And the Oscar Goes To...

Yes, I freely admit it. I am an Oscar fanatic.

It started back in junior high school, when I first started acting, and began paying more attention to the 'award-winning' movies and performers. I'd watch the Academy Awards, thankful that we lived on the West coast and I didn't have to plead to stay up past my bedtime on a school night. I barely knew most of the performers, had seen almost none of the movies, but I loved it just the same.

As time went on, I became much more knowledgeable about the nominated movies and actors, even making it a point to see all the best picture nominees so I could root for a winner based on something more than just a gut feeling.

Now I've got kids, so seeing the Oscar noms in advance is a pipe dream, but I do subscribe to Entertainment Weekly and follow the movie news, so I have at least some background on what's hot.

I know there are tons of awards shows out nowadays, but really, the Academy Awards are still a High Holy Day in my pop culture life.

This was the first year my oldest actually watched with me, even begging to stay up past her bedtime to finish out the show. Mean mommy that I am, I made her go to bed, and I was pretty glad I'd done so when it ran almost an hour past its purported finishing time. Still, it was fun discussing the winners and categories with her while she was awake.

A few thoughts:

*Ellen did a decent job. Funny, not too overdone, kind of reminded me of Johnny Carson in a strange sort of way.
*My jaw dropped when Happy Feet won the best animated feature award. It was one of the few films I'd actually seen, but for it to beat Cars was a shocker to me.
*Entertainment Weekly predicted winners in every category this year. They had an 80% success rate in the major categories, only missing on Best Supporting Actor, but the otehr awards were ALL OVER THE PLACE. I think they got maybe five right.
*I would so hate to be the "front-runner". Every time someone unexpected won, I'd think, "oh, that poor X. Everyone said they'd win, and they didn't."
*I can't believe anyone ever said Al Gore was boring and humorless. His schtick with Leo DiCaprio was great. I loved the "My fellow Americans, I'd like to officially announce..." drowned out by the "get off stage" music.
*Speaking of Al, woo-hoo on the Documentary feature award!
*About damn time Martin Scorsese won Best Director.

I could go on, but it's late, so I won't. Maybe next year I'll get my daughter to dress up with me and we'll watch the red carpet in style.

How about you? Do you watch the Oscars, or barely notice the hype? What are your thoughts on this year's show?