A winter of discontent, with an unexpected twist
The Steve Harvey part wasn't included in the script when "La La Land" was declared the Best Picture Oscar winner. However, the presence of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway should have given the audience (and the TV viewers) a hint that the Academy voters won't follow the plan. (Beatty and Dunaway starred in "Bonnie and Clyde", which celebrated its 50th anniversary of release this year. It also marked a transition in American Cinema.) "Moonlight" was the real winner, and it didn't win the Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards. This would be a good indicator of which film was likely to scoop the biggest prize during awards night, but the Trump presidency influenced the outcome. The Academy voters also made amends for last year's ceremony, when not one black performer was nominated in the acting categories.
The 89th Academy Awards was probably the best show of recent years. Jimmy Kimmel, playing host for the first time, kept his political jabbing on a subtle level. (And those who anticipated his faux feud with Matt Damon weren't disappointed at all.) At this point, it was pretty obvious that a certain trend would be a thing of the past. It would be no other than a movie with the most nominations winning the Best Picture Oscar. "La La Land" matched the record (for films with the most nominations), but the upset (in the Best Picture category) had nothing to do with poor campaigning during the awards season. Furthermore, the incident during the 2011 New York Film Critics Circle Awards didn't play a part. (One of the members had a feud with Darren Aronofsky.) It was the winter of discontent (brought by Donald Trump).
Let's take a look at the results:
Good PR (and good buddies) gave Casey Affleck the edge he needed in the Best Actor race. In fairness of Casey Affleck, the sexual harrassment claims against him would be water under the bridge. The 32nd Independent Spirits Award saw Ben Affleck's kid brother not mincing words against the Trump administration (after receiving the Best Actor trophy), and there was a tone of earnestness in his voice. The audience (and viewers) noticed it after he received his first Oscar. (He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" nine years ago.) Denzel Washington, his closest competitor, didn't seem pleased with the result. After all, he won his first SAG Award many weeks ago, where "Fences" also gave him a Tony Award. He might be hoping to be the first black actor (and the seventh overall) to three or more Oscars. Alas, Damon was the producer of "Manchester by the Sea". Big brother Ben also had success in directing and producing, so don't be surprised about the good PR job. This would hardly affect the younger Affleck's status, but expect him to be involved in juicy projects in the near future. (He would star and direct 'The Light of My Life", his first in eight years.) Let's say that his Oscar was a sign that he would still be in good terms with the big studios.
Emma Stone would do a Jennifer Lawrence act. Critics would point out that Emma Stone's performance in "La La Land" won't be her best to date, yet the actress was at the prime of her career. She showed her big-screen appeal in "Easy A" and then flexed her acting chops in "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)". She would still be waiting for that perfect role, which could happen after receiving the Oscar (for Best Actress). This was the same trajectory for Jennifer Lawrence, who had yet to achieve box-office gold. Brie Larson, who won the Oscar in the same category last year, would test the waters soon. (She will play Captain Marvel.) Stone's star would shine best in a comedy, so don't be surprised if she might consider another romantic comedy soon.
There was an irony behind Asghar Farhadi's second Oscar. International film festivals have shown Iranian films for almost three decades, where the likes of Abbas Kiarostami were honored in Cannes. However, Majid Majidi's "Children of Heaven" was the only Iranian picture nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film during those years. It was no secret that politics was the reason behind it, yet Asghar Farhadi's case put the filmmaker and Hollywood on the same boat. There would be a unity against Trump's refugee and immigration travel order while Farhadi and his peers must find ways to deal with censorship back home. (There must not be any unflattering scene about Islam, for one thing.) It doesn't mean that other Iranian filmmakers would experience Oscar glory anytime soon. (Connections might play a part here.) It was an intriguing, if not complicated, relationship between two nations that would go back to the 1970s. Arts certainly mirrored real life.
Not a few viewers would find Viola Davis's speech to be too rehearsed, but it was forgotten after that Steve Harvey moment near the end of the show. Kimmel didn't seem interested in hosting the 90th Academy Awards, but Ellen DeGeneres, a former host, tweeted him a friendly reminder. He could be doing this for life, as he turned out to be the best host since Billy Crystal. Agree or disagree?
