A long time ago on this site (at least 10 years ago or more) I had a routine with the Oscars where I would join a pool and try and predict the winners. Over the years I have started watching less and less movies and I became disinterested in the actual winners vs the ceremony itself. I love the Academy Awards and wish that mere mortals like myself could attend them in person. I remember in a simpler time one could try and get a bleacher seat. Now, barring a major career change, watching them on TV is the closest I’ll ever get.
This year the (86th annual) was not any different than the last half dozen or so years. I had only seen one of the nominees for Best Picture and there wasn’t much else I was interested in watching. As for the ceremony itself, I’m glad Ellen was the host again, I really think she does a great job. Billy Crystal is my favorite host of the last 20 years, although I wish I was old enough to watch either Bob Hope or Johnny Carson host the show.
Overall, it was a fun show – I thought the casualness of the pizza delivery schtick went on to long and borderlined into “Oprah-Uma” territory, but not quite. Watching Ellen crash Twitter was fun as well and reading stars sassy comments online helped the show move along. DVR is the way to go, but suffering through the live show is worth it when you combine it online fun.