After the 2013 Academy Awards

So it has been a full two days since the 2013 Academy Awards, and as usual, I have a few things to say.

Yes, I did find myself in front of the television promptly at 7:00 PM Sunday evening, because that's when all the magazine and tv advertisements said it started.  But noooooo, that was when the red carpet events started.  The awards didn't actually start until 8:30 PM, Pennsylvania time.

I stayed up way past my regular bedtime, and held out to the bitter end, which didn't happen until, oh, about midnight.

I do enjoy looking at the stunning gowns many of the women wear to this event.  I've read that attendees receive instructions prior to the event instructing them to wear outfits that are tasteful and mostly modest.  Some stretch the rules, to be sure.

Here then are some of my thoughts about the show.  Most of them have very little to do with any of the very fine movies that the program was all about.  They are just a random collection of the details I noticed and the thoughts sailing through my head.

1.  Did all the nominated men agree together beforehand to grow beards for the event?  I thought Ben Affleck had a particularly fine beard.

2.  I found the Red Carpet Mystery Box to be an interesting addition to the typical red carpet interviews.  However, it seemed that most of the celebrities didn't want to be bothered with making a guess as to its contents.  I find it curious that several of the stars guessed that there was a human head in there.  (It was opened to reveal Dorothy's red sparkly shoes from "The Wizard of Oz" later.)

3.  Host Seth MacFarlane was the worst host I can remember seeing for this gala event.  Ever.  His jokes were so off color and inappropriate.  It was disgusting at times.  It is NEVER all right to make a joke of a presidential assassination.  

4.  As an example of how horribly bad the host was, his opening song was "I Saw Your Boobs."  In this hideous song he listed nearly every female celebrity and when he had seen her stuff.  The Academy Awards show is a very dressy affair that millions of people watch as those people that have spent years of their life producing a fine movie are honored.  And then he sings that?  Perhaps a middle school boy may have been a better choice to host the show.

5.  I loved when the orchestra began playing the theme song from "Jaws" every time an oscar winner continued speaking too long.  There is a monitor in front of the podium with a timer counting down, and it's just somewhat inconsiderate of them to keep blathering on and on and thanking every single other person in their lives.  Besides, if you are a nominee, that alone indicates that there is some percentage of chance that you will win, and therefore, you have time before the event to create a succinct acceptance speech.  

6.  I have enjoyed every movie I have ever seen in which Jennifer Lawrence was the lead.  I thought she looked classy and stunning at the awards, and it's unfortunate that she had another fashion mishap.   If you missed the show, she tripped on the front of her dress and fell as she was going up the steps to receive her Best Actress award.  She also had a dress mishap during the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony several weeks ago.  It happened then as she was going up the steps to receive an award, too.  Several layers of her dress parted and revealed the stuff underneath.  Next time, they will have six people at the ready to help her to the podium.

7.  Although yellow is my favorite color, Jane Fonda's gown hurt my eyes and gave me a headache.  Her stylist missed it on this one.

8.  Kristen Stewart looked bad, every time I saw her.  She looks miserably unhappy.  

9.  Meryl Streep is probably my favorite actress of all time, and she can do no wrong in my book.  Therefore, if she wants to pick her dress out of her behind as she's approaching the podium to give an award, I say go ahead and pick it.  (She actually picked at it several times, geez.)  Some of the media are already having a heyday with this, and I feel bad for her. 

10.  One last thought:  there are still some apparently excellent movies out there that I need to see.  I saw about half of the movies on the Best Picture list, so I'll try to catch the others soon too.  

Just get me some popcorn, and I'll be good to go.