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The Academy Awards Ceremony 2006
2006-03-06, 3:53 p.m.

WARNING!!!! If you know me personally, you may read my diary, but if you do, you take the chance of reading things you don't want to know, misunderstanding what I've written and being hurt by it. If you are unsure if it is okay to read, save yourself, and me, the grief and heartache, and ask first!!! Please note that this is a DIARY, I.E. my subjective feelings, hearsay, suppositions, and outpourings of ranting of the moment. It does not represent objective news, the whole of what I think of a topic or someone, or even a thought-out representation of any of the above. This I hope you keep in mind, and thank you for reading.

I thought last night was my first time sitting all the way through the Oscar ceremony. I was about to take my shower when I realized that the pre-show countdown was on. So I watched that, and that was interesting. The interviewers spoke to a lot of the nominees. There were 1,500 journalists covering this year�s show. There were a few people talking about the women�s dresses. Jessica Alba looked like an Oscar herself. Some people would be happier just taking her home with them.

I felt that Jon Stewart was a top-notch master of the ceremony. He�s good at political jokes, and even made fun of that one girl (Icelandic pop singer, Bjork) who wore a swan dress, like, last year. He said, this year, as she was trying on dresses, Dick Cheney shot her. My sisters wouldn�t stop complaining about him. Hosting is a hard job, because people are constantly judging you. Sure, he is the fourth male lead from �Death to Smoochy,� and maybe �The Daily Show with Jon Stewart� is funnier than the Academy Awards...but that�s just how it is. And you accept it because...why wouldn�t you? Be happy for everyone.

And overall, I was very pleased with the show. I even enjoyed the montages that Jon Stewart made fun of. Maybe the �gay cowboy� montage with doctored clips of famous movies...John Wayne included...maybe it was all in bad taste, but it was an entertaining idea. It got some laughs from the live audience. I loved the montage of famous villains and I especially appreciated the montage of Film Noir films...that was fantastic. Of course, ol� Jon Stewart said, right after the Film Noir montage, that it would have been better if it was in color. Haha...

I always wondered what Film Noir meant. I thought it was just a vintage crime genre where color (especially black) really means something. And that�s true. I learned, from Emily, that Noir is black, or dark. It�s French for black. And so, pretty much that is the basis of it. And it always looks really awesome. See �Casablanca,� and I have to recommend �Sin City� because...Emily would as of this weekend.

And then Jon Stewart had a good �Crash� joke. When trying to get out of a car that is on fire...don�t move in slow motion. I think �Crash� was the big winner of the night, �cause it was, and it was the one I was rooting for. It was the reason why I watched all the hours (215 minutes) of the show. It is the reason why I wasn�t rooting for Steven Spielberg for Best Director. I love the film, �Crash,� it�s a story about racism and stereotypes and sure it may have an obvious point, but race is brought up quite a bit between people. And it�s something that needed to be written and filmed and watched. Not only to point out what society is like...but for pure entertainment. It�s brilliant. And in his acceptance speech for the Best Original Screenplay, my new here, Paul Haggis said that he wasn�t putting a mirror to society, but he meant to take a hammer...and shape it.

And that�s the power of Hollywood. �Crash� was made for $6.5 million, and it was fantastic. And you gotta love the low-budget movies...you gotta appreciate what they had. It looks like a huge movie, too. It�s epic. Its story...ahem, stories...are amazing.
Overall, the movie won three awards including film editing and best original screenplay for Haggis and co-writer Bobby Moresco.
And when I get my job at the American Film Institute, and we rewrite the top 100 films of all time...it�s going at the top. Even if only my name is on the list...it gets my thumbs up.

~~

Best Supporting Actors and Actresses

George Clooney, "Syriana"
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"

Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"
Amy Adams, "Junebug"

Matt Dillon, "Crash"
Catherine Keener, "Capote"

Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain"
Frances McDormand, "North Country"

William Hurt, "A History of Violence"
Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain"

When I go see a film, I want to be entertained, as everyone should want to be. My local theater has gone under new management, and that is my excuse for not see all of the really good movies this year. �Brokeback Mountain,� I was kind of afraid of (or would at least say that for a laugh...you know...I don�t want to come out of the theater really liking it). �Munich,� oh my God, I really wanted to see...still do. I really hate my theater for bringing in only �Big Mama�s House 2� and �Nanny McPhee.�

But when you�re a supporting actor or actress, you�re there to keep the film alive. I mean, with a smaller role, you have a lot more freedom. I think even extras are some of the most important people in a movie. Everyone on screen is important, and those with lines just have to make the best of it. Supporting actor or actress...this basically just means that you�re not the biggest character, or have an equal amount of screen time as the lead actor (shouldn�t make sense, but it means you don�t have a chance to win �Best Actor�).

If you�re an Anthony Hopkins or a William Hurt, who were nominated for Best Supporting Actors with less than 20 minutes of screen time, you�re not really there to support your film or even support your other actors. You steal the show. �A History of Violence� was one movie I got to see for this Oscar year...and it was fantastic. Sure, there was some bad acting by some other supporting actors, but for some reason I was looking forward to seeing William Hurt. I think I was enjoying the movie so much that I kept saying to myself �At least there�s still a William Hurt scene.� I�m not even a William Hurt fan, I actually don�t like the guy...but I learned why I was excited to see him when I saw him. He was a funny mafia-type and such a comic-book character that he was fun to watch. He did steal the scene and maybe the movie. Comic-book-types, or as I like to call them, �storybook characters,� are my favorite kind of characters. The ones with trademarks and distinctive personalities. You could just call them Morgan Freemans. I saw �Million Dollar Baby� recently...it was fantastic. Thanks again, Emily.

I didn�t really expect William Hurt to win, I expected him to win as much as I thought George Clooney to win. While I remained a �Crash� loyalist, I was also rooting for Paul Giamatti for �Cinderella Man.� I haven�t seen �Cinderella Man� yet, but I plan on renting it this weekend, but I did see �Sideways� recently, and it was pretty funny. I thought Paul should have been funnier, but I really enjoyed his on-screen personality...and I love what I�ve seen of him in �Cinderella Man.�

But as it turned out, my dad guessed right, and George Clooney, from �Batman and Robin� and �From Dusk Till Dawn� (an awesome film), took the stage as Best Supporting Actor.

"It's a funny thing about winning an Academy Award, this will always be sort of synonymous with your name from here on. Oscar-winner George Clooney, sexiest man alive 1997, `Batman,' died today in a freak accident."

"We are a little bit out-of-touch in Hollywood," Clooney said. "I think that's probably a good thing. We are the ones who talked about AIDS when it was only being whispered ... We talked about civil rights ... I'm proud to be part of this Academy, proud to be part of this community."

George Clooney has had one great year. I�d like to congratulate him, and also...I really...really wanted to see �Good Night, and Good Luck.� That looks brilliant, and I�ve heard that it�s brilliant.

The Best Supporting Actress award went to one of my favorites, Rachel Weisz, from �The Mummy� and �The Mummy Returns.� I once watched more than half of �About a Boy,� with Hugh Grant, and Rachel Weisz saved me from being completely angry about having to sit through it. It�s not even a chick flick, it�s just an awful English movie...like �Hitchiker�s Guide to the Galaxy.� Now �Shaun of the Dead,� there�s an English film that is bloody brilliant and my friends can now vouch for that.

~~

Best Actor or Actress

Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"

Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"
Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"

Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"
Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"

Joaqin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"
Keira Knightley, "Pride & Predjudice"

David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Charlize Theron, "North Country"

I was rooting for Philip Seymour Hoffman, he�s a brilliant guy. He knows how to steal the show. See �Cold Mountain� and �Red Dragon.� I even liked him in �Patch Adams,� because he was very good, but I liked that movie to an extent. Heath Ledger doesn�t appeal to me at all, and he didn�t look like he made an attractive cowboy for anybody to go gay for. Mel Gibson and Brad Pitt would have been an awesome �Brokeback� couple.

My apologies to everyone for thinking that. And to myself.

Although I am a �Crash� loyalist, and would have loved to see Terrance Howard make the big time, I don�t know if I�ve seen his best. My theory is that when you win an award, if it�s truly a tie between people (I mean, narrowing it down to five is pushing a tie unless there�s one obvious one)...then the Academy will give you awards to make you shut up. This may not apply to the five Best Actors or Actresses, but I may be bringing this up again when I talk about Best Director.

Congratulations, Reese Witherspoon. I was rooting for her not only because she actually is cute...I mean, I hate many of her movies, like �Sweet Home Alabama,� but she had to learn how to sing. That�s guts, and that�s really getting into the character. That�s brilliance. And I had to learn how to sing recently, and everytime someone told me that I was actually a good singer, I felt like I got some award. My sister asked me, most seriously, how I got good without practicing at home. Well...we�re not talking about me.
"People used to ask June (Carter) how she was doin' and she used to say, 'I'm just trying to matter,"' Witherspoon said. "I know what she means, you know, I'm just trying to matter and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody. You have all made me feel that I might have accomplished that tonight with this honor."
And this was after Philip Seymour Hoffman had taken the stage. He was trembling and very nervous, as was one of my favorites, Dustin Hoffman (who was only presenting an award). Philip Seymour shielded his eyes for his acceptance speech with his envelope.
"My mom's name is Marilyn O'Connor. She's here's tonight," he said. "I'd like it if you see her tonight to congratulate her. She brought up four kids alone and she deserves congratulations for that. We're at the party, Mom, ya know?"
~~
Best Director

Paul Haggis, "Crash"

Steven Spielberg, "Munich"

George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Bennett Miller, "Capote"

Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"

As a director of a film or even an on-stage production, you have a lot of things to plan and think about. Robert Altman, who won an Honorary Oscar, said that he makes his films realistic by having more than one person talk at a time. This is actually the result of really getting your actors into character. They�re not the spotlight, but they�re adding to the scene. One part that sticks out to me in the film �Jaws� is at the beginning when the main character is on the phone and his wife is in the background talking to his child. Also, one scene that sticks out from the movie �What Lies Beneath,� Harrison Ford and his wife, Michelle Pfeiffer, are out on a double-date thing. And the couples are sitting opposite each other, and the guys are diagonal while the girls are diagonal...and there are two conversations going on. It�s brilliant, and I like to think while many people just watch and try to get into both conversations (and I can multi-task like that), I pay attention to the details of how that was staged and directed.

That�s directing...that�s the power of directing. You want the viewer to not only be entertained, but get a certain feel for each scene and movie, and you want your audience to get to know each character. And you know each character not only by what they say, but how they act...and how much of them are shown on screen. So in �What Lies Beneath� and �Jaws,� you are learning about how those people live. You know what they do at night, how they interact with other people, and you learn about the other people who interact with them.

You can learn more about a person by what others say about them than by what they say about others.

That�s directing. Not taking a mirror to society but taking a hammer, and shaping it.

If my theory on giving Oscars to those who deserve them now is a way of getting rid of people...then that�s why I think Ang Lee won Best Director for �Brokeback Mountain.� Justin has said that he hates Ang Lee movies...couldn�t stand �Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,� and wouldn�t wish it on his enemies to sit through �The Hulk.� Or something like that...saying they were some of his most hated movies of all time. There�s a difference between least favorite and most hated, and that�s where they fall. But I learned today that Justin thought Ang Lee was going to win...so I won�t say another word. Except that I�d like to see Paul Haggis direct �Brokeback Mountain� and not bore the shit out of his audiences.

I�m not judging �Brokeback Mountain,� I don�t really expect it to bore me...I�m only commenting of what I�ve seen of it. I�d still see the movie. I expect it to be...a different kind of action movie. Haha...gross. No...it�s not like that, either. I hope.

Paul Haggis, who wrote and directed the night's big winner, "Crash," alluded to the film's socially conscious message in his acceptance speech.

"I just want to thank those people who take big risks in their daily lives when there aren't cameras rolling," said Haggis, "and the people out there who stand up for peace and justice and against intolerance."
~~

Best Picture

"Crash"

"Munich"

"Good Night, and Good Luck"

"Brokeback Mountain"

"Capote"

It was down to �Brokeback Mountain� and �Crash.� It was predicted; handicapped that �Brokeback Mountain� was going to win. And I was giving myself a headache, literally, over waiting for that final Oscar to be announced. I was not only ready to leave the room (not because I thought �Brokeback� was going to win, but because it had that chance), but I was going to become gay the next day and skip school to see the movie. I was also going to adapt to the culture of a cowboy, become a redneck, and buy a truck.

No, seriously...the only movie I thought could win was �Crash.� �Munich,� while it looks great and I haven�t seen it, couldn�t possibly be more inspiring and beautiful than �Crash.� The best �Munich� could have been was �Schindler�s List.� And I�m saying �Schindler�s List,� while a fantastic and well done movie, isn�t as entertaining as �Crash.� It depends on the material, and Paul Haggis also wrote �Crash� with Robert Moresco. The idea emerged when he himself (Paul), got carjacked. Sandra Bullock even paid her way to the set to be in the movie.

But �Crash� is a brilliant film, and I think it says a lot about my movie taste for it to not only be nominated, but win. I wasn�t surprised when JACK NICHOLSON said �And the Oscar goes to............� *prolonged pause* �.........Bobby Moresco...and Paul Haggis...for �Crash.�� I was just really happy. I loved the movie, and got to know the people behind it (watching the writer/producer of �Crash� take on identical responsibilities to be involved in �Million Dollar Baby� special features (I�m talking about Paul Haggis, yes)). Matt Dillon was an amazing actor and played an awesome character in the film, too, and he had a great chance to win, and I�m very glad he got the nomination. The ensemble cast has already won other awards. Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco won the Best Original Screenplay award...well deserved. �Brokeback Mountain� beat out �A History of Violence� for Best Adapted Screenplay. I�ll agree with that...but I expect �Brokeback Mountain� to have some intense scenes in it. �A History of Violence� certainly took advantage of its R rating.

Anyways...this has been a report by me, your favorite writer, Chris Eidt, about the Academy Awards in 2006. I hope you enjoyed the entry...I seriously never expect to write very much...I was telling myself to keep it under a page...and...well....if you read me thoroughly, God Bless you. I love you.

Congratulations to all of the winners and losers of the 2006 Academy Awards. And hey, if you weren�t even a loser...that means you weren�t nominated...didn�t have the chance to lose...and...you�re nothing. Haha...so I hope everyone should be inspired by people by Paul Walker and get a job in the film industry (it provides SO many people with jobs), and make movies like �Into the Blue� actually entertaining. Seriously, if you have such a sexy premise as �Into the Blue,� how the hell do you screw that up? You have Jessica Alba on board...literally! In a bikini! HOW do you - !!!!

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