Despite a weak slate of nominees and a few disappointing awards, this year’s iteration of the Academy Awards was one of the best in years. Host Conan O’Brien forewent any of the obnoxious “comedy” predicated on smugly mocking nominated films that characterized Jimmy Kimmel’s hosting tenure, opting instead for a self-deprecating — but ultimately celebratory — tone.
The whole broadcast, somewhat surprisingly, actually felt like the celebration of cinema that the ceremony is marketed as.
The producers wisely omitted the customary performances of best original song nominees, which were weak across the board this year, instead incorporating songs from “Wicked,” the James Bond franchise and films scored by recently deceased music producer Quincy Jones.
Jones and actor Gene Hackman were subject to heartfelt extended tributes separate from the traditional “In Memoriam” segment. Both of their memorial segments were excellent, but they also emphasized the incomprehensible choice to omit a dedicated David Lynch tribute.
Lynch was featured in the “In Memoriam” montage, but it’s absurd that the academy neglected to devote a specific segment to honoring the greatest American filmmaker of all time. Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern’s 2019 speeches when Lynch was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award are two of the most memorable in recent Oscars memory, which makes the elision of a Lynch tribute even more odd.
On top of that, Lynch’s work is filled with memorable music, so a Lynch tribute could have easily fit into this music-filled show. The hackneyed use of Mozart’s “Lacrimosa” during the “In Memoriam” almost felt like a joke on the part of the producers. “Laura Palmer’s Theme” or “Falling” would’ve been less obvious but equally powerful choices.
Another notable omission from the “In Memoriam” section was actor Tony Todd, who became famous for his role as the title character in “Candyman.” Other than that snub and the limited Lynch coverage, though, the “In Memoriam” felt more reverent than usual, granting each person a respectable amount of screen time.
The awards themselves went about as well as they could have. Of this year’s nominees, only “Anora” and “The Brutalist” ranked in my top 10 films of last year, but both of those movies went home with several awards.
“The Brutalist” won awards for its stunning cinematography, memorable score and Adrien Brody’s lead performance. That infamous score began playing midway through Brody’s nearly five-minute speech, but the actor waved it off, stating, “I’ve done this before” in reference to his previous win for “The Pianist.” It was an ironic moment, given the actor’s earlier statement that his speech wouldn’t be “egregious.”
The other acting awards were a mixed bag. Kieran Culkin is a good actor, and he’s good in “A Real Pain,” but Guy Pearce is revelatory in “The Brutalist” and should have won the Oscar. More baffling was Zoe Saldaña’s win for “Emilia Pérez.” She’s the least bad part of that awful movie, but she was up against Monica Barbaro’s Joan Baez, who was easily one of the best parts of “A Complete Unknown.”
Mikey Madison’s best actress win for the titular role in “Anora” was a wonderful surprise. I enjoyed Demi Moore’s performance in “The Substance,” but I thought Madison’s performance was both much funnier and much more emotionally compelling. The Dolby Theatre and my friend’s living room both erupted in cheers when Emma Stone read Madison’s name from the gilded Oscars envelope.
“Anora” won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for, with four of them going to writer-director Sean Baker. This technically makes Baker the person to win the most awards for a single film. Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” won a similar bevy of awards in 2019, and Bong personally accepted four of them, but the best international feature trophy is officially awarded to the country of origin rather than the director.
Baker’s best director speech was a heartfelt plea to filmmakers, audiences and distributors to prioritize theatrical exhibition. He specifically spoke to parents, reminding them that they’re responsible for “molding the next generation of movie lovers and filmmakers” before wishing a happy birthday to his mother, who he credited for introducing him to cinema.
His speech was all the more impactful in the wake of the best documentary award, which went to the Palestinian-Israeli coproduction “No Other Land.” That film, as IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich pointed out, now has more Oscars than it does American distribution offers. It’s been universally hailed as a politically vital and emotionally affecting moviegoing experience, but only 100 theaters in the country have screened it.
Its makers took advantage of their win to denounce Israel’s “ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people” and condemn the United States’ role in funding and supplying the Israeli military. “The foreign policy in this country,” co-director Yuval Abraham said, “is helping to block” the way to peace.
It was a powerful moment, and the producers wisely avoided playing the filmmakers off despite their longer-than-average speech. In general, this year’s Oscars were characterized by greater tact, restraint and emotional resonance than we’ve become accustomed to. I hope that the trend continues next year.
I mentioned at the beginning of the article that only two nominated films appeared in my top 10 of 2024. If the Oscars were decided by me, the following would be the nominees for best picture:
“Challengers”
“I Saw the TV Glow”
“Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World”
“The Beast”
“La Chimera”
“Anora”
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
“Rap World”
“The Brutalist”
“Megalopolis”
