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Last nights Oscars were a reminder that, conceptually, the Oscars are not brain surgery.
Hire a host; tell a few jokes; sing the songs; give out the awards.
Its also hard to believe that this was all it took to put on a successful Oscars show.
Well see, of course, if the ratings reflect that.
With the return to simplicity came an attention to the actual crafts being recognized.
For Best Costume Design, they brought costumes from the nominated films onto the stage.
Best Score was preceded by a lively orchestra routine showing how music can underline different moments.
Jimmy Kimmels jokes didnt provide many laugh-out-loud moments (though Cocaine Bear, leave Malala alone!
The host is the one person on Oscar night who isnt allowed to look desperate.
No, when the Oscars work, they work because the winners say or do something memorable.
And last night gave us plenty of that.
Both winners cried, and their tears were genuine.
What their speeches got across was that the Oscars is anindustrynight, and anindustryshow.
(This, by the way, was one of thesaving gracesof the pandemic-hobbled 2021 show.)
(That is why you broadcast the Best Short awards.
Because their winners say and do things like that.)
I guess people will continue fighting overEverything Everywhere All at Once.
Its one of the side benefits of winning Best Picture.
Arguments over your quality now become eternal debates.
I likeEEAAOa great deal, and I like the Daniels as people and artists.
We also got an extended Warner Bros. commercial.
More likely, its a sign of the times.
Well, Hollywood wants you to.
In fact, Hollywood needs you to.
This is an existential matter for Hollywood because of the corner theyve backed themselves into.
In the past, the studios just had to sell movies.
Now, they have to sell themselves.
