I’ll start out with some positives from the 2026 Academy Awards. One, Conan O’Brien did a great job as host, once again, and he kept it moving and didn’t dawdle with too many long, drawn-out bits. Many of his opening jokes were amazing. Two, the show didn’t go too far over and it didn’t feel like everyone was punch-drunk by the end. Three, the Oscar wins for Sinners were ELITE! I also loved that Marty Supreme was completely shut out. Now for the bad stuff: it felt so typical of Hollywood that they gave Best Picture to One Battle After Another and not Sinners, all while positioning Sinners so prominently for months beforehand. The sound and sound mixing for the Oscar broadcast was HORRIFIC. They also bizarrely left tons of people out of the In Memoriam section. Anyway, I’m including some of my personal highlights below, these are in no way comprehensive.
So many of Conan’s jokes were great in the opening monologue, but people especially loved the ballet & opera one. The Weapons bit was great too.
The Oscars found a way to brilliantly “recreate” the juke joint scene in Sinners for Miles Caton’s performance of “I Lied to You.” It was terrific and this was the best the sound-mixing got last night. It was all downhill after this. I loved the “cameo” by Jack O’Connell too.
Sinners’ cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography and she’s also the first woman of color to win in this category as well. What a historic moment.
Michael B. Jordan’s win for Sinners was amazing, although it did feel like the Academy was chasing the high from his SAG/Actor win. Still, I loved the looks on Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura and Leonardo DiCaprio’s faces – they were proud uncles! There was a cutaway to Jesse Plemons too, who is friends with MBJ from Friday Night Lights, and Jesse was so pleased for his friend. Teyana Taylor was thrilled too! MBJ really felt the weight and history of the moment – he’s only the sixth Black man to win Best Actor. I’m so glad he had his parents there too.
I loved everything about Amy Madigan and her win, up to and including her husband Ed Harris’s presence and support. He was so proud of her! What a moment!
Putting Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour together as presenters was brilliant.
If nothing else, Ryan Coogler finally won his first Oscar, for Best Original Screenplay for Sinners. Thank God he won something.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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