It was clear right away that nobody knew where to look.
The 93rd Academy Awards worked around the global pandemic by shooting inside Union Station on a multi-level auditorium.
Guests sat four to a table, looking like awkward blind dates on a sunset cruise.
Regina King.Credit: Todd Wawrychuk/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images
A presenter appeared in the audience, and then a winner walked onstage, and then hey, presto!
The same presenter appeared across the room, freshly teleported!
and the show seemed to have every possible camera angle on her except the right one.
The winners were exciting: the young and the oldest, diverse and international.
Except, wait, hold it!
It didn’t end there.
After the commercial break, Frances McDormand won forNomadland.
Like most of the world, Sir Anthony was apparently not watching the Academy Awards.
Was thisSteven Soderbergh’splan all along?
We did not need the presenters to give us pocket biographies of each of the nominees.
We did not need Laura Dern telling the Best Supporting Actor nominees why their performances were world-changing.
We did not need to hear the Best Directors explain what directing is.
And, look, I’m a sucker for Soderbergh’s kooky art projects.
(“Why do we need the third cut to the eggs?")
Many of the winners offered impassioned messages, political relevance with a personal edge.
AndMy Octopus Teachertaught us the most important lesson of all:Timewas robbed!
Soderbergh and his collaborators made a lot of unique decisions with this show.
But too many obvious decisions served the material poorly.
It’s painfully obvious that Best Actor was placed last because the producers assumed the lateChadwick Bosemanwould win.
So don’t blame Anthony Hopkins for the dull thud of an ending.
(Also: He isamazinginThe Father.)
Blame the producers for their own overplanning.
You felt like everyone was being told to hit way-too-elaborate marks.
Just show the movies, man!
I preferred the loopy, improvised, half-crazy energy of the evening’s only real extended comedy sketch.
Lil Rel Howery and Questlove hosted a musical game.
Closedanced “Da Butt,“a moment so staged and so ridiculous and so magic.
Maybe the Oscars should try more of that.
Howery looked stunned, clearly realizing his bit had jumped several rails.
“It’s dope and uncomfortable at the same time!”
Couldn’t have summed it up better myself.Grade: B-
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