This is an Oscars post.

Alright, the Oscars don't appear to be anywhere on free to air TV in New Zealand, so I've been resorting to various live streams - which, let me tell you, have been of fairly deplorable quality (thank you, New Zealand internet). As such, I only managed to actually witness bits and pieces, although they seem to have been the most important bits and pieces.

On the hosts:



Anyone else have some sneaking suspicions that James Franco was high as a kite? I've got to admit, I miss Ricky Gervais. This was downright boring in comparison.

On Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross taking away the Oscar for Best Original Score:



Nine Inch Nails are amazing, Trent Reznor is amazing even when he looks like a thumb, I haven't seen The Social Network because I am a bad fan, etc etc.

On Christian Bale winning Best Supporting Actor:



I've got to admit, after my initial distaste following that incident (it's fucking distracting...), I settled on a general feeling of affection for good trolling when it comes to Señor Bale. I haven't seen The Fighter but I intend to, and honestly, it was just cute at the end of his speech when he got all choked up about his wife again. /is a romantic at heart

On Colleen Atwood winning for Best Costume Design:

I love her and I could not care less what anyone says about Alice In Wonderland. I thought it was fine. Not amazing, not mind-shatteringly awful, it was fine. People are such drama queens about that shit.

On Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law:

They warm the cockles of my heart, whatever that means. I'm still sold on this Sherlock thing.

On Florence Welch:

Ethereal goddess, musical queen, wasted on this ceremony, etc.

On Tom Hooper winning Best Director:

Laughing at these bitches who seem to think this was unexpected. The King's Speech is a beautifully directed film.

On Natalie Portman winning Best Actress:

Whatever, we all saw it coming, I just don't get it. She was alright, but seriously, best actress? Slim pickings this year, huh?

On Colin Firth winning Best Actor:

King Firth deserves this and every other award we can invent for excellence in a human being, the end.

On The King's Speech winning Best Picture:

Honestly, I wasn't sure the Academy was going to choose the correct candidate for this one, but in the end they got it right. I would've been happy with this or True Grit, so...

On True Grit

I went to see True Grit on a whim, purely because my flatmates were going and happened to ask if I'd like to go along. I figured it's been acknowledged by the Academy this year - I might as well check it out, even if it looked like something I would find deathly boring. Westerns? Not exactly my thing. However, by now I trust the Coens enough to give them the benefit of the doubt despite trepidations about genre.

This turned out to be a good decision on my part; I had a vague feeling that whatever happened, I would probably enjoy the ride, and I was right. For all that Westerns are not my thing, this film certainly was, and for a couple of hours it showed me exactly what fans of the genre see in it.

Visually the film was quite breathtaking. Roger Deakins' cinematography was nothing short of beautiful, and this is one of its main strengths. True Grit boasts a generous helping of the usual black humor and razor-sharp wit I've come to expect from the Coen brothers, but with characters like Mattie Ross and Rooster Cogburn, it doesn't for a moment feel forced or contrived. The cast delivered brilliant performances, especially Jeff Bridges (and I am not a particular fan of his, but this was truly excellent work), and Hailee Steinfeld, who more than lived up to the stellar cast.

My only issue with this film is the fact that the final sequence felt - well, flat. I don't know what happened. It was charging forward so fearlessly, and suddenly, just as it drew to a close, it stumbled. In a jarring case of mood whiplash, it suddenly lost momentum and...well, I left the cinema feeling slightly confused. What exactly was the point of that epilogue-type deal? I may never understand. However, don't let that put you off seeing it - do see it.
In fact I demand that you see it.
Go on.