TVSquad

It was the best of Oscar it was the worst of Oscar. It wasn't the best show I've ever seen, but was it the worst Oscars ever as one friend emailed me? I think there were features that worked and features that tanked. There could have been more star power -- where were Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Jim Carrey, Sandra Bullock, Christian Bale, Tyler Perry (he had the biggest box office opening last week!), etc.? Forget about stars from the '70s...

Anyway, I had predicted that the Oscars would stink. Well, I was wrong, or half-wrong. Separate from whether you agreed with the winners -- I did by and large -- or you didn't, what about the broadcast? I think if you had seen all the nominees (or at least the Best Picture noms), you probably had a rooting interest and were amused by most of the show. However, the other half was pretty bad. After the jump, what worked versus what did not.

I don't think this is a case of a big star taking a role on TV for the paycheck. Mr. Box Office -- I gave him that name based on the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series alone -- Harrison Ford has agreed to star in a CBS film called Crowley. The picture is a true story, based on the case of John and Aileen Crowley, whose children are afflicted with a rare genetic condition. They seek the help of researcher -- Ford's character -- who may have the cure.

The book on which the Robert Nelson Jacobs (The Water Horse) screenplay was written is called The Cure. The original idea came from a Wall Street Journal article and book by Geeta Anand. The director is still being negotiated, but Tom Vaughan is the prime candidate. Considering his last film was What Happens in Vegas, I hope they keep looking. Ford will be executive producing the film as well as playing the scientist.

A movie created through a partnership between HBO and RAI, the Italian state broadcaster about Albert Einstein may feature Sean Penn playing the role of the acclaimed physicist. Penn has apparently expressed interest in both the script and in working with Italian director Liliana Cavani. The TV movie is obviously still in the early stages, so who knows what to expect, but I can easily picture Penn playing this role. The kid's got range, I'm telling you. Hopefully he can affect a decent German accent, too, or at the very least grasp the concept of an accelerating universe. What do you folks think? Could Penn handle this role? Who else would make a good Einstein?