Sandra Bullock, Ben Stiller, Jeff Bridges

Yep, I watched the show last night. Christa and I watched it later though, starting it around 9:30pm.  Which actually was awesome, because we were able to fast forward through all the commercials, some slow speeches, and all Twilight kids.

I loved NPH’s opening song – he’s so awesome and epic (yay, Barney Stinson!) and it was a great way to kick off the night. Alec and Steve were great hosts – funny, but not overly so, and I liked the simplistic stage dressing. It was a classy night that seemed to move along pretty quickly (or maybe that was just me fast-forwarding through the commercials and slow parts).

I realized, however, that I’d only seen a handful of the movies nominated last night – Star Trek, District 9, and Up… and that’s it!  I saw some of the movies nominated for sound and art awards (like Harry Potter, Transformers, and Sherlock Holmes), but that’s it.

I think it’s a bit strange that I work in the industry, at the best studio in the world (in my humble opinion) and yet I see very few movies. I don’t like to think that I’ve become a movie snob, but I kinda think I have.  It certainly doesn’t help that they do free screenings for us at work about once a month or so (Dr. Zhivago coming up this week!). I don’t know what it is, but I have to really want to see a movie to actually put in the time and money and go see it at the theaters.

The last movie that I saw in theaters was Shutter Island – it was fantastic. Before Shutter Island, the most recent movie I’d seen on the big screen was Sherlock Holmes and I only went to see it because it was my family’s annual Christmas Day movie outing.

Anyway, back to the Oscars.  I thought it was a fun show, a good idea to have two such charismatic hosts.  And I LOVE that they had co-workers of the acting nominees give a little speech. This happened last year at the ceremony and I feel like it truly honored the nominees (as well as having them onstage at the beginning of the show) for their achievements. And Oprah calling you the new American Cinderella? That’s a great consolation prize.

Entertainment Weekly, my go-to source for all things entertainment, has a fun little article that highlights what happened in the press room.  Read the full article here, but my favorite moment comes from Jeff “The Dude” Bridges.

Jeff Bridges, who is more similar to Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski than we may have initially realized, was his usual go-with-the-flow self backstage. However, the Best Actor winner did manage to put together a rather lovely metaphor when asked about his personal key to success. “The first thing that pops into my mind is my wife,” Bridges said. “She holds that kite string. She lets me go way out there, and then it’s so sweet being reeled back in. I love coming home.”

Wow. Where’s the man who’ll hold my kite string?  Jeff Bridges, by the way, has been married to his wife for 32 years. It’s possible, Hollywood. If “The Dude” can choose wisely and make it last, so can you. I’m just sayin’…

So another Oscar season is down and done. I wonder what movies from 2010 will be nominated at next year’s ceremony. I nominate the always-captivating and amazing Leonardo DiCaprio for Shutter Island.

I know we’re only three months in, but have you seen any Oscar-worthy films or performances this year?