thoughts about Oscar

[laurainlimbo]

I haven't really posted my thoughts on the Oscars, except in my thedailyactor community. So here goes: Overall, I thought the show was pretty good, though the awards were more often than not predictable, and the song and dance numbers were incredibly silly. Don't get me wrong - I love Hugh Jackman, and as host he was charming, gorgeous, funny and entertaining. But please - Beyonce, Zak Efron, Vanessa Hudgens??? why did we have to see them? and why was Miley Cyrus getting so much attention at the pre-Oscar red carpet shows?? Can she please go away?? Forever!!

Highlights of the show for me: the speeches by Heath's family (started me getting emotional), Kate's acceptance speech (she had me in tears - she's class personified - and wasn't her Dad adorable!?), Sean's acceptance speech (again had me laughing and crying - of course I also wanted Mickey Rourke and Frank Langella to win - a three-way tie would have been nice!), the acceptance speech by the Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (had me in tears too - he's so adorable), the little "performance" by tightrope walker Philippe Petit when the filmmakers accepted their award for best documentary Man on Wire (I can't wait to see that movie), and of course seeing all the adorable kids and the whole cast up there for Slumdog Millionaire ! I'm so happy for Danny Boyle and all the winners for that awesome film.

and now I still need to see Frost/Nixon - and I really want to see the Japanese movie that won for best foreign language film Okuribito (aka Departures). I have no idea when it will be out on DVD. But just read this synopsis - it sounds so good: (from imdb) Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living. .

Comments

[winterdahlia.livejournal.com]

I loved Kate's moment with her Dad. That was one of my favorite moments of the whole show. So adorable! :-)

Like you, I also wasn't thrilled with the musical numbers. And I thought the Academy decided years ago that they wouldn't do those big song and dance numbers anymore. I kind of wish they would have stuck to that decision. :-( And I swear they seem to promise every year that they will tighten up the show, but they never really do.

But, having said all that, I did enjoy Hugh Jackman. He is such a genuinely nice guy and he really did seem to be having a blast up there. Good for him! :-D Oh, and I absolutely loved the stage design with all the glitzy lights. I don't think I've ever seen the Kodak Theater look so gorgeous!

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

Kate must have had an awfully great upbringing:)

no they never do tighten the show -it seemed even longer this year. but I did enjoy it overall.

Hugh is awesome!!

[toadflax234.livejournal.com]

Still haven't seen it - I will though.

I've seen the opening number, and thought Hugh was great!

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

yea he was pretty amazing! so talented and gorgeous and ... guh!!!

[toadflax234.livejournal.com]

Lol!

I finally watched the highlights we got - and they were hopeless! The only musical number they did was Queen Latifah's. They had the whole thing on Sky Anytime though, so I caught the big opener on there again. And Kate's speech was fab - when her dad whistled, we fell about laughing!

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

oh that bit with her dad was precious. an awesome memory!!
*hugs*

[dawnie1970.livejournal.com]

Heath finally gets what he deserved for BBM. *hugs*

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

yes - but I felt so sad. *hugs*

[bitchygrrl.livejournal.com]

I agree 100%, especially as far as the musical numbers are concerned. there was too much attention to random celebrities and not enough on quality film actors. I do wish Miley would go away. She had no reason to be there, none. What a waste
Dustin Lance Black made me tear up just so sweet and sincere. I apporve of all the wins.

Langella is just terrific in Frost/Nixon, his performance was very real and complex. I want to see Departures as well.

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

it was a pretty good night.

I can't wait to see Frost/Nixon - I should just go and see it before it leaves theaters.

[nekosensei.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that Japanese film sounds interesting. I'll have to watch it. Now, I know that, because of the influence of Buddhism, being a butcher is an unclean profession because you're killing animals and handling the remains. Does something similar hold true for people who work in the funerary profession?

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. I asked my husband, but he doesn't really know. All forms of Buddhism are different, but that's a very interesting question. and something I'd love to research:)

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

I was thinking more about this and realizing that, as far as I know, most Japanese are cremated. unless they have religious beliefs that would be different (like there are several Christians in Japan), then they would lay out the body for the viewing and the funeral, and then cremate the body. so I don't know how they would feel about that profession - it's definitely different from being a butcher.

[nekosensei.livejournal.com]

Yes, but they're still handling dead things, and I always thought that handling dead things made one unclean in Buddhist tradition.

[laurainlimbo.livejournal.com]

I'm interested to see this movie so I can learn about what this profession does and how it's different from our culture.