Well, I was off writing for the paper during the last big wave of Oscar winners, filing after Day-Lewis and then again with a revision following 'No Country" getting best picture.

A few thoughts:

– Very efficient telecast. Ran only 20 minutes past its scheduled conclusion (and no sane person believes they're going to do it all in their scheduled three hours anyway). But the determination to keep acceptance speeches short was at times cruel, and I appreciated Jon Stewart's bringing back Marketa Irglova so she could talk.

– International night, wasn't it? Day-Lewis and Swinton are native Londoners, Bardem is Spanish, Cotillard French. I'll have more about that in tomorrow's Beacon Journal column.

– I can live with "No Country" as best picture, although I would have been just as satisfied with "There Will Be Blood" or "Juno" (and probably a bit more gleeful about "Juno"). Nice that "Juno" at least got best original screenplay.

– Day-Lewis was indeed deserving, and in the best-actor clips, they used that baptism scene which is really an "oh, give him the Oscar" moment in the movie. Still, Tommy Lee Jones was unbelievable in "In the Valley of Elah," and I would have easily accepted his winning.

– Javier Bardem, really good. No problem with the win, although my sentimental side would have liked to see Hal Holbrook up there, because he was terrific in "Into the Wild," and he has had a long distinguished career. Nor would I have objected to Casey Affleck, except that he's really the lead in his movie.

And now for some grumping.

– You've heard me about Marion Cotillard, but I'm going to say it again. Not remotely deserving. Mannered performance, labored film. Can't wait to see how high this is next year in the worst-best-actress-winner polls.

–Tilda Swinton? Tilda Swinton? Twitchy performance. Not in a league with Amy Ryan or Cate Blanchett. And I'd have put Taraji P. Henson in the nominees' list before Swinton, and probably some others whom I cannot think of at the moment.

Let me leave this post with a link to my piece in today's Beacon Journal about worthwhile movies overlooked by the Oscars this year.

And a reminder to watch "A Raisin in the Sun" Monday night. Fine production. My review is here.

Cameron Diaz for cinematography, a word that she has trouble saying..

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More stuff, after the jump, and after I finish gagging over Marion Cotillard's win …

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Another parade of previous-winner clips. Forest Whitaker presents.

Marion Cotillard wins. Ick. Yuck. As I have said before, I would give this to anyone else in the category, including Laura Linney, and I haven't even seen her performance. Cotillard is way excited. "Thank you, life, thank you, love. It is true there are angels in this city."

Jessica Alba and more after the jump …

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Clips from previous winners. Alan Arkin to present.

Tilda Swinton wins. Akh. She's in some Harry Potter-ish dress. As you know from my "Oscar Watch" posts, she's not my choice. Not even close. I've got some people I would have nominated before her. And among the nominees, I would have gone with two or three before her. Fun acceptance speech, though.

Back to the show. Stewart jokes about Bardem's Spanish. Intros a montage we might have seen if the writers strike continued …

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Clips of former winners, capped by Cuba Gooding Jr. shouting off his finish-up music.
Presenter: Jennifer Hudson. Reads her lines with little emotion.

Clips of nominees. Hal Holbrook is killing me in his clip.

Javier Bardem wins. (Or "Harvier," as Hudson says it.) No upset here.

Bardem says "this is pretty amazing" and "I have to speak fast, man." Acknowledges his bad haircut in the movie. Speaks in Spanish to his mother.

It's 8:30 and we're in the fancy opening, …

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Here's how it will work tonight: I'll be posting notes here while the Oscars telecasts are in progress. I'll take a break around 11 to write something for tomorrow's Beacon Journal, then return here until the telecast is over, when I'll have to write an update for the paper. Then I'll sum up here. So follow along, if you want, after the jump. …

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