After many years under the directorial spotlight and living in the shadows of his successful Hollywood collegues, Martin Scorcese finally received top honors at the 79th Academy Awards this year with his Bostonian mob saga, “The Departed.” The acclaimed director deservingly won Best Director and Best Picture, after five failed attempts for the coveted Best Director award; a title that elluded his illustratious career.

Hosted by Daytime personality, Ellen DeGeneres, the Oscars provided a mixed bag of winners. The Best Actor recipient went to Forest Whitaker for his astounding performance as Ughandan dictator Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland.” Video Plugger interviewed the soft-spoken actor last October at the London Film Festival. The Best Actress nod went to Helen Mirren for her icon portrayl of British Monarch, Elizabeth II in “The Queen.”

First time winner and former “American Idol” contestant, Jennifer Hudson won Best Supporting Actress for “Dreamgirls.” Hudson played a powerhouse vocalist kicked out of 1960s girl group. It was her first film role and her tearful acceptance speech demonstrated Hollywood’s attraction to breakout stars. In the category of Best Supporting Actor, Alan Arkin won for his part in the indie sucess, “Little Miss Sunshine,” which also won “Best Original Screenplay,” for first-time screenwriter, Michael Ardt.

The highly profiled Al Gore global warming documentary, “An Inconveient Truth” picked up “Best Documentary,” which got environment-friendly actor, Leonardo DiCaprio jokingly telling the politician to reveal his “annoucement.” In a light-hearted gag, Gore was unceremonsly cut off by the orchestra before he could finish his so-called announcement. It was in true Oscar style that jokes run rampant and even more entertaining when politicans getting involved because of the award show’s political undertones.

Personally, the Oscars are past the glory days of Billy Crystal hosting and big blockbuster nomination lists. It is the God’s honest truth that the money makers are not always guaranteed success like orginally seen in the 1990s. The film audience has changed and the independent movie machine is actually working. “Little Miss Sunshine” is an ideal example. Even with “40-year-old Virgin” Steve Carrell in its cast, the film picked up steam in the box office simply by plugging away at the buzz surrounding it. No amount of press and media coverage could replace that kind of popularity because it belongs in a category of its own. Also seen in 2004’s “Napoleon Dynamite,” and the ridiclously overrated “Blair Witch Project,” (1999). The power of the indies are making a comeback and the studios are taking notice.

As a result of the winners during Hollywood’s big night, the mood is certainly changing. Not only are Hollywood’s homegrown taking home the Oscars, but international heavyweights such as Mirren, reality stars and politicans are handed a golden statue. Amazing. I guess predicable days are over in Tinseltown.

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