Post 2023 Oscar Reactions
Another Oscar year has come and gone. The season is still too long, even for someone who loves awards season, we want to move onto the new movies and prognosticating for the next season.
Now that it is all over, we can take one more look at the actual awards show. So, without further ado here are the Good, Bad, and the Ugly from Sunday night.
The Ugly:
Not too much went wrong or “ugly” for this awards show. It’s clear they knew how horrendous last year was and they decided to do a hard reset. So they brought back Jimmy Kimmel to host.
Take him or leave him he is a steady presence that will provide some jokes and levity to the show which was desperately needed after the last couple of years.
I thought his monologue was a little too long and he took shots at Steven Speilberg for his parent’s divorce, which fell flat. Plus he took a shot at Babylon, which, I will not stand for Babylon slander.
Melissa McCarthy and Halle Bailey came out and presented a trailer for the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid adaptation. Not shocked since Disney owns ABC.
But if you’re going to do that show more trailers. Treat this as a Super Bowl, and get four or five studios to debut a new trailer during the show. Everyone would’ve gone nuts had Margot Robbie come out to present a new Barbie trailer.
Unfortunately, she did not, instead, she presented with Morgan Freeman a commercial for Warner Brothers studios. Commercial? Ad? Not sure what you would call it but it was basically a look at what cool movies WB has made.
Did WB pay for that? Why did that happen? I like a movie montage but that felt so weird.
The Bad:
I don’t want to sit here and litigate winners but some of the wins were plain bad, and will not age well. The main ones are the two Oscars that the All Quiet on the Western Front team took from Babylon.
I know Justin Hurwitz already has an Oscar, but his Babylon score is one for the ages. The same goes for Babylon’s production design, which had been winning everywhere.
Instead, the Academy went with All Quiet in production design. Both of those losses will age poorly. Speaking of awards that will age poorly; can we talk about The Whale?
The Whale is truly a bad film. I know the makeup was “revolutionary” but this could’ve literally gone to any other film in that category. Also, I know you want to show off the work but plaster on the big screen behind the team during their acceptance speech was a large picture of Brendan Fraser in his “fat suit” shirtless…Why?
Also, I love Brendan Fraser and his comeback narrative was strong but that is another win that won’t age well. I might be wrong, but Butler and Farrell gave the best performances of the year.
I hate saying Brendan’s win was bad and if his film and an ounce of actual empathy which he claims it does, then maybe it would’ve been easier to cheer for him.
Lastly on this front is Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO). I am incredibly happy for that entire team and in my good section will be some people from their wins.
But, Jamie Lee Curtis winning here is not good. Again happy she has an Oscar, and yes, the Academy does this often, rewarding someone for lesser work when they should’ve won for a better performance.
Also, The Daniels winning in Director will be another head-scratcher in 10 years. Todd Field made a masterpiece and deserved the Directing award. Picture/Director should’ve been split.
I think the Daniels are young and needed someone to almost check their work. My main problem with EEAAO is it is too long. It feels long. TAR is 20 minutes longer and flies because it is properly paced.
Not only was TAR a victim but six of the best Picture nominees went home empty-handed on Sunday which is quite a shock. Only All Quiet, Women Talking, Avatar, and Top Gun: Maverick won something.
This will age well for TAR and Banshees because people will look back and think; you know what film is actually great? TAR or Banshees. Unfortunately, EEAAO will be more scrutinized because it won and the winners are always more scrutinized because they’re held to a higher standard.
The best thing that ever happened to La La Land is losing Best Picture. Had it won people would hate that movie.
The Good:
End with the good so we can end on a high note. The best thing about last night was Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh winning for Supporting Actor and Best Actress.
Ke has been dominant all awards season and his speech brought the house down, not sure how anyone kept from crying during his speech. Michelle Yeoh was less dominant in the precursors.
But, clearly, it was her time and she deserved it. Hands down the best part of the night were these two wins. EEAAO winning best picture felt inevitable but is still cool.
It’s hopefully a sign as a changing of the guard. It’s hands down the weirdest and most unique film to win Best Picture and weirdly was the obvious front-runner.
Someone should write a dissertation as to how this happened. But, maybe it’s just a sign that things are changing. Or next year the Academy will revert and another Green Book will win best picture.
You never know with this Academy. Welp, I’m onto the next season. Odds on a Megan look-a-like making an appearance at the next Oscars?
