Cris Rock wasn't too bad and not that important to the proceedings anyway. Just my opinion.

I do feel a bit for Scorsese. "Aviator" is a major film; a really great one.

Last year I rooted for Clint Eastwood ("Mystic River"), but the "Lord of the Rings" seemed to win everything.

All in all a very good year for movies.

Netflix is already taking reservations for "Million Dollar Baby".

Is it just me or was Hillary Swank's dress design weird?
All the open space in the back; not too sexy.

I read on a news site that Robin Williams' original monologue was turned down as too contentious (is that a word?) Someone said he came out with tape on his mouth so that must have been why.

I felt bad for Scorsese not winning again, and Annette Bening losing out AGAIN to Hillary. I couldn't make up mind leading up to the show whether Aviator might take best pic. over M$B, they were both so good.
Robin Williams was told he couldn't make a speech against some educator (?) who was recently complaining about Spongebob Squarepants making gay references, or something like that -

I felt bad for Scorsese too and kept thinking that "The Aviator" was going to sweep everything until the very end.

As for the fashions, I was with some friends who are very fashion conscious (and that's mainly why they watch the show) and they all raved about Hilary Swank's dress.

To me, it seemed as though they were trying to attract younger viewers, what with P. Diddy and Adam Sandler in attendence. And Beyonce, I don't know, I don't see why she was necessary. The boys' choir could have handled Vois Sur Ton Chemin perfectly well, and they didn't bother harmonizing her with Groban. Couldn't they have the person who sang Learn to Be Lonely in the film sing it at the Oscars? I like Beyonce's voice, it just seems as though she was a only a pull to attract viewers.

I did see some Red Carpet interviews before turning off the TV-that Renee Zellwenger is one very strange lady in person!

Pat

I thought Laura Linney looked atrocious. She once wore that ashy gray color a few years ago and looked just as drab. She needs color! Doesn't her stylist tell her this?

I will also say that I liked seeing some meat on the ladies. Some of them just had babies and the extra pounds looked terrific. I refer to Gwyneth (altho her dress smooshed her in I loved the way she has filled out) and Julia....even Virgina Madsen, Kate Winslet of course...it is so nice to see REAL bodies up there for a change.

I think the idea of having Beyonce sing everything was, once again, to attract a younger audience. I think they are trying to steer clear of the traditional, Vegas-style song and dance numbers and trying to get hipper. She looked stunning in everything she wore.

Now as for Robin Williams, there is a reason why he came out with the tape over his mouth. Apparently, he was supposed to sing a song - written by Marc Shaiman of South Park fame - to rebuttle the kooky adversaries who recently have claimed that Sponge Bob is gay. The lyrics were supposed to be about all the animated characters doing controversial things. Well, first the censors told them to clean it up, then they all out yanked it. So he didn't sing anything and I guess he tried to cram many of the song's punchlines into one-liners. Needless to say, it didn't work. I will find the article for you guys and post it up. It had many of the lyrics in it.

I thought Cate Blanchett looked great in yellow but that dark brown belt just clashed too much with the dress.

Annette Benning really needs to think about letting her hair grow. She's just too old for that look. I know she's almost 50 but her wrinkles are really beginning to take over her face and that short hair isn't helping.

Mike Myers face looked really, really shiny. Either he just scrubbed his face extra well, or he had some work done. He just looked strange, IMHO.

I thought Penelope Cruz and Drew Barrymore looked nice. My favorite was Johnny Depp's wife. I don't even recall her dress, but I remember thinking she looked so beautiful. When you can recall someone's beauty over what they were wearing, then I think they did good.

I liked the contasting brown belt on Cate B's dress. It added a little color.

What was up with Melanie Griffith? And could Antonio look any greasier? My husband kept joking "the wetter, the sexier" but honestly, it looked like he just got out of the shower!

I'm still not sure if I like Renee's brown locks or not. Where was Nicole Kidman? (good thing she wasn't there after Chris Rock's dig)

I just want to say one other thing in favor of Beyonce. I don't think she has a mindblowing voice, but at least she can hold a note which is more than I can say for many of the other "rock stars" on the radio. And I dare Jennifer Lopez to do what she did last night!

Finally, check out the article I posted about Robin Williams - I didn't you all to miss it so I posted it separately.

Now, for the awards... (remember them?) ;)
In all the films nominated,I have only seen Ray, but thought it was an incredible performance, so was happy to see J. Fox win. As for Cate Blanchett, she's such an awesome talent (such finesse in imitating accents, as I've said before), so was VERY glad for her; she looked very demure and glam. I would have liked to have seen Les Choristes win for best foreign and best song (ugh, did not care for Beyoncé's interpretation at all). With the exception of perhaps Hotel Rwanda, most groups came away happy.

Someone mentioned that the Academy 'did not like' Scorcese. I'd like to know more. He seems to be a pretty nice guy. sensitive and all. Whazzup, Academy?
Of course, he couldn't have lost to a better guy (Eastwood) who seems so kind and level-headed. He surely has a lot of power in Hollywood; no denying that.

As for Chris Rock, well... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Did not like his barking monologue, his somewhat omnipresent references to black-only celebrities (perhaps he was told to do so, dunno??) Really no pizzazz, no sparkle or spontaniety, imho. Bring back Steve Martin or how about Ellen next year??

About the format, I didn't like it. To me, a movie is a work of the entire cast and crew and they all put in a great deal of effort to get the desired effect. Anyway, in the past, some of the best acceptance speeches have come from the lesser knowns. It seemed a bit elitist to me to have the technical awards nominees receive their Oscars in the aisle or have them all lined up on the side of the stage, American Idol fasion. I didn't like it. Is it such a bad thing to have the show run long? It seemed they wasted so much time on the songs but isn't this an awards show? Why speed through the awards and then waste time with a song? I don't get it and I didn't like it.

Also, supposedly the real reason they did that was to speed things up. No more running up on stage.

I also liked the way they tried to mix things up by doing some things in the aisles and the balconies.

I also thought the whole show lacked glamour and class when they tried to appeal to the younger crowd by having people like Prince and Sean Puffy Combs giving out the awards.

I do think that Hilary looked lovely and I think that she has beautiful skin and I liked her dress too, but yes, I still agree that it was a little weird!

I may be too old fashioned or just don't like change, but I think every winner deserves his/her moment of glory, including running up to the stage. I even miss hearing some of the long and boring speeches. At least they made the honorees human. I didn't feel any heart in last night's show. If some people find the show too long they could record it and fast forward through the parts that don't interest them.

I thought Chris Rock was boring and didn't seem to care whether he was there or not.

I miss the banter and comeraderie between presenters. I liked it much better when each award had two presenters. I hope they find some for next year better than Prince, etc.

Almost all the gowns were gorgeous. Cate looked great. However, Hilary's dress, or rather, her back was awful. I didn't like Halle's hair at all.

It seems to me that most of the nominated movies are not directed to the "younger crowd." I wonder, then, why the show needs to be. I do think Beyonce's dresses were great. She has a good voice and stage presence. I would have enjoyed more variety.

I was really hoping they would split Best Director and Best Picture. I think Scorsese deserved something.

I don't know why they think they have to make the show shorter, and if they really do want to make it shorter why don't seriously think of cutting the songs. We barely get to see clips from the nominated movies, while the songs are played in their entirety. (Personally, I'd rather see the documentary shorts if they want to show us something). Or, can't they just do a little song and dance montage of little sections of all the songs put together. That would cut out a lot of time. And, must they introduce the person who is going to introduce the person who is introduce the person who is going to win the special award. Come on, just present the special award and be done with it.

I actually think most of the acceptance speeches were too short. It seemed like everyone was just preoccupied with not taking too much time and just hurried up and thanked a few people. It's like there was no heart to the speeches. Made for a boring night.

Rose

A perfect solution is to have the Oscars commercial free. No question the ratings would go through the roof. But of course, what good are ratings if the don't pay for themselves. Not going to happen until the Circle Theater 'experts' set the agenda.:)

Very interesting to read so many good slants on this thread.

Sean Penn's defense of Law was nice though...It went something like "...to answer our host's question: Who is Jude Law? He's one of our finest actors and just as any fine actors knows that for one of them there are five great actresses..."(that lead him into the five best actress nominees).

I also did not like Scarlet Johannson. Didn't like her hair, which needed help. Didn't like her dress either. It didn't flatter her, with that peblum in the front and the mismatched fabrics. I was disappointed, bc she usually looks radiant.

I also have issues with Renee Z. She looks great, don't get me wrong. She knows what looks good on her and she sticks with it. But every single show for the past 4 years she's worn basically the same exact thing. Always by Caroline Herrera. I'd like to see her mix it up a bit. The look is getting stale.

Where were Jude Law? Nicole Kidman? Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael D? Susan Sarandon? Surprised they weren't there.

Now, notice that all the digs were on these people that weren't there.

I liked Renee Zellweger's gown but I thought she looked awful. That jet black hair next to her alabaster skin plus she has lost too much weight - her face was just scary.

I thought Charlize Theron and Virginia Madsen looked great.

Otherwise????

She looked as though she had her whole body tightened on the previous weekend.

I thought Penelope Cruz looked amazing. Seems like she's lost a lot of weight, maybe 170 lbs. or so. LOL

I keep waiting for Melanie Griffith's lips to explode.

Beyonce, Blanchett, Cruz, and Masden had my favorite dresses of the evening. The View had the knock-offs for less than $300 on this mornings show. Another afternoon show I caught briefly had knock-offs for just over $300. Blanchett's and Masden's originals were tens of thousands of dollars, but I think I heard Masden say her's was borrowed. Who is it, you figure, goes and buys these dresses after gorgeous actresses are seen in them? How can any other woman hope to compare with that already established image in everyone's mind.

Pat

The intensity did go up with the final 2 selections.

I was sure it would be Scorsese for Direction; Eastwood was a surprise, not that he didn't deserve it.

And who could pick Best Picture? Wow, the wait was nerve racking.

As for the guys, Jamie Foxx taking his daughter-KUDOS. Who would've ever thought such a goofy guy would be able to pull off such a great dramatic role. Leo - still a heartthrob.

Rose

Afraid I must disagree about Leo. There's not enough of him to make my heart thump. I do like his movies though.

Okay, don't all jump at once!!! I confess I missed the best picture award. Someone, please tell me what picture won.

shielding myself from the barrage