The 95th Oscars

Mar 15

Last Sunday marked Hollywood's biggest event of the year, the Academy Awards. This week, we take a moment to catch up on some of the most notable moments of the night, from historic to surprising wins, and of course, the winner of the coveted Best Picture award.

Guillermo del Toro received the first award of the night for his animated feature remake of Pinocchio. If you have not yet had the opportunity to see his rendition of the classic story, it is infused with del Toro's signature gothic, fantasy, and carnival elements throughout. However, among all of his works, Pinocchio is perhaps the most heartfelt and undoubtedly the best adaptation of the story since Disney's 1940 version. Guillermo's unique take on the tale of the wooden puppet who longs to be a real boy brings a new depth to the characters (especially Geppetto) and their struggles.

While Guillermo del Toro may have won the first award of the night, Ke Huy Quan stole our hearts and still has a grip on it. Quan, who appeared in memorable classics such as Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, The Goonies, and Encino Man, disappeared from films for a long time due to not being able to get work because, to put it bluntly, there was no Asian representation in American films.. However, he made a triumphant comeback in Everything Everywhere All At Once, infusing his humor and heart into every ounce of his role.

When Quan received his Oscar, he immediately thanked his mom, delivering what will now be a famous Academy Award quote: "Mom, I just won an Oscar!" His emotional and heartfelt speech ended with a plea to his audience to keep their dreams alive. Emotional and heartfelt, it’s good to see someone who deserves the limelight to receive it.

The first surprise of the night came when Jamie Lee Curtis won her first Oscar, which was long overdue and well-deserved. Her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once was constantly evolving, and she shined in every scene.

Curtis is well-known for her role as Laurie Strode in the Halloween series, and at the end of her speech, she thanked her fans for sticking by her throughout her career the genre films. While her win may have been unexpected, horror fans like myself highly celebrate it. It's fantastic to see talented actors recognized for their work outside of their usual genres, and Curtis winning an Oscar was a momentous occasion that horror fans and film enthusiasts alike can appreciate.

The next two significant and memorable moments of the show came from categories that often do not receive the recognition they deserve. The first was the win for Best Documentary Feature, which went to Navalny. The documentary is based on the story of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the moment that will be remembered is the emotional remarks made by his wife, who is currently dealing with her husband's political imprisonment.

On a much lighter note, when An Irish Goodbye won Best Live Action Short Film, the moment that people are still talking about is the winners' unique acceptance speech. Instead of giving a traditional speech, they had the audience sing "Happy Birthday" to one of their lead actors. This unexpected and heartwarming moment added a touch of joy and humor to the evening

Another big win of the evening was for James Friend's cinematography work in All Quiet on the Western Front. Friend's work had generated a lot of buzz, particularly after winning the BAFTA award for best cinematography. While it's hard not to be a fan of Roger Deakins (who was also nominated for Empire of Light), those who have seen All Quiet or even just stills from the film can attest that this win was well-deserved. The cinematography in All Quiet on the Western Front was stunning and captured the intensity and emotions of the story in a way that was both haunting and impactful.

Speaking of All Quiet on the Western Front, after The Whale won for hair and makeup, All Quiet went on to win back-to-back awards. First for the Production Design and was award to Christian M. Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper. As someone who has worked as a production designer several times, with the biggest undertaking being for Charthouse's next original film, First Time Caller, I can attest to the level of effort and creativity that goes into this role. For First Time Caller, I had to source vintage radios and design how the traps set by our movie's villain would work - it was an exhausting process. I couldn't imagine the undertaking of being the production designer for a movie set in World War One.

All Quiet's next award was for Best Original Score. The original score category was a hot topic for debate on who would win, with many people either siding with John William's score for The Fablemans or Son Lux's score for Everything Everywhere All At Once. It came as a surprise when Volker Bertelmann won, but his mixture of orchestra and electronic elements added a haunting depth to All Quiet that elevated the film to another level. Overall, All Quiet's wins were well-deserved, as they highlighted the immense talent and hard work put into the production of this film.

Ruth Carter's win for Costume Design in Wakanda Forever marked a historic moment in the Academy Awards history. Carter became the first African American woman to win two Oscars, having previously won in 2019 for her work on the original Black Panther film. Carter's designs for Wakanda Forever were highly anticipated by fans of the franchise, and she did not disappoint. Her creations captured the spirit of the fictional nation of Wakanda, showcasing the intricate details of the culture and the characters' personalities. Carter's win was a well-deserved recognition of her outstanding talent and her contributions to the film industry, paving the way for more diversity and inclusion in the future.

Before show reached its final stretch, the awards ceremony featured back-to-back screenwriting awards. The first was presented to Sarah Polley for her adaptation of Miriam Toews' novel Women Talking. Polley, who also directed the film, was recognized for her exceptional work in bringing the powerful story to life on the screen. Women Talking explores the aftermath of a group of women in a colony who have been assaulted by men in their community. Polley's adaptation sensitively captures the emotional complexity of their struggle for justice. Then, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert were awarded the Best Original Screenplay for their work on "Everything Everywhere All At Once". If you’ve seen the movie, you know that the screenplay is a beast. It’s complex and the mental gymnastics you’d have to do to get it done is insane. One of the most interesting things said during the speech was Kwan talking about how his imposter syndrome was at a high. Even though he was making a joke, behind every joke is some truth. It just goes to show that talented people struggle as well.

After Maverick won Best Sound Design and John Travolta gave an emotional in memoriam speech, we entered the final portion of the show, which was absolutely dominated by Everything Everywhere All At Once. This sweep was started by Daniels winning Best Director for the film. As mentioned before, writing the movie was a beast, and making it had to have been a titan of an effort. The complexities of scheduling and keeping everything together while remembering how to direct actors in the ever-changing moments was no easy feat, making this a well-deserved win.

This continued with Paul Rogers winning Best Editing for Everything Everywhere All At Once. To continue my admiration for how challenging this movie was to write and direct, I must add how difficult it must have been to edit it. Usually, if I notice the editing in a movie, it's because the editor did a poor job. However, in this case, the editing was so smooth and intricate that, as an editor myself, I had to pause and wonder how it was accomplished.

There was a pause in the Everything Everywhere All At Once sweep when it came to Best Actor. If you have read my end-of-the-year review and my previous blog post on Brendan Fraser, you can understand my excitement when he took home the award. He truly put everything he had - his love, his pain, his pride - into that role. Just like seeing Quan win for Best Supporting Actor, it’s great to see deserving actors shine in the limelight. Basically we love a comeback.

Credit: Todd Heisler/The New York Time & A24

The domination of Everything Everywhere All At Once continued as Michelle Yeoh won the Best Actress award and made history as the first Asian Woman to win Best Actress. Yeoh's acceptance speech was inspiring as she spoke about the importance of representation and delivered a powerful message to all women to ignore anyone who tells them they are past their prime.

Yeoh's win not only recognized her outstanding performance, but it also highlighted the need for greater diversity and representation in the entertainment industry. Through her words, Yeoh encouraged women to continue pursuing their dreams and to never let anyone diminish their worth based on age or any other factor.

Overall, Yeoh's win and her empowering speech were a shining moment in the history of the awards show, demonstrating the power of strong female voices and the importance of recognizing and celebrating diversity in all forms.

Everything Everywhere All At Once received eleven nominations and won seven Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award. While it wasn't my personal favorite film from the past year, I still enjoyed it immensely for its bold and unique storytelling that provided a much-needed escape.

I’m glad that Everything Everywhere All At Once deserved to win Best Picture. Its win sends a message that there is still hope for ideas that aren't based on pre-existing comic books, movies, novels, TV shows, or toys. It demonstrates that a film that is both complex and entertaining can still be recognized and valued.

In a world where sequels, prequels, and reboots dominate the movie industry, Everything Everywhere All At Once's win represents a victory for creativity and originality. It proves that films that are both thought-provoking and entertaining can coexist and succeed in a highly competitive industry.

Credit: REUTERS & Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

That ends my 2022 movie circuit blogs. I hope you look forward to next years 2023 Favorite Movie, Oscar Nominees, and Academy Award breakdowns as much as I’ll writing them. Below is a list of all the winners from the night

For the love of movies,

Jonathan Austin

All Oscar Nominees and Winners:

Best Picture

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking

Best Director

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, Tár
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

Best Actor

Austin Butler, Elvis
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser, The Whale – WINNER
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Bill Nighy, Living

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Tár
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER

Best Supporting Actor

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau, The Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Editing

The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Production Design

All Quiet on the Western Front – WINNER
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
Elvis
The Fabelmans

Best Costume Design

Babylon
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – WINNER
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris

Best Original Screenplay

The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once – WINNER
The Fabelmans
Tár
Triangle of Sadness

Best Adapted Screenplay

All Quiet on the Western Front
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Living
Top Gun: Maverick
Women Talking – WINNER

Best Cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front – WINNER
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Elvis
Empire of Light
Tár

Best Animated Feature

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – WINNER
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
The Sea Beast
Turning Red

Best Original Song

“Applause” from Tell It like a Woman
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick
“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR – WINNER
“This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Original Score

All Quiet on the Western Front – WINNER
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans

Best International Feature

All Quiet on the Western Front – WINNER
Argentina, 1985
Close
EO
The Quiet Girl

Best Documentary Feature

All That Breathes
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Fire of Love
A House Made of Splinters
Navalny – WINNER

Best Make-Up & Hair

All Quiet on the Western Front
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
The Whale – WINNER

Best Visual Effects

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water – WINNER
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Elvis
Top Gun: Maverick – WINNER

Best Live Action Short

An Irish Goodbye – WINNER
Ivalu
Le Pupille
Night Ride
The Red Suitcase

Best Documentary Short

The Elephant Whisperers – WINNER
Haulout
How Do You Measure a Year?
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Stranger at the Gate

Best Animated Short

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – WINNER
The Flying Sailor
Ice Merchants
My Year of Dicks
An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It

Jonathan Austin

The 95th Oscars

Building The World

Of Mummy’s & Men: Brendan Fraser

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