If there's one adjective that describes the recent Academy Awards show, it's "nice." The Academy Awards Show was hosted by a nice person who did a nice job, giving awards to a bunch of nice people. It wasn't the most exciting or buzz worthy ceremony, but it was an awards show that perfectly matched the nominated movies.

Can you really ask for more. You can save the pomp and circumstance for a year in which a "Titanic" or "Lord of the Rings" is nominated. But in a year in which your top characters are Richard Nixon, an old man aging backwards, a confused German teenager exploring his sexuality, a gay martyr, and kids from the slums of India, Hugh Jackman will do.

I liked the previous award winners giving the awards away, but was a little worried by it at first. I thought, holy crap, this show's going to take forever. And it also had this really weird cult-like vibe to it. As if Shirley McClaine and Robert De Niro were trying to recruit new members into their secret club. "Come, join us."

But the format grew on me. Especially when the presenters really clicked with the nominees. I especially liked Shirley McClaine's little speech to Anne Hathaway. It seemed real to me. And I liked DeNiro's barb about how Sean Penn was able to "play a straight man for all of those years." That's a classic line worthy of anything Bruce Vilanch's ever come up with.

And I absolutely LOVED the format of how they went through the whole progression of how a movie's made, from the writing to the costuming to the effects. It made the show feel more fluid and organic and less like a series of disjointed awards given haphazardly.

For me, the highlight of the show was Heath Ledger getting the Academy Award for the Joker. Anya and I were in tears the whole time. Heath Ledger was not an actor that I completely connected with when he was alive, but am doing so now that he's gone. His last few roles were really out of this world. He's a talent that will be missed for years to come.

But yeah, overall, I really dug the show. It wasn't the most exciting of award shows, but it was a more than enjoyable viewing experience.

- Matt