Randomizer Not So Random For First Time on THE FLOOR Season 3, Episode 4 Recap
February 27, 2025
Muddy Problems on DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND Season 2 Episode 9 Recap
March 4, 2025Anora and Brutalist Major Wins at THE OSCARS 97th Academy Awards Recap
The 97th Academy Awards promised a special opening tonight, and they delivered with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Enrivo performing Wicked song “Gravity.” Aside from that performance, along with a 007 tribute, the other best part of the night was comedian host Conan O’Brien’s wise-cracking jokes.
Host Conan O’Brien went into his opening monologue by telling jokes involving all of the Best Picture nominations along with some of the actors. Conan had no apologies for some racy jokes and politically incorrect. One such joke involved Best Actress nominee Sofia Karla Gascon from “Emilia Perez” whose controversial Tweets almost prevented her attendance at the Oscars. O’Brien joked that Gascon’s publicist used the “F” word more than in Best Picture nominated movie “Anora.”
Pictured: ADAM SANDLER / 97th Academy Awards, Disney
After throwing Adam Sandler out for not dressing appropriately, O’Brien shined the light on the recent wildfires that Los Angeles endured along with recognition to everyone behind the scenes on every scale. Then, the irony of promising to “not waste time”during the notorious long ceremony, O’Brien did a song and dance number that did exactly that…wasted time!! Lol.
Conan’s promised time management completely went off the rails with Adrian Brody’s acceptance speech for Best Lead Actor for “The Brutalist.” After the show’s producers were already generous by not prompting him sooner, the music finally started to play to urge Brody to wrap-up. Brody reacted that this isn’t his first rodeo and he needed to finish his speech. This took him five minutes. While others winning awards were quickly exited off the stage with the same wrap-up music. The industry very much showed it’s true colors with it’s obvious hierarchy system.
In the show’s Memoriam towards the end of the broadcast, it included an extended dedication to recently passed actor Gene Hackman, who won two Academy Awards. But, actress Michelle Trachtenberg was mysteriously left-out. Surprisingly, the Opera biopic “Maria” was nominated for only one award, Best Cinematography and was beaten out by “The Brutalist.”
Let the Awards Begin!
The first award of the night went to Kieran Culkin for “A Real Pain” for the Best Supporting Actor category given out by actor Robert Downey Jr. At the end of his acceptance speech, Culkin revealed a “kid” pact that he and his wife made together one year ago. That’s if he won the Oscar, she would have two more children, bringing their total to four kids!
Andrew Garfield arrived at the Dolby stage with film icon Goldie Hawn and gave her a sweet personal message. The two of them presented the nominations for Animated Feature Film. The winner was “Flow.” which was nominated for both animated feature film and international film. The team of “Flow” is the first to win from Latvia.
Andrew and Goldie stayed to also give out another Oscar, this time to “In the Shadows of the Cypress” for Best Animated Short. They told the story of how they just landed in Los Angeles a few hours ago. They hadn’t obtained their Visas until yesterday. “It’s a miracle,” they said. They dedicated the award to those still fighting their inner and out battles “especially our fellow Iranians.”
Conan O’Brien announced that the Oscars telecast was being watched by over a billion people. He came up with international greetings in various languages. When he got to China, Conan said he was in financial trouble and asked them to put him in many of their movies!
A Major Milestone Happened!
97th Academy Awards – PAUL TAZEWELL
Several presenters from each nominated film of “Best Costume Design” came out to hand out the next Oscar. They were: Lily Rose (Nosferatu), Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown), John Lithgow (Conclave), Connie Nielsen (Gladiator II), and Bowen Yang (Wicked). The costume designer for “Wicked,” Paul Tazewell, was the winner. He said “I’m the first black man to receive Best Costume Design Wardrobe. He was previously nominated for Westside Story.
In the Best Original Screenplay category, the nominees were September 5, The Substance, The Brutalist, Anora. The winner was Sean Baker for Anora, who is also the film’s director. It’s his first Oscar win. Baker thanked the sex workers community for the win. Best Adapted Screenplay went to Conclave by Peter Straughan.
Beauty and Ageless!
The next major award of the night went to “The Substance” for Best Makeup & Hair Styling. It was the first Oscar and nomination for the winners. After that, the beautiful and ageless Halle Berry came out to the stage to introduce a tribute to Barbara and Michael from the 007 franchise. This included performances from three female artists singing iconic Bond songs: Lisa from “Black Pink” performing “Live and Let Die,” Doja Cat with “Diamonds are Forever,” and Raye sang “Skyfall.” These ladies did an incredible job!
Pictured: LISA / 97th Academy Awards –Disney/Frank Micelotta
This show shined a spotlight on “Kill Bill” which is celebrating its 20th year by having Daryl Hannah out on the stage. The first thing she said was in support of Ukraine. Daryl Hannah gave out the award for Best Editing, won by Anora’s Sean Baker who had just won for Best Original Screenplay. It was very appropriate that Daryl Hannah handed him his award, second best to Quentin Tarantino who also wears multiple hats in his film-making that include – writer, director, editor.
SPOILER!! Even more fittingly was when Quentin Tarantino handed the award to Sean Baker for Best Director. Baker told Tarantino that if he didn’t cast Mikey Madison in “Once Upon a Time,” there would be no “Anora.” Baker thanked Quentin for doing so and for all of his work. During his acceptance speech, Baker urged film makers to “keep making films for the big screen” to keep the great tradition of the movie going experience alive.
Simply Devine!
Pictured: ZOE SALDANA / Disney/Stewart Cook
Last year’s winner Da’Vine handed out the Best Supporting Actress award to Zoe Saldana for Emilia Perez! In her acceptance speech, Zoe stated, “I am a proud child of immigrant parents…I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last.” She dedicated the award in honor of her grandmother.
The Best Production Design Academy Award went to “Wicked” film, accepted by Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales. They called it the “greatest experience ” and Jon Chu took them “over the rainbow.”
Legendary!
Best Original Song was presented by Mick Jaguar who got a standing ovation. He also joked about Bob Dylan not being able to be there to hand out the award. So, instead they picked him. Jaggar joked that Bob Dylan asked if they could find “someone younger….I’m younger!” Songwriter Camille and Jacques Audidard won for Emilia Perez
It was the first Oscar win for the Best Original Song winner, “El Mal” in “Emila Perez.” The songwriter Camille said “music and art can play and can continue to play as a force of good and progress in the world.” They thanked the director and cast, as well as the actress who brought the song to life Zoe Saldana.
Speaking of Emilia Perez!
Before that, half way through the show, Conan announced that the show had reached a midpoint, and suggested it was time to bring out Kendrick Lamar to call Drake a pedophile. “I’m lawyered-up” he exclaimed.
Selena Gomez presented with Samuel L. Jackson to present Documentary categories. Best Documentary Short Film went to “The Only Girl in the Orchestra.” The pair handed out an Oscar to Best Documentary Feature next that went to “No Other Land.”
The local Los Angeles wildfire disaster was acknowledged during the ceremony by bringing out the Fire Captains from affected L.A. counties. They were there to receive recognition, and to also tell jokes too wild for Conan to tell!
Late in the evening, the movie “I’m Still Here” won Best International Feature Film. This marked the first movie from Brazil to ever win an Oscar.
MORE Major Awards!
Anora and The Brutalist Dominated…
The remaining hour of the Oscars show handed out most of the major awards that included Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects both going to “Dune Part Two.” The rest of the night mostly went to two independent films. Though it looked like the show directors had expected “Wicked” to be the big winner of the night. Not only did the show begin with a “Wicked” performance, another nod to the film came towards the end. During a tribute to Quincy Jones it led into a performance of “Ease on Down the Road” by Queen Latifah from The Whiz movie.
Pictured: MIKEY MADISON, SEAN BAKER –Disney/Frank Micelotta
The two movies that dominated the rest of the night were Anora, and The Brutalist. Upon accepting the Best Picture award, Sean Baker revealed that “Anora” was made for $6 million in New York with only 40 crew members! Baker also won Best Director. The Brutalist picked up the following Academy Awards: Best Lead Actor (Adrien Brody); Best Original Score, Best Cinematography. The other big winning film “Anora” about a sex worker, won two more Academy Awards in the major categories of Best Lead Actress, and Best Picture.
