97th Academy Awards

RED CARPET PICNIC

Once again, instead of planning a little getaway to another city, I just returned to the same hotel, The Doubletree Alloy in King of Prussia, where I watched the Oscars last year. It’s got a pleasant vibe and it’s convenient, as I have a screening up here at the Regal this evening (3/3) of Bong Joon-ho‘s new film MICKEY 17 starring Robert Pattinson. I did note that last year when I checked in, they offered warm cookies, which were not a part of the welcoming this year.

HOST

The live broadcast (note: also streaming on Hulu) started at 7pm again this year and was over shortly before 11pm – Very tight! Every year they think of a funny thing to discourage long speeches. This year it was that they would pan to John Lithgow making a slightly disappointed face if the speech was going too long. I think it was more a – you hurt my feelings look, which I guess amounts to the same idea.

Conan O’Brien, first time hosting, had a good energy, nothing raiser sharp, but lively. I liked him coming out of Demi Moore‘s back, missing a shoe, as a nod to THE SUBSTANCE. The Adam Sandler bit which was a callback to the Golden Globes when host Nikki Glaser said Timothée Chalamet‘s name sounded like something Adam Sandler would yell out in his weird way. Conan singled Sandler out that he was under dressed for the evening and before leaving in a huff he went over to Chalamet hugged him and Sandlered his name. Chalamet was also singled out in the early headshots bit, where his headshot was just a embryo sonogram.

Oscars 2025 RED CARPET

THIS YEAR’S TREND WAS FORM FITTING SILHOUETTE GOWNS (Brought to you By Ozempic)

Selena Gomez in custom Ralph Lauren and Bvlgari jewellery. Halle Berry in Christian Siriano and Pomellato jewellery. Mindy Kaling in Oscar de la Renta. Meg Ryan In Ashi Studio with Tiffany & Co. jewellery. Bruna Marquezine (Blue Beetle) in custom Atelier Versace with Lorraine Schwartz jewellery and last year’s Best Supporting Actress Winner, Da’Vine Joy Randolph in custom Tamara Ralph.

It’s amazing to me that 25 year’s later I’m still choosing Halle Berry as Best dressed! She makes an art form out of her hour glass figure. More on the Red Carpet Looks are found on my Facebook posted last night (Embedding is not working click image to view videos:

OSCAR MUSIC MOMENTS

There weren’t a ton. This is why the show was shorter than usual because typically they have several artists perform all the nominated songs. This year we just got LISA, Doja Cat & RAYE combine for James Bond Tribute Medley:

JAMES BOND TRIBUTE END OF AN ERA

Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson are the daughter and stepson of Albert R. Broccoli, the man who originally bought the screen rights to the Bond franchise from Ian Flemming long ago. The family has had lock-down control over one of the most beloved and lucrative franchises in film history. They have strictly limited spinoffs, regulated the number and quality of Bond movies and selected each new Bond, a task that has seemed urgent since Daniel Craig signed off in 2021 in “No Time To Die.”

All that will now change, as just last month Broccoli and Wilson sold their inheritance to the company that recently purchased Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the studio with the right to release Bond movies — a little corporation called Amazon. The hits just keep on coming.

Music (Original Song) Winner: EL MAL from Emilia Pérez; Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard – Click image for Mick Jagger presenting and their acceptance speech:

FAVORITE SPEECHES

WICKED: Paul Tazwell first black male costume designer to win an Oscar

Kieran Culkin winning for Best Supporting Actor for A REAL PAIN in which he wants to hold his wife to her promise of 2 more kids if he won an Oscar!

CONGRATS #Oscar Best Documentary – NO OTHER LAND most important Documentary I've seen in years.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu#FreedomForAll #NoOtherLand #Oscars2025 @TheAcademy https://t.co/aVMxUKCkQw pic.twitter.com/NpIOrUzgzi
— Tinsel & Tine – Marvelous Movie Maven (@tinseltine) March 3, 2025

OSCAR MISC MOMENTS

Truly stunning opening with Ariana Grande singing “Over the Rainbow” and Cynthia Erivo singing “Home” and their Wicked duet, culminating in Cynthia belting out the signature sound of “Defying Gravity”.

I think the set was warm and rich, there were no noticeable mistakes during the broadcast. Robert Downey, Jr. did a superb job presenting the Supporting Actor nominee category. Also loved the care they took with the Costume Director nominees, really singling out each nominee individually. It was wonderfully “uncringe”

Dirs. **Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi**

Most Obnoxious to Your Female Partner Award : Why did he rudely stop her reading of the text and then just read it exactly the same? Not to mention, they were doing fine with their English without the bloody text! I did get to see this animated short and it is a mesmerizing, melancholy, delicately animated film about a woman trying to save a beached whale while dealing with a violent husband suffering from PTSD. I think I see where they drew their inspiration.

BEST PICTURE WINNER | ANORA | Neon
Writer/Director Sean Baker

Sean Baker won: Best Director, Film Editing, Original Screenplay and Best Picture – WoW!

I did enjoy ANORA and see the merits of the film across the board, but Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” and “Red Rocket”, I feel are better films with more to say (still have to see “Tangerine”). Sometimes I feel the Academy gives it to someone who was snubbed in the past. Also, as I mentioned in my review, there was a large turn out for this film during the Philadelphia Film Festival from Gen Z. And you know, this TikTok generation – not big movie-goers, especially paying festival ticket prices. I’ve also noted online they are very supportive of Mikey Madison. And of course, it is important for The Academy to be in touch with young audiences and make them Oscar watchers.
All that being said, we, at the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle honored ANORA quite a bit too with 6 Awards including our choice for Best Picture! Still, PFCC voting and my Top 10 List often differ.