*The judges will also accept “ho ho ho ho”
At the 92nd Academy Awards, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite makes history as the first film entirely in a foreign language to win Best Picture. It also wins Best International Film (the old “Foreign Film” award) and Bong wins Best Director. He also won for Best Original Screenplay. Four Oscars.
So this is the year that Asia gave the world Parasite and the coronavirus.
It was a night of M&M’s ads and an Eminem performance.
Judging from the dearth of whining on Twitter throughout the show, they did a fantastic job. I thought so. Some of the stuff worth remembering….
–Janelle Monae sneaking “Cuz the Oscars/It’s so white” into her opening number…
— Chris Rock riffing on how having 2 Oscars and being black don’t change a damn thing when the po po pull you over.
—Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves together again. #SomethingsGottaGive
–The first Korean Oscar (I think) to Bong Joon-ho for Parasite, Best Original Screenplay.
— Timothy Chamaleet’s very late audition costume for Ford V Ferrari
—Billie Eilish “What the hell is this?” look as Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig do their songs mash-up.
–Best Supporting Actress winner Laura Dern: “Some say ‘Never meet your heroes’ but I say, ‘If you’re lucky, you get them as your parents.'” Now that’s a well-raised child. #DianeLadd #BruceDern
–That PERFECT montage of songs from films that just fit perfectly (even if none of them were from before 1980 or so). And leading into a live performance of bearded, brown-haired Eminem performing “Lose Yourself.” Leave it to the Oscars to even make the rapper white.
–Selma Hayek holding the hand of Oscar Isaac on stage: “I can now definitively say I’ve held an Oscar on this stage.”
—Penelope Cruz reminding everyone who the most effortlessly beautiful woman on the planet is.
–Another average-at-best Elton John song. How can a certified genius also create such a plethora of mediocre tunes? And of course it won for Best Original Song (we’d have gone with “Stand Up” from Harriet).
–The most sincere and charming speeches by Bong Joon-ho and that sweet Scandinavian lass who won for Best Original Score. Foreigners: they’re nicer and much more appreciative than we are.
–A certain 5-letter word was not uttered once at the Oscars last night.
–Olivia Colman: “Last year was the best night of my husband’s life.”
Jane Fonda, 1962:
Jane Fonda, 2020:
— From the Independent Spirit Awards the night before (don’t leave early)