This was probably the most satisfying year in a long while in terms of winners, with a nice distribution of awards being handed out. Brokeback Mountain had seemed the definite winner so a nice surprise that Crash won, though on reflection – race vs homosexuality – hmmm. With this result though, the Best Director sweetener for Ang Lee was a given. All the acting awards were deserved and first time wins for all (did you know that Philip Seymour Hoffman is only 38!!!) On a personal level, I would have liked to have seen a win for Joaguin Phoenix, but I can forgive Hoffman this. A couple of good solid wins for the Brits too, in the shape of Rachel Weisz and Nick Park.
Jean Lynch, Editor
Groansville, Arizona at Crash winning - it's typical of the Oscars to like this Liberal-lite hogwash. And I can't help feeling it's easier to reward a liberal film about race than it is one about homosexuality. It's cruel to give a director his gong and then deprive him of best film.
Glad Seymour Hoffman and George Clooney won, Witherspoon was a shoo-in. And it was good to see an English actress finally get Best Supporting Actress.
Mike Bartlett, Assistant Editor
My throat hurts and this years awards were both predictable and surprising at the same time. Every single one of the acting gongs were predestined (should have gone to the bookies); Georgeous George (TM) for being multi-talented, popular and important for Hollywood, Rachel Weisz - for being the excellent centre of a (largely) overlooked movie, Phillip Seymour Hoffman - for being brilliant and changing his voice, and Reese Witherspoon - for being full of Southern sass as June Carter. Hells bells, Reese is so nice (and talented) that we won't begrudge her the $29 Million she is being paid for the next movie - step aside Miss Roberts, the new Queen has arrived. As for the surprise? Well, Roger Ebert picked it. Crash is a good film, that keeps a huge set of actors in the story very well - most of the academy are actors. Its also set in LA, where most of the voters live and work; dealing with issues of race and conflict that are relevant everyday. Maybe not such a surprise it took Best Picture especially as Brokeback Mountain's biggest asset was Ang Lee, with his meticulous eye for character and setting- and he got the gong. Best gag from Jon Stewart - who did a decent job - was "Ladies and Gents, Bjork couldn't be here, she was trying on her frock and Dick Cheney shot her!" Class.
Johnny Messias, writer
I haven't seen Syriana but I'm pretty sure that George Clooney got that award in a case of "they had to give him something". Was good to see Weisz and Witherspoon getting awards... and they both looked pretty. Plus, Crash definitely deserved Best Picture. I think it's good that they did this, because Crash was
specifically about Los Angeles itself and it's attitude to race, to give it Best Picture was almost like owning up to how accurate it was. It’s funny how Memoirs Of A Geisha picked up soo many awards. It is narratively unappealing, but I suppose it shows that cinema is as much about what a film looks like as about how good it's content is.
Julia Smith, writer
I have seen all of the Best Picture nominees apart from Capote (which I'm
seeing tonight) and I have to say that, while all four are very fine films,
I think Munich is the most impressive achievement and the one I would most
want to watch again. Why wasn't there a bigger Dreamworks push?
Justin Whitton, writer
Whilst I'm a huge fan of Keria Knightley, I don't feel her performance in Pride and Prejudice was enough to merit an Oscar - but a nomination at her age and stage in her career is, of course, exceptional. Dench has been around for so long it was a matter of time before she gave way to someone. Theron is gorgeous and gifted but her role in North Country was never going to sit well with the academy. The outright winner, from the onset, was clearly Witherspoon, with her charm, elegance, stylish sophistication, extreme beauty and grace, a perfect girl and a wonderful actress.
As for best motion picture, I guess it still remains true that films which tackle a contemporary social or historical contextual theme will always pick up the Oscar.
Roopesh Parekh, writer
I think it's hard to quibble with most of the awards and still feel the winner is film itself, with so many excellent films nominated and winning. I can't help feeling a little pang for Phoenix and Walk The Line. It's more surprising that Brokeback Mountain lost than that Crash won - the latter is an excellent film.
Richard Dilks, writer
Review of the night and list of winners
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