It'll come as no surprise to anyone who's been reading my forum postings that I really enjoyed the 2-hour awards ceremony last night, although I was kicking myself for having seen 'Vicky Christina, Barcelona', the new Woody Allen film, yesterday, instead of Benjamin Button.

Not that I didn't enjoy the Allen film - he's an old favourite and there was plenty to like, setting aside the vacuous performance of Scarlett Johansson.

Still, if Id left it 'til later in the week I'd have seen all the films that got awards and probably agreed with them all, too.

I'm no fan of Jonothan Ross but he was quite witty and I had to laugh when he quipped that Mickey Rourke should get a three-month suspension for the beeped-out expletives. I liked the way he reminded the contenders he didn't mind what they did ('We've had the Thames Barrier raised in case of flooding, Kate'<img src=../images/wink.gif> so long as they did it within a 30 second time-slot. That really kept things rolling along. In the event Kate was very self-controlled and I thought the award was very well-deserved. My husband noted that she failed to mention Sam Mendes, but it wouldn't have been tactful as he directed the other film 'Revolutionary Road', which didn't get anything. It was funny when JR said her two films were hard on somebody with his speech impediment and then rattled off the titles.I mean wattled off.

I liked the close-ups of the stars in the audience, especially 'Slumdog' star Dev Patel who just looked delighted to be there. Meryl was generous with applause and smiles, as they all were, but I expect she's saving herself for the Oscars. I must see 'Doubt', also released this week, to see if she's better than Kate. You can't really tell from the trailer, where she just keeps shouting a lot. Again, I think 'Mamma Mia' will get some of the other awards that 'Slumdog' snatched. I thought they could hardly award 'Mamma Mia' for music when it was mostly Abba, but I've an idea that won't stop the Americans.


In a way I am glad that I saw 'Vicky, Christina', because I could see why Penelope Cruz got the best support actress award. I've been a fan since 'Volver', but she really shone out against the other colourless women performers.

Well, Rebecca Hall wasn't bad but then she was supposed to be fairly colourless.

The only part I didn't agree with was the award to Terry Gilliam, but I haven't seen any of his films apart from the awful 'Fisher King', and it was probably Robin Williams put me off that.

So a pleasant dilemma - which first, 'Benjamin Button' or 'Doubt'?

Sheila

The smiley that slipped in wasn't meant to be there.

Oh, it's changed, now to a html code !

It was funny when JR said her two films were hard on somebody with his speech impediment and then rattled off the titles.I mean wattled off.

I missed it, unfortunately, but I would have liked to see Wossie getting to grips with The Weader amd Wevolutionawy Woad.

Yes, it was good, Naomi. I nearly started weading 'The Weader' this morning, but I westrained myself and finished off a quite boring crime novel instead. I'm saving TR for Lanzarote.

Sheila