Up The Academy

Quick review of the Oscars.  Went by painlessly enough, though Neil Patrick Harris is better at hosting the Tonys.  And that prediction stunt was lame--as magic, comedy or some unholy mix of the two.

Biggest Winner: Birdman.  They spread the wealth last night, but Birdman won a bunch, including three above-the-line awards, Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.  Second biggest winner was either Grand Budapest Hotel, which got four awards (all technical, and generally deserved) or Whiplash, the little film that could, that won three.

Biggest Loser: Boyhood. Up for a bunch of major awards, only managing a Best Supporting Actress. (Waiting 12 years to lose must be tough.). Second biggest loser is Michael Keaton--his film Birdman is winning awards right and left, but he can't even win the sentimental vote for Best Actor.

Biggest disappointment (to me): Butter Lamp, easily the best of the short live action films, lost to The Phone Call, the worst.

A few notes:

Two short films about crisis hotlines won Oscars--expect more, I guess.

Love it or hate it, Birdman is one of the most arty and experimental films ever to win the Best Picture Oscar.

A number of people hijacked the ceremony to make political speeches, demonstrating they're full-of-themselves boors. If only the audience would sit on their hands, rather than go "me too, I care!," we might make some progress.

It was nice to see Julie Andrews, but did we need a 50th anniversary Lady Gaga musical tribute to The Sound Of Music?  Cut that and the show comes in on time.