The Oscars are over ... finally!

The Oscars are just wrapping up now (I knew it wouldn't end on time) and the biggest surprise was saved for last, with "Crash" winning Best Film over the expected winner "Brokeback Mountain."

Looks like the things I've been reading in magazines and on various entertainment Web sites and blogs about the Academy not giving the evening's top award to a "gay" movie were true. I can hear the religious fanatics and pro-family groups now commending the film industry for the good judgment they showed.

This is meant in no way to minimize the quality of "Crash," a searing examination of race relations and a powerful film. But I'll be interested to read the commentaries in tomorrow's papers about "Brokeback Mountain" not going away with the top award. It should make for some interesting reading.

I was 4 of 6 for the predictions I made and posted to this blog on Friday. I thought Paul Giamatti had a good chance to take the Best Supporting Actor award, but it wasn't meant to be. Note to other future nominees: When you're nominated, be sure to say over and over within the earshot of the press that you don't believe you have a chance in you know what of winning an Oscar and you're guaranteed a win. It worked well for George.

Otherwise the ceremony was as it usually is, too long and boring. Jon Stewart did an Ok job as host, but in my mind anyone who agrees to host the Oscars deserves kudos. No matter how you handle the job, you're going to be criticized. It's a completely thankless position.

Best moment: The performance of one of the original song nominees, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," from the movie "Hustle & Flow." Second best moment: A few moments later, when the song won. Third best moment: Best Adapted Screenplay co-winner Larry McMurtry in blue jeans.

Worst moment: The acceptance speeches where people ramble on thanking everyone they knew from their moment of conception.

Best dressed: I thought Reese Witherspoon and Rachel Weisz both looked fantastic.

Worst dressed: Charlize Theron, I was waiting for her dress' large bow to eat her.

There were several places this evening where bloggers were giving live, blow by blow coverage of the ceremony. The best I found was Tom O'Neil's Gold Derby blog.

Until next year.

I'm not sure if I'll even remember who the winners were at this time next year. When Nicole Kidman came out to present the award for Best Supporting Actor, I knew she hadn't won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar last year and wondered who had. (Generally speaking, the previous year's winner for Best Supporting Actress presents this year's Best Supporting Actor award.) It was driving me nuts and I finally had to resort to a Google image search using the terms "Morgan Freeman"(last year's Best Supporting Actor, who I knew must have had his photo taken backstage with the Best Supporting Actress winner) and Oscar to discover it was Cate Blanchett. I saw "The Aviator," loved Cate's performance and the woman is one of my favorite actresses to boot and I still couldn't remember her. How quickly we forget.