The same debate around the Oscars occurs every year: Do they matter?
As a psycho who spends far too much time reading about and engaging with contemporary film culture, I sure hope they do.
This year’s 97th Academy Awards finally offered evidence to support my hope for the importance of the show, thanks to a record-breaking statistic. Every winner in the main acting awards — Best Picture, Best Director, Best Animated, and Best International Feature — was an independently financed film made outside of the Hollywood studio system.
I believe that is a sign of the future of the film industry. Gone are the days of the newest Disney animated film winning every year and the latest studio-produced period drama sweeping all of the production awards. These awards were widely distributed to a varied assortment of films.
While it is fun to tune into the show and root for your favorite blockbuster like “Wicked or “Dune: Part Two” this year, I always appreciate the Oscars’ capacity to introduce films to a wide audience.
My parents are not avid movie watchers, but they make an effort to watch as many Best Picture nominees as they can every year. Films like “I’m Still Here” and “Flow” winning major awards is indicative of the Oscars at their best: platforming interesting work while still celebrating the best films of the year.
Most of the Oscars ceremonies I’ve seen have felt less like a celebration and more like a chore. Thanks to host Conan O’Brien — one of the funniest people on the planet — the earnest tone returned. My favorite bit of his was a prerecorded sketch about getting people off their couches watching movies and back to the theater, a sentiment I love to see normalized on national television.
Perhaps it was the laugh-out-loud appearance from Adam Sandler, Mick Jagger, or Martin Scorsese, but I was shocked by how spirited everyone seemed. Nominees were cordial and thankful toward each other, most speeches were the perfect amount of sappy, and the sentimental messages seemed honest.
Sean Baker’s speeches particularly stood out. Baker won four awards as editor, writer, director, and producer of “Anora.” In his speeches, he sang the praises of independent cinema and the power of movie theaters.
“No Other Land” winning Best Documentary Feature was another highlight. Despite not having distribution in the U.S., this platform will hopefully make more people aware of this vitally important film about the forceful displacement of Palestinian citizens under the Israeli government.
The night wasn’t without its hitches — it wouldn’t be the Oscars without a few cringeworthy moments after all.
After winning Best Original Song for “El Mal” from “Emilia Perez,” songwriters Clement Ducol and Camille began singing a song from the film. The pair awkwardly sang for far too long and even tried to get the completely silent audience to join in. It was a comically awful moment I sort of loved.
Instead of performing any original song nominees, the Academy elected to hold a musical funeral for the 007 franchise. Following the news that the rights to James Bond were sold to Amazon, three of the most iconic theme songs from the film series were performed by Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye after a “Bond girl-esque” dance number from “The Substance” star, Margaret Qualley.
While the performances were good, I was extremely confused by this decision. Why was it 10 minutes long? Why not get the original singers? Why this year?
Another musical mishap occurred during the In Memoriam segment. During a touching tribute to Gene Hackman, Shelly Duvall, and the legendary David Lynch, the band played Mozart’s “Lacrimosa,” an incredibly ominous composition that threw off the sorrowful tone.
For the first time in a while, this year’s show got me more hopeful for the future of the art form of film.