From the time I saw the awkward pre-show interview with James Franco I knew this show was going to be a big deal:  James Franco was on planet pluto.  His co-host Anne Hathaway tried her darn hardest to impress the Academy and entertain the audiences.  James Franco gave up from the get go. You’ve done all us disinterested misanthropes proud Mr. Franco, I salute you.You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar – quite literally, Franco is working towards his P.H.D at Yale.

Having watched this years show I can safely say that I’ve had an education in what really makes the Academy giddy: old rich men with speech impediments. Oh, that and films like the King’s Speech will almost always clean house.

Not a single Oscar for the Cohen Bro’s or their outstanding True Grit.  Hardened, but not jaded, I’ve learned all too late that the Academy hasn’t given an Oscar for best picture to a western since Clint Eastwood’s excellent Unforgiven. The totally ‘unforgiven’ moment came when Hailey Steinfeld did not win an Oscar for best supporting actress.

Despite the uproar of condemnation for the Academy’s decision to leave the Social Network without any of the major awards, this show is probably a return to form for the Academy.  Based on the amount of positive reviews both the Social Network and King’s Speech are neck to neck in near unanimous acclaim.  Though if that standard of merit is used then clearly Toy Story 3 should have won, being the highest rated film of the year.

Colin Firth did a better job in the King’s Speech than in last year’s A Single Man and certainly deserved his Oscar, though  clearly there  was no competition. Christian Bale had more of a challenge yet still came out on top with an Academy Award for best supporting actor.

Probably the most liked actress of the year, Natalie Portman snagged the Best Actress Awards for her performance in Black Swan.

Inception grabbed up a few audio and visual Oscars as expected, as did Alice in Wonderland.

It was a pretty anemic Academy Awards over all, perhaps because of Franco’s deadpan delivery, or perhaps because the winners were so typical.  For better or for worse the Academy has gone back to form in their selection.  Hell they might as well have aired a re-run of  the 14th Academy Awards.

Even as I write this I still can’t believe that True Grit won nothing.