cinema, not streamlined and corporate, but idiosyncratic and original. it certainly got a lot of love from the academy. everyone was cheering and rooting for this movie. why were they so invested in it, why did they care so much? and it was really because they related to the family comedy, to the way that the immigrant community bonded and figured out their problems, and people were really moved by the poignancy of the mother/daughter relationship. it covered all sorts of fronts without ever preaching. one of the big comeback stories of the night was brendan fraser winning best actor for his portrayal of an obese teacher reconnecting with his daughter in the whale. who would want me to be part of their life? fraser had been a big star in hollywood 30 years ago but getting leading roles had become tough. the whale proved he had the talent to deliver an expert portrayal.