Coosa Creek Times, Oscar Wrap-Up Edition

I can honestly say that Sunday’s Oscars were the most satisfying in years, and not just because I beat out my wife at the prediction game, either. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t very good at predicting: just one pick better than 500 (alas, it seems my rule of thumb “If No Country for Old Men is nominated, pick it” betrayed me; of the eight awards it was up for, it got only four).

The telecast wasn’t all that great, either. In fact, I’d say that it was a bit below average: more full than usual of crappy montages, bad production numbers and wooden “spontaneous” banter. Everything just seemed a little bit . . . off, perhaps because it was only a week and a half since the WGA settlement. You know that they’re not at the top of their game when the telecast goes under the alloted time.

No, the reason I liked the Oscars last night is simple: there was a higher percentage of deserving recipients than normal. Top of the list was Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová — their win for Best Original Song meant that Once, a film that cost 100k and shot for 17 days actually won an Oscar. Hansard’s acceptance speech was the most heartfelt and least pompous of the telecast. What’s more, after Bill Conti’s too-quick orchestra cue cut her off, host Jon Stewart invited Irglová back on stage, providing the most touching moment of the evening.

But the best thing about Hansard and Irglová’s award is that the best song of the nominees actually won. And it won over all those sappy, seemingly endless tunes from Enchanted, no less. You know, the ones that all sounded alike.

There were other really satisfying wins, as well. No Country for Old Men, a film that simply blew me away, took four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, finally breaking the Coen brothers’ no-win streak. Although I didn’t pick her to win–I thought they’d give it to Cate Blanchett’s flashy Bob Dylan–Tilda Swinton’s win of Best Supporting Actress was a most welcome surprise. Her brilliant, edgy performance in Michael Clayton made me hate her and pity her at the same time.

Although there was no debate about whether Daniel Day-Lewis would win Best Actor, I’d debated in my own mind–and others had debated in their blogs–about whether he deserved it. Was his over-the-top ACTOR performance really superior to George Clooney’s subtle turn as a conflicted lawyer, or Viggo Mortensen’s gritty gangster vibe? No matter — like many, I was on the fence, and Day-Lewis’ award suited me just fine.

Though I didn’t see La Vie en Rose, Marion Cotillard’s award for Best Actress was something of a surprise. In my predictions, I thought the sentimental vote would win for Jule Christie, though I didn’t see that performance, either. I mention Cotillard’s win primarily so I have an excuse to put her picture up at left.

Oh yes — there’s one more reason that the Oscars didn’t suck this year: neither did Jon Stewart. As a mondo Stewart fan, his less-than-funny performance two years ago hurt, and although he was certainly not at the top of his game, he did acquit himself honorably. His best joke? His description of Away From Her as a movie about a woman who forgets her own husband, adding that Hillary Clinton called it “the feel-good movie of the year.”

Here’ are some Oscar wrap-ups from across the web:

• At the New York Times, Alessandra Stanley thought the telecast “less polished than usual but not much more spontaneous,” while David Halfinger and Michael Cieply opined that the Coens’ Best Picture Oscar provided “a more-than-satisfying ending for the makers of a film that many believed lacked one.” So there.
• Meanwhile, Nayana, at the Center Seat, has a one-sentence commentary: “Good on ya, Glen and Markéta.”
• Nathaniel R. blogged live! direct from his own living room. Read the whole thing here, plus part 1 of his Oscar review here.
• Jim Emerson’s Oscar deadline story for RogerEbert.com begins at his blog Scanners. I’ll bet there’ll be more at that address soon.
• Kirby’s Oscar Post-Mortem can be found at Movie Dearest.
• Finally, Kim Morgan gives out her own awards for Oscar’s Best, Worst and Weirdest.