The 81st Academy Awards ™ brought an onslaught from the Brits, with Slumdog Millionaire winning eight Oscars ™ and Kate Winslet, best actress. Never have the Americans seen such an invasion since the Beatles in 1964 and the beat music which followed throughout the mid sixties.
Whether you agree or disagree with the award winners or losers is irrelevant. You, personally, get to decide who you thought was the best for your eyes and ears; the Academy ™ decides who they liked the most and their ceremony is probably bigger than yours. Na na na boo boo, as five year olds say.
Just a few months back, Slumdog was a certainty for the ‘straight to DVD’ market. How that can happen to any Danny Boyle movie is a wonder to most people; his skills being well known? You may (or may not) have liked Trainspotting, but you probably enjoyed 28 Days Later and The Beach.
The Brits certainly did invade during 2008. Our own FAMM ™awards (more highly rated than the Academy’s Oscars™) recently voted first place to Mamma Mia! for the best movie and best musical; Rolling Stones music in Shine A Light for best score; Guy Ritchie, best director for Rocknrolla; best short film went to Chris Jones’ Gone Fishing; Michael Caine won the Special FAMM ™Mention.
FAMM™ agreed with the Academy ™over Penélope Cruz , but FAMM™ awarded her for Elegy and not Vicky Cristina Barcelona; it must have been a good year for Ms Cruz who carried part of her winning speech in her native tongue.
It was good to see Sean Penn’s career win a top slot. He’s the spitting image of my friend Martin and was able to give (Sean, not Martin) a part political speech in his allotted 45 seconds, of which all but a few Californian voters agreed.
I must take umbrage with Wall-E getting the Oscar™ for best animation. Let’s be honest, it wasn’t nearly as good as Escape2 Africa, wasn’t anywhere close to the quality of Bolt, but it contained a message that came across well, rather than entertain. Two of our group of four fell asleep during Wall-y (the Brits and the Ausies will get that pun) so while the message reached them, the entertainment didn’t.
The Main Awards
Of course the main recipients of the key awards this 81st edition were for best adapted screenplay: (Slumdog Millionaire) to Simon Beaufoy from the novel by Vikas Swarup and best original screenplay to Dustin Lance Black for his ‘Milk.’ Without the script there is no movie. Directors, producers, actors and crew should remember that.
A further thought; perhaps the British invasion should be termed half British and half Indian. After all, the story is about India, it’s set in India and stars many Indian actors. Without India, this movie wouldn’t have existed so it’s fitting to acknowledge where appropriate.
We stand by our FAMM™ decision to go for Mamma Mia! It excelled in every way. How long before the Academy dares to give the main award again to a musical?
I hope I’ve added enough ™ symbols where appropriate. The Academy are quite (means very) strict about who can say or print their name and they do like being attached to their intellectual property, the Oscars ™. If I have missed any, here’s a spare one – ™; Please place where appropriate.
FAMM ™ hasn’t used a picture of the statue for fear of upsetting too many people at the Academy™. I wouldn’t ever wish to use anything without permission just as I wouldn’t anyone to use my work without asking (and preferably paying dollars) first. It’s been suggested that I start work on my winning speech for future use. Can I borrow your shampoo bottle, Kate?
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