“Anyone can be anything”, but only if the Academy says so
Content warning: This article references the documentary ‘To Kill a Tiger’, which contains themes of sexual violence.
The 96th edition of Hollywood’s biggest event, hosted by late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel, captivated thousands Sunday night. It was my first time watching the Oscars, and I don’t regret it in the slightest. An unapologetically glamorous and mildly entertaining event, the frequent blunders and flagrant favouritism weren’t enough to dull some heart-warming speeches and memorable performances.
Oppenheimer was nominated 13 times and swept up an impressive seven awards, dominating major categories such as “Best Director” and “Best Picture”. Cillian Murphy, who plays the titular character, won his first-ever Oscar for “Best Actor”.
It was also a good night for Poor Things, which I have yet to watch; the film triumphed in the hair and makeup, production, and costume design categories. Emma Stone delivered a tearful acceptance speech for “Best Actress” amidst a wardrobe malfunction. This is the second time she’s won the title; the first time was in 2017, for her role in La La Land.
Many were disappointed that Lily Gladstone, the soul of Killers of the Flower Moon, didn’t take home the Oscar. Indeed, she is the first Native American woman to be nominated for “Best Actress”.
Let’s start with a rundown of a few of the other winners (Source: CBS News), then conclude with some thoughts from a first-time Oscar watcher.
- Best supporting actor: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
- Best original screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall
- Best adapted screenplay: Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
- Best animated short: War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- Best international feature: The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)
- Best documentary feature: 20 Days in Mariupol
- Best documentary short: The Last Repair Shop
- Best live-action short: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
- Best score: Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer
- Best sound: Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn, The Zone of Interest
- Best cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer
- Best editing: Jennifer Lame, Oppenheimer
The acting awards were preceded by short introductory speeches from former winners of the title, praising the nominees. The presentation before announcing “Best Supporting Actress” felt the most sincere to me, like the actresses were genuinely friends and proud of each others’ accomplishments.
In stark contrast, the presentation before “Best Actor” featured close-ups of an exasperated Robert DeNiro — an 8-time Oscar nominee, without winning a single one — and what felt like impersonal and rehearsed commendations.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph delivered a memorable and heartwarming speech as she accepted the first award of the night, “Best Supporting Actress” for The Holdovers. It was short and to the point: she acknowledged all those who had encouraged and guided her in her career, and thanked the audience for “seeing her”. She spoke from the heart, and her raw emotion brought a tear to my eye.
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell took home their second Oscar for “Best Original Song” after an angelic rendition of “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. The siblings’ first Oscar was in 2022 for “No Time to Die”. Billie Eilish is the youngest person to win two Oscars in the show’s history, at 22 years old.
In a way, the Oscars are an embodiment of the American Dream, the “self-made man”, and the notion that “anyone can be anything”. In an interview last year, actor Ryan Gosling shed light on the true risks and countless rejections an acting career entails: “[Actors leave] their families, homes, their friends, their jobs to pursue a dream where they know that the percentage of them achieving that dream is never, and they do it anyway.” From this standpoint, it’s inspiring to see truly passionate and talented people getting recognized and rewarded for their work.
As a cinephile myself, it’s exciting to try and predict which films will win and to see familiar faces presenting and accepting awards. The reason we tune into this event that doesn’t directly involve us is because we have gone out of our way to watch the nominated films, at home or on the big screen. These films have impacted us in some way and we’re anxious to know if they affected others as deeply.
However, through the veneer of glamorous garments, dripping with dizzyingly expensive jewellery lies an elite largely disconnected from reality.
Crude jokes punctuated the inconsistent tone of the award presentations.
For example, John Cena scooted onstage practically naked to present the award for “Best Costume Design”.
The decision to have two comedians present the year’s “Best Documentary” (America Ferreira and Kate McKinnon) also seemed incongruent with the serious subject matter addressed in that category (the Russian invasion of Mariupol and the atrocities of war in 20 Days in Mariupol, and the pursuit of justice for the gang rape of a 13-year-old girl in To Kill a Tiger, among others).
How do you decide what is the “best”, anyway? How can the Academy, an exclusive, insulated board of wealthy individuals, determine whether one story merits to “win” against another? Especially in the documentary segment, every single subject addressed is of vital importance. They shouldn’t be pitted against each other, competing for attention.
At the night’s end, we were privy to a horribly anticlimactic unveiling by Al Pacino for Oppenheimer winning Best Picture.
I was shocked by the flagrant favouritism displayed by the Academy. Certain winners were allowed to drone on, thanking long lists of people unknown to the greater public, while others were rudely cut off by loud music signalling for them to “wrap up”.
Despite Oppenheimer being a known front-runner for the title, and Emma Thomas and Charles Roven (the film’s producers) having “dreamt” of this moment, they apparently hadn’t been expecting it; their speeches were disorganized and uncomfortably long.
On the other hand, the Japanese visual effects team spokesperson (winners of “Best Visual Effects” for Godzilla Minus One) attempted to read a speech in English, despite it clearly not being his first language. I suppose the Academy’s showrunners got tired of trying to understand what he was saying, because they started playing music to drown him out and usher him offstage.
Instead of spending an undoubtedly significant sum of money to get tequila for everyone in the audience, they could have at least provided the Japanese visual effects team with the option of an interpreter.
A memorial segment honoured those who passed away in the last year, featuring a slideshow to the tune of “Time to Say Goodbye”. This segment was instituted in 2014, and has been subject to change and critiques over the years; indeed, it has become a delicate affair as the editors are forced to pick and choose who will appear during the limited time allotted to the segment. Some actors are bound to be better known and receive more applause than others. It’s also difficult for a deceased marketing executive or a publicist to follow big names like Matthew Perry and Tina Turner, since they aren’t necessarily known to the greater public.
Some pictures of the departed were left up for longer than others, and some people were just reduced to names flickering on and off of the screen. I found the whole thing to be rather inappropriate and disrespectful to those who have passed – reducing a person to a name flashing on a screen is hardly a suitable tribute to their impact on the world.
The crowd of interpretive dancers frolicking about onstage during the segment was also rather distracting; the whole performance felt out of place alongside a rendition of “I’m Just Ken” performed by Ryan Gosling (which was absolutely iconic by the way, it had the whole audience on their feet).
That being said, the show was divided into digestible segments, with the presentation of two awards at a time before an ad break. Entertaining musical numbers and amusing banter was peppered throughout. Messi, the dog who stole the show in Anatomy of a Fall, made a few welcome appearances, even “clapping” in the audience (a clever bit of movie magic).
I happened to watch the show live at the Mayfair movie theatre in downtown Ottawa. I enjoyed viewing it on the big screen with a live audience, who were outspoken about their reactions as the show progressed. The cinema’s owners also organized diverting trivia with prizes, such as vintage movie reels and Blu-ray DVDs. Someone tirelessly sifted through Oscars ballots the audience had filled out during the pre-show, to determine who had predicted the most wins for a prize.
Entrance for the event was free, so I encourage you to tune into the Oscars next year at either the Mayfair or the Bytowne if you want a good laugh. It helps to support our local, independent movie theatres, who took a hit during the COVID-19 lockdowns with prolonged closures.
Though far from perfect, the Oscars are still an awe-inspiring affair.
