Monday, February 26, 2007

The Collective Mind Is Pretty Darn Good

Yesterday I posted about the collective mind of the "Birdbath" predicting the results for the Oscars... so, here's the results.

There are 24 categories... and we got 19 of them right! (For the record, Bob Trezise won my annual Oscar Pool/"Birdbath" with 16 correct.) The ones we missed were:
  • Score: we picked The Queen or Pan's Labyrinth (rather than Babel)
  • Original Song: we picked "Our Town" (rather than "I Need To Wake Up" - serves us right for forgetting that these folks who drove to the Oscars in multiple gas-guzzling limos want to vote for stuff that's enviromentally friendly)
  • Animated Feature: we picked Cars (rather than Happy Feet - see gripey enviromental comment above)
  • Foreign Film: we picked Pan's Labyrinth (rather than The Lives of Others)
  • Animated Short: we picked The Little Matchgirl or No Time For Nuts (rather than The Danish Poet)

All in all, not a bad performance from the 45 of us, eh?!

And speaking of not-bad performances, I was pleasantly surprised by how watchable the Oscar broadcast was this year. Some highlights:

  • Ellen, who was low-key & funny... and, for the most part, not terribly political in her humor
  • the show-stopping production number from Will Ferrell, Jack Black & John O'Reilly... unlike many of the big numbers from previous years, this one was INTENTIONALLY funny
  • the dance troupe who did the shadow pictures
  • acceptance speeches that, for the most part, didn't devolve into blubbering or silliness
  • the video pieces... esp. the president's speech, the foreign film montage, and Errol Morris' opening interviews w/the nominees

As for the actual awards, I'm a bit miffed about Cars getting passed over, but not surprised when I think about it. Sigh.

1 comment:

Jonathan Degann said...

Some official corrections and clarifications:

"# Original Song: we picked "Our Town" (rather than "I Need To Wake Up" - serves us right for forgetting that these folks who drove to the Oscars in multiple gas-guzzling limos want to vote for stuff that's enviromentally friendly)"

Not true. They were all *driven* to the Oscars in Priuses. Rented Priuses. So that we could see what good guys they are. Then the other 364 days of the year they are driven in their Hummers.

But Randy Newman has won enough best song Oscars, and this one was a real snoozer. Dreamgirls had two terrific songs (of three nominated), but had its vote split. The Melissa Ethridge song was pretty good, but it would not have stacked up against "Love You I Do".

"# Animated Feature: we picked Cars (rather than Happy Feet - see gripey enviromental comment above)"

Because "Cars" is about cars? Gimme a break! George Miller is a terrific director (of films ranging from Mad Max to Babe) and even my nine year old daughter greatly preferred Happy Feet.

You guys just own too much Pixar stock.

" * Ellen, who was low-key & funny... and, for the most part, not terribly political in her humor"

Low key and not political - yes.
Funny - eh. She came off looking well just because she never delivered any bombs. But if you heard she was hosting next year, would you look on it in anticipation?

" * the dance troupe who did the shadow pictures"

Pilobolus

" * acceptance speeches that, for the most part, didn't devolve into blubbering or silliness"

Yet it amazes me at how inarticulate writers can sometimes be.

Other foolishness:
How many others of you made comments on how unsexy Ennio Morricone's Italian wife was? Just goes to show that the composer never ends up with the hot chicks, even in Italy.

I'd really like for the Academy to give an award for Best Eyebrows. That would give Scorsese yet another win.