I'd like to thank the Academy
A look back at the 84" Academy Awards

have ironically ruined the show; the (yes, I went there), whereas top
mystery and surprise of the night competitor Hugo had been hyped

would have completely vanished up for the entirety of the past year.
amidst the obvious house-cleaner. As both were equally powerful,
In an amazing turn, virtually each managed to take home

everyone nominated was fair game _ five Oscars—Hugo received Best
in regards to their awards. Last year Cinematography, Visual Effects,
was an excellent year for film, and Art Direction, Sound Editing,
so many of the nominations were and Sound Mixing, while The
justified, especially in the Acting Artist snagged, in a delightfully
and, of course, Directing categories. | unexpected turn, Best Picture,

     

But again though, the overall list Director, Actor, Original Score, and
of nominations and winners were Costume Design.
pleasantly and immensely diverse. In the end, the show was not
From the Italian duo and couple without its imperfections, such
Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo as a horrible screeching mic echo
Schiavo taking Best Art Direction that managed to go unadjusted
for Hugo to the team of Daniel the entire night. The Cirque du
Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy — Soleil performance may have
taking Best Documentary for been a stretch, and much of the
Pakistan’s Saving Face, there was skits and presentations were
simply a welcome air of openness. miss, as opposed to hit. But, more
It was as if the Academy realized importantly, for the first time in
the show wasn’t just celebrating a years, the Oscars just felt right.
year in Hollywood, but a year in When was the last time you could
film. Irish filmmakers of The Shore, say watching the Academy Awards
Terry George and his daughter was that good? It was a night filled
; : Oorlagh George, took home Best with excitement, surprises, and,
ed pT le ‘ — Live Action Short Film. Best as usual, the candid moments (at
By Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor Recruiting Crystal also gave Foreign Language Film went tothe least those that felt candid) were the
the impression that the Academy well-deserved Asghar Farhadi for best. May next year’s Oscars only
unday February 26 brought was perhaps retracing its steps Iranian film A Seperation, and then continue to improve from where
S an end to yet another year of in order to move forward in there was France’s contribution, The this great show left off.
film with the 84 Academy developing a solid—and therefore Artist.
Awards. The quality of the past generally better—show. In terms of Only months ago, Lhe Artist
few ceremonies has been atopic of the show’s length, the noticeably was nowhere to be seen or heard
much concern, as it has no doubt limited film montages were a

declined to some degree. Last year’s huge improvement. Just as well,
ceremony in particular was terrible, | with only two songs nominated
but while co-hosts Anne Hathaway _ for Best Original Song (winner:

and James Franco were grating to Bret McKenzie for “Man or

watch at times, they weren’t the Muppet” from The Muppets), live
core problem. If anything, that performances were, in this case, a
problem was within the program reasonable cut. The most obvious
itself: mediocre presentations, benefits of this additional time

the near absence of surprise, and were of course that tension was

an overall feel of desperation able to build between readings of
crippled what should have been nominations and winners, and that
a celebration of that year’s best the majority of winners, whether
in cinema. So what could have shocked or prepared, were able to

possibly been in store for this year? _ give their respective speeches.
One of the more unique

A discrete overhaul touches to this year’s re-format
The two-host system was scrapped, _ was the use of live fusion music to
as Billy Crystal (originally Eddie transition into commercial breaks.
Murphy) took on hosting duties While fusion was an unexpected
for the ninth time. Despite playing take, the style fit perfectly in the
that safe card though, things were context of how diverse this year’s
quickly looking bleak due to nominations were.

Crystal’s perplexing intro video

(Bieber and all). However, the Keeping things reel

musical number that followed soon Many movies this year were

after, while comparatively stripped unfortunately snubbed from getting
down from past opening numbers, — nominations, and Drive in particular
brought back a simple charm that was outright robbed of many
hadn’t been seen in an Oscars host awards. But honestly, had Drive

for some time. made the ballot, in the end it would

 

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