The most noteworthy awards show for movie makers has come and gone. The 83rd Academy Awards, hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco, aired Sunday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Hathaway and Franco had good chemistry together –– Hathaway’s humor was right on the money, and Franco presented a refreshing take on hosting with his easygoing manner.
There were some surprises and some expected winners from the start. Here are the categories and their winners.
Best Picture: “The King’s Speech”
With such an amazing cast, an awesome script and all the momentum this film’s been getting, it’s no wonder “The King’s Speech” won this award.
Actor In A Leading Role: Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”)
Firth dominated the screen in “The King’s Speech” and completely deserved this award. Though, for a while it was touch-and-go between him and Jeff Bridges.
Actor In A Supporting Role: Christian Bale (“The Fighter”)
Bale did an awesome job in “The Fighter.” Although it would have been nice for “The King’s Speech” to have a sweep by having Geoffrey Rush win, Bale deserves it nonetheless.
Actress In A Leading Role: Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”)
This was no surprise. Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”) would have been the closest competition, and even she was no match for Portman’s jaw-dropping performance.
Actress In A Supporting Role: Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”)
After picking up award after award and having a stunning career to back it up, Leo was a shoo-in from the start.
Considering her stellar performance, she’s had an Oscar coming for quite some time. But for those who were rooting for Amy Adams or Hailee Steinfeld, we most likely have not seen the last of them.
Animated Feature Film: “Toy Story 3”
This was pretty much a given. It’s a classic, has a remarkable storyline and great graphics.
Cinematography: “Inception”
This film had some of the best cinematography that I’ve seen in awhile. “Dark Knight” was the last film with the same type of breathtaking screen shots –– Christopher Nolan at his best.
Costume Design: “Alice in Wonderland” (Colleen Atwood)
Creativity at its core, enough said.
Directing: “The King’s Speech” (Tom Hooper)
For awhile, I really thought that the academy was going to pull off a bigger snub than leaving Nolan out of this category, which would have been to go for David Fincher. But I was pleasantly surprised when Hooper received the Oscar.
Visual Effects: “Inception”
It was a masterpiece. Once again, thank you, Nolan.
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): “The Social Network” (Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin)
This was the first of two predictions that I got wrong.
Writing (Original Screenplay): “The King’s Speech” (Screenplay by David Seidler)
This was the second prediction that I got wrong, but I am glad for “The King’s Speech.”
Highlights of the Show
Best Dressed
-Nominated (Male): Colin Firth, smashing in his Tom Ford tux.
-Nominated (Female): Natalie Portman in her off-the-shoulder, wine-colored Rodarte gown that rocked her baby bump.
-Female (Not Nominated): Selena Gomez — her stylist Basia Richard,
chose a beautiful red Dolce & Gabbana dress, along with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry, Brian Atwood shoes, and a Judith Leiber clutch.
-Males (Not Nominated): Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, an unbeatable duo.
-Honorable Mentions (Male): Jeremy Renner with his Yves Saint Laurent tux and Hugh Jackman with his double-breasted Ferragamo tux.
-Honorable Mention (Female): Hailee Steinfeld in her age-appropriate, pale pink Marchesa dress that she customized.
Worst Dressed
-Male: Russell Brand. He had a blue suit with a checkered shirt underneath and greasy hair on top of it — it just wasn’t something one should wear to the Oscars.
-Female: Scarlett Johansson. With a purple sheer dress that awkwardly hung on her was just not appropriate for an upscale event.
Best Acceptance Speech: Colin Firth was charming as usual, calm and very well put together on stage.
Worst Acceptance Speech: Melissa Leo made history by being the first person to utter the f-word on stage at the Oscars.
Best Presenter: There were two in this case. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law had impeccable chemistry together, and were witty, charming and downright lovable.
Worst Presenter: It’s a tie between Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams, who were both very awkward. While Johansson clung gawkily to Matthew McConaughey’s arm, Adams just looked nervous overall.
Funniest Presenter: Kirk Douglas, his purposeful stalling before announcing the winner for Best Actress in a Supporting Role was hilarious, and the best part was that most couldn’t understand him.
Biggest Surprise: Tom Hooper winning Best Director.
Best Moment: James Franco and Anne Hathaway’s opening monologue was outstanding.
