Just like the molding at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, the Red Carpet at the Oscars imprints the footwear from one of the greatest cinephiles of all time. It’s one for the money and two for the show, as the adrenaline is palpable on the runway, with prediction and anticipation of what the night will bring. On March 15, the 98th Oscar Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. This year was a tremendous one for cinema, with a variety of genres ranging from horror to musicals, action, and drama. Conan O’Brien had the honor of opening and hosting the event with comedic flair, and he used his time to highlight the evolution of cinema in terms of A.I. and casting. However, Sunday night was not solely about film; it was a night of disrespect, protest, and history.
The event commenced with O’Brien filming a hilarious montage of him dressed up as Gladys from “Weapons” with children at the soles of his feet as he ran through famous scenes of recent notable films like “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Sinners,” eventually ending up at the Dolby Theatre stage. Afterwards, he acknowledged what a beautiful thing it is for cinema to be an art that is international and inclusive to all admiring the works of immigrants and their impact in Hollywood.
“I was rooting for Frankenstein to win because I felt the movie was so moving, and it told the story of Frankenstein which is so famous already, in a completely new perspective. Guillermo Del Toro also embedded many Mexican cultural Easter eggs within the movie, which to others may seem like something normal, but being in the same culture and being able to spot the Easter eggs really adds a new layer of depth to your viewing experience,” Luna Maciel (11) said.
Now transitioning to awards, cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win in the Best Cinematography category. For Best Live Action Short Film, a tie was made between “Two People Exchanging Saliva” and “The Singers,” making it the seventh tie ever in Oscar history. Jessie Buckley became the first Irish woman to win Best Actress. The best for last goes to “One Battle After Another” for Best Picture.
“I would change the best director from Paul Thomas Anderson to Ryan Coogler because I think Sinners was truly amazing and one battle after another was also very well-made, but Coogler truly knows how to create specific scenes from the theater that deserved an Oscar,” Jasmine Oksoy (9) said.
The ceremony was also considerate of the lives that were lost, which has made a significant impact in cinema. Rachel McAdams honored the remarkable talents of Diane Keaton and Catherine O’Hara. Here, she alluded to a Girl Scout song, “Make New Friends.” McAdams highlighted the lyrics, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other is gold,” to spotlight her welcoming demeanor. There were also some bittersweet appearances of past casts from iconic movies such as “Bridesmaids,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” and “The Avengers” as they presented awards and as a way to promote their screening later in the year.
“I felt that it was really important that they had a memorial for the actors who passed, especially Catherine O’Hara. It was like you could see how everyone’s body language shifted and how there was true and immense respect for those who have passed,” Jasmine Oksoy (9) said.
In terms of performances, K-Pop stars EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami performed their number one song from “KPop Demon Hunters,” “Golden,” with creative props for audience members to wave around, which was an illuminated lightbulb. Fortunately, the song won in the Best Original Song category. Here, EJAE was able to give a speech in less than two minutes, when songwriter Mark Sonnenblick was cut off mid-speech by a live orchestra, an act seen as blatant disrespect. Especially since Adrien Brody delivered a five-minute speech last year for his performance in “The Brutalist.”
Ultimately, it was a night of many firsts and many surprises that offered cinema a new perspective for productions. One thing is for sure, as the announcers enumerated winner by winner, each film had a reason for being nominated or projected on the screens and allowed us to forget our worries for a few hours. Now, O’Brien is retiring from his hosting. There is speculation that Jimmy Donaldson, also known as Mr. Beast, will fill in his shoes.
“I like to watch the Oscars because it inspires me how one day I may be able to have the opportunity to attend as a guest there or maybe even be a person up for an award,” Sophia Rivera (9) said.
