I normally find the musical numbers are the things to skip in the annual Oscars show. However, this year the highlight of the evening was John Legend and Common’s electrifying performance of the song ’Glory’ from Selma. Instead, after a good start it was Neil Patrick Harris’ presentation that became too uncomfortable to watch. Aside from a clever pastiche of Birdman with a nod to Whiplash, he was saddled with some abysmal material and you could see in his eyes that he knew how badly it was going over. So, I found myself fast forwarding to the point where the next award was presented so I watched the whole thing in record time!
Of the awards, three of the four acting awards were a foregone conclusion. I was pleased to see Eddie Redmayne edging out Michael Keaton for the best actor gong. A better performance, and in his post-show interviews he came across as a humble and nice man. It was also good to see Whiplash rightfully getting recognition for editing and sound and that The Imitation Game did not end up empty handed.
It was pretty evident that the best director and best film awards were going to be fought out between Birdman and Boyhood. In the end I suppose it came as no surprise that a film about a bunch of egotistical, self absorbed, actors was voted for by an organisation that has a majority actor membership! I can’t help feeling that in years to come it will be seen as one of those embarrassing aberrations – along the lines of choosing How Green Was My Valley over Citizen Kane – that one of the two true masterpieces of this decade was beaten by a technically accomplished but slight movie.
Finally, a note to Sky. If you have a panel of three pundits: I can understand why you choose to have two professional critics and one other person, but next year why don’t you employ someone who has least seen all of the best picture nominees. Some of us manage to do that without the incentive of being paid to pontificate on the ceremony!