The Oscars are over, and of course, since all the big winners were so utterly predictable this year, everyone’s talking about Hathaway and Franco as host…
…The water cooler talk is not kind.
In what could go down as one of the worst Oscar telecasts in history, a bad and risky idea — letting two actors host — proved out in spectacularly unwatchable fashion on the biggest of all nights for the film world.
As for your hosts, Hathaway worked her derriere off and Franco came off like that lacrosse boy you wish your daughter didn’t hang out with so much, sort of heavy-lidded and smirky and … well, let’s give him credit for being James Franco, the 23-hour-a-day workaholic/grad student/filmmaker/soap-opera/not-Best Actor wunderkind of his generation.
At least Hathaway was in there pitching throughout — unlike her co-host, who sometimes seemed to be preparing for a remake of Dazed and Confused. Never was that more clear than in one of their big set pieces, with Hathaway pushing through a bad version of On My Own only to introduce an embarrassed-looking Franco dressed as Marilyn Monroe. If you’re that hard up for a joke, don’t make one.
And perhaps my favorite of the critiques…
Was James Franco stoned when he hosted the Oscars?
Yes.How do you know?
Come on, did you see him?So you don’t have any proof?
Dude.But why would he get high before hosting a nationally-televised, four-hour awards ceremony?
Probably for some kind of, like, art project? Or, he thought it would be funny! Those two things seem to be the main motivations in James Franco’s life.
I actually thought Hathaway might have been alright alongside someone giving her ANYTHING at all to work with, though she clearly was giddy and excited in a childish, unprofessional way over just being there (which was adorable at first, annoying by hour 3).
But Franco? Wow. He was just terrible. When Billy Crystal made a surprise appearance, there was an audible sigh of relief in living rooms across the country at finally getting a real host.
The most amusing irony, is that Franco and Hathaway were brought in to make the show more young, funny and hip, but the most youthful, humorous and cool moment of the night came from 94 year old Kirk Douglas.
I think anyone who thought James Franco would be a great host for the Oscars clearly has not seen the majority of James Franco’s work. You need someone who never shuts off to host that with such energy, James Franco is awesome and I love his work but it really made no sense why he’d be chosen to host the Oscars. Now I am really surprised Anne Hathaway is getting any kind of support she was horrible, I’m sorry but when I have the options either doesn’t try at all or tries too hard I go with doesn’t try at all because atleast it’s not akward and annoying. Either way the oscars get less and less interesting every year with the same jokes [Insert recent celebrity in rehabs name] and thats a wrap! I think if they wanted to grasp the younger audience they should of gone and tried something really different. Like celebrities boxing for their right to hold the Oscar for their category (not actually). Any whoo. I think people need not blame James or Anne but the people responsible for choosing James and Anne.
Dan
It was like a train wreck…..gruesome, but I couldn’t help but watch it!
The only problem I have with any of the reviews was suggesting Anne Hathaway’s version of “On My Own” was bad! She was awesome and that was one of the (few) bright moments of the night, in terms of hosting. Anne clearly gets an A for effort on the night… but it just didn’t work.
Bring back The Daily Show at the Oscars, please…
What can I say that hasn’t been said already really. I called it the minute they announced Hathaway and Franco as the hosts, just had crappy written all over it. Hathaway tried, wasn’t very good but not completely awful like Franco was. I’ve never been a slightest fan of Billy Crystal but indeed I did actually sigh for relief when he came on. Interesting to see who they have next year.
To qoute Jeff Spicolli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High: “People on ludes, should not drive”.
Or host the Oscars for that matter.
Look, its not really Francos fault. the Oscars have been getting lamer and lamer and less exciting with every year. it’s not the offerings either, its the failure of the show organizers/producers or whomever calls the shots, the Oscars need a STEADY HOST!, Look at Billy, Bob, and other whom have hosted more than once. they become more enjoyable..
thats my opinion anyways.
james franco was definitely stoned, but alot of people were messing up & also being akward, just look at when justin timberlake & mila kunis went up
Best thing about the show? Kirk Douglas.
Worst thing about the show? Everything that wasn’t Kirk Douglas.
I agree that Kirk was the best thing about the Oscars. Funny and charming
Hathaway is very beautiful, but it was obvious she was in over her head and Franco, well the less said about him the better.
And the oscar for best actress in a supporting role… YOU KNOW, I was nominated 3 times and lost every time.
Rest of the show sucked. I liked the intro. Baldwin was good in it. You just got inceptioned! Absolutely no surprises for awards. Would have loved to see ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ win the Pixar award, as it was a better movie anyway. Was really pulling for Hailee Steinfield to win supporting actress, and frankly thought she did a much better job than Leo.
The problem for Hailee, IMO, is the fact that she wasn’t the Best Supporting Actress. She wasn’t a supporting actress in that movie at all. She *was* that movie. If anything, Jeff Bridges is the one who was in the supporting role, best or otherwise.
I will say this: It’s not really the Oscar’s fault. It just goes by how people nominate someone for a role. If more people nominate an actor or actress for a certain part as Supporting, that’s where they become eligible — and vice versa. That’s not a bad method, but it makes it something that’s subjective and occasionally things like this happen.
The Girl was good, The stiff shoulda hosted Miss America
The sets were cool w/ the imagry and all but too one-note.
Yey! Natalie
They were both horrible. Bring back Billy Crystal next year!
Franco was busy feeding his twitter.
I couldn’t agree more. Hathaway did work for it but her partner was just off all night. In fact I thought most of the presenters were off all night. The only folks who came in with confidence were the veterans and yes Billy Crystal stole the show with his brief intoduction to Bob Hope.
You would think that after spending that much attention to the Bob Hope hat tip, they would want more carisma on stage. This should have been fleshed out during rehersals.
I’m sure next year they will revert back or at least try to find someone with more energy.
couldn’t agree more, at least Anne H trying hard to bring out the best as a host. James seems just coasting around for the sake of it. And the academy tried to make the show hip & young yet the show went in conventional manner also it’s just so predictable results all around. I was hoping there are some surprises on the winner here & there, like on supporting actress or best movie. BTW i was rooting for Hailey Stainfeld to win this, instead it went to seasoned veteran Mellisa Leo… so much for trying to reach the young
You do realize that a) winners are judged by how members vote, not “The Academy’s” marketing, and b) those voters should vote based on the performance, not how the Academy would like to market itself. Leo, like it or not, was the consensus pick for Best Supporting Actress throughout the awards season. Seems like she deserved the win.
(Furthermore, as good as Hailee was, she was not in a supporting role — the entire movie was about her and she was the key player throughout it. I don’t even think her performance fit the award she was nominated for.)
Pretty much agree with everything. Franco really phoned it in, seemed like he didn’t wanna be doing it. Hathaway was having a lot of fun with it, which made it somewhat enjoyable to watch.
But they didn’t really fit with the mood of the Oscars, it was like watching the MTV Movie Awards. They were trying to make the Oscars into something it’s not. They even mocked it a few times (“It’s the new hip and edgy Oscars!”) *puke*
I’d love to see Robert Downey Jr host next year. Or bring back Hugh Jackman, I loved him.
I though Franco was really funny, but I agree that The Oscar’s wasn’t the best venue for him.
I also thought the opening video was lame. Alec Baldwin and Morgan Freeman were the funniest parts.