The 86th Annual Academy Awards

This was the third time that I slept in to get ready for the Sunday midnight oil burning and the subsequent survival, whether that was in school back in the day, in my internship or at work today. But this year, I have to say that I was the happiest I’ve ever been watching The Academy Awards. Whether live or from the recording. As such, The Academy Awards are the most beautiful celebration of the American film industry, which spreads around the world. And since American movies affect us every day, I have to view them as the best thing that the movie world has to offer. And as a bonus, there are actors that I finally get to watch live as they’re being themselves. All of that was possible thanks to HBO and I have to thank them so much for that. But I also have to thank the commentators who pleasantly surprised me compared to last year. Their opinions were pushed aside and they delivered facts and sometimes even funny situations. I’m not sure how exactly it went anymore or what nomination it was, it was near the end. But someone was speaking and there was no one interpreting him. Suddenly, someone said: “Are you not interpreting?” And then, something rumbled in the speakers and it went “I don’t speak Swedish”. That really made me laugh. Albert was really ready to drop dead by then. Anyway, I have to say something about the moderator of the whole evening – Ellen DeGeneres. I must admit that I don’t really know her that well, but she did an absolutely amazing and active commentator job. The biggest retweet in the history of Twitter or the pizza scene were priceless. I liked the way Scorsese was groping at her and then Brad stepped in like a patron. Those were some beautiful moments with the nicest of people whose movies I like to return to year after year. And I must say that they turned out exactly the way I wanted. I was the happiest about McConaughey, Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong'o. And Karen O. provided us with the best musical number with a wonderful emotional song “The Moon Song” from the movie Her. Overall, I have to say that this evening was really successful. (03/03/2014)

After a year, I finished another almost five-hour marathon, and I don’t regret it at all. Ellen did an excellent job in the role of the host (which took me by surprise, as I’m not exactly her fan). I had fun throughout the whole night/morning, it never got awkward and when something didn’t go quite right - that’s okay, let’s clap anyway. Moving on, the American way. I was happy for Gravity. There was no better movie made in the last year, so I was logically disappointed with the winner of Best Picture. Oh well, a heartbreaking true story is more in tune with Hollywood’s current humanist mood, and Cuarón's blockbuster made way too much money by Oscars’ standards ($ 700,000,000, though 7 awards including one for Best Director was decent consolation). Not to mention The Wolf of Wall Street, a movie which some fragile academic souls won’t be able to swallow for the rest of their lives. What an outrage. DiCaprio is a story in itself - the best contemporary actor still without an Oscar. I don’t think anyone else would deserve it as much as he would. On the other hand, the competition was tough this year. McConaughey was excellent (as well as Leto – incredible for a rock star). When I see him now in True Detective ... well, I get a chill running down my spine just thinking about what he and Nolan have in store for us with Interstellar. I could go on about what I did and didn't like. Let me just sum it up this way. It's a shame that there were no surprises and thus very little suspense. Hopefully, we'll get to see another amazing show next year. (03/03/2014)

Ellen DeGeneres was the queen of the evening, with Idina Menzel's phenomenal (and rightfully awarded) "Let it Go" right behind her. It is disappointing that 12 Years a Slave was snubbed, even as Dallas Buyers Club and Gravity scooped up all the major awards, but that just happens sometimes. As usual, Leonardo DiCaprio is also left out in the cold, although even his critics wish him luck with the statue, but Matthew McConaughey wiped away all the sadness with his phenomenal acceptance speech. There still isn't much consistency, which traditionally fades away with the various side awards presentations, but as long as the tribute videos work as they did this year, I will happily return to the red carpet every year. (04/03/2014)