I Want to Be a Producer!

Last night's Oscar awards (and yes, I did watch the entire thing from beginning to end...funny what 12 straight hours of Mardi Gras will do to you come Sunday night) rekindled my long-simmering desire to be a big-time movie star, or at least the awkward-looking guy who gets up on stage and accepts the award!

A few quick-hit thoughts on last night's Oscar ceremony, apropos of nothing directly Jew-related, but relevant none the less because, c'mon, it's the Oscars!

-Hugh Jackman, exactly what a host should be, just not used effectively. His opening song was creative and funny, would have liked to see more.

-Good to see two fellow Jews presenting together in Natalie Portman and Ben Stiller. Way to represent you two!

-There are a few movies I was not planning on seeing that now have piqued my interest, namely Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (Penelope Cruz won for Best Supporting Actress) and "Man on Wire" (Best Documentary).

-If you went for a snack during the Best Animated Short award, you missed the most memorable acceptance speech of the night, delivered by Kunio Kato. Check it out here!

-The winners confirmed my suspicion that "Benjamin Button" is a cinematic masterpiece of visual effects, that lack any sort of interesting story to tie it all together. Button won three awards for its effects, but no acting awards.

-Props to "Slumdog Millionaire," one of the only Best Picture movies in recent memory that I have both seen and enjoyed.

-That being said, I still say the best two movies of the year were Wall-E and Dark Knight. While they were both recognized (Wall-E for Best Animated and Dark Knight for Heath Ledger and an effects award) they should have gotten more.

-I want to be in the movies!