Scene - Blogs - Oscar blog Part 3

Oscar blog Part 3
Published: 2/22/2009 11:54 PM
Last Modified: 2/22/2009 11:54 PM

9:44 p.m. at the Oscars: Jerry Lewis is awarded with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. There's only one thought: What took so long?

10 p.m.: It's been looking like "Slumdog's" night for a little bit, and winning the Oscars for best score and best song, with a pair of performances accompanying, go to show what an integral part of the film the music of India's amazing A.R. Rahman proves to be. It is as infectious as the root-for-the-underdog story.

10:27 p.m.: The best actress award presentation, with five former winners taking the stage to address the nominees, and this interesting idea still needs work. But in that moment that Shirley McLaine is speaking directly to Anne Hathaway, praising her talents and reducing Hathaway to tears, the moment is worth the extra time.

10:31 p.m.: Kate Winslet is announced best actress winner for "The Reader," but all I can think about from the number of times they show Angelina Jolie...those green rocks on her ears and finger....emerald or QVC? They are gargantuan.

10:37 p.m.: Best actor time, and when Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Adrien Brody, Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley take the stage, the electricity is palpable. The audience is standing. I'm thinking about standing, and I'm warming to this concept. De Niro on Penn: "How did he do it? How for all those years did he get all those straight roles?"

10:46 p.m.: When Penn wins for "Milk," his portrayal of the nation's first openly gay elected politician, his speech turns political. If only a few others had followed suit in this proud Oscar tradition, with most this night going the thank-my-mom-and-my-agent route.

10:53 p.m.: "Slumdog Millionaire" wins best picture, a total of eight Academy Awards. For one of the most interesting collaborations this year -- a cast with no names, a movie set in India -- everyone in the movie comes to the stage to accept. Print, cut, fade to black. We have a winner.

10:57 p.m.: Can't do it, only been on the air for 3 hours, 27 minutes, must show more trailers for big-budget films coming out this year. Running over the credits in a tiny window, with ABC announcer promoting spring replacement series like "Cupid" and "Better Off Ted," the show was better off ending four minutes ago.

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I See Movies for Free

“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

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Past Articles By Michael Smith

2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
2/15/2013		Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'
2/15/2013		Review: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

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