In a night that could have been all about money and compromise, the awards went to the most deserving.<\/p>\n
Possibly lost in THE HURT LOCKER shocker was a victory by Mo\u2019Nique, the sassy actress who refused to \u201ccampaign,\u201d as they say, for the award but took it home anyway. In the best acceptance speech of the evening, the outspoken comedian turned Oscar winner took the stage saying exactly what needed to be said. <\/p>\n
\u201cFirst, I\u2019d like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics,\u201d Mo\u2019Nique firmly asserted in a succinct but powerful speech. Her performance in the no nonsense and amazing PRECIOUS may have been this year\u2019s best overall, so, humility was not an option.<\/p>\n
She went onto to thank Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey, both in attendance, telling them that since they touched it, everyone saw it. Again, a truth that some were reluctant to admit. Shots of Perry at the awards showed how absolutely taken he was with Mo\u2019Nique\u2019s heart-felt words of power. Hopefully, they will not be forgotten by the talented writer\/director who may one day find himself taking the Oscar stage.<\/p>\n
Just after thanking her attorney and her entire BET family, Mo\u2019Nique went onto to credit her husband with showing her \u201cthat sometimes you have to forgo doing what\u2019s popular, in order to do what\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd baby, you are so, right,\u201d Mo\u2019Nique said resolutely, holding her golden statue tightly.<\/p>\n
And the award wore well on her, Mo\u2019Nique was ready for this delivering her words will not one ounce of hesitation. But is Hollywood ready for Oscar winner Mo\u2019Nique? <\/p>\n
Of course, the real surprise of the evening had to be THE HURT LOCKER\u2019s win over the behemoth AVATAR. The Academy really got it right by giving the film three (Best Film, Best Director, and Best Writing screenplay for the screen) of the top honors with Kathryn Bigelow named as the first women best director. Such a thing was always on everyone\u2019s wish list, but few, including this critic, thought that LOCKER could pull off such a hat-trick. Bigelow\u2019s little war film, that opened in the US in a limited summer release, made less than $15 million at the domestic box office, compared to AVATAR\u2019s massive $2 billion, yes, with a \u201cB.\u201d<\/p>\n
My prediction was that LOCKER might pull off a writing award, and possibly Renner could be named best actor. While Mark Boal took home the statue for writing LOCKER, Jeff Bridges won voter\u2019s hearts and the top award for acting. Bridges, a member of Hollywood royalty, has always given us his best on screen, often playing broken loser types and crafting the famous \u201cDude\u201d from the Coen\u2019s THE BIG LEBOWSKI. But to win the award, for his work in a little film called CRAZY HEART, Bridges made himself less fun and even ugly. The performance, better than the film itself, points up Mo\u2019Nique\u2019s earlier words\u2014it is all about the performance. And Bridges could find himself here again. In addition to reprising his role in TRON, he\u2019s stepping into a big shoe (well boots), that of Marshal Reuben J. Cogburn in the Coen\u2019s western remake TRUE GRIT.<\/p>\n
In a vote of confidence for the inspirational genre of movies that has been growing in popularity, the Academy rewarded Sandra Bullock for her work in THE BLIND SIDE. The film captured the hearts of middle America making it a surprising box office giant, but critics quickly warmed to the inspirational themed material handled very well by John Lee Hancock, who hadn\u2019t made a film since the expensive THE ALAMO in 2004. Bullock had the evening\u2019s second best acceptance speech, humbly referencing her other nominees and even crediting Meryl Streep as a \u201csuch a good kisser.\u201d While fun and tongue in cheek, hit YouTube and study the way Bullock says this is a \u201conce in a lifetime experience, I know.\u201d The recent Razzie winner, for ALL ABOUT STEVE, really means that. Bullock\u2019s chances of taking the stage again are probably unlikely, but this year, the floor was all hers.<\/p>\n
Closed out of the awards was the George Clooney\/Jason Reitman film UP IN THE AIR that most critics picked early as this year\u2019s best. Reitman, just in his early 30s, will no doubt be back with another film, and eventually find himself on that stage.<\/p>\n
My favorite documentary feature THE COVE won the award for Best Doc. It was good seeing Fisher Stevens accept the award. The actor turned filmmaker and producer will next be seen in the American remake THE EXPERIMENT, but it is his work behind the camera that has proven to be most interesting.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, which ran past midnight, was well hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Martin had an awkward moment at the end as he attempted to pull from Bigelow one of her statues. Some jokes just fall flat. But the awards went to the right folks\u2014the ones that deserved it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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