Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 22 > Entry
Oscars 09: What did you think?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some slumdog.
It was time for some slummin’ at the Oscars Sunday night, as “Slumdog Millionaire” dominated even more than predicted, winning eight Academy Awards. With no names in the cast, set entirely in India and a jumpy narrative, it’s as unlikely a Best Picture as we’ve seen.
Even more unlikely:
The show actually finished in under three and half hours, and moved pretty well. There were a lot of little changes and one big one: Having five past winners come out to present each of the four acting awards, with heartfelt one-to-one speeches to the nominees. Classy.
Some other memorable moments:
“Man on Wire” crazoid Philippe Petit balancing the Oscar upside down on his chin while millions cringed;
Ben Stiller hilariously channeling Joaquin Phoenix;
Hugh Jackman’s opening musical number with its recession theme, including the “Craigslist Dancers.” Nice job, Hugh.
What did you think of the show? Better but still too long? What did you think of the awards that were handed out? Anybody get robbed?
Permalink | Comments (40) | Post your comment | Categories: Oscars
Comments
By tom
February 23, 2009 7:35 AM | Link to this
Great show! Fantastic set, and yes..the tributes from previous winners to the nominees were a total class act addition! Hollywood ROCKS with this one! Old STYLE elegance and entertaining! KUDO’s to the Producer’s and Directors. And Jackman was THE talent to put the icing on the cake.
By Heather
February 23, 2009 8:15 AM | Link to this
I LOVED IT! I have not been that entertained in YEARS! Hugh Jackman worked his butt off and it was great! It was FINALLY an elegant and lovely show rahter than a HUGE black hole of entertainment. Queen LAtifah, Beyonce Knowles were wonderful and it was actually, for the first time in YEARS fun to watch! We actually laughed out loud and were moved and enjoyed the show! I hope they continue on with this new format-it was WONDERFUL!
By Gem
February 23, 2009 8:22 AM | Link to this
Mickey Rourke was robbed!!The same thing happened to Bill Murray who should have won for Lost In Translation. Sean Penn is a great actor but Mickey was absolutely amazing in The Wrestler.
By C.J.
February 23, 2009 8:37 AM | Link to this
Bill Maher should be ashamed for trying to plug his garbage failure of a “documentary.” And the comments about Prop 8 should have been left at home. Hollywood truly is in la la land.
By JP
February 23, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this
I thought the show was very entertaining and brought back the ‘old Hollywood’ feeling! A lot better than recent previous ones and Hugh Jackman did a fantastic job! One point - this show does illustrate how easy it is to get a group of folks onto a bandwagon - ‘Slumdog Millionaire’…. last time I looked, the best film should be the one that made the most money cause the public loved it…so where is the Oscar for ‘Dark Knight’??!! Until the Academy realizes this, I still think this show will not reach the general public. It also doesn’t help that the general public now knows how much swag these folks get for going to these shows.
By JP
February 23, 2009 9:11 AM | Link to this
I thought the show was very entertaining and brought back the ‘old Hollywood’ feeling! A lot better than recent previous ones and Hugh Jackman did a fantastic job! One point - this show does illustrate how easy it is to get a group of folks onto a bandwagon - ‘Slumdog Millionaire’…. last time I looked, the best film should be the one that made the most money cause the public loved it…so where is the Oscar for ‘Dark Knight’??!! Until the Academy realizes this, I still think this show will not reach the general public. It also doesn’t help that the general public now knows how much swag these folks get for going to these shows.
By Lola
February 23, 2009 9:11 AM | Link to this
The tributes to the nominees was a completely classy addition,and it made me think why whe hadnt’ thought of that one before. It gave the honor of being nominated worthwhile to have the few seconds of individual tribute in front of everyone.
Sean Penn is a great actor, but he rambled too much.
By SCOTT
February 23, 2009 9:15 AM | Link to this
Boring ,boring, boring, the show totally suck
By Liz
February 23, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this
Breathtaking! Jackman was absolutely the BEST emcee ever! Loved the whole “old Hollywood” scene. Actually watched the whole thing this year. Sorry that Mickey didn’t win but glad he’s back! Bringing out past winners to class up the nominees was genius. Kudos to the Academy!
By DJarrett
February 23, 2009 10:06 AM | Link to this
Seemed more like the International Oscars than the American Oscars
By Matt
February 23, 2009 10:17 AM | Link to this
I haven’t watched the Oscars in years and was sick of it. But I was interested in seeing Rourke and a few others. That said, best show since the 90’s, original, Jackman tho not a comedian, was perfect. Nice change to the Oscars and bravo for the team that had the guts to go in a different direction. Good show!
By DD
February 23, 2009 10:19 AM | Link to this
Somebody Pleeeaaase tell Rouke that he is not 23 anymore. That’s a sorry excuse for a grown man. He looks aweful. What is the big hype about him? What a Tool! I’m embarrassed for him.
By sharon
February 23, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this
I totally agree with CJ. The Prop 8 comments should have been for another time. The guy who won for the Milk Screenplay was very self serving. The Oscars was not the place for him to go on and on about gay rights. Hugh Jackman did an outstanding job
By Phil Kloer
February 23, 2009 10:32 AM | Link to this
JP: So you’re saying the Oscar for Best Picture should go to the movie that made the most money? That would kinda ruin any suspense. You have a point though that some really good movies that are comedies and action movies never get nominated cause the Oscars dont view them as serious enough. I think thats where the real problem is. Dark Knight should have been nominated. Period.
By itpdude
February 23, 2009 10:46 AM | Link to this
The big robbery this year was The Wrestler. This award show should not be about agendas or political correctness or whatever. It should be about the finest films and finest performances. The same thing can be said about Crash beating Brokeback Mountain for best pic. That was insane because Brokeback was the best film of that year while Crash was complete garbage that made guilty white people feel better about themselves.
So, we have Penn beating Rourke because the Academy has residual guilt over their Brokeback slight. Total garbage. The Wrestler will absolutely stand the test of time while others that got the Best Pic nom will be forgotten. Pics like Frost/Nixon and Ben Button. And Milk. Mark my words, The Wrestler snub will become an embarrassment in the future.
By C.J.
February 23, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this
I have only one fashion comment—-How many leopards did Whoopi Goldberg kill to make that dress?
By JohnnyReb
February 23, 2009 10:56 AM | Link to this
Who cares!?! It’s a bunch of self-important, candy@$$, primadonna, Hollyweird pinkos groveling over each other!
By nooziegirl
February 23, 2009 11:00 AM | Link to this
Great show. Watched the whole thing. Jackman did a great job especially with opening number. Loved the way the past winners presented and addressed the nominees. Gave the nominees that didn’t win great recognition also. Only one scene (commedys or something) that I didn’t like.
By reality
February 23, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this
I suffered through the entire three and a half hours of limp liberalism and ribald f*. Last time I watch the awards and will not be going to movies for a while. These elitest pricks have fully succeeded in cutting their own throats. No tribute to Paul Newman (30 seconds???), no old clips, musical numbers that would make a drag queen vomit, Sean Penn getting another Oscar he did not deserve when everyone knows Mickey Rourke won. It is time for the Wall Street investors who are broke now to pull their money out of Hollywood all together. Time for a decent human being like Clint Eastwood to start making patriotic, family entertainment somewhere else. The f* need to get back in the closet. Or start bank rolling this gay s** because mainstream america is sick of it. And we buy the tickets.
By Jim
February 23, 2009 12:16 PM | Link to this
Reading through these comments, I can’t help but notice a lot of people seem confused as to what the Academy Awards really are. Box office popularity with the general public has never (and should never) be a factor in nomination. That’s what The People’s Choice Awards is for. The Academy Awards is voted on strictly by industry people. It’s simply them recognizing their own. Of course the individuals voting have their own bias and opinion, but doesn’t every voter no matter what the contest/election? And as for the comment that the screenwriter for Milk shouldn’t have gone on about gay rights in this forum…I mean good god man…he just won his Oscar for writing a movie about a man who fought for gay rights! That’s what the whole damn movie was about! So if that wasn’t the proper forum, that what pray tell would’ve been?
By LCS
February 23, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this
I thought it was a great show and watched all of it. The Oscar show has always had participants making political comments. There is no change from this show. In Hollywood Prop.8 is the political talk. The best part were the older winners giving tribute to the nominees. The talk is that even being nominated is a big deal at the Oscars. These tributes underlined that statement.
By Melody
February 23, 2009 12:35 PM | Link to this
Hugh Jackman cannot sing, and I never want to hear him sing again.
It was charming to have the prior winners say something to the nominees, but it would’ve been even better if movies clips of their work had been included as well. Cutting out Jackman would’ve made time for that.
By Michael
February 23, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this
The f need to get back in the closet. Or start bank rolling this gay s* because mainstream america is sick of it. And we buy the tickets.
Did you see Milk? If not, then you have nothing to say.
Go watch your Superbad, Knocked Up, or movie with a big explosion and exposed women’s chests.
By Lynn
February 23, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this
Hugh Jackman was a very charming host; much more so than smug Jon Stewart and unfunny Chris Rock. My complaints were about the show were no clips of the actors in best of category; presentation of the 3 nominated songs was so lame; did not like the “In Memoriam” - you could hardly make out who was being honored and they left out Harvey Korman and Heath Ledger. Eddie Murphy was underwhelming as presenter of the Jean Hersholt award; Jennifer Anniston and Jack Black were pathetic in their presentation; it was funny how she pulled him off and they were not even done.
By reality
February 23, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this
No I did not see Milk. I do not embrace the gay life style. It is wrong. And so are you. What part of get back in the closet do you not understand?
By miles
February 23, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this
Like, who gives a rat’s rear end about what a bunch of two-faced, hypocritical, elitist, liberals think were the best movies, actors, etc. They have no clue what the American people like.
By Phil Kloer
February 23, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this
Miles: I believe the preferred term these days is “Commie homo-loving sons of guns.” That’s courtesy of Sean Penn.
By Scalia
February 23, 2009 1:34 PM | Link to this
What is the gay lifestyle? Please inform me. Because I watch sports and play basketball with my friends. I couldn’t arrange flowers to save my life. So once again, what is the gay lifestyle?
By reality
February 23, 2009 1:58 PM | Link to this
I bet you toss a salad wunderbar.
By val
February 23, 2009 2:05 PM | Link to this
I truly enjoyed the Oscars for the 1st time in years. Hugh Jackman did an outstanding job. Having the pass winners come out was a outstanding idea. I wanted Brad Pitt to win the oscar. Oh well life goes on. Great job though.
By Michaeldr81@yahoo.com
February 23, 2009 2:07 PM | Link to this
And I bet you are the first to get pounded with a strap by your girlfriend.
By reality
February 23, 2009 2:17 PM | Link to this
You wish.
By Michael
February 23, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this
Not really.
By rick
February 23, 2009 2:40 PM | Link to this
Okay 8th graders. Back to class. The adults are discussing the Oscars.
By reality
February 23, 2009 3:32 PM | Link to this
I have kids older than you Rick. Take your light in the loafers buddy and run along.
By Rick
February 23, 2009 3:48 PM | Link to this
You’re doing it again. This is a blog to discuss the oscars. You are calling people names like kids do in the eighth grade. If you are really an adult, you missed the point.
By reality
February 23, 2009 5:16 PM | Link to this
And what are you doing? Pot, kettle.
By beki
February 23, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this
The Oscars, for the first time in a very long time, was entertaining. I was, however,not enthused about Stiller’schtick anymore than the audience. Jackman was very entertaining and can sing better than Ann Hathaway. The classiest performers and winners were Winslett and Penelope Cruz; and,seeing Sophia Loren and Eva Marie Saint still looking good was magnificent. Those who want gays to go back into the closet because middle America can abide them should give up the hate; the rest of us judge people by their work not what they are.
By Rick
February 23, 2009 5:54 PM | Link to this
I agree Becky. After seeing Milk, I saw a documentary on CBS Sunday Morning about Harvey Milk. After seeing that, I was amazed by how much Sean Penn was like him in looks, speech and mannerisms. That’s great acting.
By beki
February 23, 2009 6:12 PM | Link to this
I mistyped “can” for “can’t” which would make my statement more reasonable. Yet, I must say that I have a preference for European actors and actresses; and, they are easily the most articulate, the best dressers ( that is, they have better fashion sense than most of our ” young” stars who rather advertise themselves), and the sexiest. Hathaway? Can’t hold a candle to an older Loren, Cotillard, or Cruz.