The Oscars are lovely tonight. Lupita Nyong’o's Acceptance Speech was magnificent.

[malaise]

http://entertainment.time.com/2014/03/02/oscars-2014-lupita-nyongo-speech-best-supporting-actress/

“It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to so much pain in someone else’s,” she said in reference to Patsey, the slave she portrayed in the acclaimed film, which was based on a real-life memoir.

In addition to thanking the usual Academy Awards suspects — castmates, her drama school, the Academy — she drew attention to the real people whose stories she helped bring to the big screen: Speaking to director Steve McQueen, she noted that the dead are watching, and that she believes “they are grateful” that he brought their history back to life.

But her speech didn’t just stick to the past. In a tear-jerking conclusion, she expressed her wish that her unknown-to-Oscars trajectory would inspire someone watching at home to go for it — because, as she explained: “No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.”

-------------
Ellen is excellent

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. I've watched quite a bit of it - I think Ellen is setting the right tone....

she is quite remarkable.

[malaise]

3. She's hilarious

but she understands her role and is not overwhelming or overbearing.
Loved Bette Midler's rendition of her song - it was her first ever performance at the Oscars

[pipoman]

7. Bette?

[malaise]

11. Ouch

Corrected - thanks

[pipoman]

14. Forever fixing auto correct myself. .

[PennyK]

28. Bette is my girl!

She was terrific! I hope I get to see her perform one more time...so many concerts and loved them all.

[pipoman]

16. I really love Ellen the older I get. .

[xxqqqzme]

20. Coming out in 'The Good Witch'

costume had me in stitches. She looked so funny and uncomfortable at the same time.

[yeoman6987]

23. I watched the entire thing

Not a surprise to be had. So predictable which is a shame. Oh well….I wouldn't have cried if Jennifer won but the right person won for sure. That movie was incredible!!!! Ellen was ok but the pizza thing at the Oscars was lame. At the Golden Globes would have been funny, but the Oscars are supposed to be more sophisticated. Oh nobody in my family agrees with me and I am sure some here will agree.

[Agschmid]

2. They are great!

It's a long one though they still have a lot to do!

[malaise]

4. Yep they're running late

and stealing our sleep

[DinahMoeHum]

5. A million times better than last year's. . .

. . .and I was very happy to see "20 Feet From Stardom" win the Oscar for best documentary feature film. I was lucky to see it back in October at a community theater house fund-raiser.

http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/

[malaise]

6. Haven't seen it yet

Might be the best Oscars in a long time. Damn look how Sidney Poitier has aged. Just realized that he turned 87 on February 20.
I once met him in a supermarket in Nassau.

[zonkers]

8. What a cinematic presence he had.

[yeoman6987]

24. I loved last years better for sure

It was one of the best year's ever. I never laughed so hard. Seth is a genius. Ellen is good but very safe.

[DinahMoeHum]

35. Seth's brand of humor, however, is lost on that particular crowd.

And by that, I mean a crowd that spans several generations. The Oscars are an inter-generational event, and not everybody out there is/was hip to Seth's performance last year.

Ellen may be "safe", but at least there were no uproars of outrage, and thank God, the producers let the winners speak their piece instead of mindlessly cutting them off. And the show still ended just before midnight (EST)

[Suich]

27. Just watched it last week and loved it!

I never really thought about backup singers before.

Loved Darlene Love tonight!

[bigwillq]

43. I didn't like MacFarlane last year

Didn't think his humor was appropriate for the Oscars, imo. Better suited for the MTV Awards.

I am not a prude, and I have a sense of humor, but just didn't think his humor worked for that environment. edit: Family Guys is one of my fave shows but, again, didn't think his humor worked for the Oscars.

[DinahMoeHum]

45. +1000s

n/t

[sheshe2]

9. “No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.”

Beautiful Inspiration.

Thanks malaise~

[malaise]

10. That's the line of the night

for sure

[sheshe2]

12. !!!

[yeoman6987]

25. Your right Matthew McConaghey's speech was magnificent

Remember the three….brilliant! People have been saying his is the best speech of the night all over social media. You and I agree.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Lupita's speech was beautiful but I thought Leto's was better.

It's been a great evening.

[malaise]

15. A truly great evening

Best in ages.

[question everything]

17. It was, as was Jared Leto's

Which started the ceremony and, perhaps, by now is forgotten.

Cate Blanchett, too, was well spoken.

[grasswire]

18. was the pizza delivery guy for real?

If so, what a terrific night he had!

[suffragette]

19. Her speech was truly lovely.

K&R

[Manifestor_of_Light]

21. Matthew McConaughey's speech was pretty amazing too.

About somebody to look up to, something to look forward to and looking to see that every day is better.

[malaise]

34. Yes it was OK but I'm never OK with

all the gawd stuff

[truebrit71]

44. Me either, but his schtick was more about being more 'christ-like' if you will...

...rather than just saying that blind faith in a creator gave him all of his gifts...which is a different twist on the normal gawd-praise by celebratory rich-folk (think athletes and you'll know what I mean)...

FYI I don't believe in god, but agree whole-heartedly with him that if we're all nicer to one another things would be a heck of a lot better..."It's a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates".."When you've got God, you've got a friend, and that friend is you"...

Just my two penn'orth

[cilla4progress]

22. I agree with the general sentiment here!

Classy, but not stiff. Good on ya' Ellen and Hollywood!

Lupita is lovely, and I can't wait to see the film! Glad that Gravity won technical awards, but far from the most moving or important film/story of the year.

Excellent performances and films this year. Hollywood seems to be on a roll.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

26. This was a welcome change after last year's disaster.

With Seth MacFarlane's song about seeing your boobs. Really tasteless and gross.

After that, I decided he's mean-spirited. His sitcoms are usually just insults. Not nearly as good as The Simpsons.

There is a lot of subtle stuff in The Simpsons you have to watch and listen for.

I just hope he hasn't contaminated the new COSMOS series.

[Number23]

29. I am thrilled. Absolutely thrilled

She is astonishingly beautiful and graceful.

There was a really nice piece in Washington Post about her and the definition of beauty, particularly "black" and "dark" beauty.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/03/01/lupita-nyongos-speech-on-black-beauty-underscores-her-significance-in-hollywood/?tid=hpModule_1f58c93a-8a7a-11e2-98d9-3012c1cd8d1e

[malaise]

32. Thanks for this

[lovemydog]

30. In 1853 the New York Times

told the story of Solomon Northrup, whose life "12 Years a Slave" is based on. Here's that story:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E03EEDC1438E334BC4851DFB7668388649FDE&smid=fb-nytimes

[Beaverhausen]

31. Actually the film is based in the book of the same name

It was published in 1853.

[malaise]

33. Thank you

Lovely that it won Best Picture as well

[Bluenorthwest]

36. Lupita was amazing at the Oscars and her performance was the year's best by an actor.

She was so elegant and her speech was beautiful, Jared Leto was also a highlight, the Best Picture was the best picture of the year, in a year where all the nominated films were extremely worthy of their nominations. The best of an excellent field.
The show itself was the best in years because Ellen is both fun and funny and she expanded the show not only for the TV audience but for those present.
There seemed to be a bit of difficulty with audio monitoring for the singers, perhaps having the orchestra a few blocks away offered challenges....

[raven mad]

37. I'm 60.

I jumped and screamed with joy. Kind of like when Obama won. No, then I cried and screamed and jumped - and scared the kitties.

Why don't we just recognize excellence in ALL its forms?

[malaise]

38. Most people do

I haven't seen all the movies but I was delighted that 12 Years a Slave won.

[raven mad]

42. If you see no other movies ever -

make 12 Years the last one!

The last movie I saw before this one - outside of buying the DVD - was LOTR. Never regretted Vig (blush).

I thought 12 Years wouldn't make me cry. I was wrong.

[PasadenaTrudy]

39. It was a good one this year

Finally some movies worth shelling out to see!

[bigwillq]

40. Great speech. So glad she won. Well-deserved.

And Ellen was hysterical.

[vankuria]

41. Loved the Wizard of Oz tribute

with Pink singing "Over the Rainbow", just wished it was longer. I loved the whole show this year, Ellen was very funny, the tributes, acceptance speeches, everything very moving and so glad "Twelve Years a Slave" won for best movie!