2015 Oscars Show is 4 The Birds
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The Oscars show tonight was for Birdman, actually, which won Best Picture. I'd read online the movie is lacking in the story department, but that must not be true. Some are very disappointed and shocked "Boyhood" lost the top prize, and many are irked Joan Rivers and Elaine Stritch were left out of "In Memoriam." The telecast tonight was fairly entertaining. Doogie Howser often showcased a flippant attitude as if stuck in his "How I Met Your Mother" character, while still looking like Doogie. His hosting wasn't all that successful but only fell utterly flat just a few times. Doogie, Neil Patrick Harris, I mean, opened the show with a part corny part exciting big brassy bold love song to the movies which admitted "movies aren't real" but they're not just a big nothing, either. The lyrics were witty in parts. Anna Kendrick and Jack Black chimed in, the latter a cynical party pooper. J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for being the most hateful but most determined music teacher ever, in "Whiplash." He sure didn't want the music to suck. Miles Teller has sort of a young Paul Newman look. Sort of. Which isn't a bad attribute. He co-starred in "Whiplash" as an aspiring drummer. Neil Patrick shared that "I love acting, I love hosting but above all I love mystery." The Dolby Theater was a spectacular vision in gold and red, they didn't stint on the stage decorations, talk about fancy! Adam Levine did a song from his and Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffolo's fun music film "Begin Again," a great treat for me as I really enjoyed that movie--Keira lived out my dream in it which I appreciated vicariously. "The Oscars has the Dependent Spirit awards," Neil Patrick joked. "Grand Budapest Hotel" costume designer won for best costume designs (what else?). That colorful quirky movie's make up artists also won the little naked gold man. Sex symbol Channing Tatum trotted out briefly to present praise for something I didn't catch. "Movies are about being human," Nicole Plastic Fantastic Kidman asserted, before presenting the Best Foreign Film Oscar to Poland's "Ida." Shirley MacLaine in black sparkles came out onstage to praise the films "Birdman," "The Theory of Everything" and "Boyhood." Scientist Steven Hawking "teaches us the greatest force in the universe is Love." (That's all you need.) The "Everything is Awesome" number from "The Leggo Movie" number was performed and really was awesome. "The Phone Call" won Best Short Live Action film. "Sally Hawkins donated her incredible talent for nothing," its director revealed. "Crisis Hotline Veterans Press 1" won for Best Documentary Short Subject. Gynneth Paltrow spoke about Glen Campbell's incredibly poignant, moving song "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" about his disease Alzheimer's that Campbell wrote. Tim McGraw sang it on the Oscars. Margo Robbie and Miles Teller appeared, to announce they hosted the scientific and technical Oscars awards show several days before which honored "the most creative industry in the world," Robbie gushed. Sienna Miller and Chris Evans announced that "Whiplash" won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing, while "American Sniper" won for Best Sound Mixing. Patricia Arquette won Best Supporting Actress and used her acceptance speech to stump for equal wages and equal rights for women. Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopex seated beside her were shown cheering for the feminist mini-diatribe. Arquette co-starred in "Boyhood." Everybody had been saying she would win. Rita Ora, who can really sing, performed "Grateful" from a new music film starring the ultra-beautiful Gu Gu, who starred in "Belle." Gu Gu's new movie depicts her becoming a true artist after going through all the usual wild Diva Miley Cyrus antics. I didn't catch the film's name. Or Gu Gu's surname. She made a big splash in "Belle," and this also sounds like it will be good. "Intersteller" won for Best Visual Effects. Ansel Elgort and Chloe Grace Moritz presented. Neil Patrick shared that he resents them "for not being born when I lost my first Golden Globe." "Interseller" was said to "show the universe in all its amazing and terrifying beauty, " its effects made possible by scientists. Kevin Hart (who he?) and Anna "Pitch Perfect" and "Up in the Air" Hendricks revealed that "Feast" won for "Best Animated Short." Why do we never get to see these shorts. Zoe Saldana and Dwayne Johnson "whose films outgross everyone's" according to host Harris presented for Best Animated Movie which went to :Big Hero 6." "Tonight we are here to celebrate story tellers," the president of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stated at the first of her glorifying movies speech. "We are bound together by our fascination and passion for cinema." You said it, sister. Hell yes. Chris Pratt and Felicity Jones declared a film's production designer "dreams it, draws it and makes it real" often from "just a single line in the script" before announcing that "The Grand Budapest Hotel" production designer won the Oscar. "Birdman" won for best cinematography which gives a film "its look." Idris Elba and Jessica Chastain presented. Meryl Streep presided over "In Memoriam" noting that Joan Didion wrote "the loss of one person makes the whole world empty." "Their work will stand and remind us how lucky we were to have them with us for awhile...there will never be anyone else like them, each and every one." Mickey Rooney was shown first, some others shown who passed away were Larry Mazursky, James Garner, Elizabeth Pena, Alan Hirshfeld, Maya Angelou, Edward Herrman, James Rebhorn, James Shigota, Anita Ekburg, L.M. Kitt Carson, Virna Lisi, Louis Jourdan, Gordon Willis, Sir Richard Attenborough, Ruby Dee, Tom Rolf, Samuel Goldwyn Jr., Martha Hyer, Robin Williams, William Greaves, Rod Taylor, Luis Rainer, Lauran Bacall, Charles Champlin, Misty Upham, Eli Wallach, Alain Resnais, Bob Hoskins, Mike Nichols. (to be continued)
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Excellent Review, Susy! I really liked this...I wondered what the gist of the TOE movie was...
"Shirley MacLaine in black sparkles came out onstage to praise the films "Birdman," "The Theory of Everything" and "Boyhood." Scientist Steven Hawking "teaches us the greatest force in the universe is Love." (That's all you need.)" I haven't had the time to watch any of these yet. -
For us, the most delightfully surprising moment of the evening: (Posted last night in the Paul/Lady Gaga collaboration thread) http://maccaboard.paulmccartney.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2839300#2839300
Triplets Love Paul:
The performance that Lady Gaga offered this evening was without question the jaw-dropping, show-stopping moment of the night! We were blown away - a stunningly brilliant performance! In addition to her flawless performance, she was a vision to behold with her beautiful gown, hair and makeup to perfection - absolutely breathtaking!!! LOVED every minute of this performance! At the close of her performance my first words were "Now I know why Paul has chosen Lady Gaga for his project!" For those who may be interested:
THANK YOU, (((((PAUL)))))!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!
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Jennifer Hudson sang an over the top (but she has a big voice and can carry it off) song for the departed called "I Can't Let You Go." "I can't let go...the memories are keeping you alive" a strong tear-inducing line, which, sadly, everyone can relate to in their own lives. The audience loved Hudson's passionate rendition. Naomi Watts and Benedict Cumberbach announced "the film editor can help the director see a scene or even a whole film in a new light" and gave the Oscar to "Whiplash" film editor Tom Cross. Terence Howard asked, "How far would you go to be great? How far would you go to help someone find the greatness in themselves...our next film is amazing, I'm blown away...(the hero) helps to defeat the Nazis only to have his own greatness stripped from him because of his sexual orientation (The Imitation Game)." Next the actor lauded "Selma" which "honors the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and his incomparable life." He previously noted Benedict Cumberbach "played the forefather of modern computing." "Citizen Four" a documentary about muck raking whistleblower Edward Snowden was cited. Octavia Spencer stated, "47 years ago the Oscar telecast was postponed for Dr. Martin Luther King...Tonight two artists joined forces to create a song for the film "Selma"--John Legend and Common." Idina Menzel came out to talk about the Nominees for Best Original Song. John Travolta amusingly joined her on stage, stroked her face several times (he's very touchy feely) and they joked about his outrageous, ludicrous (don't they rehearse?) bungling of her name the year before at the Oscars. She got revenge by mispronouncing his name in a humorous manner. I was glad she didn't sing (not that she's a really bad singer). "Glory" was performed by its creators amazing and touching everyone, some brought to tears by the magnificent performance and song. "Glory" won for Best Original Song. "First I would like to thank God who lives in us all," John Legend quite touchingly said. "It's an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live," he also noted. "The struggle for freedom and justice (is ongoing)...More black men are incarcerated today than were enslaved in 1860." The rapper Common was absolutely thrilled the song won. He wrote it with Legend. His rapping interspersed with the song was quite rousing. Lady Gaga gave a special performance of a "Sound of Music" medley to honor the classic musical which came out many decades ago, and to give tribute to Julie Andrews as Maria. Lady Ga Ga showed she can sing "real songs" in a "real" soprano singing voice, which was very lovely, and won a standing ovation. Julie Andrews came out to praise Ga Ga's tribute and moved the audience with her gracious appreciation in words. Alexandre Desplat who scored "Grand Budapest Hotel" won the Oscar for Best Original Score. "Wes, you're a genius, this is good" he told director Wes Anderson, and held up his golden Oscar in triumph. Eddie Murphy presented "Best Original Screenplay" award to "Birdman" screenwriters. Oprah Winfrey did the honors for "The Imitation Game" screenwriter, Graham Moore, for Best Adapted Screenplay. Moore implied in his thank you speech that he's gay and that's why he tried to kill himself at age 16, for feeling "different" and "weird" and that he didn't fit in. He stated no-one should feel that and should celebrate their individuality and uniqueness instead. His words were quite stirring and inspiring. Ben Affleck appeared, and said "the cardinal sin in film making is dullness." He lauded the directors of Birdman, Boyhood, Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Imitation Game. The director of "Birdman" won the Oscar for directing. His exuberance was nearly overwhelming. Fun to behold.
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The Birdman director announced "tonight I am wearing the Michael Keaton tighty whities" in a nod to Neil Patrick appearing in his underwear on stage a while before."That tiny little prick, Ego, loves competition," but all the movies of these "incredibly talented film makers" also nominated "can't be compared or labeled...time will tell" if his film was really that great. "This is kind of a slow motion moment in my life" so he regretted if he left anyone out thanking them in his speech. Eddie Redmayne unsurprisingly won for his portrayal of scientist Stephen Hawking, and dedicated his Oscar to "all ALS sufferers, and the Hawking family." Redmayne was happy and thrilled and showed it. Julianne Moore won for "Still Alice"--she has always been great in anything I've seen with her, and it's funny, she was born in Spring Lake, N.C. outside of Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, not very far going northward from my place of birth. She is truly a great actress. Sean Penn got to announce the Best Picture winner. First he gave acclaim to all the movies nominated, to "their power of storytelling and the power of their ideas...they touched something in all who saw them." "Birdman" won for Best Picture. I had read it doesn't have much of a story, but that must not be true. --SUSY
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I agree with Triplets that Lady Ga Ga's singing from "Sound of Music" on Oscar night was a revelation, and a major highlight of the evening
I often love to hear beautiful soprano singing and Ga Ga really brought it. A wonderful unexpected surprise. She sounds like an expressionless futuristic auto tune type robot on her weird "dance" hits, some of them don't even sound like "real songs" to me, and then to suddenly offer this 
She seemed sophisticated trucking around performing with Tony Bennett, too, but didn't break out with the soprano, with him. Was more jazzy. She's an eclectic performer in her way reminding one of Paul McCartney's different styles showcasing his diversity and range. I enjoyed her high vocals more than Sarah Brightman's As one reviewer noted, "she was Stephanie Germanotti" more than her Lady Ga Ga persona, on this night. That, and "Glory" made music dominate the cinematic aspect at this year's Oscars ceremony. Music grabbed more attention "Everything's Awesome" did too, what a purely fun number 
especially with all the cute kids.
