The Best and Worst Moments of the Oscars
After weathering several bouts of a pandemic — and a strike that seemed to go on forever — Hollywood proved it was back to business with a ceremony for the ages.
Although the exact viewership numbers are still coming in, many in the industry are speculating that this year's ceremony handily eclipsed the audience for the 2023 Academy Awards.
Many factors are believed to have influenced this presumed uptick, with Ryan Gosling's rousing musical performance leading the way.
Best: Ryan Gosling and the Kens Take Over the Dolby Theater
Best Supporting Actor nominee Ryan Gosling reminded the world of his Mouseketeer roots — and his status as a triple threat — when he took to the stage in an all-pink ensemble to perform Barbie's hit number, "I'm Just Ken".
Starting out seated in the audience behind a laughing Margot Robbie and close to a giggling Billie Eilish, Gosling started his ballad and quickly stood up, placing his black cowboy hat on another audience member's head.
He then strutted to the front of the auditorium in a commanding fashion; viewers were delighted to see the Ken actors from the film all arranged perfectly on a set that seemed to harken back to Marilyn Monroe's iconic performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".
From there, Gosling's vocals only increased in strength, and he received a standing ovation in the middle of his performance. It wasn't long before rocker Slash showed up to add even more muscularity to the performance, providing guitar accompaniment.
The celebrities in Gosling's midst twirled and fangirled, reminding everyone of just how popular the Barbie brand became as a result of its feminist reframing through the lens of director Greta Gerwig.
Image provided by Shutterstock
Worst: Many Find the "In Memoriam" Segment Lacking
Every year, the "In Memoriam" segment reminds viewers of all the great film artists that passed away over the previous year. This year, however, many complained that the spectacle in front of the screens was way too distracting.
Opera star Andrea Bocelli and his son — alongside many dancers — were inadvertently blocking the view during several key moments, obstructing the pictures, videos and names of those who had passed away.
Although the Oscars "In Memoriam" segment is always known for sparking its fair share of drama — there are usually complaints every year about individuals who have been left out — this year, many viewers immediately aired their grievances about the staging on social media.
Best: Host Jimmy Kimmel Honors Below-the-Line Workers
In an industry that sometimes seems to only validate its most glittering and glamorous members, it was refreshing to see IATSE members take to the stage so they could be thanked for their labor efforts.
Many of these union members provided crucial support for the SAG and WGA strikes during the summer of 2023, so it was indeed a touching moment. Host Kimmel even served up some insider jokes for the group.
Worst: Show Gets off to a Late Start
Although the programming started at 7 p.m. EDT this year — a bit earlier than in years past — it still got off to a bit of a late start — and lasted over three and a half hours.
For those who would like for the show to cater to more modern tastes — such as keeping everything on a fast timetable — this could have been seen as somewhat of a disappointment.
Best: Red Carpet Moments Did Not Disappoint
Whether it was the floating straps controversy — with Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh leading the charge by wearing dresses with straps that hovered above — or the "tighty whiteys" effect also involving Emily Blunt, the interest in the red carpet proved that Oscars fashions can still dish out division and decadence.
Red carpet host Vanessa Hudgens started the evening off with a surprise of her own by showing off her baby bump, and several stars congratulated her throughout the pre-show festivities.
Gorgeous jewelry ruled the red carpet this year, with stars such as Charlize Theron and Gabrielle Union wearing iconic pieces that attracted more eyeballs to the ceremony.
Worst: Jimmy Kimmel and RDJ Have an Awkward Moment
When host Jimmy Kimmel made a couple of jabs about the wild past of Best Supporting Actor Robert Downey Jr., many viewers felt that his comments crossed the line.
Although drug jokes such as these may have been constant fodder for talk show hosts back in the day, somehow they didn't land on Oscar Night 2024.
Image provided by Shutterstock
Best: John Cena Takes the Stage in His Birthday Suit
Although viewers were aware that many films and people would be honored over the evening, perhaps they did not realize that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would also pay homage to a strange moment that occurred half a century ago.
Presenter David Niven was introducing icon Elizabeth Taylor when a streaker took to the stage right behind him. This year, host Kimmel cracked a joke about naked men coming onstage, and it quickly became apparent that wrestler John Cena was already onstage naked — with just an envelope for the costume design award to shield his nude body.
This skit provided the element of surprise that has been so lacking in recent Oscars telecasts, and viewers seemed to find the moment very humorous.
Worst: Where Was Wes Anderson?
Although his aesthetic certainly isn't for everyone, there is no doubt that auteur Wes Anderson has made a rather sizable impact upon the film community at large. So why was he a no-show at Sunday's award ceremony?
Although he won the award for Live Action Short, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar director was missing in action for the presentation.
Apparently, there was a good reason for this; upon learning that he had won, Anderson put out a statement that he was in Germany about to start shooting his new film on the very next day. As far as excuses go, this seems to be a very good one.
Best: Former Winners Return to Share Glory
This year's format for the acting categories was especially heart-warming, with former winners coming back to the stage to introduce the nominees in their respective categories.
Many viewers swooned, for example, when the legendary West Side Story actress Rita Moreno introduced America Ferrara for her role in Barbie. This was a great gesture that nodded at the Academy's past while also ushering in its future.
Worst: Al Pacino Continues Trend of Best Picture Snafus
Although it wasn't nearly as glaring as the error that occurred back when La La Land was mistakenly announced as the Best Picture winner back in 2017, there was a slight issue with the Best Picture rollout this year.
Instead of reading off the 10 nominees and then opening the envelope, presenter Al Pacino chose instead to just immediately the envelope.
"And my eyes see Oppenheimer," he announced as the award show audience sat in the auditorium a bit stunned and seemingly waiting to see if he would say anything else. When Pacino continued with a "Yes, yes," the audience seemed to sense that he was genuine.
Finally, the filmmakers chose to rise up out of their seats and take to the stage, accepting the last award of the evening.
Oscars Show Reactions
On the whole, it seems as though television critics are fairly impressed with the show they saw on Sunday night. With lots of star power and big films being honored, this was a presentation that was decidedly for the people.
Although it did have its arthouse moments, this program delivered movie magnificence for the mainstream.