Overall, I liked this year's Oscars.  But Mom, not so much.  She liked hottie Hugh...
but said: "Why were they showing clips of all those old movies?"  I explained that the Academy was trying to go "old school"...ala 1940s Hollywood supper clubs...but Mom actually partied at 1940s Hollywood supper clubs and was having none of it!  Her advice: "More music; less talk!"  Snap!

(If you have 30 minutes to kill see Mom's Hollywood history on YouTube in my ode to rockin' Mom Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)

I say smart move incorporating movies people actually see...

But I was annoyed by the night's documentary showcase.

Instead of showing clips of the nominated docs...most people have never seen...the broadcast aired interviews w/ the nominated doc directors...telling us how important docs are...

Said Andy Pipkin from the cheap seats: "Yeah, I know".

Okay, so the interviews were shot by the famous Maysle brothers...whatever, fine...but wouldn't it be even better to show clips of these awesome movies to the Oscar's 36 million viewers?

Because the Academy failed you, here's the links to the trailers of these 5 great docs:

**OSCAR WINNER**
Man on Wire: The gripping tale of French lunatic Phillipe Petit's high wire walk between NYC's Twin Towers.  Probably a great film, but I have a serious fear of heights and can't even watch the trailer!

**BETTY PICKS***
Encounters at the End of the World: Crazy German director Warner Herzog ("Grizzly Man", "Fitzcarraldo") sets his sardonic sights on the mad scientists who choose to work in Antarctica.  This clip shown at IDA's doc party made me laugh...and host Lily Tomlin cry...not sure what that sez about me, but if you love Herzog's morbidly hilarious world view as much as I do, rent it!

"Trouble the Water": New Orlean's 9th Ward in Katrina's aftermath, caught on tape by a resident with a cheap camera and a few hours of battery life.  Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner.  Fantastic first-person take on this sad American tale.

***THE OTHER NOMINEES***
The Betrayal: Laotian immigrants acclimate to America after America secretly bombs their homeland.

The Garden: Immigrants in LA kick City Hall's ass and save a vibrant community garden.


IDA's DOC PARTY
Somehow, I managed to miss all 5 of these Oscar-nominated docs in the theater.  But I did make the International Documentary Association's annual Oscar fête held, as always, at the oh-so-elegant Academy of Motion Pictures theater in Beverly Hills.  So posh!  I wore my best shoes!

This year's host was Lily Tomlin...narrator of a doc produced by IDA's Exec Director Michael Lumpkin, "Celluloid Closet", about the secret life of gays in old Hollywood -- catch it on TMC!  It's great!

Lily was so charming!  Girlfriend loves docs!  And what a thrill to see the legend in person!

Lily on the day with IDA's Michael Lumpkin

Every nominated director showed up except Herzog.  But we hardly missed him once James Marsh...

the hottie behind "Man on Wire", took the stage and confessed how was inspired to make his Oscar-winning doc after being rudely awakened by Philippe Petit's voice on his clock radio.  Petit is hard to resist!

We experienced his ineffable charm first-hand when he skipped onto the stage to confess he's "not from this planet".  It was clear that Marsh and Petit were destined for Oscar gold!

Check out Petit, Tomlin, and everyone else who showed up in Beverly Hills that night on the IDA's website.