The fact that my Oscar predictions were 73% accurate is less a testament to my psychic powers and more a sign of just how predictable this years ceremony was. Not to mention long.
All the acting awards went to the recipients everyone expected and the big showdown between Avatar and The Hurt Locker was thankfully won by the latter. A full list of winners can be found here.
The show was an odd one. It felt incredibly long as the more famous winners seemed to be allowed to drag their speeches out forever, and most did not save their thank you lists for when they were off stage. Baldwin and Martin were funny hosts and were warmly received by the audience, something Jonathan Ross somehow failed to achieve at the BAFTAs. The tribute to John Hughes was genuinely moving and a celebration of the horror genre included some odd clips; is twilight a horror?
One of the big successes of the night was the personal speeches made about the ten Best Actor/Actress nominees, given by their friends and former co-workers. Another highlight was Neil Patrick Harris giving a great song and dance performance to open the show though it seemed a little out of place in a more toned down show, filled with movie stars.
The big win for me was Avatar just getting technical and visual awards, saving the big awards for films with more substance. It was interesting, for me at least, that none of the acting roles winning big awards were from award-heavy films. Ultimately the lack of tension over who would win most of the awards detracted from the usual Oscar excitement, only Best Foreign Film was a complete surprise; no one seemed to have even heard of the winner El secreto de sus ojos.
If this seems a bit scatty and all over the place just appreciate that I was up until 5am.
Mild Concern 