Oscars, part 6

[cleolinda]

Okay, now THAT was a moment.

"Please welcome! The always Fantastic Jessica Alba!" Ah, she was the eye candy at the non-statue tech awards. Sister Girl is very disappointed in her dress, by the way. She asked me to call her if "anything big" happened--she's at her boyfriend's with the TV turned up in the other room while she plays Final Fantasy XI--and I'm telling you, Tilda Swinton was the first time I called her.

Jon Stewart points out that "two pregnant women are here tonight," but "the night is young, and Jack [Nicholson] is here. Perhaps we will re-tally at the end of the night." I have to say... the banter's a little weak this year.

Please welcome! Josh Brolin and James McAvoy! Randomly spouting famous movie lines! "This! Is fun!" intones McAvoy. "What's that from?" "No, I'm just saying, this is fun!" Brolin apologizes to Jack for "the worst Jack Nicholson impression ever done." On the other hand, we did get to hear McAvoy give us his Rhett Butler.

Best Adapted Screenplay! It goes to the Coens! Aww, Sarah Polley. And it's not fair to have Josh Brolin present it! The deck was stacked! The Coens are standing roughly 5000 feet apart. I can't remember which one is which, but one notes that they have only adapted "Homer and Cormac McCarthy," and the other one steps up to the mike and snickers, the end. Oh, Coens, never change.

Here's the President of the Academy. Excuse me, I'm running to the bathroom for a mo. Okay, I'm back. The How We Vote for the Oscars montage is, in theory, amusing. Wow, I am so not feeling the show this year. Is it just me?

"Wow," deadpans Jon Stewart. "That was... amaaazing." He shrugs. "I always thought it was super-delegates." Our next presenter, here to introduce another song: Miley Cyrus. "And NO, I cannot get her to sign anything for your kids!" Let it be noted, by the way, that Cyrus has poise to spare, which is kind of sad given that Katherine Heigl nearly fell apart.

Here's Kristin Chenoweth with "That's How You Know." I like her dress--another neutral, a nice combination of texture and floatiness. You know why I think they got Chenoweth? Not that Adams isn't awesome, but they went with someone who could sing live and do a whole production number in what is essentially one take. It's a nice song, but it's not that great. Huh. I mean, I bet it's a great scene in the movie. Just, hearing it for the first time, there's... not a lot of lyrics there. The leaping-tumbling-tossing construction men do carry Chenoweth offstage, though, which is cute.

Comments

[clodia-risa.livejournal.com]

OMG VIGGO MORTENSEN: OFFICIALLY BEST DRESSED MAN THERE.

[word-herder.livejournal.com]

If you were to stop, I'd turn off the TV. But no. You should not have to bear the agony all alone.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Yeah - the banter is weak. I like Jessica Alba's dress - one of my friends described her gown bodice as having "mariboob". :-)

I liked Chenoweth's gown!

[rorqual.livejournal.com]

No, I agree with you, it's just not happening this year. I mean, it's going on....but not *happening*. And were you secretly rooting for Sarah Polley? Because she totally should have won, and I am looking for somewhere to lay blame....:)

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

WTF is up with Ethan Coen? 'HEEHEE. HEEHEE. HI. *leaves*' What, did he just see someone's boobies or something?

[ter369.livejournal.com]

You know why I think they got Chenoweth? Not that Adams isn't awesome, but they went with someone who could sing live and do a whole production number in what is essentially one take.

KC is a Broadway person, where it's one-take for three hours, eight times a week.

[lyricalnights.livejournal.com]

The song was cuter in context. and with Amy Adams. not that I'm bitter. =)

[falco-conlon.livejournal.com]

CATE GOT ROBBED. -grumble grumble-

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

So, I think I get it - is Saoirse Ronan wearing green because of the green Atonement dress?

[anne-jumps.livejournal.com]

I'm so tired of all the Nicholson ass-kissing every year.

[gracefallson-me.livejournal.com]

what the HELL is goin on with the awards shows this year? the woman looked like that Nicole girl off MadTV!

[callmesyd.livejournal.com]

EEE. Did you see Cate's face when they called Marion's name? That was ADORABLE and makes me love them both dearly.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

ZOMFG CATE DID NOT GET IT WTF

(also that girl sounded NOTHING like Edith Piaf)

[ohgeens.livejournal.com]

Marion Cotillard was miming to a tape, so what you're saying is the real Edith Piaf sounds nothing like herself :\

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

What? No, dude. (http://www.moviemaker.com/articles/article/la_vie_en_rose_edith_piaf_jil_aigrot_20080207/)

[ohgeens.livejournal.com]

Touché!

I was going off of this: Miming to the Tape

I like to sing, but the technical process of miming to a tape was the hardest thing for me, simply because I wanted it to be perfect. I worked with a singing teacher to learn how Piaf sang--her body and tongue movements, and breathing. It was so complicated it nearly drove me insane. If I had tapes of her singing a particular song, I analyzed her performance. I noticed that being in rhythm isn't enough when you're miming. Your breathing is vital. I would jot down the exact moment when she took a breath, and then I'd put the music on and film myself singing to camera. I spent whole nights taking notes on what not to do! I wanted it to be Piaf.

[melayka.livejournal.com]

Aww, I love it when they're super-shocked and grateful like that. YOU GO, FRENCH GIRL. XD

[agentsculder.livejournal.com]

Awwww, I love it when nominees just totally lose their minds up there. I was so glad Marion Cotillard won. She was just amazing. Plus I loved seeing how happy Cate Blanchette was that she won.

[sneaky-minx.livejournal.com]

Meant to mention this earlier, but Enchanted was really overrated, IMO. Don't rush to see it.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Cleo, Enchanted rocked, disregard above commenter (sorry above commenter!). That song was not the best in the movie, and Chenoweth did a HORRIBLE job on it. She almost forgot a line near the beginning. Don't judge the movie on it.

[lunylucy.livejournal.com]

Let it be noted, by the way, that Cyrus has poise to spare, which is kind of sad given that Katherine Heigl nearly fell apart.

I had the exact same thought. Kinda weird; why'd Heigl get so nervous?

[sfmarty.livejournal.com]

I saw Enchanted. I really didn't get it until I was sick of it. I thought they were just capitolizing on Disney films. Turns out I was partially right, it was a parody of Disney films. When I heard the songs (and ugh) the lyrics showed me how snarky they were. At the movie I think I had gone into a sugar coma.

It really isn't recommended by me.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I think it actually IS a Disney film--when I went past a Disney Store late last year, they had a huge Giselle/Enchanted display in the front window.

[dolphin--girl.livejournal.com]

It is a Disney film, that simultaneously takes the piss out of Disney films. The best comparison my friends and I had was Hot Fuzz: It's a movie in a particular genre that pokes fun at the tropes of the genre while simultaneously using those tropes to make a pretty good movie in that genre. We really enjoyed it.

[kestrel127.livejournal.com]

In context, "That's How You Know" is a fantastic Bollywood-esque song. Out of context, it's Kristin Chenoweth prancing around in a dress.

I liked Enchanted, but for a Disney movie parody, it's way too easy on Disney movies.