by The Cowl Editor on February 13, 2020
Film and Television
by Anne DeLello ’20 A&E Staff
While the Super Bowl is the premiere event in sports, this past Sunday the entertainment industry had a super bowl of its own: the Oscars. A list of top tier actors, actresses, and crew members were nominated to win coveted Oscars. Not only are the nominees showcased at the event, but there were top notch performers in attendance as well.
The 92nd Academy Awards debuted live on ABC on Feb. 9, and, as per usual, the show impressed those watching at home with an entertaining evening. The organization continued the tradition of broadcasting without a host for the second year in a row.
The list of nominees was expansive, and there were plenty of great contenders. One of the biggest winners of the night was the movie Parasite. Director and producer Bong Joon-ho won in four categories for which he and the film were nominated, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Film, and Best Original Screenplay. The film made history as the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Much to the amusement of those watching, Bong Joon-ho joked to the audience in his acceptance speech for Best Picture, saying, “I’m ready to drink tonight.”
Brad Pitt earned an award for his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, walking away with the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
Other big wins for actors included Joaquin Pheonix for his performance in Joker. Though he has been nominated before, this was Phoenix’s first Oscar win for Best Actor, and he used the opportunity to express how his position has allowed him to give a voice to the causes important to him. The actor spoke about inequality and the environment, claiming that “human beings, at our best, are so inventive and creative and ingenious, and I think that when we use love and compassion as our guiding principles, we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment.”
Some big wins for actresses included Laura Dern with her first Oscar win for Best Actress in a Supporting Role due to her role in Marriage Story, a role for which she also won a Golden Globe this year. Renée Zellweger also won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the Judy Garland biopic, Judy.
Not only did the night feature groundbreaking wins, but the Oscars also featured a series of performances during the show. Idina Menzel performed “Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2 with a backing chorus of ‘Elsas’ from countries throughout the world singing in their native languages. Good Morning America dubbed this a “truly global performance.” The Oscars also featured a surprise performance by Eminem. He performed “Lose Yourself” following a montage of iconic music in films.
The Oscars were filled with first-time wins and groundbreaking victories. With many well-deserved winners, this year’s Oscars have set a precedent for many years to come.