Granted, Casey Affleck's Best Actor win was a bit of a surprise (Denzel thought so, too) and some of Jimmy Kimmel's bits evoked a laugh or two, but the show still remains too long and devoid of any real reverence for the culture or legacy of cinema.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the American New Wave and groundbreaking films like The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde and In The Heat of the Night. There should have been packages put together on all those films. Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross should have been presenters. Sidney Poitier should have made an appearance. Sure we got a noble attempt at trotting out Faye and Warren at the end, but we all know how that turned out. I'm all for celebrating cinema's contemporary accomplishments, but let's not forget about its past.
That said, congratulations to both Moonlight and La La Land, two great films that deserve all the accolades and hardware bestowed upon them. It seems we've gotten past all the ill-feelings and contentiousness from last year. Here's to hoping it stays that way.
The other big news on Sunday was the sudden passing of veteran film and television actor Bill Paxton at 61 of complications from surgery.
Paxton's career spanned five decades and included beloved films like The Terminator, Weird Science, Aliens, Near Dark, One False Move, Tombstone, True Lies, Apollo 13 and Titanic, not to mention TV shows like Big Love and Hafields & McCoys.
Seeing Bill Paxton's name on a poster or during the opening credits always promised a little punch to a given film or series. No matter how big or small the role, he effortlessly went about his business and made every character unforgettable. His mischievous smile and dedication to craft will be missed.
