Oscar

[Sweder]

Is it me . . . or is awarding Martin Scorsese an Oscar for The Departed a bit like nailing Al Capone for tax evasion? I suppose it beats damning him with a hastily arranged Honorary Award - Ennio Morricone looked singularly unimpressed with his having failed to land a statuette in 30 years of scoring top films. He got his revenge by making a speech in Italian with Clint Eastwood, a man who enjoyed a huge career boost with help from Morricone's famous score in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, translating in a somewhat haphazard style.

I know, I know . . . the Oscars hardly warrant a mention in our Culture section . . . but Pan's Labyrinth picked up a clutch and Al Gore's Eco Warrior documentary An Inconvenient Truth was honoured, which in some odd way gives me a glimmer of hope for the future.

Finally hats off to Helen 'get yer kit orf' Mirren, possibly the only woman on Earth who could make E. Windsor look horny. She's single-handedly created the headline all BBC outlets craved last night - 'British Triumph At Oscars!'

I'm off for a lie down.

[Ana]

More grounds to see The Queen.

I didn't wanted to dissapoint you, so I didn't say anything the other day. But, in the film, do not wait to find the attractive Helen of your dreams. She plays good her role. So besides the awful glasses (there is not budget for Royal Image Adviser?) she looks like her a lot. My congratulations to Helen.

[glaconman]

Try as I might, I can't stop myself from liking awards ceremonies. Although thankfully I don't have Sky so couldn't stay up and watch.

Personally I was wanting Babel to do well; Ms Cruz for Best Actress in Volver and Patrick Marber for best adapted screenplay for Notes On A Scandal. Didn't much care about the rest. But only the Sound gong came in for Babel. Which was some consolation.

[Nigel]

... there is not budget for Royal Image Adviser?

Hey Ana,
I'm still wondering if I might know you from Madrid somewhere.

And that's a great line, by the way - in a cinematic context, more than well worthy of Borat himself ...

[Ana]

Uhmmm I do not think so, because I don’t know English people in Madrid. Were you visiting this beautiful place?
Also, now, I remark that Borat is English Uhmmm, I must recognise that I have laugh a lot during the film, but if I were American… I believe that Borat’s film can hurt American feelings.

[Nigel]

The plot thickens. Verily, it does.

[Sweder]

Verily indeed . . .

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I believe that Borat’s film can hurt American feelings.

I think that's why it was so popular, Ana.

[glaconman]

By Janus, methinks you're right. Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time.