Oscar Night

I've shamelessly admitted to many things on this blog. A couple of weeks ago I shared my affinity for Valentine's Day. Everyone who knows me understands that I'm a sucker for Christmas. I've even confessed to a minor case of shopoholism, in that I become absolutely giddy over finding a great deal. But I don't think I've ever come clean with my genuine fascination with Oscar Night.

I'm not sure when it started. I don't think I ever cared at all about it until at least university. I do remember that the ceremony used to be held in April, because I remember watching the show while studying for exams. I'm not even sure exactly what it is that I love about it. Many things, I guess. The dresses are a big part of it. I love to check out what the starlets are wearing and either gush or dish. I love to make my predictions and wait breathlessly while the envelope is opened. I love the speeches, picking out whether or not the winners remember to thank their loved ones at home. I love the big production numbers, the sets, the honouring of industry pros from days gone by. I really love the whole evening. And last night was no exception.

My husband doesn't get excited about the Oscars like I do, but he does indulge my obsession. No, we don't get dressed up in tux and ball gown, but we do find ways to make the night a little bit special. Last night, we got the kids tucked into bed on time, and then Chris went out to pick up Chinese food. He got home about 10 minutes before the big show began, which felt really early here in the Eastern Time Zone. We had both filled out our Oscar ballots and I was ready to keep track of who would get the most correct predictions. We had only seen two of the movies nominated for Best Picture (well, I had seen three, having taken the kids to see Toy Story 3), but it didn't matter. We make our predictions primarily based on media buzz. I started out doing extremely well, and Chris.... well, not so much. By the time 10 awards had been given, I had 8 right and Chris had 3. Competitive nut that I am, I couldn't keep the smile off my face! The second half I wasn't quite so successful, although I did correctly choose Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress and Best Picture. I missed on Best Director, though, underestimating the dominance of The King's Speech. I ended up with 14 right out of 24, and Chris got 8, leaving me the clear winner! Woohoo! And thanks to the Eastern Time Zone, I was in bed by midnight!

As for my review of the show, I was pretty satisfied. The dresses were lovely; there weren't many really ugly ones this year. The hosts were so-so. I thought Ann Hatheway did a great job, if perhaps a little over-the-top in parts. James Franco just didn't seem comfortable in the role, and his resulting performance was a little blah. I missed the highlights of each nominated movie, which were obviously cut this year in the interest of time. I found that it really felt a bit rushed. I noticed in a few parts that it was really meant to be seen on a widescreen TV, but we were content to watch on our nine year old 27" CRT. As for the winners, for the most part I was very happy with the choices. I haven't seen the movies of any of the major winners, although I am dying to see The King's Speech, but I assume the winners were deserving. Although I chose Melissa Leo to win best supporting actress, I really hoped young Hailee Steinfeld would take the prize for her beautiful performance in True Grit. More than any other, I was thrilled that Colin Firth won for Best Actor. I've loved him since he was Mr. Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice BBC mini-series, and I'm really very surprised he hasn't won before. Chris and I saw The Social Network and Inception, and both nominations were well-deserved, but I think when we do see The King's Speech we'll agree that it was the right choice for the Best Picture Oscar.

So there's my confession and my review. I know many of my friends think I'm crazy for being such an Oscar nut, but some of you understand. I look forward to seeing some of the movies I've missed over the next few months as they come out on video. Clearly, I don't get out much, and I don't mind seeing them in the comfort of my cozy living room. And maybe, when the basement is finally finished, on a larger than 27" TV!