So "milunair" swept the oscars on sunday. Many were shocked. In my review I said I didn't understand why it was garnering so many plaudits, but I have now had time to reflect. It's a granny film. We show these serious yet easily digestible mainstream films once a week at work for the seniors. Think 'Schindlers List', think 'Revolutionary Road'.

 To me it's an average but pleasant film that people who don't watch many films will lap up. It's not challenging or inventive like so many other oscar winners which is why I was confused, but it does have something the academy loves - poverty. When you combine that worthy issue with children, not just any children but THIRD WORLD children, the voters can't avoid that kind of emotional manipulation.

 So what else did we have. The obvious ones first. Winslet finally won the statue she should have got for 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. 'The Reader' isn't even Winswepts best performance this year, that goes to the snubbed 'Revolutionary Road'. Ledger got his post-humous award that wouldn't have happened without his death, no-one else stood a chance. Penelope Cruz matched her BAFTA win for 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' which is one if the few awards I agreed with. She dominated every scene she was in in that film.

 So now on to the upsets. Biggest one for us on sonicsring was Sean Penn beating Rourke for best actor. I have been meaning to watch 'Milk' since it came out by haven't got round to it, but from what I hear it's decidely average, and the award might be an amends-maker to the gay community after Brokeback lost out a few years back. Rourke gave the performance of a lifetime in 'The Wrestler' and was 100% robbed. I'm sure the Americans are thinking the same about 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' which had to make do with a handful of technical awards.

 The show itself was very much the credit crunch oscars, with Hugh Jackman presenting in place of a big name comedian and I was quite surprised at how well that worked. What didn't work was replacing nominees performance clips with a toast from previous winners, very luvvy, very cringy.

 Oscars 2009 : Not a vintage year.

  
Iain