This year’s Oscars have come and gone, and remarkably, a night that seemed to have little in store in terms of excitement, delivered beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Just one year on from the defeat of “Roma” by “Green Book” and when most had given up hope that a foreign film would ever win film’s biggest prize, up stepped Bong-Joon Ho and the incredible “Parasite” to shock the world.
The Korean drama, not only won the night’s biggest prize, beating out favorite “1917”, but it also walked away with the most prizes on the night with four (ahead of “1917” with three). Not only did its four include categories it was favored for going into the night (Best International Feature, and Original Screenplay) but it also included the nights major upset, as Bong himself beat out seemingly overwhelming favorite Sam Mendes for the Best Director statue. Although the love for Bong and his film has been paramount during the season, the series of precursors leaned heavily toward “1917” Helmer Mendes taking the prize. In fact, with his defeat, Mendes becomes only the third director (after Ben Affleck “Argo” and Ang Lee “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”) to win the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and DGA award and go on to lose on Oscar night. I suggest seeking out Bong Joon Ho’s speech in which he (and translator Sharon Choi who has been the unsung hero of the season) paid tribute to legendary filmmakers Scorsese and Tarantino.
The four huge wins for Bong Joon Ho also tied him with the legendary Walt Disney as the only people to win four Oscars in one year, whilst the Korean smash hit also became the first Cannes Palme D’or winner to take home the Academy’s biggest prize since 1955’s “Marty”.
Other than what “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson called the ‘Parasweep’, the rest of the nights awards went to form, with the quartet of Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger, Laura Dern, and Brad Pitt taking home the acting awards as they’ve done all season, whilst elsewhere the mercurial Taika Waititi held of “Little Women” writer-director Greta Gerwig in adapted screenplay, becoming the first indigenous person to ever win an Oscar.
It remains to be seen whether this historic moment can usher in a new era for the Academy in terms of representation, as let’s not forget, the lack of women in the directing line-up yet again and Cynthia Erivo’s sole nomination for POC on the acting front.
Nevertheless, this is a moment in time and cinema that will be remembered forever.
As far as the show goes, the decision to go hostless proved to be the right decision again as the revolving door of famous faces taking to the stage kept the always hit or miss schtick fresh as it could be, from Chris Rock and Steve Martin to Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig. There was also a shocking appearance from Eminem, who 18 years after winning best song for “Lose Yourself” finally made his way to the Dolby Theatre to perform his hit.
One thing is for sure, this year, from the showdown to the films involved was a huge improvement on the weak effort from last year.
Overall last night’s historic night is best summed up by Brad Pitt’s final words upon winning best-supporting actor, “Once Upon a time in Hollywood, ain’t that the truth…”.
Full list of winners
Best Picture
“Ford v Ferrari” (Disney/Fox)
“The Irishman” (Netflix)
“Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight)
“Joker” (Warner Bros.)
“Little Women” (Sony)
“Marriage Story” (Netflix)
“1917” (Universal)
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (Sony)
“Parasite” (Neon) WINNER
Best Director
Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”)
Todd Phillips (“Joker”)
Sam Mendes (“1917”)
Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”)
Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) WINNER
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”)
Leonardo DiCaprio (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”)
Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”)
Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”) WINNER
Jonathan Pryce (“The Two Popes”)
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”)
Scarlett Johansson (“Marriage Story”)
Saoirse Ronan (“Little Women”)
Charlize Theron (“Bombshell”)
Renee Zellweger (“Judy”) WINNER
Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”)
Anthony Hopkins (“The Two Popes”)
Al Pacino (“The Irishman”)
Joe Pesci (“The Irishman”)
Brad Pitt (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) WINNER
Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
Laura Dern (“Marriage Story”) WINNER
Scarlett Johansson (“Jojo Rabbit”)
Florence Pugh (“Little Women”)
Margot Robbie (“Bombshell”)
It gives me no pleasure to report that this is one of the worst films of Schrader’s career. Wooden acting, Jack Huston and Sofia Boutella are badly miscast, the script is dull, the photography is flat; nothing works.