I’ve always felt I lead a very dull and monotonous life. The comfort I find in repetition and routine surpasses any need I’ve ever had to present myself as someone with a fascinating lifestyle, so instinctually, I turn towards other people to witness the vision of how I could be spending my time without having to stray too far from habit.
Whether that takes the form of becoming engrossed in some fictional world seated atop my bookshelf or obtaining a perfect visual of another’s story while settled snug on the couch, I withdraw from the experience contently.
For whatever reason, this desire to observe the success of others peaks around a certain form of media: award shows. I was never the type of kid to practice my “Best Actress” or “Best New Artist” acceptance speech with a shampoo bottle in the shower, simply because that’s been a clearly unattainable goal; however, the immense passion I feel when watching any award ceremony makes it seem almost as if I was there on that stage myself.
Following the smashing success of the latest Oscars and my newfound ability to compare it to previous years, I felt compelled to share my essential list of what makes the Academy Awards the pinnacle event in Hollywood each year.
First and foremost, the anticipation leading up to the event is primarily initiated through the enthusiasm of the chosen host. Personally, I’m still staggered by apparent comedian Jo Koy’s performance at the 2024 Golden Globes. His ill-mannered jokes produced an obvious cricket-filled silence through the entirety of everyone tuned in to the show, and I’m still mildly traumatized to the point where now I anticipate the announcement of the host with fear. However, even if that experience repelled me from award ceremonies for the rest of my life, when Conan O’Brien declared he’d be hosting this year’s Oscars, I knew I had to watch.
Being a long-time fan of O’Brien’s distinct, dry humor and his tendency to not shy away from any joke, no matter how harsh, I knew his personality was going to shine on stage. The opening monologue—which I always look forward to—gives the host an opportunity to grace the crowd with their self-penned comedy, but even more than the laughs that ensue from their performance, it’s the audience-involved bits that make each entertainer stand out. For me, this year’s ongoing bit with John Lithgow and his disappointed face at the prolonged speeches was the highlight of the night.
Along with the host’s personality, the individual presenters for each category play a part in my enjoyment, as well. The whole idea becomes extra memorable when they have chemistry with each other—unlike Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot’s awkward interaction amid an apparent feud—or include their own little sketch, like Ben Stiller often does to make the most of his time on stage: in 2006, he presented in a green-screen suit to acknowledge the visual effects team, and in 2010, he came dolled up in full Avatar attire to recognize makeup artists. This year, he proved how important production design is by powering through comedic mishaps with the stage.
Stiller, along with the extensive list of award presenters, did a great job of staying relevant. This seems to be a key aspect of my enjoyment of the show; not only are they cinematically current, but they usually recognize recent events, this year especially. Whether subtly, like Daryl Hannah taking a moment to notice the situation in Ukraine, or not-so subtly, such as O’Brien welcoming the LA Fire Department to the stage in lieu of the area’s significant losses, any appreciation of the world outside the A-listers in the auditorium touches me deeply.
In addition to those complexities, the Oscars are typically something I enjoy simply for the sake of the films nominated; however, this year was different. There were some pictures up for awards that deserved their place, but that day, it seemed like the Academy was more focused on pleasing the starpower in the room than the avid filmgoers the event is televised for. Tension surged among the public in the days leading up to the big night solely due to the seemingly unjust nominations and snubs of the deserving films.
Despite this fact, some nominees did dedicate their awards to what the Oscars are really about. Sean Baker—who took home four of the five Oscars for Anora with his writing, editing, and directing—spoke openly about the need for independent films in an ever-growing industry. Baker, unlike other winners, centered his speech around how it’s a good thing the Academy Awards are recognizing more indie artists, and it’s truly the audience that makes a film everything it can be.
As proven that night, the winning speeches can impact the mood of the show quite a bit.
All in all, one of the main aspects I look forward to is the “In Memoriam” segment, where every individual in the industry who passed away in the last year is remembered publicly. The past couple of years, I’ve quite enjoyed this part—especially in 2024 when live vocalists were brought on stage to pay their tribute. But this year, the song, Mozart’s “Lacrimosa,” not only gave the eulogy a sour energy, but the entire presentation omitted a few significant names, proving a lack of attentiveness.
It’s truly the smaller details that make the Oscars a pivotal cinematic event at the beginning of each year. For instance, I found the commercials during the award show more entertaining than those in the Super Bowl this year, for whatever strange reason, but this merely highlights how high my priorities are regarding anything related to film.
