other year. City of God also had to console itself with having high profile nominations this year because its release had been mistimed by Miramax in the States (mistimed for award recognition, not commercial success). If I had my own special category, I would have named City of God the best film of the past two years.

I haven't seen my own country's winning entry: The Barbarian Invasions. Boo me. I'm happy that Errol Morris finally won. The Fog of War was a good film, though not the best documentary I saw this year. That was Bus 182.

I had the chance to see Bus 182 but passed it up just based on the printed summary. What made it so good?

I taped it an watched it later. I bet Robbins and Penn keep there mouths shut because Clint Eastwood probably ask them to.

Did anyone notice how upset Bill Murry looked? The host even said, "don't leave Bill"

He has reason to be upset. He's getting quite "old" and never
did receive an oscar. This year was his first nomination and I
do think he was terrific in Lost in Translation!

Wasn't Bill nominated for supporting actor in Rushmore?

Just curious why people think Lost in Translation was so good. While I felt it was reasonably entertaining, it certainly wasn't in my "top films of the year" list.

<<<-- Originally posted by Robert Knecht Schmidt : I had the chance to see Bus 182 but passed it up just based on the printed summary. What made it so good? -->>>

Sorry, the title was actually Bus 174. I can never remember the number part of the title. It was just very gripping. It told the story of the tragic bus hijacking using the multiple sourcesof news footage. It was like that film "Phone Booth" but not phony and actually genuinely suspenseful. The ending still gives me the chills.

I wrote a capsule review here among my Vancouver International Film Festival reports:

http://www.keithloh.com/news/2003/sept_wk4_03.htm

<<<-- Originally posted by Wayne Orr : Just curious why people think Lost in Translation was so good. While I felt it was reasonably entertaining, it certainly wasn't in my "top films of the year" list. -->>>

I thought it was just a very tender, beautifully filmed movie that explored the depth of feeling between the two characters in a very gentle way. It was just very lovely. Even though some people have said that 'nothing happens', it is a very mature movie in that it spends the time to develop it. The final scene between Murray and Johannsen when he whispers in her ear means something different to everyone.

Wayne: first of all because it just doesn't go as you've seen
relations go a thousand times before. That always peeks my
interesting a lot (also with non standard endings for example,
like Meet Joe Black: soooo powerful).

Second I thought the acting was top-notch. It didn't feel acted.
Just liked you where there on the ride. Overal I liked the story
as well, but I'm still making up my mind about how much. I
will definitely have to see it again a couple of times.

Are you saying you actually liked Mett Joe Black or being sarcastic?

I actually love MJB (no kidding). I know that a lof of people really
dislike the movie. I also know of people who also love it. It seems
to be one of those you either love it or hate it movies.

(in this case I was merely describing the fact that it has a non-
standard ending)