I can't remember where I read it, but the story goes that Gabriel did not appreciate the songs being truncated and mashed together, and therefore declined to perform.

I don't blame him at all. I also always loved how in past shows, they play the entire song, by the original artist. Could have gotten rid of the long presentations by the past winners and done the full songs.

I agree with everything you said there. I really don't much like Hugh Jackman and didn't expect to like the show, but I thought he did pretty well. I wanted to look at some of the homemade props a little longer and I liked when he said he didn't see "The Reader" because it took him longer than he thought to make the bat-cycle!

I didn't watch some of the song and dance stuff, but I did see the mash-up which was a complete misfire. I think the idea was to shorten the show, but they really should have not blended the songs together. I don't know why there were only 3 songs. In past years they have had five. They really should move sound, sound editing, and sound mixing to the "technical" awards if they want to make it shorter. They definitely need to cut the "praise and adoration" during the nomination before the winner is announced. That was very uncomfortable.