Efficient, occasionally entertaining, not entirely predictableMar 28 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Not the most hideous set of awards, and the show had some suspense. But the songs were sub-mediocore.
I am appalled to realize that I have watched half the award-presentations ceremonies of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This bad habit began when my age was in single digits, but still. . . (1) this makes me feel very old, and (2) I now incline to my parent’s view that I would have been better off sleeping. Now that I live on the Left Coast, the telecast does not keep me up past my bedtime, but I know that I am going to be frustrated and disappointed every year. Yet... as undernourishing and boring as much of this annual ritual is, there is always something moving. The montage of those who died in the last year is the one sure thing for someone like me interested in the filmdom past. I can also pretty much count on at least one hideously undeserved award. This year it was for the screenplay of “Traffic.” There is much that is accomplished about “Traffic.” For instance, the award for editing deservedly went to it. But the screenplay is what is most wrong with the movie. Generally, there are some pleasant surprises. I was very pleased that my predictions about who would be voted best actor and best supporting actress were wrong. I like Tom Hanks, but as Hilary Swank was opening the envelope, I said “Please, anyone but Tom Hanks.” If I had a vote, it would have gone to Javier Bardem, but I can rationalize that Russell Crowe was being recognized for a body of work (Some of Us, LA Confidential, The Insider), not just for “Gladiator.” Speaking of “Gladiator,” I enjoyed the dismay with which Michael Douglas read the “best picture” winner. He had good reason to be miffed that his performance in “Wonder Boys” was not nominated, though, like Tom Hanks, he has enough gilded statuettes (as producer of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and actor in “Wall Street”). The Good There were some well-deserved winners. I’ve already mentioned the editing in “Traffic.” The cinematography of Peter Pau in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” deserved to win, and the interesting Tan Dun score was at least plausible. That two of the consensus favorites in acting categories lost was pleasant. I don’t at all mind that my predictions were wrong. That the two surest acting nominees (Robert and del Toro) won is unobjectionable. All four winners of acting awards deserve credit for taking risky roles. Soderberg is an interesting director (etc.) and arguments could be made against any of the director and picture nominees. Soderberg’s tribute to anyone trying to do creative work of any sort removed any doubts I might have had about giving the director of “Kafka” an award. I liked the Perlman-Ma medley of themes from the nominated best scores. And something that always amazes me is that the orchestra can so quickly start the music for each winner--and invariably play whatever that is well. The clips from films of each of the three special award winners (Dino de Laurentis, Jack Cardiff, Ernest Lehman) were splendid. It was good that “Dune” and “King Kong [redux]” were included along with “La Strada” and “Nights of Cabiria” to show that de Laurentis and quality are not synonymous. I was surprised at how much of Cardiff’s clips was from “Black Narcissus.” There should have been some from “Girl on a Motorcyle,” which is right in there with the worst Dino de Laurentis productions. Steve Martin moved things along without tasteless jokes or a musical number. It helped that there was some suspense about which film was going to take the final, biggest prize--with “Crouching Tiger” and “Gladiator” neck-to-neck most of the evening, and then a surge for “Traffic,” especially knowing how rarely best director goes to a director of something that is not named best picture. And the victory of Marcia Gay Harden raised the possibility of Ed Harris finally getting an award. Having Arthur C. Clarke present best adapted screenplay was a nice touch. I liked the (retro?) black gowns worn by many. I thought that Ellen Burstyn and Hilary Swank looked especially good among those not dressed in black. And Michelle Yeoh, partly in black. And Catherine Zeta-Jones looked very gracious. I like that Michael Douglas is now referred to as her husband (and even as Mr. Jones!). Also, I liked the long black coats (Samuel L. Jackson, Rick Baker). The Ambivalent The most impressive acting of the evening was Julia Roberts counterfeiting surprise. Her enjoyment seemed genuine, and her peremptory notice that she was going to run overtime was enjoyable. The subsequent ramble included seemingly everyone in her family except her brother Eric, and she forgot to say anything about the woman whose story she played. If anyone knew in advance that s/he needed to prepare a speech, it was Julia Roberts. But the audience likes breathless enthusiasm. And she looked great, as did her consort, Benjamin Bratt. Russell Crowe showed that he has no sense of humor, but somewhat redeemed himself with his acceptance speech about striving to escape suburbia (only to be honored in the world’s largest suburb...). I think that Ang Lee is an interesting director of considerable range, and that much of “Crouching Tiger” is superb. I don’t think it all hangs together and I think that some of its scenes go on too long. And I am not convinced that it is the best 2000 film from Taiwan (If it is even from Taiwan), let alone the best 2000 films from the whole non-English-speaking world. I think that “Yi Yi” was the best 2000 film from Taiwan, and that “Malèna” is a better constructed film than “Crouching Tiger,” and one that has music and cinematography to compete with those of “Crouching Tiger” -- in addition to being better than any of the Italian movies awarded “best foreign language films” of the last 30 years, except, perhaps “Cinema Paradiso,” also made by Giussepe Tornatore. Considerably more hideously bad movies than “Gladiator” have received Academy Awards as best picture. In fact, I have compiled a list of the worst “best picture” winner by decade (at http://www.epinions.com/mvie-review-E51-2CC0B514-399D819C-prod5). In that only one of my twelve picks for “best films of 2000” (see http://www.epinions.com/content_6941675140) was nominated, and that that one (“Crouching Tiger”) seems to me to have some significant problems, it was hard for me to care which of the five nominees won, and the split picture/director verdict seemed appropriate. The special award winners were able to stand and make some sense, though rambling. Like Julia, they should have spent more time rehearsing their speeches! The Bad and the Ugly I could not remember the lyrics or tune of any of the five nominated songs for more than a minute after each was performed. I think that the best one won, but if these are the five best songs, the award category should be dropped. Except for the flying dancers in the first number (from “Crouching Tiger”), the performances were inept. The most inappropriately dressed award clearly went to Bjork, with Sarah Jessica Parker runner-up. Tom Cruise showed that one can be underdressed, but “underdressed” has a rather different meaning for him than for the two women. The space shuttle opening was more boring that Billy Crystal or Rob Lowe musical numbers. My view is that awards should be presented by movie stars, and that some should be presented by stars of yesterday rather than nonentities of the moment. After the debacle of Elizabeth Taylor at the Golden Globes, I can understand caution. And I vaguely remember a similar mess with Bette Davis. And Goldie Hawn is now an old-timer and flubbed her part. Still, one of my treasured Oscar moments was seeing Luise Rainer at the 75th anniversary edition. The most venerable star (1964 best actress winner, though a Broadway star of the 1950s) was Julie Andrews who introduced and held Edward Lehman up during his speech (the most political of the evening, BTW, if only industry politics/economics).  |
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