This year’s Oscar show got split votes, just like the films that won the major awards. Some people (like me) loved Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as hosts, some people thought they were too non-traditional. I loved Neil Patrick Harris’ musical number, some people thought it was tired. A few people loved the dance sequence set to the feature film scores, I thought that was a complete waste of time. Most fans were angry that Farrah Fawcett was not included in the “In Memoriam” segment. I loved the John Hughes tribute but hated that the director didn’t get a good shot of all the actors together. The director for the show missed a lot of close-ups he should’ve had which marred moments like that. There was the requisite crazypants moment of the woman who hijacked the mic from the guy who won the Oscar for short documentary film – you can read about how that came to happen here:
The last part of the show was a little rushed but as the show ran long (as it usually does), I didn’t really mind that.
Let’s get to the fashion which was markedly better than usual. Much of the fashion was exceptional with many standout gowns.
MOVIE STAR GLAMOUR PERSONIFIED
Kate Winslet – a gorgeous echo of Veronica Lake with her perfect blond waves and her silvery strapless gown by YSL and jewels by Tiffany & Co. I loved the corseted top and even the pleats at the top of the skirt worked. Cool perfection.
Elizabeth Banks – loved her gunmetal gray strapless Versace gown with lines that followed the curves of her body. Also liked her thin headband and small earrings. Not my favorite gown of the night but she looked very pretty.
Amanda Seyfried – loved her Armani Prive corseted hard top gown and the subtle sparkle of the gown. Very architectural yet still soft and alluring. A really unusual red carpet choice that worked like magic on her.
Nicole Richie – Her gray/silver metallic Reem Acra gown was one of my faves for the artful pattern and the heaviness of the dress. Richie looks far more grown-up than I’ve ever seen her and it becomes her.
Sandra Bullock – gorgeous in a gold panne velvet (I think?) gown by Marchesa with a beautiful floral overlay on top. A lot of people thought her red lipstick was too harsh but I still think she looked uber-polished and radiant from head to toe.
Carey Mulligan – one of the best dressed in her black strapless Prada gown with large beaded accent. The cut of the dress made it modern and Mulligan wore it beautifully. It was elegant but still young.
Penelope Cruz – Literally a showstopper in a dark red strapless gown by Donna Karan. Cruz is naturally stunning and this color was perfection on her as well as fitting her bod well.
Rachel McAdams – stunning strapless watercolor gown by Elie Saab Haute Couture. An unusual dress but it was very soft and very pretty on her and I loved the way the dress looked when it moved. Props to her for an unconventional choice.
Kathryn Bigelow – a standout in her gunmetal/taupe gown by Yves Saint Laurent. The dress fit her perfectly and she glowed in it.
JLo – I loved the color of her strapless iridescent pink gown by Armani Prive. It had an interesting architectural fold on top and a huge train. Then when I got a closer look, the dresses’ texture looked like scratchy packing material. I wish I could’ve seen the dress in person. I wonder what the material felt like.
Demi Moore – ageless in a strapless, dark peach gown with ruffled train by Atelier Versace. She wowed everyone I know.
BEAUTIFUL AND MOST IMPROVED
Anna Kendrick – The Most Improved Actress with her blush tone, off the shoulder gown by Elie Saab Haute Couture. This is the first good dress Kendrick has worn to an award show. It was age appropriate, soft, pretty and really flattering on her.
Mariska Hargitay – she never looks bad and I love her black strapless Vera Wang gown. The dress had some volume to it but Hargitay walks tall and she can carry it off.
Mo’nique – her bright blue gown was by Tadashi Shoji and I loved the color and the accent of the flower in her hair.
Cameron Diaz – reverted to a movie star look in a gold strapless gown by Oscar De La Renta. Her hair was actually done, not the usual bedhead and she looked fresher and prettier than she has in past years.
Helen Mirren – She rarely misses the fashion mark and her soft Badgley Mischka silvery lilac gown and Chopard necklace were perfect for the occasion. She looked relaxed, comfortable and happy.
Gabourey Sidibe – Her classic line of “if fashion was porn, this is the money shot” described her dark blue, jeweled Marchesa gown nicely. Sidibe is a girl with a personality as big as her frame and Marchesa did a lovely job of outfitting her.
Meryl Streep – her white gown was deceptively simple. The relaxed neckline flattered her and the dress looked incredibly comfortable. It was designed by Chris March (of Project Runway).
Maggie Gyllenhaal – I loved her almost tie-dye type print strapless gown with blue/black/white colors by Dries Van Noten. Like Rachel McAdams’ dress, it was like a piece of art.
Diane Kruger – I liked her creme gown with black flower appliques from Chanel Haute Couture. I think she might have an exclusive deal with them because I’m pretty sure she’s worn Chanel to most of the recent award shows.
Sigourney Weaver – in a red Lanvin goddess gown. The one shoulder look with the large brooch at the shoulder and the black ribbon at the waist was simple and elegant and Sig does simple and elegant well. She looked wonderful.
Queen Latifah – I’m not sure who designed her pink satin gown but the detailing on the front of the dress didn’t flatter her. She’s worn better gowns in the past. This one was ok, not great.
Vera Farmiga – strapless red gown with huge ruffles by Marchesa. She wore matching lip color, small earrings and a ring. The soft hairdo echoed the ruffles. My only thought was that the dress overwhelmed her and that it would probably look better on a very tall woman like Heidi Klum.
Tina Fey – loved her soft hair and makeup but the more I looked at her one shoulder black gown by Michael Kors, the less I liked it. I couldn’t tell if the dress had sequins, paillettes or what on it. It did not read well on TV either.
Michelle Pfeiffer – in a dark red strapless Carolina Herrera crinkle-look gown
B**CH PLEASE!
Zoe Saldana – a gorgeous girl in a trainwreck of a dress by Givenchy Haute Couture (I can’t believe that). The peach/beige crystaled top of dress was pretty and then the horror began with the purple and lilac overgrown train of the dress. Her small drop earrings and simple hair and makeup were pretty. The dress was literally too much and the bottom of it looked like a joke.
Charlize Theron – her Dior gown had 2 pink satin rolls on the boobs which made the eye go directly there instead of to the rest of the dress, which was a pretty strapless gown in a dark pink, or was it light wine, tone? She’s an eternal glamazon but I hated this dress. I’d hate it on anyone.
Mariah Carey – she was busting out of her Valentino Haute Couture midnight blue gown with a diamond brooch at the waist and if she’d just wear a dress that fits her, it would be so much better.
Sarah Jessica Parker – in her usual attempt to be fashion forward while also being retro, her 1960s Chanel Couture gown and horrible giant hair was straight outta VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. I didn’t like the sack-like shape of her yellow gown, the only interesting detail were the flowers at the neck/breast line. She looked like a cartoon.
Kristen Stewart – black strapless gown by Monique Lhullier – she looked unhappy and uncomfortable. Sorry kids, she may be an actress but she’s not a movie star.
Suzy Amis – her one shoulder blue gown was lovely but she’s horribly thin and it was tough to look at her without wanting to forcefeed her cookies.
Faith Hill – I did not like her black gown with lacy overlay or were they inserts? I couldn’t tell.
Miley Cyrus – her Jenny Packham ivory strapless gown looked like a granny dress. Then there were her bad drop earrings with jeweled flowers on the end. Then there was her bad posture which Cyrus evidently thought was a sexy pose. A complete disaster. Better luck next time Miley.
THE MEN
Sam Worthington – handsome but someone should tell him not to clean his ears on the red carpet.
Zac Efron – looked sharp and dressed correct in Calvin Klein Collection
Nick Cannon
Joel Madden – he cleans up nice!
Ryan Reynolds – wore Tom Ford
Peter Saarsgard – he shaved his head which had many people likening him to John Malkovich
Tom Ford – in Tom Ford
Colin Firth – in Tom Ford
Tyler Perry – Prada tux
Jake Gyllenhaal – very handsome in Burberry
Ryan Seacrest – decked out in Burberry as usual
Keanu Reeves – what’s the deal with those sideburns???
Woody Harrelson – his Burberry suit was made of hemp – really
Robert Downey Jr. – very crisp and sharp, loved his blue tie, he looks better than ever
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin both wore Tom Ford.
Tell me – which dresses did you love or hate? What struck your fancy? I love when you share your thoughts.
Quick TV highlights for tonight – Monday 3/8/10:
Zach Levi directed tonight’s episode of CHUCK.
There are also new episodes of GREEK, DAMAGES, GOSSIP GIRL, HIMYM (with special guest J.Lo!), THE BIG BANG THEORY, TWO AND A HALF MEN and KELL ON EARTH. I believe E! will be airing a Fashion Police Oscar Fashion special but I don’t have the specific time for that.
That’s a wrap for now.
