What a show!

What a wonderful show the Academy put up this year! The Oscars, always one of my favorite award shows blew me away, and there a quite a few reasons for this.

Hugh Jackman
1) Hugh Jackman hosting. What a guy eh? He is beyond a triple threat. That opening was amazing! And of course, it helps that he is so easy on the eyes. I am sure he was as nervous as anything, but he was so relaxed and confident. I thought he did a great job!

Screenplay
2)I think the way they presented the screenplay awards was fantastic. To introduce the presenters by way of script and then have the script superimposed on the scenes, really helped you see the process.

Acting Awards
3) I love the way they got past winners to present the acting awards. It really made it personal and touching and sweet. Rather than see a clip that is usually unrepresentative of the actor's real skills, it makes so much more sense to be lauded by your coleagues who have been where you are. I thought it a shame that the actors in Best Supporting Actors all knew they didn't have a chance against the Ledger legacy though.

Brown in even more the new black
4) The touch of Bollywood that Slumdog Millionaire brought to this year's show added the much-needed spice to a show that was becoming predictable and staid. Having all those colourful dancers, drummers and singers was really a spectacular way to present the music awards. And the fact A R Rahman won them both is the icing on the cake. His work in cinematic music deserves the recognition it received, although that song, by no means, is his best work. But still, go Tamilan!

The Clothes
5)I love watching all the beautiful clothes that the stars wear and how some of those dresses defy gravity and stay where they are supposed to stay. I also wondered why Penelope Cruz always wears a bridal gown, like she is going to be married right after the award ceremony. I loved Jennifer Aniston's dress, and Taraji Henson's, Angelina's green earrings.

Kudos to the people who produced this year's show. It was imaginative, creative, original and thoroughly enjoyable. Ignore all the nay-sayers and critical snobs - they are just seething because there was nothing worse condemning and they live to condemn.