A quick Oscar wrap-up

Posted By Daniel W. Drezner Monday, February 23, 2009 - 1:45 PM Share

Due to travel snafus, your humble blogger was unable to post his traditional pre-Oscar predictions post. Suffice it to say that I correctly predicted all of the major awards but, as always, screwed up the best documentary short and best foreign language film.

Ten quick points, both positive and normative:

I think it's telling that one of America's most competitive industries organized an awards show around an Aussie host, a British best actress winner, a Spanish best supporting actress winner, and a best picture winner based in Mumbai, India and directed by a ~~Scotsman~~ Englishman. I'm just saying that the most globalized sectors of the economy are usually the most efficient and productive.
There needs to be a word for a cultural trope that manages to attract admiration from both genders and both the gay and straight communities. Whatever that word is, Hugh Jackman seems to embody it.
Is it me, or is there an iron law of Oscar shows that decrees that the last third of the show must drag on to the point where it sucks the life out of the show?
The Academy could save everyone a lot of time and angst by assigning hosting duties next year to Tina Fey and Steve Martin. They were funnier than any of the comedy clips.
No nominations for Salma Hayek? So what if she did not appear in a motion picture this year?
Waltz with Bashir did not win Best Foreign Film? Where's that damn Israel Lobby when you need it?!
Call me schmaltzy, but I did like the idea of having former Oscar winners praise each nominee. The nominees really seemed to go for it, too.
For just one day, I would like to be able to pull off the Mickey Rourke look.
Best Visual effect of the show -- Sarah Jessica Parker in her gown, as well as her ability to smile while sitting next to Matthew Broderick.
Among those who got jobbed by the Oscars this year: the adult actors in Slumdog Millionaire, especially Dev Patel; Both WALL*E and The Wrestler should have been nominated for Best Picture, and one of them arguably should have won.

I think that's it.

EXPLORE:CULTURE, ACADEMY AWARDS, GLOBALIZATION, MOVIES, SALMA HAYEK SNUBS

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LEMON

3:34 PM ET

February 23, 2009

Minor point

Danny Boyle is English, not Scottish.

DANIEL W. DREZNER

4:55 PM ET

February 23, 2009

You're right -- fixed now!

Trainspotting threw me off.

BLUE13326

9:52 PM ET

February 23, 2009

You're talking about an

You're talking about an industry that's run off the same business model for close to a century, and that's fought any technological innovation tooth and nail. I mean, this is an industry that tried to get home recording by VCRs outlawed by the government.

DATROY

10:15 PM ET

February 23, 2009

Gran Torino should have at

Gran Torino should have at least been nominated for something - anything! It didn't get a single nomination when it easily could have gotten Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director and arguably even Best Supporting Actor and/or Best Supporting Actress for the two Hmong kids.

MDREW

7:46 AM ET

February 24, 2009

I can't tell from your opaque

I can't tell from your opaque sarcasm -- is that a positive review for Jackman? If so, it's the first one I've seen.

DON S

4:11 PM ET

February 24, 2009

Don't think of it as an Oscar.....

Since watching the news of the outpouring of joy in India and particularly Mumbai after the awards, I've been thinking about the awards given to 'Slumdog Millionaire' in a different way - as an act of 'public diplomacy', or perhaps 'soft power'.

India is a country which the US really should be cultivating as a friend. The Bush administration made a good beginning of changing the view that India and Pakistan are joined at the hip, but Obama has been falling down on carrying that forward, though it's still early days of course.

I would like to see US diplomacy change to treat India as it is today - a great power which is going to be greater; possibly even the successor to the US as the #1 power globally. India is important. The relationship is still at the point where visibly treating them as important can reap enduring dividends in encouraging them to see the US as a friend. The Academy awards helped that goal along, now Obama needs to pick up the ball and run, either by negociating a visit to India within the year or by inviting the Indian head of state or of the government to the White House for a first-class visit, laying on the full honors offered to the Russians, the Chinese, or a top NATO ally.