The 77th Academy Awards

I think Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg were better hosts, but that could be because they had more experience. Acutally, Chris Rock didn’t do too badly for his first time hosting the Academy Awards. He was funny, but seemed improper and strongly opinionated at times.

Once again, the Oscars people were biased, and the even reflected stereotypes and discrimination. As usual, they looked down upon so-called "kids’ movies" and fantasies, except for The Incredibles, which won and deserved Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Mixing. Unfortunately, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The Polar Express didn’t win the awards, such as Best Original Score and Best Original Song, they deserved.  Instead, Al Otro Lad Del Rio of The Motorcycle Diaries won Best Original Song. That bangy song does not deserve it. Believe of The Polar Express or Learn to Be Lonely of Phantom of the Opera should have won. Both movies deserved awards and more nominations. If they’re not going to choose so-called "kids’ movies" and fantasies, why nominate them in the first place? They could just nominate other movies in categories they like.

It was upsetting to see Clint Eastwood receive Best Director and Million Dollar Baby win Best Motion Picture. They don’t even deserve nominations. First, the movie title is stupid, and they shouldn’t have boxing as a sport, but a crime. The change in the story was too sudden, and the characters went through all that work for nothing. Maggie Fitzgerald’s last opponent kept trying to cheat, and got away with sneaking up and wounding her seriously when the time was up. The ending also seemed unclear and inconclusive.

Eastwood may be a good actor, but does not know how to direct. For example, Space Cowboys, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby all suck with too much unpleasant content and dark and unfriendly graphics. Since Eastwood mostly starred in western movies instead of dramas, he should direct that category where he has more experience.

I agree with Hilary Swank winning Best Leading Actress in Million Dollar Baby and Jamie Foxx, Best Leading Actor in Ray. Both put in much time and effort to do a great job in their roles though Leonardo DiCaprio would also qualify for Best Leading Actor in The Aviator, which did not deserve Best Costume Design or Best Cinematography. Some of the other nominees of these two categories were more deserving. It’s good that Finding Neverland received something, Best Original Score, though I think it deserved better.

Fahrenheit 9/11 should have been nominated and won Best Documentary Feature, but I think that religious right-wing fanatic, or his supporters, intervened, because he didn’t want his anti-campaign in the Academy Awards. It could also be that the Oscar people are mostly Republicans. I was glad to see Shrek 2 and Passion of the Christ lose because they deserved punishments.  Shrek 2 encouraged nasty and improper behaviors of bad table manners, burping, and gas. Though Passion of the Christ showed the true story of Jesus, they didn’t have to be so graphic, violent, time-consuming, and religiously imposing. Sideways, a bad influence to society, earned Best Adapted Screenplay when it should have received punishments.

John Dykstra, winner of Best Visual Effects for Spiderman 2 said, "Boy, am I glad there wasn’t a fourth episode of Lord of the Rings." That is true, but I don’t think all LOTR moveis would always win. The first two didn’t receive many awards, and the third didn’t deserve some of its awards. However, I agree that Spiderman 2 had great visual effects.

I think they should have a second and third place for each category, and the receivers could stand with the first place winner as he or she gives the speech. The 77th Academy Awards just didn’t seem as great as the 76th. Then again, there didn’t seem to be many good movies in 2004.