THE POST-OSCAR MONOLOGUES

Oh, the Oscars.

They've become one of America's most anticipated pastimes; somehow finding a place for itself on the shelf between baseball and apple pie. It is an event when and where Hollywood is propelled to the highest echelons of the American psyche, which says a lot despite this flattening economy that our world faces. The drivel that we hear on the news regarding the problems of our country (as well as others), and the poor economic state that it is bathing in, can pretty much put a damper on anyone's day. But that's why we have Hollywood. Hollywood takes us away from the somewhat paralyzing reality that is life, and in doing so it serves as a reminder that at the end of the day, life really isn't all that bad. And we have the characters (errr... the actors/actresses who play them) to thank for that.

Take, for instance, Anne Hathaway's character, Kym, in the film Rachel Getting Married. Annie H. climbs the ranks from princess to fashion mag flunkie to just-out-of-rehab-addict-whose-sister-is-getting-married-the-next-day. Talk about being in a shitty situation. Kym reminds us that life, in general, isn't so bad for most of us. Then there's Hayden Christensen's character, David Rice (in Jumper), who runs in fear of a group called the Paladins, who are out to rid the world of "jumpers" like himself. It doesn't help that his biological mother is a Paladin, too. Some life, huh? Oh, and you can't deny the shitty life of April & Frank Wheeler (Kate Winslet & Leo DiCaprio) in Revolutionary Road. I have nothing more to say about that.

But life in movies isn't always so tragic. There is the "silent" romance in WALL-E, which is shared between two robots. There is the redemption story of 27 Dresses, in which Jane (played by Katherine Heigl) - "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" - gets the last laugh when she finally ties the knot and has a long line of bridesmaids wearing each of the tacky gowns she had to wear for their weddings through the years. And finally, there is the story of Jamal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire... the Mumbai street-rat who is suspected of cheating on a national game show. Jamal finds atonement when he clearly justifies his answers by telling his story about family, life on the streets, and his lost love.

Movies take us out of our very own realities, albeit briefly, and help us to put things into perspective. From the stories as told by our screenwriters, from the perspectives shown to us by our directors, and from the emotions emanating from our actors we are able to get a sense of some of life's lessons: from the out-right simple ones to the most complex. Movies do not only entertain... they sustain just as well.

And so we have the Oscars --the night the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences crowns the crėme de la crėme of the film world. It's the one night of the year that turns the crappy sidewalks surrounding the Kodak Theater into a magical place. The red carpet beckons people from around the world to crowd around and try to steal a glimpse of their favorite screen stars. The pre-show becomes the most anticipated runway show; a melange of couture straight off the runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan.

The 81st Academy Awards was truly something. In a mix of strange instances and surreal moments, the show still managed to entertain. There was definitely something for everyone.

Hugh Jackman served as host, which was definitely a big jump (not in a bad NOR good way) from the days of Billy Crystal. At times I felt like I was watching the Tony Awards (which Jackman has hosted in the past), and the song and dance numbers were reminiscent of that. Thankfully, Hugh Jackman is also prolific as a stage actor, and has had his share of roles on Broadway. The sheer fact that he can go from Wolverine to the lead in "The Boy From Oz" is genius. He did a fine job.

There were the filler musical numbers, which never really are at par with the Grammys or Tonys. These are the Oscars, after all, and the musical numbers - although cheesy at best - help to move the show along. Thankfully, each number wasn't as excruciating as they could've been, and none of them lasted too long for viewers to want to poke their eyes out. Beyonce (and, to a tiny extent, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens --why, oh why?) was obviously pulled-in to legitimize one of the performances. Again, Jackman pulled the numbers off as best as he can; his charm and talent winning the crowd over.

Then there were the awards: from best lighting to best screenplay to best actor. Each and every award meant something special to each and every film. Clearly, the audience waited nervously as the awards were called out for the actors. Leading the night was the Best Supporting Actress award. I was hoping that Taraji P. Henson would win. She is from "home," and graduated from my high school just a few years before I entered as a freshman. As of late, she's been turning out roles on the big screen, and is swiftly becoming a seasoned vet. The award went to Penelope Cruz, but I was still proud of Henson for bringing glory to the Oxon Hill/Ft. Washington area. The Best Supporting Actor award was awarded posthumously to the late Heath Ledger, and was accepted on his behalf by his parents and sister.

The highlight of the night came as the awards for Best Actress/Actor were announced. For each category, five previous winners were called on stage. Each of them gave a personal exhortation on the merits of each nominee, which added a touching sense to the evening. Anne Hathaway was almost in tears after Shirley Mclain strongly told her that there are sure to be more nominations in the young actress' future. In a pool of talent that included Hathaway, her The Devil Wears Prada co-star Meryl Streep, Titanic-veteran Kate Winslet, Melissa Leo, and Angelina Jolie -- Kate took the top honor. In a genuine gesutre, she reached over to Angelina as she walked up the stage, and extolled on the virtues of her co-nominees --especially the ever-so-grand Meryl Streep. The Best Actor award was presented in the same way, with Sean Penn winning over heavy favorite, Mickey Rourke.

The biggest winner of all: Slumdog Millionaire. The win was befitting for the little movie that could; truly a "David & Goliath" story in the making. The journey of the movie would make an interesting movie itself! I personally love that it brought glory not only to those who made the film, but to Mumbai, and the people of India.

In general, this year's Oscar show was a sure hit compared to last year's. Aside from Jack Black's not-so-funny exchange with Jen Aniston, Ben Stiller's take on Joaquin Phoenix (it was funny for a minute, but then got old), and the uncomfy Jerry Lewis moment, the show rocked. Some of the speeches were a tad bit long, but it's the Oscars for sobbing out loud.

One thing's for sure: James Franco's laughs and smiles during the Pineapple Express-esqe presentation were hilarious and contagious. He's got my nod for future blockbuster star.

(Photo from www.drafthouse.com)