Final yr’s finest supporting actor winner, Robert Downey Jr., sang the praises of every of this yr’s 5 nominated performances earlier than saying the fairly anticipated victor: Kieran Culkin for “A Actual Ache,” capping off an awards season that noticed Culkin working the desk in just about each awards present possible.
His acceptance speech was pure Kieran Culkin, beginning with a bleeped-out second and concluding with a rapid-fire story about how his spouse instructed him she’d give him a 3rd child if he gained an Emmy, and a fourth child if he gained an Oscar. (“Ye of little religion…”)
One other prohibitive (and deserving) favourite who gained: Zoë Saldaña for finest supporting actress in “Emilia Pérez.” Her Rita Mora Castro was the guts and soul of an admittedly polarizing movie (I used to be amongst its many admirers), and Saldańa delivered electrical, screen-commanding work.
As “Move” gained for animated function, and “Within the Shadow of the Cypress” took house Oscar for animated quick, thus started one other annual custom: yours really drawing massive “X” marks throughout my incorrect picks, as I had neither of these two on my poll.
I did accurately decide ”Depraved” for finest costumes, and it was fairly a second when the sensible Paul Tazewell (who had been beforehand nominated however didn’t win for “West Facet Story”) famous he was the primary Black man to win on this class. (“Move” additionally marked a primary, as Latvia had by no means gained an Oscar earlier than.) Practically a century of Academy Awards ceremonies, and there’s nonetheless room for making historical past.
I hoped “September 5,” which was unfairly ignored in so many classes, would rating an upset victory for finest unique screenplay — however one can’t argue with Sean Baker’s win for “Anora.” It was a blazing, live-wire piece of labor, as was the movie itself.
All 5 nominees for tailored screenplay had been great and all had been deserving, however as anticipated, the Oscar went to Peter Straughan for “Conclave,” which was based mostly on the 2016 novel of the identical identify by Robert Harris. I discovered among the twists within the movie to be the stuff of cleaning soap operas, however Straughan’s writing was wealthy in dialogue, and the all-star solid devoured the fabric.
As for finest make-up & hairstyling, it’s a extremely aggressive yr when “Depraved” might need represented the least quantity of heavy lifting, a minimum of in comparison with “A Completely different Man,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Nosferatu” and the winners, from “The Substance.” The hair/make-up artistry in all 5 movies was Oscar-worthy.
At this comparatively early junction, with “Conclave” and “Anora” profitable for screenplays, it appears more and more doubtless that the perfect image race will come all the way down to these two contenders. When Sean Baker gained his second Oscar, for his enhancing on “Anora,” it felt like he was on the verge of an historic evening, and will be a part of the likes of Francis Ford Coppola (“The Godfather Half II”), the Coen Brothers (“No Nation for Outdated Males”), James L. Brooks (“Phrases of Endearment”), James Cameron (“Titanic”) and Alejandro González Iñárritu (“Birdman”), amongst others, as a three-time, single-night winner. (Walt Disney’s 4 wins in 1954 stays the report.
