Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 24 > Entry
The Oscars as only Smithee can see them and judge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Los Angeles — I can’t believe it. Somehow the Oscars did it. This year they avoided the dreaded “The English Patient” syndrome. They looked beyond sentimentality. They picked movies that were actually more than good.
And, best of all, they aligned with my upset special: Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” for best supporting actress. She won. But of course, I predicted as much.
FOR LOVE OF GEORGE: It’s time for Daniel Day-Lewis, who won Oscar’s best actor late Sunday for “There Will Be Blood” to explain himself.
Why after his name was announced, did he kiss George Clooney on the cheek?
“I have to kiss someone,” he joked offstage. “I kissed my wife and in the interest of parity, I kissed George. … Because George has been there for me.”
It didn’t hurt that Clooney was the nearest fellow lead actor nominee.
“I was very proud to be included in that group of actors,” Day-Lewis said.
And he served up a list of deserving actors who didn’t get nominated: Emile Hirsch (“Into the Wild”), Ryan Gosling (“Lars and the Real Girl”), Frank Langella (“Starting Out in the Evening” and Benicio del Toro (“Things We Lost in the Fire”).
THE ‘JUNO’ VICTOR’: A giddy Diablo Cody came backstage with her animal-print gown, tattoos, dyed black hair, red-red lipstick and her original screenplay Oscar for “Juno” cradled in her left arm like a baby.
She joked how she’d like to have enough money to pay journalists to no longer mention her previous profession.
For those who are clueless, she was once a stripper, stripper, stripper, stripper, stripper.
One press person then decided to refer to her in his questioning as a dancer.
“I am not a dancer,” she said. “I can’t dance.”
VIVA LE EUROPEANS: Backstage, English performer and supporting actress winner Tilda Swinton (“Michael Clayton”) was on a roll about the success of Europeans in Hollywood when, on the TV monitors surrounding her, French actress Marion Cotillard was named best actress for “La Vie En Rose.”
“See what I’m saying?” Swinton told the backstage press. “Fantastic. Fantastic.”
Swinton had been asked about the night’s rush of European victories and whether it meant a new wave.
“Europeans are everywhere,” she said, joking. “Don’t tell anybody. … I’m really sad I couldn’t deliver a speech in Gaelic. I would if I could.”
HEAR HER SING: Cotillard was still breathing heavily after she arrived backstage to talk about her best actress win. And she sang a few lines of “Padam, Padam” one of the featured songs in her Edith Piaf biopic.
“I am totally overwhelmed with joy and sparkles and fireworks and everything that goes boom, boom, boom,” Cotillard said of her win.
She made no mention of sprinkles on ice cream.
Asked if she could name actors who inspired her, she came up with a few of the usual suspects: Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette.
Then she dropped her bomb: “I’m a very, very big fan of Peter Sellers. I wanted to marry him when I was a child.”
MY FAOVRITE SPEECH: “I wanted to like Swinton’s televised jibes at “Michael Clayton” co-star George Clooney about “Batman & Robin,” but that material was just so old and wrinkled.
I much preferred supporting actor winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men”): “Thank you to the Coens for being crazy enough to think that I could do that and put one of the most horrible haircuts in history over my head.”
DID YOU BEAT ME?: The person whose writing you are currently reading — that would be me — selected 13 out of 21 Oscar winners from my predictions published in Movies & More on Friday. Three of the categories I didn’t pick correctly I had marked as individuals or movies that should win. Yours truly got five categories completely wrong. Here are the categories I picked correctly: picture, actor, director, supporting actor, supporting actress, foreign language film, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, art direction, costume design, animated feature, song and makeup.
MR. SMITHEE’S RED CARPET GOOD, BAD AND THE OBVIOUSLY UGLY REPORT: You think rain causes traffic to clog in Atlanta? The wet weather clearly delayed Hollywood’s entertainment elite. The arrivals were, at first, slow and far between. First up: Former Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr.
The slog meant a long delay in the top-nominee arrivals, which led not to a memorable red carpet, but to the running of the overpaid stars.
So many only waved as they dashed by, opting not to talk.
BEST DRESSED IN RED: “Project Runway” bombshell Heidi Klum, a welcome vision from the front and behind. I also couldn’t take my eyes off Helen Mirren, draped in a memorable red dress.
BEST LINE: “Juno” actor Jason Bateman told Oscar night greeter and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne this was his first Academy Awards celebration to attend in person: “I’ve watched from home before,” Bateman quipped, “in comfy socks.”
THE SNOOTY CREW: Among those who pretty much ignored the print press: “Juno” writer Diablo Cody in wild-animal print and tats, Nicole Kidman, a pregnant Cate Blanchett and, of course, Tommy Lee Jones.
FIRST STAR (WELL, SORT OF) ON THE RED CARPET BEFORE NOON: The immortal? Donny Osmond of “The Insider.” He also registered the first emotional quake in the fan bleachers. Mr. Osmond kindly accepted my advice: “Don’t get wet.”
THE BEST STAR ON THE RED CARPET GOES TO …: Are you surprised? It’s George Clooney. He spent plenty of time time up and down the media line talking to reporters and posing for pictures. But who should be surprised. He always acts just … like … that.
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