The Academy Awards - 2005 films

One of us Dogs has a great track record of predicting who will win the Oscars. Every year we say we're gonna put money on it, but so far the only gambling we can manage to do is invest in the stock market. Too bad, because this year, of the 24 major cateogries, we got 20 correct (even Crash). We erred on the two Shorts categories, on the Song (who knew a Pimp would win?), and on Cinematography. Emmanuel Lubezki did the most amazing work for a most amazing film, The New World, and he deserved the Oscar. Tell me, what other major feature film was shot using only natural light? Too bad that so few people saw the film, it was arguably the best film of the year and at the very least deserved the DP statue. Memoirs of a Geisha was beautifully shot, but in terms of raw talent, it did not deserve the Oscar like The New World did.

ABOUT THE TELECAST

This had to be one of the most boring Oscars telecasts in history. Everything seemed jumpy and Jon Stewart looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Stewart should have been seen and not heard. The Stewart-produced clips were the best part of the show, remember the Western one? Cut to the Brokeback theme? Very funny take on Westerns. But the rest of the show was boring, fawning, and yawn inducing. No excitment, little of interest, too many boring clip sequences of old films... so sad.