Desson Howe

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Behind The Screen
OSCAR SPECIAL
With Desson Howe
Washington Post Film Critic
Monday, March 26, 2001; 12:30 p.m. EST

It's Monday morning -- actually afternoon -- and time for some quarterbacking about those Academy Awards. What did you like? Were you satisfied with the winners? Disappointed your favorites didn't win? Were the acceptance speeches too much to bear? Join Washington Post film critic Desson Howe to talk about it.

Howe brings Behind The Screen to Live Online for a discussion on filmmaking and the art of cinema. Have you ever wanted to know what the director had in mind when making a particular film? Or why the producer altered the original screenplay? Why was an actor or actress cast over another? Howe has answers to these and other questions about filmmaking.

Howe has been a movie critic at The Washington Post for 13 years. He was raised in England, where he attended private school in Surrey. Although he was entranced, like most children, by Walt Disney movies, he says it was a visit to the local theater in the mid 1960s, to see David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia," that made him realize movies had to be a part of his life.

Howe is online Mondays at 12:30 p.m. EST.

The transcript follows...

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Desson Howe: Hello, everyone! I greet you from San Diego, where palm trees grow in gas stations, and where you can look out your back window and see canyons, intead of an alley. Well, they're over, ain't they? The Oscars. And I see there are a ton of folks itching to talk about them. Let's go.

Bethesda, Md.: I thought Steve Martin's jokes were hilarious (especially the one about not wearing his swan because it was so last year). But he also seemed to be a very "background" MC, not really "owning" the show the way Billy Crystal did. What did you think?

Desson Howe: Yes, he was very funny. A ton of good gags. I agree that he was keeping himself somewhat restrained. But less is more ,especially when you're having to fight time with musical numbers and those never ending speeches. So many good lines from him, though!

Bethesda: Julia, we love ya babe, but CHILL!!! And what's with the shooing away of the "stick man?" She missed that boat - the stick man was OUR FRIEND. We like him because he cuts the babble short. Seems like with all her performance skills and star experience, she just miscalculated this one - sort of a Sally Fields experience....

Russell, on the other hand, was great.

Desson Howe: Well, she made sure she enjoyed herself and definitely took advantage of her time up there. She seemed to be playing "Julia Roberts" up there, with the trademark cackle and the shtick with the stick. More on Russell later.

Hollywood on the Potomac, D.C.: What was the deal w/the jokes at Russell Crowe? Was he able to go along w/them? I couldn't tell because he looked very smug in his seat through it all and then when the award came, he looked completely stunned and off-guard. Also, Julia Roberts was refreshingly appreciative of her award and it's nice to see the thrill of victory instead of someone having a jaded attitude like "it's about time."

Desson Howe: Russell was clearly not aware of the smile-culture at the Oscars. Take yourself seriously, or remain neutral-faced, and you seem to be a humorless jerk. It's hard to read what he was thinking. Maybe he was chuckling inwardly. But he could have been a little more accomodating when Steve Martin was joshing with him. It's always amazing to me how gun-shy actors often seem to be at the Oscars. And yes, you could say Julia was wonderfully uninhibited.

Indianapolis, Indiana: The Oscar seemed to be awarded randomly last night.

How on earth can Gladiator be considered the Best Picture without winning Best Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, or Editing.

I sure hope Ang Lee didn't feel too slighted by Soderbergh's upset win in Best Director. Lee and Soderbergh did prove that movies didn't have to be formulaic or mediocre to be artistically and financially successful.

Julia Roberts' speech was moronic. Marcia Kay Harden was much more a shock, and she managed to keep her composure, unlike "America's Sweetheart"

Desson Howe: I agree, it did seem like everyone had a share. And you have a good point: how can something be best picture without being everything else? Ridley Scott was clearly disappointed not to get his director's award. And I was surprised to see Soderbergh beat out Ang Lee for that award, since Lee had won the SAG director's prize.

Dayton, Ohio: I was surprised Hanks lost. In retrospect, it seems that folks eventually felt that Tom was angling TOO hard for Oscar number three, sort of like Jodi Foster with "Nell" a couple of years back.

Too bad Kenneth Lonergan and Cameron Crowe couldn't have shared the screenplay award.

Desson Howe: I agree with your sentiment about Lonergan. What a great film he wrote.

Storrs, Conn.: Couple of thoughts here:

1. Julia Roberts truly gave a foolish speech. However, despite her rampant phoniness and self-congratulation, she was literally the only winner who thanked her fellow nominees.

2. The lack of diversity at the Oscars was awfully striking. Only two African-American presenters? Perhaps the theme of the evening should have been "O Brother, Where art Thou?"

3. So all you need is good special effects and sound editing to win Best Picture. Steven Soderbergh and Ang Lee must be scratching their heads. Watch out for Michael Bay next year by this logic.

4. Not one George W. Bush joke during the entire broadcast. Hollywood MUST be worried about that strike.

5. Bob Dylan, that mustache just ain't working, friend.

6. In 73 years of the Oscar, surely ONE foreign language film could win Best Picture. Check out the Criterion DVD collection, and you'll see that many many foreign films are quite superior.

7. John Travolta should have included his career amongst the montage of personalities who had died in the last year.

Desson Howe: Great comments, Storrs! The O Brother line is great. I was glad to see Dylan win best song, however, mustache and all.

Bellvue, Washington: Why didn't any of the winners acknowledge their fellow nominees? Michael Caine's acceptance speech last year should have been the model followed by all the winners this year.

Desson Howe: I think some did, as I recall. But you make a good point. However, you also want it to be genuine; not a requirement!

Re: UNINHIBITED: I hope Julia learns to act in the next few years, when her beauty begins to fade and her "folksy" schtick wears thin. But, I guess when you make $20 million a picture, you don't have to care TOO much about the actual craft of acting.

Desson Howe: Meooowwwwwwwww.

Memphis, Tenn.: Desson,

I finally saw CTHD on Sunday afternoon and I was upset when it didn't take home more awards. Any thoughts?

Desson Howe: It got 4. Not bad, huh?

Laurel: Desson,

Not that I want to rain on your chat, but it was a ho-hum year for movies and produced ho-hum winners. When Harsden won the first acting award, I started getting excited that maybe the academy was going to go for quality over commercial success, but mostly it was the money-makers that swept the awards.

Now for a non-relevant question: Where does one go to see the best documentary short or short live-action film?

Desson Howe: Check Visions Cinema/Bistro at Dupont Circle. They're showing the Oscar shorts and docs, right now, I believe.

Rosslyn, Va.: Finally.... a Puerto Rican wins a huge award... Our family is psyched about that. Benicio looked great, gave a nice speech, and I can't wait for his next movie!!!

Desson Howe: Benicio is the hippest man alive, right now.

Boston, Mass: Is the strike THAT big of a demon on the horizon. Ernest Lehman's little WGA comment during his speech was a bit of a red flag.

Desson Howe: I did enjoy his comment that, yes, all movies begin and end as screenplays. He's absolutely right. And old men are allowed to say things like that, especially when they're winning old man awards. More power to him, and to writers. I am sick of seeing directors have possessive credits, as in "A Richard Benjamin film." Writers give birth to movies. Directors rear them. It's shared parenting, at the very least.

Re: Russell: I thought the Russell Crowe-Ellen Burstyn joke was hilarious. Russell just needs to lighten up himself.

If he doesn't want the attention, he shouldn't be there. That will save him the trouble of having to pretend that he's not having a good time.

Desson Howe: He did seem to be the Eeyore of the party.

Re: Mike Meyers: Wasn't he a bit condescending towards the Best Sound nominees? Considering that Sound is obviously what make Gladiator superior to Traffic or CTHD.

Desson Howe: He was funny, I thought. Yes, technically he wasn't appreciative enough of the sound zzzz awards, but I bet the sound effects folks lapped it up, because they don't get the same limelit attention.

Washington, D.C.: I apologize in advance for adding to the Julia-bashing, but I am really tired of these carefully rehearsed "spontaneous" speeches of hers in which she talks about how surprised she is that she won and gushes uncontrollably. I also wasn't impressed with all the camera shots of her nearly falling out of her seat with laughter every time Steve Martin told a joke. It felt like play acting and it would have been much more honest and refreshing if she had just accepted the reward, thanked people (including the real Erin Brockovich), and admitted to how badly she really wanted the statue. Of course, then she might have forfeited her status as "America's sweetheart", the term which Martin so sickeningly used to describe her.

Desson Howe: I tend to agree. Let's all agree to meet somewhere, take a bus to L.A. and mock her.

My Reston Office: Just a comment. I agre with Tom Shales when he raved about Steve Martin. He was poised and at the same time witty. He kept both viewers and participants from taking themselves too seriously. (I particularly enjoyed his noting that between Tom Hanks and himself, they had three Oscars.) Martin represented a refined, classy sense of humor without being snobbish.

Desson Howe: Exactly right.

Columbia, S.C.: Loved: Women with meat on their bones. Almost all the women looked healthy (except the stick lady who won for that documentary). Loved Julia's dress and speech. Loved Russell Crowe's surly demeanor. It kept things interesting.
Hated: Julia's hair. Bjork's dress(?). Russell Crowe's surly demeanor. If he didn't want to be there, he didn't have to come.
What was Winona Ryder on?

Desson Howe: This reminds me again of the great Steve Martin line about Bjork's dress being a "swan."

Maryland: I loved Mike Meyers! He should be the host for next year's Oscars. Seemed to me like he was auditioning a bit, actually.... Anyway, I'm sold.

Desson Howe: Funny bloke, isn't he?

Bethesda, Maryland: How could a stupendous epic such as Gadiator win Best Picture and Best Actor, and not win Best Director? What wrong with this picture?

Gene

Desson Howe: As in previous response, it is odd that a best picture somehow isn't a best director or best anything else.

Sleepyhead: Hi, Desson!
I am tremendously happy with last night's Oscar picks!!

1. Benicio was just gorgeous. Kept the speech to the minimum. Thanked the people on locations, very nice.

2. Marcia Gay Harden!!! I was so happy for her. She was very graceful.

3. Russell Crowe!!! He seriously doubted if he was going to win. I loved his speech, very honest and sincere.

4. Sorderburgh!!! I have been rooting for him all along, but thought the chance of him winning was very slim!! And I LOVED his speech.

5. I am so happy that the entire ceremony was 45 minutes shorter than last year. Very compact and effective.

Desson Howe: Thanks.

Washington, D.C.: Desson, what did you think of Ellen Burstyn's performance in Requiem? Didn't you think she had a shot last night?

Desson Howe: She was tremendous in that movie and probably should have won. My only issue about her role was that this was yet another triumphant victim performance for a woman. Too many times, "great" "Female" performances are about a woman getting shafted.

Chantilly, Va.: It's the dresses, Desson! Stop talking about the films when all we care about is fashion! Follow the networks' cue...

Desson Howe: I stand corrected.

Arl., Va.: Hello Desson,

Well, I finally did this year what I have long threatened to do- boycott the Oscars. I'm just sorry I missed the montage of clips they show when an actor has died in the past year. I wanted to see Sir Alec- did they show him as Obi Wan, Faisal? Thanks Desson. I'm glad the Oscars are over so now we can all get on with our lives.

Desson Howe: Yes, he was in there, as Obi Wan and Faisal. A great man, a great actor.

Vienna, Va.: You have to admit that Crowe's speech was pretty genuine and he seemed to actually be stunned at winning the award. As much of a brooder as he can be, he certainly gave a gracious acceptance speech.

Desson Howe: I agree, he did seem humanly stunned. Which made me think, perhaps he's not really the snot he appears to be.

More Steve Martin: He definitely was a step up from Whoopi Goldberg, who seems to make a career at laughing at her own unfunny jokes.

Do you think that bit with Danny DeVito and the celery stick was planned?

Desson Howe: This is a question that historians will ponder for generations.

Chantilly, VA: Greetings Desson - Will the coverage of the AA's ever rise to a level above "who's wearing what"? Am I myopic to believe that reporters could ask questions about the writers strike, (lack of)indie support, studio friction re: financial support of nominated films? Granted, I just LOVE hearing whats on the menu in the green room...

Desson Howe: Oh yeah, start talking about issues and watch the ratings drop.

Washington, D.C.: Regarding last night's Oscars, I think that the Academy did a better job in making its selections than I thought it would. Benicio Del Toro and Marcia Gay Harden were both very deserving in the supporting categories and I am very glad that Soderbergh picked up the Best Director award. I think that when two of your films are nominated for Best Picture, you are the year's best director and should be honored as such. I was very disappointed, however, with the choices in the lead acting categories. Neither Russell Crowe nor Julia Roberts gave performances that seemed that exceptional or Oscar-worthy. Ed Harris, Javier Bardem, and Laura Linney were all more deserving and the only reason that they didn't win seems to be that their films weren't huge box-office hits but rather small, independent films. I find it very distressing that the Oscars, like the Golden Globes, are usually so unwilling to honor small, independent films in the Best Picture and Best Actor/Actress categories (Hilary Swank's win last year, notwithstanding). Are the Oscars about honoring the best that Hollywood has to offer or the most financially successful?

Desson Howe: Thanks for the comments. This year, every best pic nominated made more than $100 million. But remember, the Grinch was the biggest moneymaker of all, this year, and had to content itself with best costume. And many big money-makers weren't even in the running, which happens every year.

washington, dc: I thought Julia was simply reminding us and her peers that she is the most powerful woman in Hollywood and SHE runs the show. Thank you Julia, for flexing your power for all of us nobodies to see. She was horrible and DID NOT DESERVE the Oscar

Desson Howe: Her dress looked like something you put on your car overnight to protect it from the elements for, say, 6 months.

Washington, D.C.: Is it a concious decision for the press not to give any play to Jennifer Lopez's totally inappropriate dress last night? I think it is great I have not read anything about it

Desson Howe: Her dress was so wide, I'm surprised it didn't have turn signals.

Re: short and concise ceremony: No Robin Williams either! Life was good!

Desson Howe: Yeah, where was he?

S. Ertischek: So why do u think Harden won over Kate? Was the industry saying something about substance over hype? Refreshing for change..

Desson Howe: Yeah, it was refreshing to see her win. A former local gal too, I believe?

New Bjork City: Um, Desson...Bjork's dress WAS a swan...the skirt was the feathers/wings, the left chest was the neck and the right breast was the head!

More like an albatross in my book...

Desson Howe: At least it wasn't around her neck.

Wondering in Washington: Desson, good day to you and thanks for hosting this discussion. I am so pleased that del Toro won for best supporting actor. I thought he was magnificent in Traffic. Julia went on and on in her acceptance speech - a magnificent display of profligacy - fortunately the only one of the evening. Steve Martin was positively charming. On a non-Oscar note, do you have any early buzz on the upcoming movie "Someone like you." I'm a big fan of the 3 leads (Judd, Kennear and Jackman) and hope that it will be great. Will you be reviewing this film?

Desson Howe: I hate to disappoint, but I really didn't like the movie that much. Although Judd is a very likable persona in almost anything. The film was too formula for my taste. But you may still like it.

Fairfax, Va.: Not a question on the awards but more of the award show: How does the orchestra and music director know which theme to preform? Does someone tell the director just before that envelope is opened, or do the musicians have 5 sheets of music (one for each nomination) on their music stand and they are just really, really good?

Desson Howe: I would assume they have their song sheets prepared for whoever wins. I mean, this is par for the course in TV talk shows, like Leno or Carson, where a TV orchestra must be on its collective, tuxedoed toes.

Arlington, Va.: Desson,

Did it seem odd to you that Oliver Reed and Nancy Marchand were not included in the "In Memoriam" montage? Especially Reed, a scene-stealer in the "Best Picture" of the year?

Desson Howe: I seem to recall Reed being in the previous year's montage. I loved him. Great personality, great actor.

NO CHOCOLAT!!!: I can handle ten Gladiators if that insures that there will never be another Chocolat!

Desson Howe: I'm trying to behave about Chocolat. But since you mentioned it, I have to say, I was glad to see it didn't win a darn thing. It wasn't a bad movie, just sort of mediocre. And it didn't belong in the Best nominations, I don't think.

Ashburn, Va.: Is it just me or is Bob Dylan looking a lot like Salvadore Dali? Also, why did that Bjork travesty get nominated for best song? I was wondering why I'd never heard it. Now I know.

Desson Howe: Hmm, interesting separated-at-birth observation. Actually, I am a big fan of Bjork's music in that movie (Dancer in the Dark). But hearing her for the first time could be rather jarring.

Arlington: Do you think that within the next 10 years anyone will be allowed to have a Britney-free event?

Desson Howe: She'll be gone soon, I'm sure. But then, beware of whoever takes over.

Re: playing the right music when the winner's announced: The musical director answered this question during the pre-show. He doesn't get a heads up about who the winner is--they just start playing the right music as soon as they hear the winner.

However, the conductor is told about no-shows in advance. That prevents the embarrassment of music and no person walking up. He said that he knew of one no show, but didn't say who it was. The only one I noticed during the show was Dylan, so maybe that satellite thing was a compromise.

Desson Howe: Thanks.

Alexandria, Va.: Actually we all thought Dylan was looking more and more like Vincent Price!

Desson Howe: Yes, good one.

S. Ertischek: Speaking of In memorium omission..last year they didn't mention Kubrick..I know they didn't like the man but really..

Desson Howe: I thought he was in the memoriam sequence last year.

B Labor : Actually I just heard that Britney has signed a four hundred event deal so she will be annoying us well into the late part of this decade..

Desson Howe: Help!

Detroit: Desson, I'm sick of that "a film by" or "so and so's Shakespeare" too, but the directors and producers are refusing to concede that to the WGA. The changes Lyne made to Othello were the things that failed and irritated, same for Branagh and others. I still can't believe that Gladiator won for best picture, but I guess the spectacle and the box office numbers spoke volumes. Still the Academy managed to reward/award style, intelligence, and difference in the director, screenplay, and other awards. The screenplay and adapted screenplay categories seemed very difficult to choose from.

Also, I found Julia charming. At least someone just said screw-it about the time limitation. Russell looked like a testy, nervous stick-in-the mud. Maybe that was a variant of the deer-in-the-headlights. And why oh why does Jennifer Lopez have so little confidence that she must use her body. I was so happy that Cates cut her frame to her face on her award presentation. Would the other award shows have done that to Geena Davis, Halle Berry, Lopez, et al, they wouldn't appear to be so desperate, at least they'd have some shame left. When Geena had the see through dress no one seemed to notice that Berry's number left her breasts fully exposed through the fabric. Okay, did I move away from movies? Martin was funny, but surprising apolitical except for a couple tiny jokes.

Desson Howe: Thanks for all the comments.

Boston, Mass.: Why did the Academy pick T. Cruise radomly give the best dir. nod? He never directed.

Desson Howe: Maybe because of the way he just directed Nicole Kidman off his property.

Bethesda: Most unintentionally comic moment:

When Winona Ryder gushed so enthusiastically about Bjork, and then she shows up wearing a SWAN. Priceless.

Desson Howe: Tee hee.

X-Men?: How do the nominees get selected for the Oscars? I was quite surprised to see that X-men didn't get at least a nod for a technical award - for example, best special effect, sound editing, etc...

Desson Howe: Yeah,and how about Crouching Tiger not even getting a Best Visual nomination?

Toledo: Desson, Julia's dress was georgeous. Very subtle, until the back flowed in the train of black and white stripes. Surprised you didn't like it. Also, I wonder how a 15 year dress can be called vintage. Except for her hair, Julia looked great.

Desson Howe: I was merely commenting on the size of it, and the way she seemed to have difficulty moving around in it.

Baltimore, Maryland: Dear Desson,

Russell C. strikes me as pretty typical of most of the blokes I've met while working in New Zealand and Australia during the past ten years. In general, less simply is more when it comes to emotion among men there.

Otherwise, you'd just be a loudmouth American.

Desson Howe: Thanks for the update, mate.

Forgot to say: How pleased I was to see Marcia Gay Harden win. Lovely dress too!

Desson Howe: Thanks.

D.C.: Best Documentary has been Holocaust-themed 5 out of the last 6 years now. It's getting a bit silly now.

Desson Howe: It does seem that way.

Arlington, Va.: Desson & my friends, don't you see the tongue-in-cheekyness of Bjork's swan dress? On second thought, I guess you didn't.

Desson Howe: Maybe not.

Herndon, Va.: If Bjork had just given a few of her swan feathers to Jennifer for the front of her dress, the cameras wouldn't have had to shoot only tight close ups or long shots!

Desson Howe: A swan theme!

Washington, D.C.: Gladiator was a great movie...but talking to anyone who saw both movies thought that the Perfect Storm should have won visual effects hands down......from someone who has experienced this weather first hand it was incredible how well it was done...when the movie first came out there was reports from around the country of people becoming seasick while watching the film on the big screen...your comments please...tks

Desson Howe: I agree that (technically) Perfect Storm was pretty amazing,and I think it should have been taken more seriously in terms of visual effects and sound effects. All those water noises at sea, and so forth.

Va.: Can you take one more "Steve Martin was wonderful" statement? I certainly enjoyed his performance.

Julia was too much, though. First time during the broadcast that I was yelling, 'shut up and get off the stage already." Usually I do that 8 or 10 times. It did seem like rehearsed schitck, and the other embarrassment was Goldie Hawn's flubbing and resorting to the silly giggle and big grin a la Laugh In. Considering her age, she should have handled it with more class - or at least wear glasses, like most 50 + year olds do.
Meow.

Desson Howe: Yes, Goldie was also playing herself from days of yore. But on the other hand, I don't see what's wrong with older women getting to giggle and flub lines, just like all the superficial youthful flavors of the month.

Catty Comments, D.C.: Did the airlines lose Ben Affleck's luggage leaving him with no comb, no razor and a tux he must have borrowed from someone two sizes smaller than him?

Desson Howe: This chat should be called Crouching Swan, Hidden Cat.

CTHD comments, Va.: It's too bad CTHD didn't win Best Picture. But as some say that we're not ready for a vice-president to be a woman (don't tell Joan Allen that), maybe the academy is not ready for a full foreign film subtitled picture to win best picture. Either way, I was disappointed that it didn't win as I felt it truly was superior looking at the picture in all categories versus just one at a time.

Oh and I saw Enemy at the Gates this weekend. While the storyline was interesting, I found that much of this story seemed to be rehashed from too many other war movies that I found to be much deeper and far more exciting. I agree with last's weeks thoughts about the love making scene was out of place but at the same rate, it's hard for me to watch a movie and find it believable when Ed Harris didn't even have a german accent or speak german and Jude Law didn't really have a russian accent or speak russian. I guess CTHD really has given me a good taste towards characters speaking their native language versus placing the whole movie in English.

(By the way, for the record, this 28 year old male would love to see a woman be vice-president!)

Desson Howe: I hear you on all your comments. But let's not forget how many war films or epics have British accented Nazis or Roman emperors. And then there was Sean Connery as a Lithuanian (or Ukrainian)submarine skipper in the Hunt for Red October. This is a license we allow in the movies.

St. Louis, Mo.: Doesn't Julia Roberts have a certain older brother named Eric who is a much better actor than she is, and who was strangely omitted from her acceptance speech? Didn't he help her break into the business? Was he even there last night?

Desson Howe: Yes, I noticed he was not mentioned, but since Julia told us she loved everyone in the entire world, I guess he was included after all.

Re: Sigfield & Roy joke: HYSTERICAL!!!!

Desson Howe: Yes, one of many great Steve Martin moments.

Logan Circle, D.C.: Could the woman who won the Best Costume award have walked to the podium any slower?

The band had to go into a second chorus before she got there.

Desson Howe: In fairness, I think there was some other issue there. Like poor health or something. Seriously.

Alex., Va.: Ya know, Bjork wears want she wants. I think that's cool.

Desson Howe: Everyone has the right to wear a swan.

Alexandria, VA: Is there some contest going about who can say the snottiest thing about people that make far more money than you, have fulfilling careers, and don't even know you're alive? I thought this would be a slightly more high-minded chat when I logged in. Oh, well . . . .

Desson Howe: Sorry, this is the Oscar chat. We're usually nicer and more sensible.

Disgruntled with Babs: Oscars were just so-so. I was very disappointed that Barbara Walters did't rag John Travolta on Battleship Earth. She's such a suck-up. I expected more from her.

Desson Howe: You mean, you started watching Babs with the hope that her pre-Oscar show would unearth major controversy? She wasn't hosting 60 Minutes, there.

Visual effects, sound and sound editing, VA: I agree with the X-Men comment and your opinion Desson on visual effect. Gladiator didn't have that much spectacular advances in visual effects. And what's up with sound editing only having 2 nominations? And Space Cowboys versus U-571, two movies which I felt were par. I mean, what about X-Men, and CTHD, both had great visual effects. But Hollow Man? I feel like these categories are becoming a joke. (I agree with the Matrix winning them in the previous academies)

Desson Howe: Thanks.

I feel bad for Randy Newman: What does he have to do to win? Wear a pushup bra and giggle uncontrollably like America's Sweetheart?

Desson Howe: Yes, he's been unlucky. Great songwriter.

Nani, Texas: This is old news, but thank you for printing your review of The Apostle last week. You said everything I felt about the movie, but couldn't put into words.

Desson Howe: Why, thanks.

Northern Va.: I have to disagree with some comments towards Julia Roberts. That woman has starred in some blockbuster movies and has been nominated for several Oscars, but never won until last night.

She is the kind of woman who can be terribly uninhibited and a touch unrefined, but her boisterous personality allows her some slack. Julia Roberts is not demure, as some would like someone in her position to be. She laughs too loudly, she babbles on too long, she -gasp!- enjoys herself!

But, isn't that just what we love about her? She smiles once, and all is forgotten.

Desson Howe: Thanks.

Re: Diversity: To whomever said about lack of diversity, there may be a lack of African American, but Benicio (Puerto Rican) won for Traffic and several Asians won for CTHD.

Desson Howe: Good point. But let's not congratulate Hollywood for exactly being top notch with African American representation, or Latino.

Capitol Hill, DC: I thought they should have included Ann Sothern and Morton Downey Jr. in the memorials. Maybe they didn't have time to include them in the segment since they passed away so recently?

Desson Howe: Maybe so.

Alexandria VA: Re: How nominations are made--academy members get to nominate films for awards in their own field. Only people doing visual effects, for example, can nominate for visual effects awards (though everyone can vote on all of the awards other than the foreign film ones--for those, for some reason, anyone who votes must prove that they have seen all of the films nominated). My guess as to why CT,HD got no nominations for visual effects is that their effects were very low-tech (all of the "flight" scenes were created by swinging the actors from ropes, and then removing the ropes from the final cut, which is also why all of the flying had that swoopy feel), and thus not impressive to their fellow technicians. I personally think it's worth a nomination exactly because they used such low-tech effects to create such a stunning display, but I'm not an academy member...

Desson Howe: Good comments.

Memphis, Tenn.: Could Gladiator's win be explained by the fact that all of the academy votes on the big prize while people who are considered "specialists" in each field vote on the separate awards? And who determines who can vote for each award?

Thanks in advance

Desson Howe: That's for nominations. Everyone votes, but specialists nominate.

Arlington, Va.: Do you think the snubbing of Chocolat will mean the end of campaigning for the Oscar on behalf of lesser films, particularly since the Academy seemed to reward all the others?

Desson Howe: I don't think this will stop the rampant lobbying that many pictures, small or great, use to get nominated.

Hyattsville, Md.: It's sad that You Can Count On Me got shafted not once, but twice. First of all, Laura Linney and her magnificent performance lost out to queen Julia (who, by the way, forgot to thank the real Erin Brockovich and whoever it was who designed all her pushup bras and non-outfits). Then Kenneth Lonergan has to lose out in the Best Screenplay category. I guess the Oscars aren't that concerned about honoring the best the industry has to offer.

Desson Howe: Yeah, I mourn with you.

Desson Howe: Sorry I couldn't answer all your questions. There were many more unanswered. Please forgive me, couldn't get to everyone. See you all next week. Have a great week, everyone.

washingtonpost.com:

That was our last question today. Thanks to Desson Howe, and to everyone who joined us.

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