Red Carpet Oscar Pt. 1: "Princess. Puppy. Purse."
Monday, February 25, 2013 at 9:21PM For this Oscar Nominee edition of the red carpet convos I am pleased to welcome Courtney from Pajiba!
It's Courtney!
NATHANIEL: Welcome to the Film Experience, Courtney. Since you're a brand new to many readers (unless they're smart enough to read Pajiba!) it's confession time. I wore a Les Miz tee to the Oscars last night but before we dive into what the Best Supporting Actresses were wearing, tell us: what were you wearing last night?!
COURTNEY: Hello, sir! I was looking superb - a vision in flannel, baby vomit elegantly adorning my jeans.
NATHANIEL: Beautiful. Do you hate it when they ask the nominees if their child picked their dress for them? I heard it first with Reese Witherspoon last night but you hear it all the time.
COURTNEY: I hate the question, and I hate the answers. If children ever actually picked out Oscar gowns, however, that is a ceremony I'd watch. Picture it. It would be some sparkly nonsense and I'd love it.
Maybe Hugh Jackman would have shown up dressed as Batman. SEE? Automatically a better ceremony.
NATHANIEL: Definitely less matchy-matchy and "on trend" I'll give you that. Rainbow would be the new black. Okay....
SUPPORTING ACTRESS. Anne Hathaway's 'darts' were the talk of twitter last night but there's more than just pointy boobs to discuss.
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Anne's halter, Helen's wrinkles, and so-phis-ti-cat-ed Best Actresses after the jump...
COURTNEY: To me, more than braless, or perhaps aided by all the bralessness, she just looked very '90s. Like a "Melrose Place" cast member presenting at the Cable Ace Awards. Likf if you held your ear to her dress, you'd hear the sweet sounds of Mazzy Star.
NATHANIEL: lol. She wasn't even famous in the '90s so that's so vintage!
COURTNEY: Very "How very". I think it was the halter-type top. Halters make everything '90s-er. Halters and long haired blond men and the Oscars gave us that in abundance.
NATHANIEL: I can't even. I thought last year's cinematography winner Robert Richardson was trying to steal this year's cinematography winner Claudio Miranda's Oscar for a second. And then I thought they had both bum-rushed the stage to accept the Sound Oscars. Onlythat was different people. So many vikings!
COURTNEY: It was a veritable Lucius Malfoy Convention.
NATHANIEL: While we're on the topic of hair, I'm not sure it's working for any of them - maybe Jacki Weaver though I get this real "Dynasty" feel from her ensemble (I'll raise your "Melrose Place") minus the shoulder pads. Hair. Hathaway is surely eager to have hers back but it's a small price to pay for an Oscar.
COURTNEY: Okay, Jacki Weaver's hair was out of control. Hers and Melissa McCarthy's could have done battle. Hathaway's, however, I'm actually liking. It's gotten cute at last. That said, it officially turned her into Tinkersparkle, the Annoying Fairy, so I'm not sure it's a look I want to go for. Seems dangerous.
NATHANIEL: I'm feeling for Helen Hunt. No matter how hard I iron my shirts in the winter after throwing on the jackets and coats and whatnot, I show up to looking like I slept in it Don't they have steamers in those limos, though?
COURTNEY: They need to invent lie-down limos for events like this. Just load them in on stretchers, then stand them up like Hannibal Lecter when they arrive. NO WRINKLES. But I love that her dress was from H&M. Like, maybe she picked up a new collarless blazer while she was there, or a shirt with a balloon on it. Stars are just like us, you know.
NATHANIEL: Helen Hunt is so above it. Which is oddly endearing if you can get past the ingratitude for a lofty position in life. Like my friend Nick tweeted:
I mean, I'm ready. I'll go. It's not the most important thing I'll do this week! And it's not like I don't already have one. #BeingHelenHunt
COURTNEY: Yeah, she's like Charlize Theron. They just don't care. But in a classy way. Not like that gutter rat KStew.
NATHANIEL: My theory is that she was wearing crutches from the sheer crippling weight of her mega-celebrity of which SHE IS AN UNWILLING VICTIM
COURTNEY: HOW is anyone too cool to use crutches on stage. As though it looks way cooler to hop around like Amy Poehler in the "and I'm rockin' one leg" sketches. Also, her arms had random bruises on them that no one put makeup on, no doubt caused by how much it hurts to be her and be SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
NATHANIEL: Some people bruise easily. Back off. Her life is incredibly DIFFICULT.
Okay. You're due at the Oscars in 5 minutes. Which one of these gowns would you wear if they were your only five choices.
COURTNEY: Amy Adams, because it would double as the comfiest makeshift I-fell-down-at-the-Vanity-Fair-party-I-think-I'll-just-stay-here bed.
NATHANIEL: Ha! If you squint your eyes alot both Field & Amy's dresses could double as like feather dusters or mops. I would have to choose Jacki Weaver's because it's the most drag queen like. Though I bet you anything Florence Welch has already called Sally Field and asked if she could borrow hers.
BEST ACTRESS
COURTNEY: Before you even begin, I just have three words: princess. puppy. purse. Which, incidentally, would be my drag queen name.
NATHANIEL: I love you. We just met but I would totally interrupt your lipsynch to hand you wads of cash tips.
COURTNEY: That is the highest praise I've ever received.
NATHANIEL: While we're still in drag, obviously Naomi Watt's Judy Jetson look will be the favorite of that set but I'd totally have to go with Riva because I haven't been to the gym in months.
COURTNEY: Concurred, although I think Jennifer Lawrence's wins for function, because I'm fairly certain she kept a small chair in her skirt for easy seating. That's what she tripped over. True story probably.
NATHANIEL: It's so much more functional than it looks (given the tightness). I mean she totally bent over for E!s manicam to tell Emma Stone 'your ass is mine' or some such. It would have been THE most viral thing going yesterday if E! weren't so goddamn useless. The manicamwas unplugged!
And now for a moment of seriousness: I think Jessica Chastain was the best dressed of anyone last night. At the Oscars and probably all across the world too. It's just exquisite. Simple but textured enough to be interesting. They asked Quvenzhane what she thought of her competittion and she said "they're older than me. And very soph-ist-i-cat-ed" (yes she separated all the syllables) and sophisticated is exactly how I'd describe.
COURTNEY: She was the definition of Hollywood glamour last night. Like, if you asked me to draw Hollywood glamour, I'd draw a daisy and a pig because I can only draw daisies and pigs, but in my mind, I'd be trying to draw that. Everything about her was very classic and gorgeous.
NATHANIEL: You do realize that you're going to have to sketch a daisy and a pig and scan it to me or this Red Carpet Convo just won't feel complete, right?
COURTNEY: I'm right on top of that, Rose Nathaniel. Consider it done.
[FIVE MINUTES LATER]
original daisy+pig art © Courtney Enlow Hall
COURTNEY: I may have oversold my pig drawing skills. So I dressed her up like Janelle Monae.
NATHANIEL: LMAO. Why is it so PINK !?!
COURTNEY: Because all I had nearby were post-its and I'm not a grownup so they're all neon.
NATHANIEL: Sasha Stone was theorizing that Liev Schrieber and Naomi Watts fucked in the limo on the way to the Oscars. Do you agree?
COURTNEY: Hm. I hadn't considered that. I mean, if I was with either one of them then I so would, but she looked so put together. But this isn't their first rodeo. I bet they have it down to a science.
NATHANIEL: Chairs aren't the only things people hide under gowns to survive these things.
I suddenly feel like I've dived right into unsophisticated Seth MacFarlane land with that line of questioning. Apologies. Let's class it up a bit for a wrap up. What does your ballot read for Best Dressed and for Best Performance You're So Glad You Saw And That It Was Nominated?
COURTNEY: My Best Dressed goes to Clooney's Beard. Because she looked really great and sparkly. ZING. Best Performance goes to my precious little angel lamb Quvenzhané because she was incredible and I want to kidnap her. ...If she gets kidnapped, though, I didn't do it
Reader Comments (26)
I think Jessica Chastain was the best dressed. Her hair color, her dress color and her skin tone were very unison. I actually root for her to win Best Actress, but what happened is a done deal, better move on.
Both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress winners wore pale color dress, is that rare?
Speaking of Supporting Actress winner Anne Hathaway, is it just me or does anyone else notice how two important moments in her career involved The Sound of Music? Her star-making movie Princess Diaries co-starring Julie Andrews, and now Christopher Plummer handed her the Oscar. Does this mean now she's bound to be the Maria should they remake the musical?
Ahahahha please bring Courtney back every time!!!
Chastain is like the stock market when it comes to fashion. She was the worst dressed at the Globe (but probably mainly because of the hair) while being the best dressed at the Oscars two years in a row, well, at least on my book. Last year's Alexander Mcqueen black-and-gold number was such a stunner.
I'm more in the Watts camp for best dressed but Chastain looked nice too. Watts' gown played so nice with her eyes even if it looks like she can run on solar power.
Oh, Anne. What happened? So much breast attention. Especially how the rest of the dress was so boring. Prada doesn't make nice dresses! Even they know that. YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO WIN. You're supposed to come dressed in miles of fabric, dripping in sparkling diamonds and a subtle "yes, i am here to pick up my Oscar" attitude.
I wasn't a fan of Amy Adams' own at all. That dress has been done to death.
I'm more in the Watts camp for best dressed but Chastain looked nice too. Watts' gown played so nice with her eyes even if it looks like she can run on solar power.
Oh, Anne. What happened? So much breast attention. Especially how the rest of the dress was so boring. Prada doesn't make nice dresses! Even they know that. YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO WIN. You're supposed to come dressed in miles of fabric, dripping in sparkling diamonds and a subtle "yes, i am here to pick up my Oscar" attitude.
I wasn't a fan of Amy Adams' own at all. That dress has been done to death.
Naomi Watts looks like she's about to save an entire planet from ugliness just by showing up among them and sparkling.
As for supporting actress, I think Helen Hunt takes it easily.
When it comes to best actress ... Jessica Chastain, definitely, but I am actually really loving Jennifer Lawrence's ensemble as well. Not liking any of the other BA nominees, though.
And agreed @ Anne Hathaway being a big disappoint. You knew you were getting that Oscar and THAT'S what you chose? ~_~
They're actually doing a live TV remake later this year with...Carrie Underwood as Maria. Anne would be a great Maria but I'm not sure there would be much motivation for making the musical into a movie again. The Von Trapp story, yes, but not as a musical.
I would've liked Jessica's dress better in a richer color. I thought Jennifer's whole look was too bridal on the red carpet, wrong color and too much at the bottom. But as she was accepting her Oscar, I saw that the layers of the skirt were pink, which I liked, and also the skirt draped in a very picturesque way when she tripped up the stairs.
Jessica Chastain is best dressed totally. But I want to talk about the winners for a second... Jennifer Lawrence totally looked like a bride while Anne Hathaway looked like one of her bridesmaids. The group picture of the winners totally looked like a wedding party actually.
Anyways, Quvenzhane looked adorbs (and the sky is blue). Weaver, however, is worst dressed at least in this group. Her face is amazing and her dress color is great, but the shape/style is not doing her any favors. She looked stumpy.
Courtney is fabulous. More please!
As for the looks, I love Jennifer's "Birth of Venus"-esque number, Naomi's hair (muuuch more than that overdesigned dress), and the simple elegance of Riva's.... whatever-it-is. I'd actually give Riva the win for uniqueness.
And random thought: do you think Quvenzhane has seen her fellow nominees' films? I don't think I'd let my 9yo (if I had one, that is) watch any of the four.
Anne knew she was going to win the Oscar and she picked THAT dress? Doesn't she know that photo will follow her whole career? She basically wore an apron. And if your collar is that high you DON'T NEED A NECKLACE.
I am crushing hard on Courtney. The Hannibal Lecter comment (and resulting mental picture) made me choke, and now my nostrils burn of Coca-Cola.
Naomi Watts was flawless and crushed all competition.
Also, I was behind Jacki Weaver at the pharmacy last month, and she let it be known that she believes medications are way overpriced. I agree with her, and I wanted to use this as an opportunity to segue into a conversation about SILVER LINING'S PLAYBOOK, but I just smiled in silence behind the red customer privacy line.
Love Riva's monastic look. A very classy bin-bag done right. Not a huge fan of the Lawrence bridal-wear. Anne, alas, looks to me like a tube of toothpaste. Like the hair, mind. Sally Field's gown somehow manages to look as if it's made out of bargain counter "nobody will buy this, so it's heavily discounted" fabric. Which I seriously doubt is the case. Also, like many others, more Courtney.
My 3 favorites: Charlize Theron; Naomi Watts; Octavia Spencer.
Derreck -- agreed on the Amy Adams done to death comment. Seriously. someone wears this every year. The weird thing is that it seems to be praised every year but no one did it as well as Penelope Cruz so what's the point?
Ryan -- for a second there i was hoping you were about to share a Magnolia-style pharmaceutical breakdown... but i love the anecdote anyway
Evan -- i doubt it. She likes cartoons. She told me Brave was her favorite this year.
Claire -- Carrie Underwood? That is horrifying news
Naomi Watts looked amazing. A Goddess, and I usually find her pretty bland. She was by far the best.
I read on "The Cut" that aparently Hathaway would wear a Valentino dress, but when she found out what Amanda Seyfried was going to wear (the day before the oscars) she freaked out because Amanda's dress looked a lot like hers, the two dresses were very similar so she went for a new dress the day before.
Which is still strange, since she should have a better back up dress. Dont they have like four or five options to choose from??? You know you will win the Oscar, you want to look like a winner, there's no excuse for what she wore.
Amanda -- i guess she must have really liked it because designers line up to dress the biggest stars... especially the perceived winners ! she probably have an overwhelming amount of options
I guess so.
Amy Adams dress is really an overplayed overdone old trick by now.
You mentioned Penélope Cruz, who did wear something almost identical when she won hers, but Charlize also won a very similar gown in pale baby blue some years ago and so did Emma Watson at the "HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" premiere in London.
"Best Performance goes to my precious little angel lamb Quvenzhané because she was incredible and I want to kidnap her. ...If she gets kidnapped, though, I didn't do it"
Too funny!
Naomi Watts killed it hands down, it's one of those Oscar dresses that people will remember in 10 years time. Sally and Emmanuelle looked stunning and age appropriate. Dare I say it, but I found Jessica's dress a bit underwhelming, I know everyone is loving it but I wanted something more dramatic from her, I mean she looks flawless because hello, that FACE, but I don't see why everyone loves the dress so much.
I loved Anne. I thought the dress had some business issues in the back, but I loved how she was channeling Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy. (I'm also very protective of Anne, especially as all the cool kids really have been hating on her lately).
Jessifer dressed really well, despite the fact I wasn't rooting for either of them. I had to tip my hat to both of them. Really classy.
And little Quevenzhane stole my heart. Adorbs!! Totally!
1. Amy Adams - not her best red carpet look but still great :)
2. Sally Field - she should get more credit for her beautiful dresses, it's not as good as her emmy-winning dress but still nice
the rest is a TIE Hathaway, Hunt and Weaver (nothing special)
1. Naomi Watts (she stands out! in a great way, she looked like a proud nominee, loved it!)
2. J-Law (her stylists found her Awardstyle early this year, she got her own look going on, that's a statement, she looked AMAZING!
3. Jessica Chastain was also a vision, love her
4. Riva - perfect fit
5. Abcdefg Wallis - sweet
http://24.media.tumblr.com/d8baac51817cb668f18d6257522d2a49/tumblr_misblcKrwJ1rue5uco1_500.jpg
this makes me want to give best dressed to jennifer lawrence honestly
Hah, awesome Philip H! That's exactly what I was thinking about J. Law's dress- that it looked so gorgeous when she fell, it could be a perfume ad. I wasn't sold on it at all until that moment on the stairs, in fact. But, clever girl, if you're going to trip on your way up to receive an Oscar, make sure your dress drapes oh so dramatically.
My favorite was Jessica Chastain, thought her dress was the best. Hey Ale-Alejandro, I liked Anne Hathaway's dress too! I agree there was some Audrey/Givenchy channeling. It was definitely harkening to an earlier time- before the 90s, though!
I swear my oldest sister had a dress like Field's in the 1980s!!! Just a bit shorter. It's not that I have great memory, but she wore it to a wedding, so there're pictures. That made me wonder if movie stars, or mother movie stars like Field, recycle their red carpet dresses to attend weddings and other events? I mean, if you keep it, what else can you do with it?
In defense of Amy Adams's dress (which I really loved but agree, has totally been done before and recently) and her lax styling, I think she, Sally, and Helen all very clearly seem to say in their, by turns, classy (Helen's got on diamonds!), breezy (Amy in feathers!), or fun (Sally's old and in peasant fashion!) looks that they knew they weren't getting up there, and why give the satisfaction of looking like they thought they were the winner. But I thought, head to toe (wrinkles and all), Helen had the most accomplished look of the five.
Anne's was a huge disappointment. This just in: her dress will be playing Gwyneth's dress in the retelling of the 1999 Oscars.