Six reasons why it was the best Oscars in years

Popularity wins all rounds

frankensteinK-Pop Demon Hunters, which won 3 Oscars, and KPop Demon Hunters, which won 2 Oscars, were both Netflix movies that had limited release in theaters, but unlike streaming’s underperforming films, millions of people saw them, loved them, and wanted to see them win Academy Awards. Meanwhile, Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her brilliantly terrifying role as Aunt Gladys in the hit horror film Weapons. Brad Pitt’s racing car blockbuster “F1” won the award for best sound. and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” won Best Visual Effects. In other words, awards continued to be given to intelligent, well-crafted films that also happened to be huge commercial hits. Hollywood will definitely set the mood for a night of feeling good about yourself.

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party atmosphere

Ever since his opening Weapons parody, Conan O’Brien has been a much better host than last year, deftly mixing silliness and self-deprecation with a dash of edgy politics and plenty of celebratory remarks. The party atmosphere was evident from the stellar performances of Best Original Song nominees Sinners’ I Lied to You and KPop Demon Hunters’ Golden (who later won). Former Vogue editor Anna Wintour proves that Anne Hathaway was the inspiration for Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada in a skit disparaging Anne Hathaway. And the Bridesmaids stars’ reunion proved they still have the comical chemistry from 15 years ago. Isn’t it about time for a sequel?

history was made

The Academy Awards have been around for almost a century, but the first woman ever to win Best Cinematography was Autumn Durard Arkapaw for Sinners. Unfazed by her historic moment in the spotlight, she asked all the women in the Dolby Theater to stand up and share in the moment. Meanwhile, in a widely anticipated result, Jessie Buckley became the first Irish woman to win Best Actress.

It also won its first casting award – for Cassandra Kourkundis for “One Battle After Another” – the first new Oscar category in 24 years. And there were healthy signs of increased inclusivity. Michael B. Jordan, who played both lead roles in Sinners, became the sixth black actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor. Ryan Coogler became the second black screenwriter to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

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