The Oscars – winner!
The organizers of the Academy promised a concise and lively ceremony, and we all sarcastically rolled our eyes. Don’t they make that promise every year? However, this time they truly delivered, providing a well-planned ceremony, but also allowing for some fun spontaneity. As a result, it was the most entertaining Oscars in years, with a mix of playfulness and sincerity. The presence of the biggest names in the industry, for the most part, contributed to the success. It’s worth mentioning, where were you, Wes Anderson? You just received your first Oscar! Overall, the Oscars finally lived up to its reputation once again.
Lily Gladstone – loser!
It has become a characteristic of a Martin Scorsese movie for it to have many nominations for the Oscars but not win any. The films “The Irishman,” “Gangs of New York,” “Taxi Driver,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” have a total of 29 nominations but no wins. “Killers of the Flower Moon” seemed like it would follow this pattern, but Lily Gladstone’s win seemed almost certain, as she has become one of the biggest stars of this year’s awards season. While her nomination was historic, she did not end up winning, as Emma Stone surprisingly won in the last minute. Overall, the night was rather predictable with the exception of this one surprise.
Baftas – winner!
In the past year, the Baftas and the Oscars seemed like they could have been held in completely different years. In London, Cate Blanchett and Austin Butler received the top acting awards; All Quiet on the Western Front was the big winner. Two weeks later, in Hollywood, Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser and Everything Everywhere All at Once took home the top honors. In 2024, the awards were closely aligned, with the exception of the visual effects category (Godzilla at the Oscars, Poor Things at the Baftas). It is common for people to expect the British awards to dominate on their own turf. However, we never expected them to do so 6,000 miles away from home.
Brits – winner!
Seven out of the 23 categories saw victories for British counterparts (with the exception of Cillian Murphy, who hails from Ireland). However, there seemed to be an extra element in the atmosphere that made the night feel even livelier. This was due to a carefree attitude that almost bordered on disarray. Many winners took the opportunity to acknowledge their loved ones and colleagues in the farthest seats, resulting in boisterous responses from the crowd.
The speeches had a subdued tone, standing out from the more emotional presentations seen in Hollywood. Humility was evident, as well as some nerves. Many also seemed to be feeling the effects of jet lag. Nadia Stacey, from “Poor Things,” graciously thanked someone named Caroline at home, reminding us that we all have a “Caroline” in our lives.
Fall awards ceremonies – unsuccessful person!
It was previously straightforward: release your prestigious drama anywhere between September and December and you had a high chance of winning best picture. However, in recent times, this prime period has become less desirable. Four out of the last five best picture recipients premiered well before fall: Oppenheimer in July 2021, Everything Everywhere All At Once at SXSW in March 2022, Coda at Sundance in January 2021, and Parasite at Cannes in May 2019. With one of the potential frontrunners for next year’s Oscars, Dune Part 2, already released in March, will this lead to studios reconsidering their release strategies? And what does this mean for fall festivals (such as Venice, Toronto, and Telluride), who may need to make adjustments?
Congratulations on winning Mother’s Day!
The Oscars this year reminded everyone that Mother’s Day is celebrated earlier in the UK than in the US. This was made evident by the British winners who mentioned the holiday and thanked their mothers in their speeches, such as Sean Ono Lennon and the sound designers for The Zone of Interest, Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers. Costume designer Holly Waddington also thanked her partner Andrew for taking care of their children so she could work. However, it was ironic that by the time the Oscars aired in the UK, it was technically already the day after Mother’s Day. Nevertheless, the sentiment behind their gestures is what truly matters.
Barbie – loser winner!
During the awards season, Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling joked about their now peaceful rivalry while promoting their new film, The Fall Guy. Although Oppenheimer won most of the awards, Barbie captured the hearts of the audience and even won an Oscar for Billie Eilish. Gosling’s performance of Barbie’s boyfriend Ken was a standout moment of the night, with a special appearance from Slash for a thrilling guitar solo. The whole spectacle, paying tribute to the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, brought joy to even the most skeptical members of the crowd.
Twins 2 – winner!
Based on the enthusiastic response to the reunion of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, along with Michael Keaton’s excellent performance as the deadpan villain, the likelihood of a long-awaited sequel to the beloved 1988 comedy Twins has significantly increased. The possibility of Triplets (with the addition of Eddie Murphy) had been in discussions, but the unfortunate passing of director Ivan Reitman in 2022 seemed to put an end to the project. According to Schwarzenegger, Reitman’s son Jason, who took over the project, halted production after his father’s death. The actors, along with the financing, were all set to go, but the passing of Reitman Sr. caused a temporary delay. However, Schwarzenegger is currently working on another film with DeVito and is excited to collaborate with his talented costar once again. Keep an eye out for Twins 2 in theaters in the summer of 2026.
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Jimmy Kimmel – winner!
After several years of expressing a strong dislike for the Oscars, criticizing the films, the ceremony, and the highly-paid hosting job that he chose to undertake, Kimmel managed to strike a more agreeable tone tonight. He celebrated the event while also teasing and managing to make the audience laugh. His monologue was livelier than usual, with less desperate attempts to create a viral moment. He also took a moment to show his solidarity for behind-the-scenes workers, giving us a great reason to applaud. In addition, he made sure to spark and then mock Donald Trump, a move that is always welcome.
Al Pacino – loser!
Although not as disastrous as Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty’s mix-up at the 2017 Oscars, Al Pacino’s lackluster delivery of the Best Picture winner caused a bit of stress for live television producers. During the suspenseful moment, Pacino struggled to announce the winner, jokingly commenting “I have to go to the envelope for that.” Tension increased as he appeared to see the name “Oppenheimer” on the card, leaving viewers wondering if he was about to share a strange anecdote. However, he quickly clarified that “Oppenheimer” was indeed the correct winner, bringing a sense of relief to everyone.
The envelope of John Cena has been declared the winner.
It’s time for the Oscars to introduce a new category that recognizes the contribution of inanimate objects. This year, the winner would undoubtedly be the comically large envelope that John Cena used to cover his genitals on Sunday night. As a former wrestler turned actor, Cena brought laughter to the Oscars audience and viewers alike when he appeared on stage wearing nothing but oversized muscles and a strategically placed envelope. His bit with host Jimmy Kimmel about streaking across the stage was refreshingly spontaneous and not as forced as some of the other staged moments we often see at awards shows. It was lighthearted and enjoyable, like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.
Streamers – losers!
It was a no good night for the streamers, with Netflix picking up just one win (for Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl short) and Apple winning nothing at all, Killers of the Flower Moon coming away empty-handed. Combined the two companies had 32 nods going in but the night belonged to the studios, with Universal and Disney winning the big ones, and the indie upstarts, including A24 and Neon, coming up behind. A best picture win evades Netflix and looks like it might still for the near future.
The victor is Bradley Cooper. No kidding!
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If being present is 90% of success, then it’s safe to say that Bradley Cooper will definitely be among the winners on this list. As the director and star of “Maestro,” Cooper has put in an incredible amount of effort towards winning an Oscar, despite the film initially facing criticism and backlash online. He even made an appearance on the sitcom “Abbott Elementary” immediately after the awards ceremony, determined to have the final say. One can only imagine the outcome if Cooper’s efforts were directed towards a film that was actually well-received.
Robert De Niro was close to being a winner!
Although he was not considered a top contender for the best supporting actor award, Tim Robbins’ blunder while praising the star of Killers of the Flower Moon seemed to unintentionally announce him as the winner. Robbins was embarrassed, while DeNiro appeared to be in good spirits – especially compared to the joke made by Kimmel about him and Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. While he may have not been the actual winner, DeNiro came out of this year’s Oscars looking like a success, especially compared to his longtime friend Al Pacino.
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Donald Trump – loser!
He couldn’t resist, could he? We were so close to having an Oscars without any mention of Trump – no speeches about the state of democracy or his physical traits. But then, from Truth Social, a post was made. It asked the question, “Has there ever been a worse host than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars?” (written in all caps and without a question mark, as per the writer’s style). Kimmel, with the shorter ceremony this year, had a minute to respond with a concise and effective comeback, surpassing the former president’s attempt. He simply responded with, “Isn’t your jail time over?”
First-timers – winners!
Although an award was given to someone who had previously won in the same category, the majority of the night’s winners were first-time recipients. Cord Jefferson and Justine Triet received awards for adapted and original screenplay, respectively. Robert Downey Jr and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, each with three nominations, took home awards for supporting actor and actress. Cillian Murphy won for actor, Christopher Nolan for director, and Jonathan Glazer for international feature. The final Oppenheimer award gave a sense of nostalgia, but it was an exhilarating night for newcomers.
Louis Vuitton’s zipper closures – not superior!
There is nothing quite as unforgettable as a wardrobe malfunction, and Emma Stone’s Oscar acceptance speech for her Best Actress win for her role in Poor Things was no exception. Stone donned a custom Louis Vuitton strapless dress on Sunday night, which seemed to hold up well until Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken.” Apparently, Gosling’s energetic moves caused Stone’s dress zipper to break mid-song. This resulted in Gosling being dubbed a “peplum popper” and Stone accepting her award in a dress that was no longer in perfect condition.
Godzilla – winner!
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The biggest surprise of the evening was when Godzilla Minus One received the Academy Award for best visual effects, surpassing big-budget films Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning. This win proves that it is possible to create a visually stunning film with only a $15 million budget, compared to the $200 million budgets of the other nominees. The Japanese team – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima – joyfully took the stage wearing matching Godzilla claw shoes. Yamazaki then presented his Godzilla toy and delivered an emotional speech, stating, “My career began 40 years ago after being inspired by Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As someone who is far from Hollywood, the idea of standing on this stage seemed unattainable. But when we were nominated, we felt like Rocky Balboa.”
Fans of Josh Hartnett are victorious!
Although Josh Hartnett’s return to the limelight may be targeted towards millennials, it is something that all audiences can appreciate. His role in the film Oppenheimer landed him on the Oscars stage on Sunday, where he joined in accepting the award for Best Picture. Fans were elated to see him and are eagerly anticipating his potential presence at future award ceremonies.
There is a high chance that Spielberg will win an Academy Award for his acting.
Move over Martin Scorsese: there’s a new veteran director currently killing it in front of the cameras. Steven Spielberg’s reaction shots over the course of the evening demonstrate that he, too, could wipe the floor with many of the performers in his employ. First there was the wafer-dry nod when the camera cut to him after Kimmel said: “This is what the kid from The Fabelmans looks like now.” And later some absolutely beautiful looks to camera as it apparently emerged he was the recipient of Kate McKinnon’s tasteful nudes.
The winner is Field of Dreams!
Beware, Kimmel: John Mulaney is vying for your position and he just might excel at it. In his brief 90 seconds on stage, Mulaney delivered an impressive performance – using the best sound design category as a springboard for a humorous monologue about the film Field of Dreams from 1989, concluding with the quip: “I suppose there’s a rule in ghost baseball that prohibits an elderly ghost from returning to the field if they leave to perform a Heimlich manoeuvre. I adore Field of Dreams. It deserves to win best picture! But knowing the Oscars, they’ll probably choose one from this year.” It was lighthearted, entertaining, and not typically the type of humor the Oscars gravitate towards, so perhaps we’ll see Kimmel hosting again next year.
Jonathan Glazer – winner!
Jonathan Glazer, a filmmaker who has only released four feature-length movies in the past 24 years, has never shown a strong desire for an Oscar. Although Ben Kingsley received a nomination for his role in Sexy Beast, and both Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson deserved recognition for their performances in Birth and Under the Skin respectively, Glazer’s films do not conform to the Academy’s preferences. Even when he decided to make a World War II film, typically an easy path to garnering awards attention, his interpretation was unique and unapologetically cold and intense, resembling more of an art exhibit than a traditional narrative film. Against all odds, the voting body, known for being more artistically-inclined, recognized Glazer’s work and awarded his film The Zone of Interest for its sound and international features. This recognition was not something Glazer actively campaigned for or was driven by, but rather a well-deserved moment of recognition for a filmmaker who has always thrived in the darkness.
Messi is the victor while Matt Damon is the defeated.
There were rumors that Messi might not attend the Oscars, but the canine actor who played a memorable role in Anatomy of a Fall was actually in attendance- and even had its own seat. During his monologue, Kimmel joked about Messi’s overdose scene, comparing it to Depardieu’s portrayal of a French actor eating vomit.
The audience’s top choice for the Palm Dog award is still popular this month, expressing admiration for Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, and Billie Eilish at the luncheon for nominees. However, opinions on Matt Damon are still divided among the jury.
Source: theguardian.com
