Team Experience: Oscar's Best & Worst Moments
Monday, February 23, 2015 at 10:02PM 
Neil Patrick Harris' big musical opening had fun shadow effectsAre most of you over your Oscar party hangovers now?
I polled Team Experience (and myself) on their very favorite moment and their "Agony!" bit alike from last night's show of shows and here's what they had to say about the 87th Academy Awards. Please do share your single Best & Worst moment in the comments, too as we work our way through putting this film year behind us.
BEST MOMENTS
Timothy: Pawel Pawlikowski muscling right on through the play-off music in order to pay due tribute to his late wife.
Julien: That opening song was really some... Oh who am I kidding ? Watching Julianne finally clutch that Oscar was a dream I thought would never come true.
Nathaniel: Once you get past Julianne I'd go with 1) Emma Stone reaction shots 2) "Glory" 3) Jessica Chastain saying "Chivooooo" 4) the insanity of "Everything is Awesome" - particularly the fake Oscars and the Batman interruption 5) Patricia Arquette's infectious righteousness (sub-shoutout to Meryl & JLo). I understand that people are up in arms the day after but that's called 'missing the point because people love to be outraged' which is an epidemic online that distracts the world from progressive goals like eradicating inequality and sexism. 6) "because you're rich"
More heartfelt applause (and then some jeers) after the jump...
Anne Marie: We lost so many vital, incredible artists this year. A painful, reflective hush fell over the party I attended during the In Memoriam section. It may not have been the "best" moment, but watching images of Williams, Bacall, Nichols, & others was the most poignant moment of the Oscars for me this year.
Adam: Any cynicism people vaulted towards The Imitation Game winning Adapted Screenplay (admittedly, I was one such person) was quickly, and deservedly, wiped away once Graham Moore, aka Jonathan Groff, delivered his powerful and inspiring speech on life truly getting better. Also, Big Hero 6 winning Animated Feature. #Baymax4Life
But mostly the Team loved "Glory"...
Andrew: That emotional performance of "Glory" that made grown men weep openly. (It's okay, Chris Pine and David Oyelowo, just let it all out...)
Margaret: The one-two punch of the Glory performance and the Glory win. The Edmud Pettus Bridge set they built, and that glorious (on the nose I know but there's no better word for it!) choir took things from potent to devastating. David Oyelowo wasn't the only one in tears at that point in the telecast.
Deborah: The extraordinary performance of Glory, followed by the killer acceptance speeches of Common and John Legend. Selma is now. Yes, I just strung two moments into one. SELMA IS NOW!
Manuel: Common & John Legend performing Glory was transcendent; it was also the only moment in the entire telecast where everyone at my party was hushed by the proceedings.
AGONY!
Timothy: Every time NPH went back to that stupid lock-box, but especially the time where Robert Duvall was just like "nope, I can't hear you, la la la".
Manuel: That final bit felt like excruciating torture (and not just because it was a blander version of NPH's recap hijinks at the Tonys). His opening number was fun (if a bit too reverent) and his tighty whities skit was a welcome moment of gay male objectification, but he soon wore off his welcome, punning his way into every other segment ("for some treason"?) needlessly extending the show's running time.
Andrew: Surprisingly, host NPH who was painfully unfunny and kinda smug the whole night or maybe I've just reached my tolerance for him. Emmys, Tonys, Oscars- is he going for an EGOT of hosting?
Nathaniel: I'm going to chalk NPH's disastrous performance up to overconfidence because he's been such a fine host elsewhere. But the only way that lock-box thing could have been funny is if he predicted his terrible reviews today. And, as ever, I don't understand why we can't get the Honorary people on stage at the big event. I mean if you dump that lock-box segment you totally have time for Maureen O'Hara.
Anne Marie: Michael Keaton was robbed by Eddie Redmaybe and you cannot convince me otherwise.
Deborah: Agony! Well, not really. Annoyance? Let's go with that. I'm going with Joan Rivers' ommission from the In Memorium Tribute. Disgraceful.
Margaret: Sean Penn. What a gross, ugly thing to insert into the biggest moment of the night. Really soured things for me. (To those insisting he was joking: so?)
Amir: Neil Patrick Harris's flat, drab and overly punny ('With her spoon'? Really?) hosting job seemed to remain the most irritating aspect of the show until Sean Penn casually put down his friend for being Mexican. It was indecorous, and funnily enough, Innaritu retorted by asking for dignity and respect for his fellow countrymen.
Adam: American Sniper won as many Oscars as Boyhood, Selma, and Interstellar. With that said, it was only 1 award, so things could certainly have been worse.
Julien: All of Wes Anderson's brilliant collaborators (deservedly) picking up the gold, while the genius himself stood out in the cold.
YOUR TURN, READERS Final "best" and "worsts" from you. And we'll do fashion tomorrow and maybe something else and be done.
Reader Comments (61)
My top 5 favorite moments of this year's Oscars (no, none of NPH's jokes makes it to the list, and though she did not mess up the songs Lady Gaga does not appear on this list too, and I wanna say Adam Levine but he kinda performed a lame version of Lost Stars so he's out):
(1) The performance of Glory by Common and John Legend. Seriously, that was the single most glorious moment of the night.
(2) Eddie Redmayne won. And his reaction on stage. I'm not entirely sure was he trying to control his excitement or his tears, but either way it was a sweet moment.
(3) Idina Menzel got her revenge on John Travolta by calling him Glom Gazingo. Point deducted for the subsequent corny embrace of the two. Ok fine, one of NPH's jokes does make it to the list: John Travolta will pronounce Ben Affleck as Benedict Cumberbatch.
(4) The moment Julie Andrews walked on stage.
(5) The performance of Everything Is Awesome. Everything about it was truly awesome.
I liked the locked box bit more when Conan O'Brien and Bob Newhart did it at the Emmys.
Eddie Redmayne was presented an oscar by someone he wanted to kill (in a movie, but still).
Best: I really had that feeling, after Original Screenplay, that BIRDMAN was coming home strong, and that made Actor very tense. All good feelings to have at the Oscars. But I have to go with the part that did literally make me LOL (and also cry with laughter) - the NPH (with Cumberbatch) to Idina to Travolta moment. Despite how creepy Travolta came across, it was still a brilliant (and well-spirited) moment
Worst: the Animation awards. I first thought "There HAD to be a better animated film than BH6 last year" but, looking at the only other nominated film I had seen (PRINCESS KAGUYA) and recalling all the non-nominated ones I had seen, I realised that there probably wasn't (except for LEGO of course, but let's not go there again...). But there has to have been a better short out there than the underwhelming FEAST, surely?
So... I guess I'm writing this at the risk of revealing that I rely too heavily on stereotypes, but Graham Moore isn't actually gay? Huh... I was quite moved by his acceptance speech last night and still support the general sentiment, but now I can't help but realize how oddly fitting it is. While avoiding the issue of sexuality in order to discussion his depression publicly for the first time, he gave a well-intentioned send-up to a vague sense of "weirdness" ...while accepting an award for a film many felt had little to say about homophobia or LGBT activism but rather dealt with Turing's sexuality only so much as it caused a vague sense of "weirdness" and distanced him from his peers.
Top 5:
The tears of Oyelowo and Pine.
Gaga's voice.
Boyhood/Sniper near shut-outs.
"I will not be played off" and other great acceptance speech moments.
Nearly naked NPH.
Bottom 5:
NPH's fake bulge (a metaphor?).
Keaton loses.
That lock box.
Earth to Terrence Howard, come in Terrence Howard.
Smash redux.
Best:
- "Glory" performance and win
- Acceptance speeches from Pawlikowski, both Moores, Common/John Legend, all three from González Iñárritu
- "Sound of Music" tribute with Julie Andrews
- "Budapest" crafts wins, plus Desplat!
Kinda Best but Bittersweet:
- Redmayne's utterly infectious, childlike joy upon winning, plus subsequent charming speech, which made me less angry he beat out Keaton (although I'm still angry)
- Opening number, which actually gave me hope there would be more cinema/Oscar reverence throughout the rest of the show (there was not)
Worst:
- Jennifer Hudson singing *after* the In Memorium
- Not enough legends/icons/veterans on stage
- Not enough creativity in presentations, sad lack of montages/clips/showcases of movie craft
I am annoyed by Birdman winning director, screenplay and PIC. Screenplay should've go to Wes Anderson and director to Linklater.
I loved Graham Moore acceptance speech, but now i'm feeling robbed after discovering he is straight.
The best parts were Glory and GaGa!
Random Favorite Moments:
1. EDDIE!
2. Chivooooo
3. Common's acceptance speech. Does anything that man say not become so lyrical to the ears?
4. Alejandro's Best Director speech.
5. Winners making the orchestra feel like douches.
6. David and Oprah's :O faces as they took in Common's words.
7. "Want me to do it?" Wish Idina hosted instead. Haha
8. Whiplash winning Sound Mixing. My second loudest YES moment.
9. MILENA!
10. JULIE!!!
Did Not Like:
1. Anything NPH really. He even blew the "not my tempo" punchline. How can somebody come off so smug AND so lost at the same time? And treating Octavia like The Help.
2. Ansel Elgort + Chloe Grace Moretz. If you REALLY want me to be ambivalent to a segment...
3. Creeper Glom
Just off the top of my head...
Oh, and Julianne Moore is best but what on earth was that last part of her speech about? Thanking her husband for her life and for giving her a home? Would she not have those things without him? Confused.
Worst: The seating arrangement. WHY are Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman sitting in the FRONT ROW while Wes Anderson is seated rows back and to the left?
Second worst: Eddie Redmayne winning over Michael Keaton (and not nominated Jake Gyllenhall..)
Best: Julianne Moore, who should have won this at least twice already (97 supporting and 02 leading).
Oh and add "showing taped honorary Oscar clips while showing live crowd reactions."
I kinda loved that so many women had the Robin Wright hairstyle last night.
Yay!:
1) I was pleasantly surprised at Gaga. I can't stand the cutesy-ness of The Sound of Music and yet i was totally singing along with her by the end. Then Julie Andrews came out all majestic and i totally clapped and hollered in my seat.
2) Jennifer Hudson singing a (re-worked) song from Smash gave me everything I didn't know I needed. They should have brought in Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee to sing backup like they did on the show when she first performed it.
3) GLORY.
4) Nicole coming out to "Come What May"
5) I really thought the stage and the graphics were really pretty.
Eww:
1) I started out being irrationally upset at Nicole Kidman for such a lackluster look. She wasn't even trying.
2) and then got even more upset that she and Keith were in the front row and Marion Cotillard was in the fourth row like some skanky mistress even though she was an actual nominee AND a former winner.
3) I got even more upset for Marion because even J.Lo had prime seating next to Meryl.
4) Leave Octavia Spencer alone, NPH. Like oh my God.
Not counting any of the wins/losses as moments for this.
Best: - Lady Gaga (+Julie Andrews)
- The speeches. Most of them were fantastic. (+Streep and JLo riot)
- Octavia Spencer being a good sport. Love her.
- Jack Black saving the horrible opening number.
- Everything is Awesome
- Lupita sayin Actor instead of Oscar. So cute.
- Any reaction shot of Nicole Kidman.
Worst: - Everything NPH. I hate him. Overrated, tasteless and smug.
- Sean Penn
- Terrence Howard
- Idina Menzel and John Travolta (More awkward and creepy than worst)
- The fake Glory emotion. Sorry, not buying it unless you are Oprah or Oyelowo. Plus, I hate how a lovely melody is ruined by rap. Just not my thing.
- Jennifer Hudson
- No mention of Joan Rivers.
I think that's about it.
Best:
1) Julie Andrews, the first actress I ever worshipped unabashedly
2) Pawel taking his time to say what he had to say, playoff music be damned;
3) Keira and her adorable husband, who looked like they were really having a good time
Worst:
1) Sean Penn's "joke"
2) Linklater losing Best Director
3) NPH's ill-timed comment on the woman's pompom dress just after she talked about her dead son while being PLAYED OFF by the music; that crap has got to stop! It's an award ceremony!!!
BEST: The speeches. Loved seeing people get political, make statements, go off the cuff. My favorite theme of the night was the cut off music beginning only to be swiftly shamed away by people's heartfelt and/or tragic anecdotes. It happened about 5 times.
The Sound of Music tribute. Lady Gaga was actually great? I was not excited for that at all, but it really worked. Of course the Glory performance, but I thought all of the performances were pretty strong. It was a good group of songs.
"Chiiivooooo..."
Keira Knightley and her husband making faces at each other.
WORST: The absolutely predictable Internet echo chamber reaction to everything. Twitter is going to turn me into a Tea Partier one of these days. JUST KIDDING MAYBE
Best-
terrence howard! it was so cool that we all got to see him have his little moment- sure it was awkward but come on, how often does that happen? certainly not as often as gwyneth paltrow doing an unmemorable job presenting some mundane award
That's all. Hope you guys are looking forward to Kevin Hart hosting next year.
1. Patricia Arquette speaking truth about pay inequality (Meryl, Jlo, Shirley Maclaine & every woman reacting)
2. Sound of Music (Lady Gaga) & Julie Andrews
3. Glory -& the audience being moved to tears
4. Julianne Moore winning her Oscar - finally!
5. #askhermore -changed the conversation on the Red Carpet
Lows:
NPH and that stupid briefcase, Sean Penn's tasteless jokes about green cards, and John Travolta still making a fool of himself. ( step away from Idena & Scarlett)
But this more Feminist/Racially charged Oscars was still way better than that self satisfied Seth Macfarlane with his "I saw your boobs" song & 360 dress cam.
The reaction of A list women to the sexist atmosphere is very interesting. The problem with racial divide isn't going away either. Change is being forced on this very visible male elite and they do not like it. (But I do)
BEST:
1. The opening number.
2. Most of the speeches! (A strong night for acceptance speeches).
3. "Glory" and "Everything is Awesome" performances.
WORST:
1. The box bit.
2. Richard Linklater and Wes Anderson going home empty-handed.
Best: Julianne. No competition.
Worst: NPH's smug, tone-deaf 'treason' pun re Snowden. I have very mixed feelings about Snowden but after Poitras' urgent, articulate speech to chip in with such a cheap, lame, slam-my-head-against-the-wall ignorant pun was unforgivable.
Than and Boyhood winning only one prize. And it wasn't even Best Picture. I like Birdman quite a lot and wouldn't mind it as a winner in most years, but next to Boyhood, it really comes off as out-of-touch white middle-aged guy navel-gazing.
BEST: Common and John Legend performing "Glory" saved the Oscar telecast for me this year. It was truly moving and had me in tears at home.
HM to Gaga doing justice to my Sound of Music and the true Queen, Julie Andrews getting such a wonderfully warm reception from the audience had me feeling all the feels.
WORST: Really the show. I'm not one of those show haters every year. Apart from the year Franco/Hathaway hosted and the ridiculous Chicago tribute in what 2013, I genuinely love the Oscars. Every self-congratulatory minute of it is glorious, but this year was a real fail for me. By and large I was happy with the winners. It was great that there was some genuine I-don't-know who-is-gonna-take-it moments. But the hosting was awful and the majority of the song performances, obviously apart from "Glory" were really poor. I'm looking at you Adam Levine. I actually think this has been the most disappointing telecast for me since I've started watching the show.
@Tom
Graham Moore is straight?!!
I left Imitation Game convinced that it was made by straight people (and that the only logical response to a curse like homosexuality is helping straight people followed by speedy suicide). (Also that it makes perfect sense in 40s England to be deeply closeted but then casually come out unprompted - during your engagement party - to a random co-worker you more or less dislike.)
Then when I saw Graham Moore's acceptance speech, I was extremely confused because I thought how could a gay man possibly write that screenplay?
But now I understand even less about the whole thing.
Wow really Nathaniel? No shout-out to Gaga? I don't know whether you're a fan of hers or not but she was literally the #1 thing people were talking about the next day. At Vanity Fair, 98% of people voted her the best part of the night.
Top:
Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music tribute.
Pawlikowski's speech.
G. Moore's speech (But I need my gaydar re-tuned.).
Streep's intro to In Memoriam.
Everything is Awesome.
The Whiplash, sound guys speech when their crew started screaming and jumping up and down in the back and the camera panned to them. I was thinking of Paul Outlaw's story.
Questlove.
Lego Oscars. I want one.
Bottom:
Travolta--it started out cute and then got creepy real fast.
The costume graphics--too dark.
No clips from the animated noms--again the graphics didn't do them justice.
The seat filler bit.
The entire thing felt either under rehearsed or poorly planned. I got the feeling the show got away from the producers and they didn't know how to rein it back in.
I'm sorry, but an upper-middle class, attractive, white, "straight" man is an inspiration for telling us to "stay weird." Combined with his ostensible gayness, the whole thing is an exercise in extreme cognitive dissonance.
And Terrence Howard struck me as not so much genuinely emotional as genuinely high.
The show itself has not actually been GOOD since the early aughts.
best: eddie redmayne's mid-speech freakout at having an oscar in his hand
worst: birdman winning any award other than cinematography
agony: that fucking lockbox
BEST: The look of thrilled, nearly disbelieving adoration on Wes Anderson's face as he listened to his "Budapest" artist/collaborators thank him. He so clearly loves and admires the team who help him bring his singular visions to life. It was a ray of pure artistic sunshine.
WORST: What Anne-Marie said. I think we're going to look back on Eddie Redmayne's best actor trophy and wonder what they were thinking. The idea that in this supposed year of too-many great performances by leading actors THIS one was the winner is just perplexing.
Best: The opening number. It was the only montage of the night, I think. We didn't even get a montage of the Year That Was.
Honorable Mention: Lady Gaga. Fabulous!
Worst: That stupid stupid briefcase.
PS: LEAVE GRAHAM MOORE ALONE.
If you're a straight teenager who everyone has decided is gay, you definitely get to wave the banner for "different." Let's not bully the guy over it.
Best : Anna Wintor Sunglasses an all sitting (bored) next to Harvey Weinstein
Worst: John Travolta (creepy uncle), Jlo's Dress (grow up)
p.s. But this was the Best Oscar EVER 'cause God won Best Actress & it felt like my Bday + Xmas + every single AMAZING days in my life capture in one crowning!
"If you're a straight teenager who everyone has decided is gay, you definitely get to wave the banner for "different." Let's not bully the guy over it."
Okay, this part I agree with. And I didn't mean to be so derisive about his straightness.
But I'm certainly sticking to my point that Imitation Game is conclusive proof that a full-blown gay man should have been the one exploiting the sto--- I mean, adapting the story of Alan Turing.
My top five moments:
1. Julie Andrews walking out on stage and the reaction shot of Felicity Jones (who had the same huge smile that I did at that moment). Julie is truly magnificent.
2. Chris Pine's tears. I only warmed up to him this year after his turn in Into the Woods, and this seals it...I love him.
3. Eddie Redmayne winning. I was rooting for Keaton but how could anyone NOT love Eddie's giddy reaction?!?
4. Jessica Chastain's Chivvvvoooooo. I thought I could not love her more.
5. Everything is Awesome. Everything was indeed awesome. I want one of those lego Oscars.
Did anyone else find the background music to the presenters walking out sometimes weird? Case in point:
Take My Breath Away - Chris Evans and Sienna Miller (because they take our breath away? LOL)
Against all Odds - Jennifer Lopez and David Oyelowo (we'll be here against all odds, odds meaning you guys not nominating us?)
Run to You - Viola Davis (I have no explanation)
The Look of Love - Kerry Washington and Jason Bateman (WTF? Speaking of which, why is Jason Bateman there?)
Time of My Life - Anna Kendrick and Kevin Hart (a Pitch Perfect song would have been perfect)
What did I miss? Where do you guys get it that Graham Moore is straight? Not from his speech I'd say! Backstage interview maybe?
It's become a national pastime for people to bag the Oscar host.
Remember folks a LOT of what NPH had to say and do was written by others and he would have gone through a full rehearsal beforehand.
If the writers and producers didn't think some of the bits were lame and unfunny during the planning and rehearsal stages - why should NPH be blamed for it all?
I thought the opening number was fine, some of the jokes worked - especially the adlib ones about the woman wearing THAT dress and the John Travolta zinger were funny.
Graham Moore isn't gay? Pull the other one. As soon as he opened his mouth I knew he was gay.
Best moments - Glory, John Legend's speech, David O and others openly weeping, Pat Arquette's speech, Meryl and J.Lo's reaction, Lady Gaga and Julie Andrews - sublime, Everything is awesome and the Lego Oscars, Graham Moore's speech, Eddie's well deserved Oscar win and the wonderful reaction...and of course Julianne finally being crowned an Oscar winner.
Worst moments - the writers for giving NPH such lame and unfunny jokes, American Sniper winning anything, Adam Levine destroying a lovely song, the producers drowning out some of the presenters speeches, Selma not winning more - IMO much better than Birdman, John Travolta - can't stand him, the 40 minutes or so of ad breaks that dragged the showover 3 hours and 30 minutes, the producers having Jennifer Hudson sing after the In Memorium segment, the governor award recipients not being on stage - would have been nice if Harry Belafonte and Maureen O'Hara presented Best Picture, Sean Penn using the 'bitch' word. I didn't think it was racist but I can understand the PC brigade getting their knickers in the knot.
Once again we had an excessively long telecast, some flat spots, some sublime moments ...and that is what we expect from our beloved Oscars.
At least it wasn't as bad as the Alan Carr Oscars - remember that one? And NPH was nowhere near as bad as Letterman, Rock or James Franco.
My overall rating - B-
"If you're a straight teenager who everyone has decided is gay, you definitely get to wave the banner for "different." Let's not bully the guy over it."
All understood, but it doesn't even seem like the issue was that he was a straight teenager who everyone decided was gay. The gay point seems like it was irrelevant (as, basically, in the movie). suicide attempts, angst, depression is all very serious, etc. but tying it to Turing and what sounded like the It Gets Better campaign feels cheap and somewhat manipulative (like the movie). when he was 16 it was late '90s, upper middle class chicago, the U. of Chicago Lab School (which is about as progressive and liberal as one can get), his mother was Michelle Obama's chief of staff. even if someone did think he was gay, this is not a place or time where it would have been a problem.
Just like everyone else, I'm confused about Graham Moore's sexuality, but it doesn't change the fact that straight people can feel 'weird' too. I think he was just making a general point about accepting your weirdness and your idiosyncrasies, when the world seems to be trying to get you to conform.
Wow, you guys must be very important if you decide who can suffer depression and why.
YES
- Julianne Moore wins. Glory wins. All the Budapest wins.
- Glory performance.
- Gaga. Could not believe in what I was hearing when Gaga sang, she killed it.
- Julie Andrews showing up.
- Meryl + J.Lo reaction shots. I want them to star in an over the top comedy in the vein of "Death Becomes Her" together.
NO
- NPH overexposure. We didn't need him to do the intro to almost every person entering the stage.
- NPH's predictions box and everything about it.
- Everything is awesome. It felt flat live, love the absurdity of it all but the song did not come to life on that stage.
MAYBE SO
- The openning number. I like it to a point, but it went for too long.
- The presenters. I know they want to be "cool" for ratings but some of the people on stage made no sense. And it does not pay off in ratings in the end. The oscars is the one time to bring out the actors and people that appeal to movie buffs. Bring some people out of retirement to present, give us more Shirley MacLaine and less Dakota Johnson.
Eddies acceptance speech,YEAH YOUR V V V V LUCKY TO BE THERE,his silly laugh and general "acting" does he ever stop,the crying after Glory and Meryl's YEAH YEAH MOMENT,they never stop acting.
JM and JA were my moments.
Also, where can I start a petition to get Wanda Sykes to host next year?
I notice everyone liked Eddies cute reaction,here in the uk it came over as embarrassing and very put on.
Sean Penn was joking, and he and Alejandro are friends, so everyone really needs to relax about that.
Out of all the things that happened at the Oscars, this is the thing people want to focus on?
Do any of you have friends? Do any of you make jokes about your friends? This is no different than whenever Nicholson and Hoffman and Beatty would crack jokes about each other at awards shows. Lighten up, people.
As for the agony, Nat said it best in the comments: "I mean if you dump that lock-box segment you totally have time for Maureen O'Hara."
@joseph, he wasn't make a private joke to a friend, he was making a joke to 50 million strangers. Big difference.
BEST:
Acceptance speeches from Graham Moore, Pawlikowski, JK Simmons, and especially Arquette (with Meryl, JLo and Shirley's reaction a plus)
LADY GAGA... and Julie's graciousness
Wes's team finally gets some recognition
WORST:
NPH seemed really obnoxiously self-centered, and not in an intentionally funny Steve Martin way. Also, I hate to bring up racial politics (and I rarely do), but I really wish he had chosen someone other than a black woman to watch his briefcase - and he could've left out the line about the snacks. Octavia was awesomely game, though. (And while I'm at it, he should've learned to pronounce Oyelowo and Ejiofor's names before the broadcast.)
That Jennifer Hudson song was just a time waster.
The absolute worst, though, was sending Wes and Linklater home empty-handed while Inarritu won three! But given their track record with auteurs, it's not surprising.
Sorry, How many people "know" Sean Penn and Alejandro are friends. It was still offensive either way. We now refer to him as Penndejo.
@Pam: Ha! That's hilarious. Penndejo.
Best (besides Julianne Moore):
- Everything is Awesome
- Graham Moore
- J.K. Simmons "call your Mom"
- Julie Andrews
- Steve Carrell: "Ed Norton. He's right there!"
(because I can't leave it out and I still see it when I close my eyes) - Cate's exquisite turquoise necklace
Worst:
- the lockbox
- John Travolta
- (as always) orchestra playing through speeches
- (as always) fixation on Oprah
- the writers
For those wonderfing yes, backstage Graham Moore told the press he was straight. i think it was buzzfeed that wrote it up? cant remember. buzzfeed or gawker.
Eh, I really appreciate what Arquette in her speech but "outrage" in this case doesn't just come from some misplaced filter, it comes from the people who are actually working to challenge the things Arquette is talking about. I see nothing wrong with other feminists using her speech to point out that the wage gap is even larger for women of color, or that using the back-stage language Arquette did that draws on very tired ideas of demographics "owing' each other favors or the fact that she (maybe unintentionally?) left out women of color, who have long been alienated from the feminist and gender equality movements. If you care about these issues, then you should also pay attention to the genuine debates and critiques within these issues and not just when a person is paying lip service to them at a fancy feel-good awards show.