The Oscars (2015) Reviews

• Sleep-inducing

  wolfm722015-02-23

  Better than any sedative.I was really fighting with myself: To watch or not to watch? Unfortunately I thought that with Niel Patrick Harris host wise it would be an interesting show. I was proofed dead wrong. Lame jokes, sometimes with very bad timing, a watered down performance, but I'm sure he will host next years event as well, because he didn't cause any ripples in the boring and quiet surface of this years Academy Awards. So thanks for being such a good boy, because if Mr. Harris will indeed host next years event, then the choice of watching or not watching is much easier to make. The next problem were the nominations (not the people, who stood behind each category): In every category there were nearly always all the same five movies. A trend that developed over the last few years. So there were really no surprises at all on that front. The only good thing that evening were: best actor in a leading role. After his stellar performance as Stephen Hawking NO ONE had the right to take the golden boy home except Eddie Redmayne. And the Oscar for Citizenfour (bad joke and very inappropriate). This was the only moment were someone showed balls (and not the one's on a dress)this evening. And of course the touching performance of the song Glory. So having only 3 highlights during a nearly 4 hour show is not my kind of an exciting evening (or night). So thanks academy for a very boring night (because I'm from Austria, and I spent half the night in front of the TV for nothing)and next year I'll rather stay in bed than getting up in the middle of the night for another tedious 4 hours in front of the TV.

• **

  edwagreen2015-02-23

  Overly long and quite boring Oscar show. From the first line, I did not appreciate Neil Patrick Harris attempting to make a joke by saying the academy honoring the whitest, a direct crack that there were only Caucasian acting nominees. Excuse me, didn't 12 Years A Slave Win last year? I didn't hear other ethnic, religious or other racial groups complaining about this. Harris in underwear was a complete joke and his idea of a locked box with his predictions was ridiculous at best. The highlight of the evening was Lady Gaga's excellent singing of the various songs of the classic The Sound of Music. Hard to believe that this Oscar winner came out 50 years ago. Wonderful to have scene the graceful Julie Andrews come out and kiss Gaga after her singing. Sorry to see that the name of Lizabeth Scott, a wonderful film noir actress of the 1940s, was omitted from the in memoriam segment of the show.

• Boring,Boring, Boring

  misterjiggy2015-02-22

  I did not think that an MC could be more boring than Anne Hathway and her sidekick but Neil Patrick Harris has managed... His jokes are dull and mistimed. The winners take their sweet time in getting to the Microphone and then they go on and on and on...typical American demeanour...The British need to win all the awards as they keep their speeches to a self deprecating style and they are humorous. The American winners are so self aggrandizing that it is uncomfortable to watch. There were far too many moments in this show where it was cringe-worthy. NPH coming out in his underwear is just desperate. When the camera panned the audience, you could see stars like Oprah, Clint Eastwood, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy who just had a deadpan look: it said it all-boring!

• Way too long and way too much - viewership down 16%

  duraflex2015-02-23

  Regarding Oscars 2015, VARIETY reported: "Oscar Ratings Down 16%, Lowest in Six Years". I am only surprised it wasn't lower. It is almost unimaginable that anyone would sit through 3 1/2 hours of this snoozefest after a 1 1/2 hour pre-show on the red carpet. And Neil Patrick Harris hosting an awards show - again? Really? And coming out in his tighty-whiteys - yuck! glad we missed that. With all the talent in the country, surely the Academy can find someone better. Although Harris can read his prompters, hit his marks and dance, he's not a very good singer and when he tries to be clever or make a joke, it comes off flat. With very few exceptions, movies are not what they used to be - even what they were as recently as 10 or 15 years ago. With 20 minutes of trailers and commercials shown in theaters today before the feature begins, we rarely go out to see a movie anymore and generally wait for it to hit DVD or cable. Whatever appeal the Oscars show one had evaporated years ago when movie actors had looks, charisma and exceptional talent and more films were worth watching and buying a ticket to see.

• Host, Structure, Purpose...

  harrypaulson-1112015-03-03

  It should be a celebration of film. I don't care how long it takes but the movies should be right left and center. Why do you think that the brief appearance of Julie Andrews and Shirley MacLaine gave the proceedings a bit of luster? This was all TV and Broadway. The Rock was a presenter and many TV names. I really miss the Special Oscars. From Chaplin to Elia Kazan. Those were moments. Now is the Governors Awards who have all my interest. Maureen O'Hara, Jean Luc Goddard, Angela Lansbury... Neil Patrick Harris is likable but, too light weight, uncertain, forced. It needs someone with real swagger and charm. I know it's very easy to come out with comments from within the comfort of my own living room but I'm one of those die hard fans of the Oscars and I lament this morphing into a a third rate variety show. Names please. Representative names of the industry, and the industry didn't start yesterday. Let's look deep into our past so we can plan better our future.