Have the Academy Awards Maintained their Purpose? (By Amira Zubairi)

Hollywood celebrities gathered at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles as the 83rd Academy Awards took place on Sunday, February 27, 2010. Many actors, actresses, and filmmakers were honored in up to 25 categories including best picture, actor/actress in a leading role, costume design, and music. It took viewers a second to realize the show had begun when it opened with a montage of movies nominated for best picture. Hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway appeared in an opening sketch that located them inside Alec Baldwin's dream, shifting into an elevator scene with Morgan Freeman, which then included them into their own versions of scenes of other Oscar-nominated films.

Stars played it safe for this year’s Oscars with classic, pleasing gowns but not overdone hair. Reds, purples, pale blush, and metallic tones dominated the red carpet as Hollywood stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Hudson took their places. The major jewels on flaunt in previous years were also toned down going for a classic and safe impression.

Some of the top winners included “The King’s Speech,” which took home four awards including picture, direction, best original screen play, and actor in a leading role. “Inception” was also one of the top films of the year winning five awards, which included best cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, adopted screenplay, and visual effects. “Alice in Wonderland” received two awards for costume design and best art direction, while “Toy Story” was given the award for best-animated feature film and original music.

Although James Franco is a well-known actor with a stunning smile, hysterical roles, and an impressive personality in featured films and television shows, his performance as a co-host with Anne Hathaway was not as extraordinary as thought to be. Franco seemed completely uninterested in the event, while Hathaway was remarkably enthusiastic and outstandingly humorous. Audience members stood to former host Billy Crystal as the current hosts simply could not live up to his performance.

This year’s Oscars were a triumphant evening for many actors, actresses, and filmmakers. Many look forward to compelling and attention-grabbing films in the following year.