Forget about the "Slumdog" landslide: these are the "real" winners and losers of the 81st Academy Awards@:
THE BEST
1. Heartfelt (Best Sup. Actress winner Penelope) and politically charged (in a good way) (Best Orig. Screenplay winner Dustin Lance Black, "Milk") speeches
2. Surprise Best Foreign Language Film victor "Departures" (the second Asian movie to receive the competitive honor, aside from three honorary awards)
3. Well-deserved wins by Sean Penn (his second), Danny Boyle, and two-time honoree A. H. Rahman (the first Indian composer to score an Oscar)
THE WORST
1. The boring, superficial (most of them), and scripted "tributes" (rather than introduction) of past acting winners to this year's nominees, not to mention their stage presence (very beauty pageant type)
2. The predictable winners (Except for "Departures" which was the biggest upset of the night, and in three years since "Crash" burned "Brokeback Mountain's" Best Picture chances)
3. The pacing of the show (it's like watching a school recognition ceremony wherein the different aspects of filmmaking/education are discussed with the use of visual aids, and in Oscar's case appealing, talented thespians who memorized their lines perfectly, yet some stumbled or bluffed)
PASSABLE...
- Hugh Jackman (Great singing voice and impromptus, but drowned away by the dull pacing and uncomfortable numbers, esp. the Baz Luhrmann-directed musicals in the movies tribute)
Nothing much to talk about, except that nothing has changed with the Oscar show, even the ratings and wooden direction by Bill Condon (of all people).
