The Oscars 2018: A Review

So the Oscars happened.  Up to its premiere this past Sunday night, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the #MeToo movement that has been taking Hollywood by storm since October.  Would Jimmy Kimmel talk about sexual harassment in his opening monologue or not?  What would the nominees say about the movement on the red carpet – especially with Ryan Seacrest on the front lines of interviewers?

With the Academy boasting what may be its most diverse assortment of presenters yet (more women of color, fewer problematic white men), there’s no doubt they have taken calls for more inclusion and awareness somewhat seriously. “Somewhat” is the key word here, as there was still an evident disparity in this year’s nominees.

As per usual, whenever the Academy does something even remotely right, there always seems to be something else that sets them back a step. This can be seen once the ceremony started– it seems accurate to say the show was equal parts awesome and awkward.

AWESOME: Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue. “Awesome” might be stretching it a bit, but, given his potential for disaster given all that has happened this past year, Kimmel did pretty well for himself. 

He did end up talking about gender disparities in Hollywood, bringing up the Mark Wahlberg/Michelle Williams pay gap as an example that was both respectful and kind of funny. 

The highlight of the monologue, however, was the incentive he provided for whoever had the shortest acceptance speech; channeling “The Price is Right,” he offered them a jet-ski, with Dame Helen Mirren as his showgirl.

AWKWARD: Jimmy’s nine-year-old self. It wasn’t so much that young Jimmy was awkward; it was the interaction the two of them had before the little guy introduced the “Star Wars” presenters. The stilted, shaky exchange with all Old Man jokes flopped.  The kid was cute, though– in an annoying, know-it-all kind of way.

AWESOME: Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph. The “Girls Trip” standout and Saturday Night Live alum absolutely stole the show when they went onstage as presenters for Best Documentary Short and Live-Action Short. 

On the increase of racial diversity post-#OscarsSoWhite and the possible backlash that might result from it, Rudolph assured, “Don’t worry, there are so many more white people to come tonight.” Their dynamic was refreshing and just what these Oscars needed. They’re the 2019 hosts we need, but not the ones we deserve.

AWKWARD: The “Star Wars” presenters. “The Last Jedi” stars Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran (and BB-8?) presented Best Animated Short Film and Best Animated Feature, and the jokes were… yikes. 

It seemed like most of their jokes were written by seven- year-olds, and Hamill’s one-liner about robot discrimination was the definition of “not the right time.”

AWESOME: The calls for action.  Presenters Lupita Nyong’o and Kumail Nanjiani expressed their solidarity with DREAMers. 

Best Original Screenplay winner Jordan Peele and the Best Animated Feature-winning creators of “Coco” stressed the importance of diverse representation in film and the impact it can have on younger audiences.

And Best Actress winner Frances McDormand, after urging all of the women nominated to stand up, demanded that the men start taking them seriously. “We all have stories to tell and projects we need financed” she said.

AWKWARD: Best Picture. “The Shape of Water” had been nominated for a whopping 11 Oscars, but it still came as a surprise to many when it won Best Picture over other favorites, such as “Three Billboards,” “Darkest Hour,” and “Get Out.” 

Director Guillermo del Toro’s message to young filmmakers was rousing and inspiring – “This is the door. Kick it open and come in!” – but with all of the events that have happened in the United States in this year alone, this win can’t help but seem like the safe choice, especially after the quiet but uber-progressive “Moonlight” won last year.

AWESOME: Taraji vs. Ryan. While there were a lot of buzzworthy moments on the red carpet, the one that warrants the most attention is the interaction between Taraji P. Henson and Ryan Seacrest, who was recently accused of sexual abuse and harassment. “You know what, the universe has a way of taking care of the good people,” she explains to him slowly with a tight smile on her face. Cue the awkward pause. Taraji holds her smile. Ryan eventually agrees, obviously fazed. Absolutely ruthless. An excellent delivery.