After a long streak of boring, misguided attempts to maintain relevance with mainstream audiences, last weekend’s Oscar telecast was the best ceremony in years. Part of that was a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to regain credibility after last year’s disaster. But it’s also because a new Academy CEO and television producers stopped chasing short-term trends and focused on what matters: honoring (mostly) great films and the dedicated folks who helped make them.
I can’t speak for all viewers, but a big reason I enjoyed myself was because the best film emerged victorious in most of the categories where it was nominated. That rarely happens with the Oscars, so I take the wins when I can. I went 18-for-23 with my predictions, which isn’t too shabby considering what a chaotic awards season it was.
As for the ceremony itself, here are a handful of moments from that stood out most, for good or ill:
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ dominates
It would be foolish to consider the Oscars a reliable barometer of quality — it’s more like an election for homecoming queen or student body president — but sometimes they get it right. This was one of those years. In addition to winning Best Picture, “Everything Everywhere” (which claimed the top spot on my 10 Best List last year) also took home trophies for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Editing.
Brendan Fraser wins
Even though “The Whale” isn’t great, I was happy to see Fraser take home Best Actor as a “he’s due” prize for his work in better films like “Gods and Monsters,” “No Sudden Move” and “School Ties.” Honestly, it’s just nice to see good things happen to good people.
Short and sweet speechesOften, winners’ speeches are the most boring part of the Oscars ceremony. Not this year — pretty much every speech was heartwarming. Most notable was Quan’s joy at a career resurgence after almost giving up; Jamie Lee Curtis getting the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award; Yeoh earning Best Actress after decades of paying her dues; the abovementioned Fraser; the Best Song winner (for “RRR,” which should’ve gotten a Best Picture nomination) singing his acceptance speech; and the “Irish Goodbye” winners using their time on stage to sing “Happy Birthday” to their short film’s subject.
Pop Culture nostalgia
Come on, how can you top Indiana Jones and Short Round reuniting on stage after “Everything Everywhere” won Best Picture, while Spielberg beamed from the audience? That was worth the entire overlong awards season by itself.
Jimmy Kimmel reminds us why hosts matter
Granted, his monologue was bland and inoffensive. Sure, he kept making jokes about the slap when he should’ve let it go after one or two. For the most part, though, Kimmel performed his hosting duties admirably. He kicked things off, provided continuity over the unwieldy three-and-a-half hours, kept things moving and said goodnight at the end.
In recent years without a host, there was a sense of aimlessness and a lack of control if a chaotic moment occurred. That didn’t happen this time around. The ceremony might’ve played things too safe, but I don’t blame them for erring on the side of caution after the catastrophic 2022 ceremony.
The Academy still has work to do
Although we’ve seen a clear shift in the type of films and actors the Academy has awarded in recent years, the organization still has a long way to go if it wants to represent the demographics of America (and the world, for that matter, considering the group’s international membership).
Ruth Carter took home the award for Costume Design, becoming the only Black woman to win more than one Oscar in the Academy’s nearly century-long existence. Later that evening, when Halle Berry handed Michelle Yeoh her Oscar, viewers saw the only two women of color who’ve won Best Actress — ever. That’s a sobering statistic.
Great films got shut out
While I was happy with “Everything Everywhere” taking home the top prize, I have to admit I was a little bummed that the Academy didn’t share the love this year. Outstanding films like “The Fabelmans,” “Tár” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” went home emptyhanded. I didn’t love “Elvis” as much as other moviegoers, but even that one didn’t get any Oscar love.
‘Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears’ by Michael Schulman (Now available.)
In this fascinating and timely history, Schulman examines American cinema and pop culture through the lens of the Academy Awards. For nine decades, actors, actresses, crew members and producers have chased the coveted, yet elusive Oscar. Beginning as an intimate dinner in 1929, it has exploded into a high-stakes, ridiculously expensive industry. Overall, the Oscars are a history of Hollywood, and — in some respects — America itself, unfolding in dramas large and small.
Schulman chronicles the sprawling saga of the Academy Awards and the personal battles that have played out on the stage and off camera. Each chapter takes a deep dive into a particular year, conflict, or category that tells a larger story of cultural change. The author examines how the person who goes home with the statue isn’t always the eventual victor, as well as the many victims caught in the crossfire of individual squabbles and industry vendettas.
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