This year, I did watch the Oscars—I haven't the last couple years—but there were a couple reasons I wanted to. This year I HAD seen all ten Best Picture nominees, Kimmel was hosting (and that's always a plus, even though I don't usually watch his Late Night show), and I had absolutely no investment on who should win. I didn't care who won; all the BP nominees were good films and there wasn't a studio-petitioned "turkey" in the bunch. Of course, I liked some better than others, but I saw the value and the talent in each. It's always a choice between apples and oranges, anyway, and on any given day, I might want an apple instead of an orange.
I had no favorites. I had some expectations, but there were enough "surprises" along the way that I could pretend there were no trends or blow-outs. Even though there was a nice scattering of statuary around, the ones that came up short with bling were Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, and Past Lives. There's always going to be some film or films left in the dust, and the only one I'd have liked to see get something was Past Lives.
What did I really like?
Godzilla Minus One getting "Best Special Effects." The movie's total budget was $15 million. That was probably the cost of catering Oppenheimer. I hope this doesn't spur a bunch of U.S. effects houses having to defend their budgets—they're already pushed to the breaking point.
The Zone of Interest won Best Sound. I would have grumbled if it didn't. No other movie depended on sound as much as that film or was as integral to it.
Billie Eilish having to go full-throated to sing "What Was I Made For?" as her intended whispering delivery wasn't cutting through the orchestra in the broadcast mix.
The writing for the presenters was a bit sub-par, although I did like the way Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling played theirs.
John Cena is always funny.
Michael Keaton "in character" when he was called out by presenting "Bat-villains" Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. "Ya son of a bitch" Schwarzenegger kept growling.
Is the Academy gutsy enough to have John Mulaney host the Oscars? Probably not.
Kimmel, adept at irony, hosting a ceremony that, at its heart, was created to discourage Unions: "This very strange town of ours is, at heart, a union town; it's not
just a bunch of heavily Botoxed Hailey Bieber-smoothie-drinking,
diabetes prescription-abusing, gluten-sensitive nepo babies with
perpetually shivering chihuahuas. This is a coalition of strong,
hardworking, mentally tough American laborers, women and men who, 100%
for sure, would die if they even had to touch the handle of a shovel."
But, it wasn't all irony. I didn't see the clip from Oppenheimer where Einstein says: "When they've punished you enough, they'll serve you salmon and potato
salad, make speeches, give you a medal, and pat you in the back telling
all is forgiven. Just remember, it won't be for you... it would be for
them."
The Oscars has always been for The Industry. Not for the nominees. Not for the winners. And certainly not for us "wonderful people in the dark."
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