The 97th Academy Awards proved to be anything but boring, with extravagant musical performances, tributes to industry legends and, of course, the awards presentation itself. Like all awards shows, the star-studded night had its ups and downs. Let’s take a quick look at some highs and lows from the show:
BEST – A solid host
Let’s make this clear: Conan O’Brien killed it. He commanded the crowd flawlessly, weaving in his signature sense of humor sporadically to keep the event from coming to a lull. Dissing Drake weeks after Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance proved how an edgy host can keep those in attendance and viewers at home invested in the show.
WORST – “In Memoriam” segment
The horrendous music paired with low-effort graphics made this downright embarrassing. As always with these segments, not everyone gets featured, but excluding Michelle Trachtenberg after her sudden passing a few days before at 39 felt off. Even though she wasn’t ever nominated for an Academy Award, she cemented her status as a teen icon in films like “Eurotrip,” “Ice Princess,” and “17 Again” throughout the 2000s.
BEST – Funny introduction bits
Ben Stiller, who presented Best Production Design, instantly became memorable when he emerged from the stage through a secret platform. The bit poked fun at set malfunctions, and the award went to “Wicked.” Later, Scarlett Johansson presented Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside the star of her directorial debut: 95-year-old June Squibb. It was only fitting that this award went to the film they poked fun at: “The Substance”!
WORST – Celebrating James Bond
Aside from Margaret Qualley’s appearance at the start (she was 100% snubbed of a Best Supporting Actress nomination), this tribute was a hot mess. Why on Earth was Doja Cat there, let alone singing “Diamonds Are Forever”? Sometimes it’s best to leave classic songs untouched. Same goes for Raye’s “Skyfall” rendition… girl, you’re not Adele!
BEST – An upset in the Best Actress race
Mikey Madison took home a coveted Oscar statuette for her performance as the titular character in “Anora.” The 25-year-old narrowly edged out presumed frontrunner Demi Moore and gave a sweet speech thanking all the support she received. The future’s looking bright for Ms. Madison!
WORST – “Emilia Perez” is now an Oscar-winning film
Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to award the most controversial (and just plain awful) film two Oscars. While Zoe Saldana easily was the film’s standout performance, she wasn’t exactly worthy of the Best Supporting Actress prize; Ariana Grande unironically deserved it over her. Even worse, “El Mal” won Best Original Song, and the songwriters began to “sing” off-key as part of their speech. Cringe!
BEST – Big night for indie films
“Anora” walked away with five awards, the most of the night. Sean Baker made his film for $6 million — which isn’t much these days considering how blockbusters can easily cost upwards of $300 million. Baker shouted out independent filmmakers in his acceptance speeches for Best Director and Best Picture, respectively. Other big wins for indie films include Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” picking up three awards (including Best Actor for Adrien Brody) and “Flow,” a Latvian film with no dialogue, taking home the Best Animated Feature trophy.
WORST – Tech issues
Shame on you, Hulu! Cutting out at the end of the broadcast is not cool. If people pay good money for streaming services these days, they deserve smooth live streams.Â
And that’s a wrap on this year’s Oscars! Thank goodness Emilia Perez will fade into obscurity, but beware! “Wicked: For Good” releases this November, so brace yourselves for another chaotic awards season with Cynthia and Ariana.