MANILA, Philippines?For years now, we?ve been thinking of holding an Oscars-viewing party for film buffs, starting with early breakfast all the way through to late, late lunch.
Well, last Monday, Feb. 25, we finally got our wish, with the key involvement of our mother and nephew. A fun time was had by all?Pinky Marquez, Lou Veloso, Edmund Sicam, Rica Arevalo, Rito Asilo, Andy Bais, Alita Divino and their colorful, candid comments and reactions made the marathon viewing session (some six hours long) feel like a relative breeze.
Viewing experience
Edmund made the extended viewing experience even more exciting by handing out lists of nominees in all categories, which we used to ?predict? the winners.
Most of us fell back on sheer guesswork, but Edmund and Rito had taken pains to view most of the nominees? productions, so they came out on top.
Our channel of choice was Velvet, but early in the day, we found ourselves switching over to Lifestyle Network, because its Red Carpet coverage was hosted by Ryan Seacrest, who was more spontaneous and entertaining than the competition. We appreciated the Velvet channel?s occasional featurettes on stars and stellar fashions, but Seacrest was simply more with-it.
But, even the unflappable Seacrest was thrown for a loop when a grey-haired man barged into his interview with two actresses?and started kissing everyone in sight! The ladies were startled by the osculating ?terrorists,? to say the least, and only later was the ?culprit? identified: No, he wasn?t Osama bin Starstruck, he was Gary Busey.
By the time the main awards rites started, everyone had had a hearty breakfast and was primed for host Jon Stewart?s opening spiel?which turned out to be pointed and fun. It set the pace for the rest of the day?s proceedings, which were made extra-special by the fact that the Oscars were celebrating their 80th year, so a decidedly nostalgic mood was in the air.
Political satirist
Stewart?s spiels went over big because they spoofed, not just show biz, but politics, as well. Thus did the popular political satirist prove that show business and politics make not so strange and even decidedly compatible bedfellows!
As for the octogenarian Oscars? nostalgia factor, it was emphasized, but not as creatively as it could have been. There were too many hectic montages of past winners excitedly receiving their golden trophies, when fewer but more judiciously chosen featurettes would have been more effective.
Even on point of emotional response, the nostalgic features were found wanting, and that was truly a pity?a rare opportunity missed.
History
Well, there?s always the awards? 90th year to look forward to and plan for, so let?s hope that the richness of the Academy Awards? history will be better served then.
The individual awards handed out last Monday were made especially, albeit unexpectedly, distinctive by the fact that the winners? circle was full of non-Americans.
Thus did the 2007 Oscars prove that the world?s most popular movie awards had transcended national parameters, and that film now truly speaks an international language. (?Most specifically, European, with Britons Daniel Day-Lewis and Tilda Swinton, Frenchwoman Marion Cotillard and Spaniard Javier Bardem copping all four top acting awards.)
Is this a sign of things to come? Are even the traditionally true-blue American Academy Awards becoming truly international in outlook? Has Hollywood finally become ?Hollyworld?? On the Oscars? 80th year, that?s an appropriately exciting and enlightening development!
