Film Despite blotting its copy book by effectively having Driving Miss Daisy beat Spike Lee again (not that Spike was nominated in the best picture category in that year even though he should), last night's Oscars was an utterly thrilling piece of television. Without a host, it focused more closely on the films themselves rather than having to awkwardly entertain the audience with extra-curricular activities. But more than that, with the odd exception, the award winners were a diverse cross section of artists representing an incredibly high standard of film making. That a MARVEL film now has three academy awards and in the areas it most excelled at is historic.
Of course the best moment for some of us who've been watching television comedy and drama for the past twenty years is Olivia Colman's win. Numberwang's Olivia Colman, Look Around You's Pam Bachelor, Green Wing's Harriet Schulenburg, Twenty Twelve's Sally, Rev's Alex, Peep Show's Sophie, Broadchurch's Ellie and yes, Doctor Who's Patient Zero. She apparently made her television debut in 1995 as a contestant on the Win or Weep section of Channel 4's The Word and now she's an Oscar winner and I couldn't be happier because its an example of the working inside the system and how the unlikeliest of outcomes is always still possible.
Anyway, let's see how I did.
BEST PICTURE
Like: "Roma"
Will: "A Star Is Born"
Did: "Green Book"
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Like: Marina de Tavira, "Roma"
Will: Amy Adams, "Vice"
Did: Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Like: Richard E. Grant, "Can You Ever Forgive Me"
Will: Sam Elliott, "A Star Is Born"
Did: Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Like: "Roma"
Will: "Roma"
Did: "Roma"
ORIGINAL SONG
Like: "When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings" - "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"
Will: "Shallow" - "A Star Is Born"
Did: "Shallow" - "A Star Is Born"
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Like: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"
Will: "Isle of Dogs"
Did: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Like: "BlacKkKlansman"
Will: "BlacKkKlansman"
Did: "BlacKkKlansman"
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Like: "Roma"
Will: "The Favourite"
Did: "Green Book"
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Like: Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"
Will: Glenn Close, "The Wife"
Did: Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"
DIRECTOR
Like: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
Will: Adam McKay, "Vice"
Did: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Like: "Black Panther"
Will: "Black Panther"
Did: "Black Panther"
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Like: "Roma"
Will: "Roma"
Did: "Roma"
COSTUME DESIGN
Like: "Black Panther"
Will: "The Favourite"
Did: "Black Panther"
SOUND EDITING
Like: "A Quiet Place"
Will: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Did: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
SOUND MIXING
Like: "Black Panther"
Will: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Did: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
ORIGINAL SCORE
Like: "Black Panther"
Will: "Black Panther"
Did: "Black Panther"
VISUAL EFFECTS
Like: "Avengers: Infinity War"
Will: "Ready Player One"
Did: "First Man"
Not a bad tally. Of the categories I paid attention to, even if I didn't guess that it would win, at least I suggested that I'd like it too. But in years to come, when the ceremony itself becomes a faded memory and it just exists as this list, people will ponder about some of the choices as the reputation of some of these films grow just as other recede.
