LOS ANGELES (AP) – The first televised Hollywood Film Awards was like a dressy, drawn-out advertisement for Oscar hopefuls.
More than half of the night’s recipients were recognised for films that haven’t been released yet. Trailers for the movies played during the commercial breaks.
Queen Latifah, who hosted the ceremony yesterday at the Hollywood Palladium, talked about the event’s relative obscurity in her opening monologue, saying, “Not many people knew about this show”.
Response to the awards ranged from genuine appreciation to goofy acknowledgement.
“All my life I’ve dreamt of getting one of these, like everybody else in this room, and I can’t believe this day has come,” Chris Rock joked as he accepted a trophy for his new film, Top Five, set for release next month.
“An Oscar is an Oscar,” he continued, examining the trophy. “What is this, a shiny blackie? I don’t know. I love it though.”
Johnny Depp made immediate use of the F-word when he took the stage to present the documentary award for Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon. The megastar slurred and continued to use expletives before he was cut off by a film-clip package.
Ben Affleck, who accepted the film award for Gone Girl, said he hoped it didn’t appear presumptuous that he prepared a speech.
“When they told me there were no other nominees, I felt cautiously optimistic,” the actor said.
Steve Carell and Channing Tatum, who were recognised as an ensemble for their work in Foxcatcher, used their acceptance speech time to repeatedly hug one another and presenter Jonah Hill.
“I’m not even in the movie,” Hill playfully protested.
Other stars, though, seemed honestly touched at the recognition.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who won the actor award for playing code-cracking Alan Turing in The Imitation Game (opening later this month), called the prize “a huge honour”.
