MY OSCAR MOMENT February 27, 2008

“And most of all, I would like to thank the Academy..”

Oh how I want to utter those words in the extravagant platform of Kodak Theatre in front of all the important people in show business and 800 million plus televiewers all over the world. But of course it’s a far flung dream. But who knows it might just come true. Just like what Marketa Iglova, winner for Best Song said, “the fact that we’re standing here tonight, the fact that we’re able to hold this, it’s just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it’s possible.” I love that. I better cross my fingers now.

For tonight I exchanged my nightly guilty pleasure of watching the Angel Locsin-Piolo Pascual starrer, Lobo to give way to the replay of the 80th Annual Academy Awards in Studio 23 which I missed last Monday. Thank God for replays! And thank you to Studio 23 for the crisp details which made me relish my Oscar moment once again.

This year’s Awards night was sharp, well thought of and simple yet classy. I don’t know if it’s the picture or resolution being transmitted by the telecast in Studio 23 which made it look so vintage or simply the design and artistic direction of the stage and program. It felt like watching the show back in the 70’s or 80’s but with a modern feel.

Thanks to the end of the writer’s strike in Hollywood because without them (the writers) the show wouldn’t have been more entertaining, sound and momentous. The show was a mixture of elegance, wit and relevance with the presence of guests and nominees from every generation (from Hal Holbrook to Miley Cyrus). This year’s Oscars was a good combination of old and new yet very effective artistry. Every country was well represented as well. Just notice the list of nominees for Best Actress. Page is Canadian. Cotillard from France. Linney represented the US. Christie never failed the British and Blanchett for the Australians.

Jon Stewart obviously redeemed himself as compared to his previous hosting job for the Academy. He was brief and frank yet witty and never boring. I just missed the fun that Ellen Degeneres brought in last year’s celebration. Nevertheless, Stewart was fit for the job assigned to him.

One of this year’s biggest surprises were Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Michael Clayton. If you have watched the telecast you will see how surprised she was by the look in her face once her name was announced winner. She even felt unprepared but she gave the wittiest speech of the night.

No Country For Old Men winning both Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture was a very big turnaround that night. Of course everyone was expecting for Atonement to receive the honor for both categories but tides immediately shifted. No Country for Old Men actually was the biggest winner for the night bringing home four awards including Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem).

Marion Cotillard was a revelation. Later Oscar buzz spread rumors that Julie Christie will be up for the trophy but Cotillard proved these wrong. The lovely French actress was recognized for her effortless portrayal of the tragic life of diminutive singer Edith Piaf who died even before Cotillard was born.

Cotillard’s acceptance speech was the most charming of all speeches. Having struggled with her words in English she just thoughtlessly said, “thank you life, thank you love”. It was the nth time I heard these lines but it was only Cotillard who was able to make it very personal. The audience roared in laughter after hearing these lines from her. But those laughter were a sign of Cotillard’s promise to rise far beyond in Hollywood. To tell you the truth if there was one thing that changed me tonight it will be my appreciation of all things simple and beautiful in life. Not to mention I was already converted as a fan of Marion Cotillard. I really should watch La Vie en Rose. She seemed magnificent in that film. And did I mention that she was the most beautiful girl that night? Yes. She was. Really beautiful.

Here is the list of complete winners and my notes on them..

Best Picture: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (I can’t believe that this film won the most coveted prize. I really didn’t like the film although the suspense and dark atmosphere it created was obviously felt by its viewers. Atonement would have been a better choice since it was really haunting and gripping.)

Best Director: ETHAN COEN&JOEL COEN – No Country for Old Men

Best Writing (Original Screenplay): DIABLO CODY – Juno (My bet won! This film is a wonderful piece of literature. It is deserving of its prize. Plus, Diablo Cody seemed a very interesting person. She was unique with likeable personality. Stewart even joked about her name as fitting for a strip dancer.)

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): ETHAN COEN&JOEL COEN – No Country for Old Men (Again, my vote was for Atonement. Too bad.)

Best Actress: MARION COTILLARD – La Vie en Rose (She really did her part in this film well. I saw her first in A Good Year with Russell Crowe. She played Crowe’s French girlfriend. With her take on Edith Piaf she was transformed realistically by her acting style which would make you doubt if the pretty Cotillard was really the one acting the part. Laura Linney could have been a good win as well. Her delivery of the antics in Savages was contagious.)

Best Cinematography: ROBERT ELSWIT – There Will Be Blood (No Country for Old Men is also a good win for this category.)

Best Actor: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – There Will Be Blood (Need I say more? The vote for sure was unanimous even with other major award-giving bodies. Day-Lewis is one talented actor. I loved him in My Left Foot who helped him earn his first Oscar.)

Best Film Editing: CHRISTOPHER ROUSE – The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Foreign Language Film: AUSTRIA – The Counterfeiters (Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky) (This is the second award for Australia. I wish the Philippines to win in this category for years to come. Someday.)

Best Sound Editing: KAREN BAKER LANDERS&PER HALLBERG – The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Music (Song): GLEN HANSARD & MARKETA IRGLOVA – “Falling Slowly” for Once (The best speech of the night was also given by Marketa Irglova.)

Best Sound Mixing: SCOTT MILLAN, DAVID PARKER & KIRK FRANCIS – The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Music (Score): DARIO MARIANELLI – Atonement (One thing I really loved about Atonement is its moving musical score. I know from then on that Marianelli would score an Oscar for a job well done.)

Best Art Direction: DANTE FERRETTI & FRANCESCA LO SCHIAVO – Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sweeney Todd is a hands down winner in this category.)

Best Documentary Feature: TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE – Alex Gibney & Eva Orner (The Philippines should regularly submit entries on this category. I feel that we have a big chance of winning in this category than in the foreign language film plum.)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: TILDA SWINTON – Michael Clayton (Really a turnaround win. Surprised me.)

Best Make-up: DIDIER LAVERGNE & JAN ARCHIBALD – La Vie en Rose (50% of Cotillard’s Best Actress win should be credited to her make-up artists. She was really transformed into a very realistic Piaf in this biopic.)

Best Costume Design: ALEXANDRA BYRNE – Elizabeth The Golden Age (Another hands down winner)

Best Short Film (Animated): PETER & THE WOLF – Suzie Templeton & Hugh Welchman

Best Short Film (Live Action): THE MOZART OF PICKPOCKETS – Philippe Pollet-Villard
Best Animated Feature Film: RATATOUILLE – Brad Bird (2008 is really year of the rat)

Best Visual Effects: MICHAEL FINK, BILL WESTENHOFER, BEN MORRIS & TREVOR WOOD – The Golden Compass (I really rooted for Transformers.)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: JAVIER BARDEM – No Country for Old Men (Now I am afraid of Spanish men. Bardem was really convincing in this film. Hands down to him.)