Hugh Jackman & The 2009 Academy Awards

I made it through 2 hours of last night's Academy Awards. The year previous I only lasted a half hour, tops. Last year was the lowest rated Academy Awards show in a long time. Apparently this brought about some re-vamping. Which apparently I found more watchable.

I never was onboard the Billy Crystal bandwagon. I didn't think Jon Stewart did very well. Whoopie Goldberg also didn't cause a big whoop out of me. Of course none of these were nearly the disaster known as David Letterman.

But, last night, I thought Hugh Jackman was the best host of the Oscar Show in a long long time. Now, reading some reviews this morning of last night's show, there were complaints of too much filler between what we were all wanting to see, that being Academy Awards being given out.

Well, I guess I am in a minority. I really didn't care who won any of the Oscars. I'd not seen any of the movies. Even if I had I've never quite seen why it matters who wins one of these awards or not.

What I like is the spectacle of the show. And I think last night delivered. From the opening Musical Song and Dance number, which ended with Hugh Jackman getting a standing ovation, to the salute to Musicals which came later and was like an over the top classic old Hollywood Busby Berkeley routine. With Beyonce. And others.

I liked the multi-media clips, like the way they showed a screenplay being written to illustrate each of those up for an award for writing.

Despite what I've read others thought, I liked how they brought out 5 former winners to announce this year's winner in the various acting categories.

I didn't realize, til reading it described this morning, what it was that seemed so different. I knew the show seemed more closed in, with everyone seeming closer to the stage. What I did not realize was they were going for an intimate nightclub-like setting for the show. I think they succeeded.

When Jennifer Anniston came on stage, so close to her ex, Brad Pitt, I was wanting her to make a "Friends" like snarky remark in Brad or Angelina's direction. That would have been amusing.

I DVRed the Academy Awards. I'll watch the rest of it. I'm sure I'll enjoy what happens between the boring parts when they give out those awards I don't care about.