1. And there it is. Neil Patrick Harris revs the night into high gear with a catchy opening Broadway number. Are we watching the Tony Awards or the Oscars? Just kidding, you know we love you, NPH. He belts out the ‘Moving Pictures’ show tune with equal parts flair and vigour, bringing in Anna Kendrick (with a kicker about Gone Girl), Jack Black (for an angsty interruption), the Avengers and even Darth Vader. If you didn’t realise, the song was written by ‘Frozen’ hit-makers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Now we’re off and running.
2. In the midst of the smaller award announcements, JK Simmons gets Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash and Patricia Arquette picks up Best Supporting Actress for Boyhood. A first for both. No one is surprised, they're all well-deserved. After Simmons’ heartfelt speech, our hands had a life of their own as they dialed home to say ‘I love you’. Arquette makes the first political statement of the night, advocating equal pay for women (and continues it somewhat controversially backstage). Very passionate.
3. After a slightly dull first hour, things perk up with the colourful and frenzied performance of ‘Everything is Awesome’ from The LEGO Movie – or, as we like to call it, The Movie That Was So Awesome it Should’ve Won Best Animated Feature Instead of the Overrated and Predictably Cheesy Big Hero 6. A Lego choir! An awesome possum werkin’ it! Tegan and Sara singing while The Lonely Island rap in powder blue suits and red capes! Random construction workers dancing with big grins and handing out Lego Oscar trophy men! Oprah gets one! Steve Carell gets one! Everybody gets one! Will Arnett guest stars as emo Batman (‘darkness, no parents’)! Everything is awesome, indeed.
4. Fresh off their win for Best Original Song, John Legend and Common take the stage to sing ‘Glory’ from Selma (which, sadly, hasn’t been released in Singapore – if it ever will be). They did it with so much feels, more tears were shed – David Oyelowo and Chris Pine among them – than during the touching tribute to Hollywood talents lost over the last year (it’s okay, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Hudson, you did your best, and it was poignant as ever).
5. Well, that’s it, folks. NPH trotted on stage in his tighty whities, in a muscled nod to Birdman. Lady Gaga actually looked and sounded pretty damn good sans props and dancing distractions, in an homage to The Sound of Music (although we half expected her to break out of the gown and prance around in a bra made of egg shells or something). Adele Dazeem, otherwise known as Idina Menzel, exacted revenge on John Travolta – or, as she cheekily called him, Glom Gazingo. Birdman swept up Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director; Julianne Moore cried her way through to Best Actress; Eddie Redmayne got all excited to take home Best Actor; even The Imitation Game received some love for Best Adapted Screenplay. Now that it’s over, time to go follow @JKSimmonsHat, which is, you know, the new Angelina Jolie’s right leg.
If you were one of those who didn’t manage to secretly watch the live telecast at work (or school), catch it on HBO Signature (StarHub TV Ch 603) on Feb 24 at noon and Feb 25 at 11pm; or on HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601) on Feb 27 at 11.10pm and Mar 1 at 4.30pm.