The Oscar Non-Event

Every year I watch the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science Awards ceremony, also known as the Oscars. It does not matter who is hosting or which films is nominated. It doesn't even matter that I have serious doubts that the Academy Awards are an accurate gauge of what the best films released in any given year were. The fact is that it is a chance to see many of my favourite actors, to see clips from some of my favourite films released that year, and, of course, to see who wins.

Unfortunately I did not get to watch the Academy Awards last night. At approximately 6:00 PM last night a thunder storm rolled through mid-Missouri. It about 6:10 PM that our power went off. Our power stayed off until about 2:30 AM. In other words, I entirely missed the Oscars. It is for that reason I can offer no review of the ceremony as I usually do. I cannot comment on how good or how bad James Franco or Anne Hathaway were (although I will confess I am happy just to watch Anne Hathaway breath). I cannot comment on the acceptance speeches. I cannot comment on anything.

And given the fact that last year I saw fewer movies than I usually do, I cannot even comment that much on the various winners. For the  category of Best Picture I was rooting for either True Grit or Inception. That having been said, I cannot criticise the fact that The King's Speech won, even though it seemed like the most conventional choice among the movies nominated. I have not yet seen The King's Speech, although I have heard very good things about it. For the same reason I cannot criticise the fact that Colin Firth took Best Actor over Jeff Bridges--I have not seen The King's Speech.

I will say that I am happy Toy Story 3 won Best Animated Feature (unlike the live action features, I kept better track of the animated films) and I am very happy that Randy Neuman won for Best Song (I was scared that song from Country Strong would win). I am also glad that Alice in Wonderland won Best Art Direction, although I cannot say I would have been disappointed if Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 had won. I am also happy that Inception  won Best Cinematography.

In fact, the only award I have a real complaint about (and I think this is justifiable even if I have not seen all the nominees) is Best Film Editing. Oh, I am not going to begrudge The Social Network winning, given it does have great editing and I suspect that editing is better than the other nominees. What I am going to complain about is the fact that Inception was not even nominated. As great as the editing on The Social Network is, the editing on Inception  is better.

Anyhow, I feel as if I have to apologise for this rather pathetic excuse for an Oscar post, but then it is what happens when the lights go out for the entire extent of the ceremony. With any luck, it will not happen again next year!