In praise of Melissa McCarthy, puppet master

by Tim Brayton

The Academy Awards are meant to reward great acting, not provide examples of it, but for a couple minutes during Sunday's ceremony, I'm convinced I saw the best comic performance I'll see for the rest of 2019. When Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry arrived to present Best Costume Design in polyglot outfits designed to evoke all five of the nominees, the visual gag is already enough. In a different year or with a lazier duo it might have been all we got. But it's when McCarthy and Henry start to introduce the category that it went from silly to downright inspired.

I am obsessed with every bit of what McCarthy is up to in that clip – and it doesn't even include the best joke of the bit, when she has the bunny attack Henry's hand as he tries help her open the envelope. Part of it, of course, is that she's playing things so completely straight...

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13 Times I 'Jennifer Hudsoned' on Oscar Night

by Ginny O'Keefe

Jennifer Hudson [jen-nee-fer hud-son] 
Verb 
Definiton: to nod emphatically in agreement to something while simultaneously mouthing the word “yes”. 

Here are 13 Times I Jennifer Hudsoned on Oscar Night...

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Red Carpet Lineup: Best Supporting Actress!

Annual Mandatory Beauty Posting / Polling  

We've already written up their performances and talked them up at length in the Supporting Actress Smackdown so now let's discuss the gowns. Are you a red latex fan or torn between pristine or shimmery white beaded structured gowns? Perhaps your taste runs more toward classic maroon frills and floof. Or wait... I know some of you thrill to a waffle cone/snake skin/avant garde/1940s/rockyhorror something or other, don'cha? Vote and discuss, plz. 

polls

Team Experience Oscar Reax Pt 1: Joy, Horniness, Good Speeches

As is our practice we polled the team and a few friends shortly after the Oscars to get their takes. We hope you'll answer the same questions in the comments!  

OSCAR NIGHT QUESTIONNAIRE Pt 1

1. Which moment filled you with the most joy?
2. Which moment made you horniest?
3. Which speech was your favourite?
4. Which gown left you gagging? 

Our answers are after the jump...

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With a Friend Like Emma...

And the prize for "Best Reaction Shot" of Oscar night goes to an overwhelmed Emma Stone cheering on her friend and surprise Oscar winner Olivia Colman. While we're sad the producers didn't also give us enough cutaways to Rachel Weisz (hopefully occupied by snogging Daniel Craig) and the sight of a tearful Yorgos Lanthimos was unexpected and heartwarming, nothing tops the effusive affection of a friend. Hang this in the Louvre next to Kate Winslet's clasped hands in support of Leo DiCaprio.