Pop Culture Princess

Pop Culture Princess
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Monday, March 06, 2006

Crash and burn,Oscar style

Well,I'm still reeling from last night's Oscar show,which had a major upset by giving Best Picture of the Year to Crash instead of the odd-on favorite,Brokeback
Mountain. It was crazy enough that "It's hard out here for a pimp" won Best Song(that production number was quite a trip but not as wackers as that whole"In the Deep" number for Crash,which looked like a scene from "Carrie:The Musicial")and that when the "In the memory" of Hollywood notables who died this past year,the first person showcased,Teresa Wright,recieved no applause!

I was particularly peeved at that,since I had watched The Best Years Of Our Lives that morning,which has Teresa as one of it's stars,not to mention that Teresa is one of my favorite ladies of the old school Hollywood films. She's also a featured player in Mrs. Miniver(another Academy Award winner)and in Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt. Teresa tended to play love interests but she wasn't some weak at the knees kind of gal-girl had some gumption! She should've gotten some applause,but then again,the crowd barely gave it up for Richard Pryor.

As to the outfits,Keira Knightley looked amazing-totally regal and stylish but not in an ice maiden mode at all. Reese Witherspoon's dress seemed to be adorned with shiny chewing gum wrappers(girl likes metallic outfits for some reason)and Naomi Watts' dress was a wreck. It looked like one of those Santino dresses from Project Runaway that would have the judges shaking their heads at his folly.

Brokeback Mountain did get some of the expected awards they were a shoo-in for,such as Adapted Screenplay,Score and Director. I do wish that atleast one of the actors had gotten an award(George Clooney didn't seem very grateful for his Best Supporting Actor with the first thing out of his mouth being"Guess this means I won't get Best Director". I saw him trying to make similar jokes about his movies losing out to Brokeback and all I can say is:these grapes are sour!)and that that whole Meryl Streep/Lily Tomlin rambling intro for Robert Altman had been cut short by Sandman Sims and an old fashioned off stage hook.

Crash is not the first film to win Best Picture thru an upset but as to it holding up in quality for future generations,only time will tell. I think it will be put along side such winners as Dances With Wolves and The Greatest Show On Earth in the"what were they thinking?!" catagory and that Brokeback will be more sought out by those seeking cinematic inspiration. Anyway,it's over-let's prepare for next year's follies,shall we?

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