Reel Facts & Opinions: Oscar Night - The Good, The Bad, & The Glorious

The 94^th Academy Awards were last night, honoring the best achievements in film from the year that was 2021. It was an evening of history, a night of firsts, and a moment of shock. Here’s how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious. 

 

 

THE GOOD

-Having three hosts felt like overkill when it was announced, but for the most part it worked. Co-hosts Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall were very funny. The skits were a hoot (although some dragged on too long), and they lit up the stage every time they appeared. It felt great to have hosts back, and to be back in the Dolby Theatre. It was familiar, welcoming, and a feeling of long-overdue, desired normalcy. 

 

-The musical numbers were done with some stunning stage design and rotating musical elements. Beyonce doing Be Alive from Best Picture nominee KING RICHARD at the top of the show was inspired and looked great. The In Memoriam was fantastic as it celebrated lives instead of mourning them. 

 

-This Blogger has been saying for years that the Academy doesn’t embrace its own history enough. Last night it seems they finally listened to me. Cast reunions were done for PULP FICTION, WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP, THE GODFATHER, and CABARET. And the reunions weren’t just time-killers. They were there to present awards. Logical, sensible, fun. 

 

 

THE BAD

-As good as the tributes to past films were, having a trio of extreme-sports guys (Shaun White, Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater), intro the James Bond segment made absolutely no sense. Especially when there were three past Bond cast members right there in attendance (Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Rami Malek). 

 

-In an effort to appeal to younger audiences, the Academy put out two fan-voting, non-award categories…which were hijacked by overzealous Zack Snyder fans. Stupid and embarrassing. It’s like the Academy doesn’t know how the internet works. 

 

-Disney’s smash-hit song We Don’t Talk About Bruno was not nominated (never submitted for consideration), but was performed live as an acknowledgement of the song’s popularity. Unfortunately, the performance was a departure from the tune, and it kinda sucked. 

 

-In an effort to cut the running time down, eight awards were given out pre-show and then edited into smaller bites during the show. Problem one was that the winners were leaked on Twitter early which took away a ton of drama and fun. Problem two was the show still pushed four hours. 

 

-The biggest shock of the night came when nominee Will Smith walked up on stage and smacked presenter Chris Rock…who had just made a joke at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife. The joke was in poor taste, and Smith was way the hell out of line. The worst part about it is the incident has marred what was an overall terrific evening. BUT: much credit to Diddy for breaking the tension in the room. 

 

 

THE GLORIOUS

-The Awards are the most important thing to talk about, so let’s get to it. It was a night of firsts: Kenneth Branagh took home his first Oscar for BELFAST (Best Original Screenplay), Jane Campion’s win for Best Director for THE POWER OF THE DOG marks the first time a woman has won that category two years in a row, Ariana DeBose’s Best Supporting Actress win for WEST SIDE STORY marks the first time an openly gay woman has won the category, and Troy Kotsur’s Best Supporting Actor win for CODA makes him the first deaf actor to win. 

 

-Denis Villeneuve’s magnificent DUNE was the most awarded of the night, taking home six Oscars. 

 

-Although it came as no surprise to This Blogger, CODA bested the heavily favored THE POWER OF THE DOG for Best Picture. The little indie film became the first film distributed by a streaming service and the first starring predominantly deaf actors to win. CODA is a step forward for cinema and by far…the right film won. And that is what matters most.