2020 Oscars Review
Before the 92nd Oscars academy awards, news headlines were all about what the fans would miss. There was no Jeniffer Lopez, almost no black people in acting categories, and no female filmmakers for the top films. Nonetheless, African-American directors won and so did female directors. As a result, the awards ceremony ended with a memorable victory for “Parasite,” the first film from South Korea to win the best picture.
Here’s a review of all the highs and lows of the night as we saw them.
Most Heartwarming Winner
From the outpour at the Dolby Theater on Sunday, you could tell that Hollywood was in love with director Boon Joon Ho. The South Korean film director was on stage a lot as he took away several awards for best original screenplay (together with Han Jin Won), best international feature, best picture, and best director.
At each Prize, Joon Ho got a warm welcome from the crowd as the people cheered and often rose to their feet. When accepting the trophy for the best director, Bong inspired the people to rise to their feet again after quoting a line from the great Martin Scorsese. However, it was for a fellow filmmaker, Stephanie Goodman, this time.
Don’t Forget the Music
From Janelle Monae’s performance to the surprise appearance of Eminem, to Billie Eilish to Elton John, the 2020 Oscars had a great selection of music performances on the stage.
The inclusion of Billie Eilish, one of the hottest young stars in all of music was a fantastic addition, and she did a lovely job during the In Memoriam portion of the show.
And we can’t overlook the winners of Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original song); Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Sir Elton gave a wonderful performance of (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again adding an extra memory to his second Oscar win.
Best Answer to Overlook Film Creators
While people of colour and female filmmakers were largely missing from the top categories, they got awarded in less glamorous categories. Unlike what many people betting on the Oscars would have thought, “American Factory” won the best documentary, filmed by Julia Reichert together with Steven Bognar.
The best short documentary went to Carol Dysinger, while “Hair Love” by three African-American took the best animated short film award. The producer Karen Rupert Toliver on the stage described the film as the labour of love.
Best Non-Host Hosts
Following a successful awarding ceremony last year without an official host, the academy decided to forego having an MC this year as well. This year, the Oscars started in a very traditional way, with Janelle Monae’s musical opening followed by Steve Martin and Chris Rock – two comedians who hosted the show separately in the past.
The two comedians made jokes about current affairs, gave shout-outs to different nominees, and punched at the minimal representation for people of colour.
Most Refreshing Looks
For a while now, the old Hollywood has been under scrutiny. That will make you wonder why many actors still think dressing in the ways of the old Hollywood is what goes on the red carpet. However, there has never been a better time to change.
Natalie Portman happily stepped things up with her Dior gown embellished with gold embroidery that listed the names of female un-nominated directors. On the other hand, longtime basketball fan Spike Lee wore a Lakers Gucci Suit with number “24” on its lapels to honour Kobe Bryant.
Worst Production Choices
As far as the introductions go, no one got the need to double-dip. Why introduce Beanie Feldstein to come and introduce Mindy Kaling? However, the weird announcing was nowhere near the end. Anthony Ramos was introduced only to come and introduce Lin-Manuel Miranda, who would be the presenter. Another odd choice was failing to cut every nomination montage and instead choosing to show the stage and its video screen.
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