Oscar goes to feel-good movie
The voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences gave “The Artist,” a European production filmed in Los Angeles, a French kiss at Sunday’s Oscar ceremony.
The creatively rendered black-and-white picture, which is silent, gained steam in recent weeks thanks to numerous screenings designed to capture the imaginations of academy members. The PG-13 picture follows the fall and rise of a silent-film star who refuses to keep up with the times and appear in talkies.
Hollywood powerhouse Harvey Weinstein focused his distribution company, the Weinstein Company, on turning “The Artist” into an academy favorite. (He previously pulled off that trick with titles such as “Shakespeare in Love” and “The King’s Speech.”) It worked.
His inspired maneuvering helped the elegant charmer win major Oscars for best picture, director (Michel Hazanavicius) and actor (Jean Dujardin).
That left “The Help,” which I still consider 2011’s best offering, and “The Descendants,” starring George Clooney (a best-actor favorite who faded during the academy’s voting period), out in the cold for the major categories.
Although I disagree with some of the winners, it’s fun to have a year in which a feel-good movie like “The Artist” can capture the imaginations of academy voters, if not the general public. (“The Artist” has yet to top $35 million at the box office.)
Here are some observations on the ceremony.
A ‘Crystal’ clear host
Talented Hollywood insider Billy Crystal took over the hosting chores for the ninth time after Eddie Murphy left following a crude anti-gay remark by his producer, Brett Ratner. (I wish Murphy had approached another producer, stayed with the show, and added some edgy moments, something missing from Crystal’s show.)
Now in his early 60s, Crystal relied on his usual assortment of funny film clips (including one that revolved around “The Descendants” and had the host sharing a kiss with Clooney), and they proved solid, if not sensational.
To his credit, Crystal joked about the problems the academy, which has an overabundance of senior-citizen members, is having with attracting a younger audience.
Cirque is in the house
Cirque de Soleil gave a one-time special performance, which had acrobats and daredevils using ropes to swing through the Hollywood & Highland Center (previously the Kodak Theater, which is now in bankruptcy).
At times, the production looked like a spinoff of Broadway’s high-flying “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” but academy members clearly enjoyed it and offered a standing ovation. If nothing else, I’m sure the energized number woke up anyone who may have been drifting off.
Not-so-great clips
Although movie fans expect great clips from the academy, those weren’t delivered.
One was a movie-clip package with scenes ranging from “Raging Bull” to “When Harry Met Sally…” and used too many overly familiar Hollywood quotes, including “The Godfather” line about “an offer he can’t refuse.”
And why was Adam Sandler, who makes the types of low-level comedies avoided by academy members, featured in two interview segments? (Sandler, by the way, received two Razzie Awards, a spoof of the Oscars, as worst actor and actress for his dual role playing an identical twin brother and sister in “Jack and Jill.”)
Rushed off too quickly
Talented Octavia Spencer lit up the room as she won the best-supporting-actress Oscar for “The Help.” The announcement was greeted with a standing ovation, and Spencer followed it with a heartfelt speech, which she seemed to cut short due to worries about time restraints. That’s inexcusable.
The academy must come up with a way to allow certain winners in major categories to go over the time limit. Fans tune in to see the stars, and cutting them short cheats the public and the professionals.
Watching Spencer be handed her Oscar was a joy to behold and a great Academy Awards moment. Bravo!