Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Post-Oscars
Regular readers know all about my kids' birthday parties. Our annual Oscar party is my one regular time of the year to practice my party skills for a (mainly) adult audience.
I am, I must admit, a total psychotic when I'm in party preparation mode. Remember that reality show Hell's Kitchen? Yeah, like that.
Sunday afternoon, I went through my annual ritual of freak-outs and last-minute fussing. There was a nice bit of comic timing right at the end of that. Every year, as soon as the clock ticks over to our posted invitation time, I start babbling "No one's coming! It's a flop! We have no friends!" Mrs. Mentok has learned just to smile and nod until it passes. This year, I was interrupted mid-sentence by the doorbell. Har!
Let me set the stage for you: Guests stream into our humble little bungalow. As they come in, they pay $2 entry fee into our Oscar pool (all categories, incl. technical awards like sound mixing). They're issued half of a playing card, which is their ticket to fabulous door prize awards we hold during commercials (dollar store finds, some regifting and some truly over-the-top prizes donated by guests).
Finally, everyone gets one marshmallow, which they are allowed to huck at the screen at someone or something that annoys them (e.g. Marion Cotillard's speech).
Then we all get liquored up, settle in and watch the show.
This year, for the first time, we used our home theatre projector system for the show. Of course, in one of those perfect Murphy's Law moments, the movie screen decided to fall out of the ceiling two hours before show time, but we got it fixed in time and it was a big hit. That $350 I spent on a data projector on Boxing Day is the best home entertainment investment I've ever made. I have friends who have spent thousands of dollars on big screen TVs, so I enjoyed pointing out to them how much bigger my screen is.
Attendance was down a little. There were almost enough chairs for everyone. I prefer it when we have people crammed in like sardines on the living room floor plus a healthy kitchen party on the go, but we were maybe six people away from being at that point.
You are no doubt wondering what I thought of the show. The sad fact is that I never get to watch much of it. Too busy playing host, you know. But from the bits I caught:
- like everyone is saying, the show was pretty lackluster this year. The relative lack of writing showed. Stewart did an OK job as host, but you could tell that he was eager to get off the stage as soon as possible.
- that freakin' Bourne Ultimatum killed me on my entry for our Oscar pool. I had gone with Transformers all the way on the technical categories.
- hands up: how many of you want to shoot that Marion Cotillard? That had to be the sappiest acceptance speech since Sally Field. I find it hard to believe she's 32; she totally comes off like a 21-year-old bimbo.
- the most elegant lady of the night, hands down, was Canada's own Ellen Page. Boy, she's great, isn't she?
- what the hell was Miley Cyrus even doing at that event, much less presenting? Between that and the ever-so-fascinating Barbara Walters Special, Miley's agent must have spent a fortune on bribes.
- it was a low-scoring year for our Oscar pool. The top score was 15; mine was 13. Mrs. M came in second with 14, but unfortunately that just stuck us with a second prize we were hoping to get rid of (a Magic Bullet blender kit we've been trying to regift).
All in all, it was a pretty low-key event in Hollywood, but our guests seemed to have a good time. They keep coming back, year in and year out, so that's a good sign, isn't it?
And you folks, how did you make out with your Oscar pools?
posted by Mentok @ 10:13 a.m.,
3 Comments:
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At 12:02 a.m.,
Library Mama said...
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Sorry, Mentok, but I would like to take this opportunity to let your readers know that I attend this party as well (and I do the odd bit here and there to aid in the preparation and hosting duties).
;-P -
At 4:18 p.m.,
Grumps said...
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I got 10, not bad considering this was the first year ever where I've seen NONE of the Best Pic nominess. I also did zero research.
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At 11:10 p.m.,
Rachel said...
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DUDE I so want to come to your Oscar Party!!!! Damn!
Shane and I spent an evening at home in bed watching the Oscars and I have to agree with you the most exciting part of the whole thing was seeing who won that category...We actually ended up tying although I will say that I had the lead for the better half of the show. It is always those damn shorts that get me every time.
