Oscar moments

Best acceptance speeches

Geoffrey Fletcher, winner of Best Adapted Screenplay for Precious, who was so moved by winning the award that he struggled to get through his speech; Mo'Nique, winner of Best Supporting Actress for Precious, for saying "I would like to thank the academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics"; and Sandra Bullock, Best Actress winner for The Blind Side, for both choking up and calling Meryl Streep a good kisser.

Way to kill the moment

Practically every moving part of the show was quickly killed by a joke, usually by hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, but Robin Williams took the prize when he made an off-color remark about the Governor's Balls after honorees Roger Corman and Lauren Bacall were introduced but didn't get to speak.

In case you hadn't heard

To Sandy Powell, winner of Best Costume for Young Victoria, who started with "I already have two of these ...." It might have been an attempt at irony, but it came off as the kind of ungraciousness that can keep a three-time winner from becoming a four-time one.

Tribute bands

The co-stars and former co-stars paying tribute to the Best Actor and Actress nominees seemed like a nice touch at first, but as it went on and on, it just seemed like another thing bogging the show down, especially coming in the final half-hour.

Double-edged achievement

Not only did Sandra Bullock become the first person ever to win an Oscar (for The Blind Side) and a Golden Raspberry Award (for All About Steve) in the same weekend, she showed up for both ceremonies. But only at the Razzies did she pass out DVDs of her movie.

-- Robert Philpot