2012 Academy Awards Commentary

The 84th annual Academy Awards was, as this event always is, full of laughs, tears, and surprises. I'll begin this commentary with Billy Crystal.


Back for the 9th time as Oscar host, the was subdued, and even dull at times, especially in that opening song. However, when he nailed it he really nailed it. The clip at the beginning was very funny, and his jokes in between presenters were hilarious. Overall, a huge improvement over the James-Anne fiasco of last year (not hard to be), and very decent, if not unforgettable.


Next comes Best Picture. It was the winner we had all pretty much predicted, and The Artist's win was well-deserved. It was so original and so touching. One of the highlights of the night had to be seeing Uggie the dog on the stage with the cast and crew. A lovely way to close the evening.


Screenplay: The winners in the two categories were no surprises, with the writers of The Descendants winning for Adapted Screenplay and Woody Allen winning an Original Screenplay Oscar for writing Midnight in Paris. Personally, I would've picked another film to win Adapted (possibly Hugo or Moneyball), but I loved Midnight in Paris. The dialogue was crucial in the film, and it was flawless.


Director: Michel Hazanavicius won, for The Artist. It was a well-deserved win, for being so bold with an original idea. He brought the characters and the story to life, and put together a touching tribute to the past era of cinema. And, on top of that, the film did not feel dated or out of place in this technological world at all; that is an incredible feat for Hazanavicius to have reached. Although I have a soft spot for Martin Scorcese and Hugo, it was great to see Hazanavicius win.


Best Supporting Actor: This category was the biggest "lock" of the night -- Christopher Plummer did walk away with the Golden Statue in the end, not only a tribute to his performance in Beginners but also to an incredible (and incredibly long) career. His speech was short and sweet as always, and the closing thank-you to his wife tear-inducing as ever.


Best Supporting Actress: This was another "lock," and Octavia Spencer took home the Oscar for her riveting performance in The Help. Her incredibly heartfelt reaction was an indication of how much this award meant to her, and it truly was a joy to see. The Help was one of my favorite films this year, and Spencer's win was one of my favorite moments of the night.


Best Actor: Jean Dujardin won the Oscar for playing George Valentin in the silent The Artist -- an incredibly unique performance to honor. He epitomized the essence of acting in this role, relying solely on gesture and expression to tell a story. Deep in my heart, I was hoping that Demian Bichir would pull off the biggest upset of the season -- since his performance moved me like no other has in, perhaps, my life -- or even the long-overdue-for-even-a-nomination Gary Oldman, but otherwise I was very happy that Dujardin took home the award.


Best Actress: No doubt, the most shocking surprise of the night came in this category -- Meryl Streep's win over Viola Davis. The latter was assumed to be the frontrunner, since she picked up both the SAG and Critics' Choice Awards (which are usually better indicators of the Oscar outcome than the Golden Globe and BAFTA, both of which Streep won), but the veteran prevailed. Finally winning for the third time after a 19-year drought, Streep seemed to be in disbelief of her victory, and her acceptance speech sounded very humble and appreciative. I cannot help but be disappointed, however, in Davis's loss. Her performance in The Help was extraordinary, to put it mildly. But I take comfort in knowing that, with a talent like hers, she will definitely be back to win her award. And I was also very happy to see Streep win (since she had never won in my lifetime). Watching the best actress of her generation, and my personal favorite, accept an Oscar is something you definitely can't be disappointed about.