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March 14, 2023After a full scale “Top Gun: Maverick” opening at the Academy Awards ceremony that had two aircraft flying 1,000 feet above the ground at 300 knots/345 mph over the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, host Jimmy Kimmel, who parachuted onto the Dolby Theatre stage, didn’t scale down on the jokes.
Everyone who was anyone in the audience were fair game for this comedian, late night talk show host. Multiple jokes addressed last year’s infamous Oscar slap by Will Smith. One, when Kimmel said that five Irish actors are nominated which means the odds of a fight happening on stage go up.
This year the Academy brought back ALL 23 categories being shown in the ceremony after popular demand. “The community wanted it,” stated Kimmel The awards show which is known for being lengthy actually did a good job of keeping things moving.
Pictured: Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel with “support donkey,”
Host Kimmel took jabs at Hollywood elites that may have been considered below the belt. He mentioned that composer John Williams has been nominated 53 times and has won five times. He said that’s not good! Kimmel continued, “Batgirl” is the first movie to be defeated by an accounting department!
Steven Spielberg is the only director to have been nominated seven times. His movie this year “The Fabelmans” was up for Best Picture. “Avatar The Way of Water” won the Best Visual Effects Oscar, and Disney spent $2 billion to make the film. It was the third highest grossing movie of all time.
Kimmel took a jab at Tom Cruise and James Cameron whose movies were both nominated for Best Picture. He mentioned that Top Gun: Maverick was the movie that saved the movies…everyone loved Top Gun, everyone!” But, Tom and James Cameron didn’t show up. “The two guys that insisted we go to the theater, didn’t come to the theater!” As in Dolby Theater!
Reminding everyone in attendance that violence will not be tolerated, Kimmel joked If anyone commits an act of violence they will be awarded the Best Actor award and then give a 59 minute speech.
Really, Kimmel called-out the many people in the audience who would have his back if anyone dared attempt to slap him. They included Spider Man (Andrew Garfield), Michelle Yeoh, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), and his own Guillermo Rodriguez.
Pictured: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won Best Animated Feature.
A different Guillermo, Gillermo del Toro won the first Academy Award of the night. The Best Animated Feature Oscar went to “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
The second award category of the night, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role, the presenters were last year’s winner Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur.
Pictured: Ke Huy Quan winning Best Supporting Actor.
The Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting role went to Ke Huy Quan in “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.” In his speech, Ke Huy Quan said his journey started on a boat and he spent a year in a refugee camp. Now he ended up there on the Academy Awards stage. “This, this is the American dream.” He thanked his 83-year-old mom for her sacrifices she made for him. And thanked his “Goonies brother” for life Jeff Cohen (“Chunk”).
Pictured: Jamie Lee Curtis winning Best Supporting Actress.
The Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting role went to Jamie Lee Curtis also for “Everything, Everywhere All at Once. In her acceptance speech said although it appears she stands there alone, she’s actually there with hundreds of people and called out the people who helped make “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.” They included directors the Daniels who were in attendance. “We just won an Oscar!” she stated. At the very end Jamie looked up to the heavens to call-out her parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. “I just won an Oscar!” Jamie was also up against Angela Bassett for ‘Wakanda Forever” and Stephanie Hsu also in “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.”
Songwriter Diane Warren joked that she is a fourteen time Oscars loser. She was nominated for the Best Original Song “Applause.”
Best Documentary Feature Film Oscar went to “Navalny.” While accepting the award, the filmmakers stated, “We must not be afraid to oppose dictators around the world.” They spoke for Ukraine prisoners of war. The wife of one such prisoner was on stage and said her husband is in prison for just telling the truth. She looks forward to a day when they’re country is free. “Stay strong my love.”
The Best Live Action Short winner was “An Irish Goodbye.” It was one of their cast members birthdays and they used the rest of their time on stage to sing Happy Birthday to him.
Best Makeup & Hair Styling was won by “The Whale” makeup team, It was half done digitally which allowed for Branden Fraser to be expressive in his acting.
Pictured: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Best Costume Design Winner.
Ruth Carter won Best Costume Design for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Carter shared that most recently she lost her mother and told the late Chadwick Boseman, star of “Black Panther,” to take care of mom. She said thanks for recognizing a black female hero. “This is for my mother. She was 101.”
A milestone was celebrated at the Academy Awards ceremony with the first song ever in Indian Film, Rise, Roar, Revolt (RRR) to be nominated for an Oscar ever! The movie won Best Original Song by Naatu Naatu.
Pictured: Best Original Song, Naatu Naatu for RRR
Another milestone was when Michelle Yeoh, an Asian actress, won Best Actress for “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.”
In her backstage press room speech, Michelle Yeoh said this is actually a historic moment. This is something we have been working so hard towards for a very long time. We finally broke that glass ceiling. I Kung Fued it out! She said it’s for the Asian community but also for anyone who deserves to be heard. “Let us prove we are worth it.”
Brendan Fraser in “The Whale.”
Best Actor Academy Award went to Brendan Fraser for “Whale.” Fraser beat out other major contender Austin Butler for “Elvis.” In his backstage press room speech, Fraser stated, “When I first heard my name, I heard my name but I thought, that can’t be right. Fighting back tears, Brenden said, “I’m sorry but I now know what the metaverse looks like.”
“Everything, Everywhere All at Once” went on to dominate the Academy Awards ceremony with a total of seven Oscars that included almost all of the major categories. Those included Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” won four Oscars that included Best Cinematography, Best International Feature Film, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design.
