That little naked gold guy is smiling on many this evening. The ceremony wasn’t any shorter this year, (total running time of 4 hours and 4 minutes, not including credits) but it sure was less dull. The absence of those large musical numbers is a huge help but that musical montage in the middle wasn’t needed — except for the Shaft song. Also, the time, host Billy Crystal was able to resist making a Jack Palance joke. It was also a joy to see that the annual dead pool honored Jim Varney. You are not forgotten Ernest P. Worrel!
And did you notice how amazing those women looked? They had plunging necklines, beautiful hair, stunning jewelry, and gorgeous gowns – Matt Stone and Trey Parker went to the Academy Awards in drag and stunned reporters working that tortuous red carpet. (Truth be told, most celebrities hate doing that phony crap.) Matt and Trey made fun of Phil Collins in the line and even shouted, “I hope you lose!” Collins was visibly annoyed and held back. Those bad South Park boys even left local LA entertainment reporter George “Oooh, I love fashion and have I told you about my wife in the last five minutes?†Pennacchio speechless.
American Beauty was the big winner with five Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Cinematography. The real surprise was that The Matrix received a shocking four Oscars in the categories of visual effects, both sound categories and for editing. It’s a good sign that Hollywood is loosening up and including recognition of films in genres other than dramas. And was it a slight toward George Lucas that Star Wars Episode 1 went home with nothing? Hmmm… And the most encouraging aspect of the event was one that was missing completely – the absence of those fashionable, cause-filled red ribbons. Does this mean that AIDS is all but cured?! Or is AIDS not the “in†cause this week. Oh well, so here’s what you really want to know, the winners are….
[ BEST PICTURE ] ^ AMERICAN BEAUTY
[ BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE ] ^ Kevin Spacey in AMERICAN BEAUTY
[ BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ] ^ Michael Caine in THE CIDER HOUSE RULES
[ BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE ] ^ Hilary Swank in BOYS DON’T CRY
[ BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ] ^ Angelina Jolie in GIRL, INTERRUPTED
[ BEST DIRECTOR ] ^ AMERICAN BEAUTY – Sam Mendes
[ CINEMATOGRAPHY ] ^ AMERICAN BEAUTY – Conrad L. Hall
[ ART DIRECTION ] ^ SLEEPY HOLLOW – Rick Heinrichs and Peter Young
[ COSTUME DESIGN ] ^ TOPSY-TURVY
[ DOCUMENTARY FEATURE ] ^ ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER
[ DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT ] ^ KING GIMP
[ FILM EDITING ] ^ THE MATRIX – Zach Staenberg
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM ] ^ ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER
[ MAKEUP ] ^ TOPSY-TURVY
[ ORIGINAL SCORE ] ^ THE RED VIOLIN – John Corigliano
[ ORIGINAL SONG ] ^ “You’ll Be in My Heart” from TARZAN – Phil Collins
[ SHORT FILM – ANIMATED ] ^ THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
[ SHORT FILM – LIVE ACTION ] ^ MY MOTHER DREAMS THE SATAN’S DISCIPLES IN NEW YORK
[ SOUND ] ^ THE MATRIX – John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, David Campbell and David Lee
[ SOUND EFFECTS EDITING ] ^ THE MATRIX
[ VISUAL EFFECTS ] ^ THE MATRIX
[ SCREENPLAY – ADAPTATION ] ^ THE CIDER HOUSE RULES – John Irving
[ SCREENPLAY – ORIGINAL ] ^ AMERICAN BEAUTY – Alan Ball
