48 replies to this topic

[dirac]

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I sort of understand why they grouped the best picture intros into sets of three, but it made for some very awkward moments. But those seem to go with the overall glitchiness of the program -- I think that Seth McFarland may be one of the most bizarre hosts I've seen

I didn't think this broadcast was that bad as Oscar shows go, sandik.  I assume they knew what they were getting when they hired MacFarlane. They could have done some work on the timing - you shouldn't have to wait thirty minutes into the show for the first award, and I thought the Shatner thing would never end. The John Wilkes Booth joke was a bit much. Also the repeated plugs for Chicago.

As I've been whining about for some years now, the Fashion Police people have so intimidated the actresses that hardly anyone wears anything daring or even that interesting. I think this year was the most cautious I can recall.

That said, I mostly agree with cubanmiamiboy's choices and I'd add Anne Hathaway's Prada number. I could have done without her faux modest ohgoshIwon speech. A trifle unbecoming given that she's been cleaning Sally Field's clock all season.

[Natalia]

For the first time in 20+ years, I saw the entire ceremony from Red Carpet to the very end without falling asleep! With the exception of a couple of truly-crude jokes by the host (especially the Lincoln-assassination one), I loved the program. The single-greatest moment for me, besides ARGO taking the top prize, was the singing of....

"GOLD-FINGAH!!!"  Cheers to Dame Shirley Bassey!

Now on to the fashions. Cubanmiamiboy, I've purposely not read/seen your picks yet. I thought about you as I took pad-and-pen, writing down by Best and Worst during the E! pre-awards show. So here goes:

Best:

1 - 'Mrs Argo' is #1 by a mile, for me - Jennifer Gardner in plum-colored Gucci -- loved the sleek front, then the big ruffled surprise in the back -- and gorgeous jewelry, hairstyle, etc. PARFAIT!  
2 - Anne Hathaway's very pale pink satin by Prada. This dress works only with an ultra-cute-type beauty...like Anne! Perfect hair, jewels, manner of walking, etc. (I realize that some hated this dress...)
3- Sandra Bullock in the transparent black-with-silver-threads number by Elie Saab. This jumped up to my top 3 list when I saw her during the show as a presenter, walking up to the mike. It was like liquid webbing as she moved.
4 - Octavia Spencer in cream tulle and pearls by Tadashi Shoji. Not only the best by a 'non-traditional' (skinny) body but one of the Best - Period!

Worst:

1. Kristen Stewart - Just because she came on crutches was no excuse to show up in an ill-fitting gown looking like she hasn't slept in over 48 hours...and has maybe imbibed in legal or illegal substances. Sloppy mess.
2. Halle Berry - The Dynasty Zebra (Sorry, she's a lovely lady...but THIS? The bullet-proof shoulder pads?)
3. Jennifer Aniston - the red dress itself was OK but she not only was un-styled (no makeup, no jewels, limp long hair) but seemed angry-as-heck...especially when "E! cable" caught her leaving the ceremony swiftly after Ben Afflek's picture won the big prize. This lady has a chip on her shoulder....or couldn't wait to dump the red gown.
4. Jessica Chastain - again, the gown itself was pretty but....were it not for the bright lipstick, Chastain would have been a beige ghost. Sorry, it didn't work for me, even though the E! emcees were going gah-gah for it.

Lifetime Non-achievement Award:  Helena Bonham-Carter. The get-up defies description.

p.s. - Speaking of the E! Fashion Police hosts, it seemed like they kept focusing on a half-dozen ladies....all throughout the 'live' pre-awards Red Carpet special. Was it just me, or did Kerry Washington (of Django Unchained...a presenter but not nominated herself) appear to parade up and down the Red Carpet for a full 2 hours? Yeah, she wore a lovely red-and-gold-beaded gown but...two hours of parading herself...really?  E! constantly kept showing her walking the carpet and passing by the same spots. In the old days, the stars used to walk from the limo to the theater and stay in the theater until the show began. Since when did these two-hour 'walk arounds' begin?

[Jayne]

Natalia, on 25 February 2013 - 05:53 AM, said:

"GOLD-FINGAH!!!"  Cheers to Dame Shirley Bassey!

I'm a huge Shirley fan and she did a good job last night.  But if you want to see her really kick it, see her Glastonbury performance:

https://www.youtube....h?v=UT1yUAn0Bv8

[Jayne]

Everyone's a critic now, especially with so many reality fashion shows, fashion police, and judgy mcjudgy "experts" telling us what to like and dislike.  What is fashionable now will be deplored in 5 years' time and then will be revived back into style in 20 years.  The 70's look was coming back, then it was the Grecian look, and now we're edging towards 80's prom dresses.

On the one hand, we're bored when the actresses don't take risks.  But when they do take risks, we criticize them.  I liked Halle Berry's dress, it looked very 40's glamour to me.  She's not as young as some of the other actresses, but I thought she looked glamorous and the curves of her body looked fantastic.  

Anne Hathaway's dress was a safer choice, it reminded me of the Audrey Hepburn dress revival from the mid-late 1990's.  I think I still have a bridesmaid's dress in Aubergine in my closet that is pretty similar.  Loved her jewelry.  Given her short hair, why not go Audrey Hepburn on the night when you're a shoe-in to win?  In the stage musical, the role of Fantine doesn't grab your heart as much as Eponine.  But in the movie version it is the reverse.  All credit to Anne's performance for making us love her in that role.  She should have won for the difficult Rachel Getting Married role.  I loved to hate her in that role.  She won for both the Les Miz performance, and also her body of work.

The men have it much easier with the penguin suits.  Loved Daniel Day Lewis's silver hair.  So much better looking on men than the tinted dark hair.  If you're 57 you will look 57 whether you have silver hair or dyed dark hair.

[Natalia]

Thanks, Jayne. I found this clip of Dame Shirley's 'killer performance' of Goldfinger (or "Goldfingah") last night. The dress, arrangement, entrance and attitude are amazing! Pay closest attention to her look and pose commencing at the 1:26 mark. This ranks right up there with Plisetskaya's Swan in another genre of art, IMO.

https://www.youtube....h?v=CsCui5lSWcU

[sandik]

Jayne, on 25 February 2013 - 01:01 PM, said:

Natalia, on 25 February 2013 - 05:53 AM, said:

"GOLD-FINGAH!!!"  Cheers to Dame Shirley Bassey!

I'm a huge Shirley fan and she did a good job last night.  But if you want to see her really kick it, see her Glastonbury performance:

https://www.youtube....h?v=UT1yUAn0Bv8

Wow.  Just, wow!

Thanks so much for the link -- I had a little festival with some of the other stuff that came up with the video.  She reminded me of Tina Turner, in that she's stayed true to the essential part of her style, but she's still found her way to a contemporary audience.  And lordy, she still has a voice!  Divas are forever, indeed.

[lmspear]

Loved Shirley Bassey, but I did get nostolgic for Carly Simon doing The Spy Who Loved Me.

[dirac]

My take was that the Academy wanted to reward Hathaway for putting up with James Franco. I thought her most poignant moment in Les Miz was the scene where she had to be sad because she was getting her hair cut, so that alone makes her a truly worthy star and victrix.

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The men have it much easier with the penguin suits.

They do. Virtually impossible to go wrong with men's evening wear unless you're named Downey or Tarantino.

[Helene]

It's remarkable how often, when they can just look great in the default black tie, the men muck it up by trying to be creative.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Natalia, on 25 February 2013 - 05:53 AM, said:

Now on to the fashions. Cubanmiamiboy, I've purposely not read/seen your picks yet. I thought about you as I took pad-and-pen, writing down by Best and Worst during the E! pre-awards show. So here goes:

Natasha...none of your choices matches mine..!! WHAT'S WRONG IN THIS PICTURE..?!?!  ; -)

I'm a huge 80's fan, and that's why I welcomed with open arms the Joan Collins look of Berry and Fonda.  Very tired of the pale dresses, or the fluffy uber clauds.

Great to see the beauty of men with facial hair..! LOVED them!


Clooney, Cooper, Affleck



Dujardin


Jackman


Schreiber


Chris Pine


Paul Rudd


Chris Evans

[Helene]

I couldn't get past Halle Berry's hair.

I think Daniel Day Lewis looked fantastic.  Everyone should age like he has.

[dirac]

MakarovaFan, on 21 February 2013 - 06:25 AM, said:

dirac, on 20 February 2013 - 06:17 PM, said:

I’ve read some very good things about "The Invisible War" and am happy to root for it, sight unseen. It looks like the Administration is taking a few real steps to begin to address the problem.

The documentarians don’t get the attention they deserve at the ceremonies, but at least they haven’t been shunted off to an auxiliary event like the special effects guys.

Thank you Drew and dirac, for the information about "The Invisible War".  Just watched the trailer on the Oscar site and have it in my Netflix cue.

So sorry it didn't work out for The Invisible War last night. I tend to put a curse on my favored nominees, so it's probably my fault.

[dirac]

Helene, on 25 February 2013 - 05:42 PM, said:

I think Daniel Day Lewis looked fantastic.  Everyone should age like he has.

He was even sporting his My Beautiful Laundrette haircut.

[AlbanyGirl]

dirac, on 25 February 2013 - 05:17 PM, said:

My take was that the Academy wanted to reward Hathaway for putting up with James Franco. I thought her most poignant moment in Les Miz was the scene where she had to be sad because she was getting her hair cut, so that alone makes her a truly worthy star and victrix.

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The men have it much easier with the penguin suits.

They do. Virtually impossible to go wrong with men's evening wear unless you're named Downey or Tarantino.

That's funny, Dirac!

[AlbanyGirl]

Helene, on 25 February 2013 - 05:42 PM, said:

I couldn't get past Halle Berry's hair.

I think Daniel Day Lewis looked fantastic.  Everyone should age like he has.

Helene, I agree on both observations.  And let's not forget the gorgeous Giuliana Rancic.  She's not on the Red Carpet, but she always rivals anyone on it!