Well, THAT was boring.

It was a great year to look smart as a guesser, though. I got 21 out of 24, and am not at all sure that that will be enough to win the Rinkworks competition once the results are posted. (I missed Cinematography, going against my gut and sticking with my old rule of "sweeping landscapes win", hence Cold Mountain; Adapted Screenplay, thinking they'd throw Mystic River a bone; and Short Film Live Action, because ... well, who knows?)

But back to the show. Out of curiosity, does anyone remember the last year in which Billy Crystal told a joke that was actually funny? He's turned into the worst sort of Borscht Belt yuk-meister. His 15-minute-plus ego trip at the start -- pointless movie jabs followed by lame song parodies -- was excruciating. And why did the Seabiscuit song turn into a Pete Rose thing? Man, I want Steve Martin back.

Let's see, what were the high points? The lyrics to the "you've gone on too long" music. The Adrien Brody breath spray. Sean Penn finally winning an Oscar, though I have to admit I was pulling for Johnny Depp upset. Annie Lennox winning an Oscar, even though that wasn't my favorite song. (Also, a less crappy bunch of songs than usual, highlighted by that rollicking song from Triplets of Belleville.) And, uh, that's about it.

Seriously, that was just painful.

-- Trip