It seems like we've been following the 2013 awards season forever, hasn't it? Though last year was one of the best years in film we've had in awhile, this Oscar season seemed much longer than the others. What was shaping up to be a competitive year settled into a somewhat predictable horse race. On some levels, I'm okay with it, and on others, not so much.
Overall, my favorite win last night was Lupita Nyong'o for Best Supporting Actress. For awhile, it really did seem like Jennifer was going to win (especially since it was clear American Hustle had no chance in hell winning anything else), but I had a feeling that the Academy would do right and honor not only the best performance in that field, but an actress who could really use this laurel; it's going to open up doors previously unheard of, and present opportunities to show us what she's made of... Patsey was just the beginning, and I can't wait to see what's next.
Though there is some controversy over Jared Leto's win (and his casting of Rayon in the first place) I thought he nailed down a pretty classy speech. While the performance hasn't aged as well in my mind as Bradley Cooper's in American Hustle, I can't say that Leto didn't try his very best to do right by the character of Rayon, a transgender woman. I thought that he sidestepped a lot of ignorant clichés that other actors with less of an attention span would not have noticed. He actually lived as this character for the months leading up to filming, and during the entire shoot. Though I really do wish a trans actor would have been cast in the role, it's hard to deny his dedication to doing the best, most authentic job he could've possibly done. But let this be the last time a straight man is cast in the role of a queer/transgender role, please.
Locks are never exciting, however, the mother of all locks, Cate Blanchett, was my second favorite win of the night. Though many see her performance in Blue Jasmine as "shrill" I ask you to revisit it, and look at the tiny details Blanchett included into making the character. It's well known that Woody Allen doesn't give his actors a lot of help in creating the character (besides writing the screenplay). After the messy wins in this category in the last 2 years, it's good to see a detailed, deserving performance take home the gold. I thought her speech was divine (yes!!! remind them about female driven films), though the internet seems to have taken issue on her thanking her director, Woody Allen, in light of the recent/not so recent controversy.
All I have to say on that *issue* is that it's not Cate's responsibility, nor is it her business, to pass judgement on a situation that does not involve her, especially one that nobody seems very well informed about; to this day nobody knows what did and did not take place, and to act as otherwise is to be ignorant of that fact. Though the recent trend of social justice bloggers would have liked to see Cate damn Woody Allen last night, I remind you that it was neither the time, nor the place to do so, and as I said before it is certainly not Cate's responsibility. She kept it light, and thanked him for giving her the part, without which, she wouldn't have been standing on that stage, which is all she, as Cate Blanchett, had to do.
Speaking of speeches, I had a little trouble with Matthew McConaughey's speech. While I enjoyed his work in Dallas Buyers Club, I thought that Chiwetel Ejiofor was the stronger actor (I couldn't help secretly rooting for Leo either, who would have made a deserving winner as well). Alas, McConaughey continued the McConaughssaince, and struck Oscar gold, after being snubbed last year for his turn in Magic Mike.
Getting to his speech, however, I found it to be a bit narcissistic. It was lighthearted and fun, and the bit about his father was cute, but he just spent the whole time explaining he was his own hero... which I didn't really understand. I personally would have liked to hear him thank one, or any, of the people he worked with, and maybe comment on the subject of his film: AIDS, which he did not do. I guess I'm just splitting hairs, but it was probably the worst speech of the night.
Alfonso Cuaron (deservedly) took home Best Director AND Best Editing, while Steve McQueen won an Oscar for producing 12 Years A Slave when it won Best Picture, again deservedly so. Spike Jonze triumphed in Best Original Screenplay; thank goodness Her did not go home empty handed, though I would have loved to see it win in Original Score. I didn't predict the American Hustle shut out, though I'm very happy it happened (especially since it got 10 nominations, that stings so much). Ellen made for a good host, I liked how effortless the whole thing seemed to her.
So, where am I going from here? I'll keep reporting movie news and reviewing films (once the good ones start coming out of course!), but overall, the Oscar talk will be over for a little bit... I think we could all use a break from that, and just enjoy movies as they are for a little while.
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