The opening sequence highlighted memorable stars and moments from a variety of timeless films. Strung throughout the show, several montages of classic clips exemplified old movie trailers, biographical films, controversial issues and great scores; these clips, however, became somewhat redundant. Donatella thought that films based on real people should have been recognized last year when such films were in abundance.
There seemed to be a greater dependence on the screen than on the stage, which logically reflected the crux of the awards show. Still, the old Hollywood theme was present in the lovely art deco set of golden curves and majestic marquis.
And the host of this grand stage? Not past hosts such as Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, Steve Martin or Whoopie Goldberg, but Jon Stewart, lead anchor of "The Daily Show." Stewart's introduction was hilarious, though not particularly original because the same default-host joke was used when he hosted the Grammy Awards.
Known for his funny, yet apt cheekiness, Stewart seemed to be an excellent choice for a host. He culled some chuckles, but he did not deliver the nonstop humor that we expected; instead, he made political jokes that were somewhat inappropriate and, frankly, not that funny. Stewart excelled, nevertheless, when he strayed from the script and offered his own comments on the winners.
The ceremony was largely comedy-centric as seen in the clever commercials that endorsed or opposed nominees, the amusing short-speech demonstration by Tom Hanks and the many comedians who presented awards. Ben Stiller, Steve Carell and Will Ferrell were especially funny when they illustrated the wonders of visual effects and makeup. Victoria explained that the Awards tried to attract lots of viewers with these comic devices because so many independent films were nominated and those films had small audiences.
Funny as it was, the comedy was not exactly tasteful and far from a return to glamour, which The New York Times denoted as the show's theme. When "Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit" was awarded best animated film, Victoria exclaimed, "Little bowties on the Oscars? They should win just for that!"
Other aspects of the show, however, were too informal for our liking. The creators of "The March of the Penguins" brought stuffed penguins onstage; yes, they were adorable, but they stretched the limits of the typically classy award show. The best song winner, "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow," was difficult to take seriously.
The first award of the night, for best supporting actor, predictably went to George Clooney for "Syriana." Matt Dillon's, Jake Gyllenhal's and William Hurt's performances had let Victoria down, so Clooney's win did not come as a surprise. Charming as always, he gave a fine acceptance speech. We applauded "Memoirs of a Geisha" for winning best costumes, art direction and cinematography recognizing the film's beauty.
Most of the Oscar winners were in accordance with the Golden Globe winners, leaving very few unexpected winners. Interestingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Felicity Huffman and Reese Witherspoon had previously won Golden Globes in separate best actor/actress categories, but now they were competing for Academy Awards in the same categories. Despite this increased competition, both your correspondents were correct in their expectation that Hoffman and Witherspoon would take home the Oscars.
The biggest surprise of the night belonged to "Crash" for nabbing Best Picture, an award that we were sure would go to "Brokeback Mountain," which was honored for its score, direction and adapted screenplay. Victoria literally screamed and announced that she would write a "strongly worded letter, right now." "Crash" did win the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) award for best ensemble performance and the Oscar for best original screenplay, but we were still shocked.
The attempts at humor and the informalities ultimately made the Academy Awards not as traditional as we had thought it might be. Perhaps we had better stick to the Golden Globes next year.
Selected Winners,
the Academy Awards 2006
Best Motion Picture
Crash
Achievement in Directing
Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
Performance by an
Actress in a Supporting Role
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener
Performance by an
Actor in a Supporting Role
George Clooney - Syriana
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Brokeback Mountain
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Crash
Best Animated Feature
Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Best Documentary Feature
The March of the Penguins