Individuals act like a virtually four-hour Oscars is a few indisputable fact of life. The solar rises within the east, the sky is blue, the Oscars take one-sixth of a day.
However half-hour might’ve oh so simply been minimize from Sunday evening’s unusual and sloooow Academy Awards.
Why, precisely, did Margaret Qualley dance throughout a pointless tribute to James Bond that featured godawful covers of “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Live and Let Die”?
Why, precisely, did Queen Latifah belt “Ease on Down the Road” from “The Wiz” as a tribute to Quincy Jones?
Why, precisely, did “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande carry out a “Wizard of Oz”-themed medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Home” and “Defying Gravity?”
Buddies, I do not know.
All of that stuff ought to’ve been axed. The published had an ideal host within the hilarious Conan O’Brien, a enjoyable little-engine-that-could-narrative in Greatest Image winner “Anora” and a forgiving 7 p.m. EST begin time.
However Oscar stored capturing himself within the foot, as solely he is aware of greatest.
No matter the pointless frills, it was euphoric to look at the indie gem “Anora,” the best film of 2024, win Greatest Image — even when it took the flight time of a visit to Denver for it to occur.
With a finances of simply $6 million, “Anora” is the lowest-budget prime Oscar winner ever. Some attendees’ visitor homes price extra.
However voters embraced the tagline of the New York-set dramedy: “Follow your heart.” Director Sean Baker alone snapped up 4 awards (Image, Enhancing, Screenplay and Directing) — tying a single-night document held for many years by Walt Disney.
Does it get extra 2025 than Mickey Mouse being in a useless warmth with a flick that begins in a topless bar?
Behold, the upset of the last decade: “Anora’s” 25-year-old star Mikey Madison toppled favourite Demi Moore, 62, who earlier than tonight was having fun with the largest status second of her profession with the body-horror film “The Substance.”
That good time got here to a crashing halt when presenter Emma Stone uttered the phrases “Mikey Madison.” Moore didn’t even trouble to faux a smile.
“I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me,” the proficient winner humbly stated in a brief speech.
There have been no temporary remarks from Adrien Brody, although. The good star of “The Brutalist” took dwelling his second Oscar over Timothée Chalamet of “A Complete Unknown,” and talked and talked and talked. They tried to play him off, however he wouldn’t have it. Someplace, proper now, the person continues to be speaking.
Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) and Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”) gained the supporting classes as they have been broadly anticipated to. Exterior of “Anora”’s near-sweep, the Academy unfold the love. Nothing else got here shut.
Conan O’Brien turned out to be the right host for a bizarre 12 months of wildfires, scandals and a post-strike slimmer launch schedule.
He was at all times humorous, self-deprecating, nerdy and personable. It’s not his fashion to go for a Ricky Gervais-style roasting. He’d relatively mock himself. However he did land a killer joke about controversial Greatest Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón.
“‘Anora’ uses the f-word 479 times,” he stated in his monologue.” That’s three greater than the document set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist: ‘You tweeted WHAT?’”
The ceremony’s size wasn’t Conan’s fault. I used to be at all times happy each time he was onstage. The host stored the present shifting, didn’t add undesirable bits late within the sport and made his intros brief and candy.
However he positively was onto one thing with one in every of his ultimate jokes of the night.
“If you’re still enjoying the show you have something called Stockholm Syndrome,” O’Brien stated.
