93rd Oscars: Ceremony Discussion

[Big Magilla]

To be fair, I don't think they banked on Boseman winning so much as they knew a large portion of the audience cared more about the two top acting awards than Best Picture and might turn the show off after they were given out.

Had Hopkins actually been there to give a speech, it would have ended better than it did. They should have anticipated a possible win for him and switched Best Actor and Actress to guarantee that the last winner of the night would be there.

I suspect tradition will return next year if there is a next year.

[Sabin]

What a historic cock-up. They banked the whole show on Chadwick Boseman winning at the end, proving once and for all they have no idea who is taking home what. There is no reason in the world to expect the award will go to anyone other than Chadwick Boseman... and then it goes to Anthony Hopkins. And because there are no clips so we have no idea why at all. For so many people watching, it’s a sad,baffling, disorienting ending not unlike watching The Father itself. And then credits.

This whole show was cult of personality almost utterly divorced of context, until in the end the voters proved that yes, they do care about the movies and the performances. But the show didn’t provide the audience any gateway towards the grace the voters must have experienced watching The Father and Nomadland, two movies about (among other things) age and regret.

[rolotomasi99]

This show has jumped the shark again.

Steven Soderbergh must be stopped at all costs.

Maybe he is taking revenge on the Academy for not being nominated again after winning more than 20 years ago.

I was intrigued by the idea of making it like a movie. I thought it was going to have all the category introductions and nominee overviews pre-taped, with only the announcement of the winner and acceptance speeches being live. This is just the same awkward spiel we always get but much, much worse. No consistency of format (sometimes clips, sometimes quotes from nominees).

Soderbergh knows how to create a slick production. This did not have to be a disaster.

[OscarGuy]

I posted this on FB and I'm posting it here.

I've been following the Oscars for 31 years. This has been the longest, most draining season ever. 5 months from first precursors to tonight's closure of a telecast. I have never been more tired, frustrated, and underwhelmed. A mess of a show, a bland set of winners, and subversion of so many norms that it actually put off the Oscar enthusiasts, the few people who've been sticking with the Oscars after continuously sliding ratings.

I don't even think I can bring myself to write about this show or season in any detail. Heck, I'm not sure if it's all worth it anymore either. We're supposed to post our afterthoughts on Tuesday. Rather than posting my first Hopefuls list sometime this week, I'm going to shelve it for awhile and decide if I even want to bother anymore. That's how dispiriting this whole season and buildup to a limp finale has been to me.

[gunnar]

Maybe they'll invite David Letterman back to host.

[Okri]

We're gonna get Billy Crystal back next year, aren't we?

[OscarGuy]

That was a thorough waste of 3.25 hours. Actually 4.75 hours if you watched the pre-show. If I ever decided to give up on the Oscars, this would be the perfect moment to jump ship.

[Franz Ferdinand]

Renee presenting Best Actress?? I can't keep up with the madness.

[OscarGuy]

Bonus is, we will probably never be subjected to Soderbergh as a show producer again...this will be the worst reviewed ceremony ever.

[mlrg]

They will close the show the same way as the In Memoriam

[Franz Ferdinand]

Steven Maximus: "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!"

[dws1982]

This show has jumped the shark again.

Steven Soderbergh must be stopped at all costs.

[Sabin]

You’d never know Mank was in black and white unless you made it to the end of the night

[mlrg]

Christ this is fast!

They have a train to catch

[Sabin]

Christ this is fast!