My Oscar Reactions and Analysis

2013 was a phenomenal year for movies -- the best in recent memory. The 2014 awards season came to a close on Sunday night when the Academy Awards were handed out. There were many worthy nominees, and while the Academy got it right some of the time, it also left lots of deserving people winless. But that's how it usually goes.
 Here are my thoughts on the ceremony:

• Host Ellen DeGeneres was disappointing overall. Although she had some good skits, such as the pizza and the selfie -- which are being widely talked, about so she certainly succeeded in that regard -- her general performance wasn't nearly as funny as I had hoped it would be. Perhaps the Oscars should take a page out of the Golden Globes handbook and hire the dynamic duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler? 
• The insistence of having a "theme" to the Oscars is unnecessary. The honoring of "heroes" at this year's ceremony seemed very random and out of place. The show is long enough as it is; we shouldn't have to sit through needless montages and musical performances as well.
• 12 Years a Slave deservedly won the top prize of Best Picture. While pundits had been deeming this race as "too close to call" all awards season, there was never any doubt in my mind that this brilliant film would come out on top. 
• Matthew McConaughey won Best Actor for Dallas Buyers Club. I thought that Chiwetel Ejiofor deserved this for his masterful and heartbreaking portrayal of a free man sold into slavery, but McConaughey has been bringing in the big bucks for Hollywood for some years now, so I guess he was due this honor. Not that he wasn't excellent; he certainly was, but he wasn't the most deserving. He is absolutely amazing, though, in HBO's True Detective, so maybe some of that love propelled him here. It's unfortunate, though, that he diminished his win with that RIDICULOUS acceptance speech.
• Cate Blanchett won Best Actress for Blue Jasmine, as expected. She was phenomenal in the film, and is long-overdue an Oscar for a leading role, so no complaints here. Deep inside, though, I wish that she and Judi Dench had tied. I have such a soft spot for the latter and her touching performance in Philomena.
• Jared Leto won Best Supporting Actor for Dallas Buyers Club. I feel the same way about his win as I do about his costar's: while Leto gave a great performance, I don't feel like he was the most deserving; that would be Michael Fassbender, who was utterly horrific in 12 Years a Slave. I haven't disliked a character like I did this one in a very long time, which says a lot about his performance. I enjoyed his speech, though, and he seems to be a nice guy, so I'm not too upset.
• YES! Lupita Nyong'o WON Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave! I can't tell you how happy I am about this. Anyone who's watched the film knows what a stunning performance Nyong'o gives in her feature film debut as abused slave Patsey. All awards season long, I was irked at those comparing Jennifer Lawrence's performance in American Hustle with Lupita's, and some even alleged that the former's was superior. I'm sorry, I think Lawrence is a fine actress, but two Oscars in two years for essentially the same role? Give me a break. Thank goodness justice prevailed and the Academy chose the deserving winner. 
• Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director for Gravity, in recognition of his accomplishments in helming a film that relies on never-before-used technology. However, much like the Academy honored Kathryn Bigelow for the small, but brilliantly made film The Hurt Locker over James Cameron for the technological marvel that is Avatar a few years back, I felt that the Oscar should have gone to Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave. While Cuarón certainly made an inspiring film, McQueen was able to make a practically perfect film with a limited budget and limited resources That is a testament to a gifted filmmaker, and this feat is perhaps even more impressive than achievements made with unlimited technology. So, the award should have gone to Steve.
• John Ridley and Spike Jonze won the Adapted and Original Screenplay Awards for 12 Years a Slave and Her, respectively. I'm thrilled for Ridley (but also would have loved to see a tie with Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope for Philomena). In regards to Jonze, I made my feelings about Her very clear in my review of the film, so it's needless to say that I thought this award should have gone to someone else. I can't knock him for being original, though, so I guess that's what the voters went for.
• Frozen won the Oscar for Animated Feature as well as Original Song for the infectious "Let it Go." It's been stuck in my head since the film came out, so no complaints here!
• As expected, Gravity took home most of the technical awards. The film is a visual wonder, and unlike in the Best Director category, absolutely deserved every technical win. 

So there it is, my brief reflection on the Oscars ceremony and winners. Looking forward to seeing what great films come out in 2014!