Lots of love for "The Hurt Locker." A first-time female director win for Kathryn Bigelow. The dude abides. Sandra Bullock eked out the win. And "Precious" had a big night with hometown girl Mo'Nique picking up a lil' gold man. Here's the highs and lows of Sunday's Oscar ceremony.
MOST UNEXPECTED COMEBACK: Good to know that Waldorf and Statler of the Muppets have been reincarnated in the form of host Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin doing their snarky show intro.
HOST DUTY: Split decision. Martin had a comfortable, worn-in feeling with his one-liners. Baldwin? Awkward and slightly wooden.
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH LINE WE PROMISE NOT TO USE ON DATES: "I love you more than rainbows" — Ryan Bingham, songwriter from "Crazy Heart"
WE'LL BE NICE: We're still upset about Sandra Bullock winning compared to her competition, but clearly she's a lovely, kind woman.
BALTIMORE REPRESENT: Good night for Charm City! Mo'Nique won supporting actress, "Music by Prudence," co-produced by MICA professor Patrick Wright, won best short subject documentary and winner Sandra Bullock played Michael Oher's adopted mom.
TRIBUTED OUT: We respect John Hughes' work, but did he need an individual tribute, complete with the reanimation of Judd Nelson? We don't remember, oh, Jimmy Stewart or Frank Sinatra getting their own.
BEST SPEECH OF THE NIGHT: Original score winner Michael Giacchino's "being creative is not a waste of time" wisdom.
WEIRDEST PRE-SHOW QUOTE: Gabourey Sidibe on her dress: "If fashion was porn, this dress is the money shot and you know it." OK, then.
WE NEVER THOUGHT: That E! pre-show host Ryan Seacrest would ever look like Walter Cronkite. Thanks, ABC pre-show host Kathy Ireland!
ODDEST MOMENT: Farrah Fawcett not in the in memoriam (aka: dead people) segment.
MOST UNCOMMITTED PRESENTER: Kristen Stewart. Really, pause to cough behind your shoulder?
MONTAGE PERSON WHO DIDN'T DO HIS HOMEWORK: Whoever decided to put "Twilight," "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Young Frankenstein" in the horror films montage.
BIGGEST RECOMMENDATION: Someone new to write the presenter banter. Exhibit A: Rachel McAdams defining "adapt" for us.
MOST INCONGRUOUS MOMENT: The dancing sequence. When I think of "The Hurt Locker," I definitely think of pop-and-locking.
Jordan Bartel is assistant editor at b. Follow him on Twitter, @jordanbartel.