Oscars post-mortem: Happy and sad about last night's results

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu 

Last night's Oscars were unusually emotional -- from Patricia Arquette's powerful call for women's equality to the moving performance of Selma's "Glory."

Neil Patrick Harris was an ok host -- a couple chuckles here or there -- but he essentially did nothing that Ellen DeGeneres or even Hugh Jackman haven't already done better.

The big winner of the night was undeniably Birdman even though The Grand Budapest Hotel did well in some of the lesser categories.

Still, for me it was a bittersweet Oscars for many reasons -- and pretty much a confirmation that Hollywood remains something of an insider's circle at the end of the day.

I was stunned by the lack of love for Boyhood, a masterpiece that took 12 years to make and was arguably the most acclaimed film of the year. Arquette's victory was expected and earned but I think this film deserved so much more.

That said, I am enormous fan of Birdman and I have no problems with it taking the top two prizes of the night (Best Picture and Director). I am just dumbfounded that the driving force behind that movie -- Michael Keaton -- came up short.

By all accounts Eddie Redmayne gave a touching, transformative performance in The Theory of Everything, but does anyone think his role or film will be relevant years from now?

Michael Keaton 

Keaton delivered a tour de force in a technically demanding film that was unlike anything else to be released this year or any year. This was one of those appalling Oscar upsets that's going to stick in my craw.

Also, the Oscars seemed to not know how to address this year's stunning lack of diversity.

Neil Patrick Harris made a few jokes about it and there was a consistent parade of black presenters and cutaways to black stars in the audience, but none of that changed the fact that these awards are very stodgy, white and elitist.

Although Birdman is a funny, smart and innovative character study about the limits of ego -- it will probably be viewed as victorious because it was about Hollywood, and the industry loves to revel in its own excesses. I hope that's not true, it would be nice to think voters chose the film on its own merits.

All in all, I left last night with mixed feelings. I thought Jack Black had the funniest moment of Neil Patrick Harris' entire hosting gig. I thought the speeches were better than average (as were the ads during the show). I was thrilled to see Julianne Moore finally get the recognition she deserves, and bummed to see Michael Keaton be overlooked again.

I wonder why I allow myself to care about these things -- like all film buffs I know the Oscars don't mean all that much (Citizen Kane didn't win and Do the Right Thing wasn't even nominated). And yet next year I'll be right there all over again.