I will definitely watch the start (11pm here in the UK), and I reserve the right to go to bed at any point subsequent to that depending on how much I like the results.
As much as me have strong opinions about how Oscar telecast should be presented, me really not have patience to watch whole thing. Me just check internet couple of times that evening to see who won.
That being said, here are strong opinions about what they should do (many of which are things they have done, which worked, so naturally they stopped doing them.)
— First, and most obvious, get Kermit to host. How has that never happened? Frog has been at top of show business heap for 50 years, and is natural fit.
— Failing frog, get Conan. He know how to keep things breezy and currently has free time.
— Open show with catchiest nominated song. That year the opened with Justin Timberlake singing "Dance, Dance, Dance" was terrific.
— Do opening monologue and then keep banter to minimum. Just keep things moving.
— Stop treating "technical" awards like no one cares and stop making jokes about how no one watched arthouse films. This should be about celebrating movies, not being defensive about people caring about this stuff.
— Show the damn movies. Not long montage celebrating Old Racist Hollywood, or movies with chairs in them or whatever. Not wedding toast from presenters about why nominee was deserving. Just show clip from each movie that show us why that movie got nominated.
— One thing from recent years me enjoyed was having someone sing song over In Memoriam that related to someone who passed that year. Me not big Streisand fan, but having her sing "People" after Marvin Hamlish died was absolutely perfect. See, me not can just complain. Occasionally they get it right.
"Stop treating "technical" awards like no one cares and stop making jokes about how no one watched arthouse films. This should be about celebrating movies, not being defensive about people caring about this stuff."
THIS. Don't keep trying to convince us that this isn't important and we are dumb for caring about it! When you watch the Super Bowl they treat everything up to and including the opening coin toss like it's a religious sacrament. Take pride in what you're doing! We're watching because we LIKE this stuff!
Yeah, I always loved the montages, which seemed to get cut back in attempts to “trim the fat.” Apparently, the Oscars aren’t about the history of the movies as well as recent ones anymore? Because we’re all more interested in cringeworthy jokes about, you know, Uma and Oprah (that’s a pretty old one, but you get my point)? /crank
I haven’t watched the Oscars in full in years, although I did tune in for the last hour or so of the one Soderbergh produced because social media kept telling me how odd it was.
no. give me a 2hr long event where critics and the artists get to discuss why they think certain movies, actors, directors, etc are worthy of praise. I dont care who wins an art contest. And i don't mind the pomp, but i dont like the self-absorption
I normally just avoid this as a topic, but since you asked... I did not grow up watching award shows, dipped into them during college and found them just far too slow and boring for my attention span. I inevitably switch to something else and forget to come back. So it's never been part of my routine, and now if anything actually impressive happens it's almost certainly available for me to catch online the next day.
I've been very surprised that seemingly all of the professional critics seem to enjoy the show. I would have expected more "I have to cover this for professional reasons", but y'all do seem to like it.
Outside of paying out the nose for those services like "Hulu Live" or whatever, I think your best bet (and the one I use as a fellow cord cutter) is just getting a digital antennae and watching it live over the air. I think the one I got was $50 and it works great to watch any network TV (along with like 50 other free channels) when the need arises.
we tried one of those a few years ago to try and watch the olympics, but it was a completely spotty experience. Haven't tried since, but maybe one day!
I'm personally surprised more of these events aren't available streaming, even for a modest fee, but I'm sure there are money reasons
I tried the antennae last year and had the spotty (freezing, pixelated) experience. I got a free trial to YouTube Live and then cancelled before it cost anything. That door is closed so going to do the same with Fubo this year.
Oh we will be watching at our house. This is one of my favorite events of the year! We will have a ton of friends over, a great cocktail bar and a giant potluck where people have to bring a dish paired with one of the Best Picture nominees that we drew out of a hat (we did NOT include a few of the nominees, one in particular.) The Oscars are fun, inane, inspiring, and maddening, often in equal measure. But it's also the best opportunity all year to convince someone to watch a movie like PAST LIVES or ZONE OF INTEREST or MAY DECEMBER and that's a good thing.
This is my opinion on the Oscars. Ridiculous? Yes. But it’s incentive other than box office for more kinds of films to get made and incentive for more people to watch them. It’s the Super Bowl of Talking About Movies.
I unabashedly enjoy it and with only a couple of exceptions have watched beginning to end since I was 10. (My parents were normally very strict about bedtimes but made an exception for the Oscars. They'd probably revise that rule if they got to do it all over again.) This year my little brother will be there with his wife. First time I've watched it with an original family member in a long, long time. Will have a spread, a couple signature cocktails, a little bit of betting. Will definitely check in on the live chat.
I'm so grateful that they are starting earlier this year. I still fully expect it to exceed 3 hours, but I'll take 11:15 over past midnight for sure. Also, we lose an hour of sleep the previous night, so doubly thankful. Looking forward to the chat!
I used to love watching the Oscars. It was always a big to-do in my family—I used to take off work the day after, so I could stay up after the show talking about it!—but I feel more and more detached from them every year. A lot of it gives me second-hand embarrassment, so I just don’t watch anymore. I 100% DO NOT mean that in an I’ve-grown-out-of-that-frivolity kind of way. It actually makes me kind of sad. But I love reading liveblogs and discussions like these, so I look forward to The Reveal’s commentariat weighing in.
I try to watch live every year, especially lately Australia has been streaming or broadcasting live. They usually start around lunchtime. I enjoy it, not that I think they’re good. I have been there for most of the insane things that happened recently. I’ll try and join the chat.
Unfortunately in my country the Oscars are during the work day. And then that evening I have my film society screening (which on Oscars night will be After Hours, yay!). But I'll try to avoid all spoilers*, and then when I get home I'll watch the entire ceremony.
But for that reason I won't be able to join you. But it sounds fun - hope everyone that participates enjoys it.
( * Back in 2020, a friend of mine sent me a txt that simply read "!". I saw the txt, noticed the time, and instantly realised Parasite must have won Picture. I am VERY sensitive to spoilers.)
Although I’ve been disappointed by a few things the past three years (the ridiculously minimalist covid ceremony of 2021; Will Smith not being escorted out of the theater after he assaulted someone in 2022; CIA propaganda film “Navalny” winning Best Documentary Feature in 2023), I always end up watching. I used to predict the winners but I stopped a few years ago after I got 22 out of 23 correct. Not quite perfect, but I might as well quit while I’m ahead. My only predictions this year is that Emma Stone will win for Lead Actress (which I was saying before the film was even released) and propaganda film “20 Days in Mariupol” will emerge victorious. At the very least I’m convinced that an actress with “stone” in her name will win.
No, I’ll be live-streaming Amatocon on the HEI Network for key business insights I can use and also LIMITED Oscar Coverage from Movie Expert Gregg Turkington.
it is none of your business if i watch the oscars, keith
I will definitely watch the start (11pm here in the UK), and I reserve the right to go to bed at any point subsequent to that depending on how much I like the results.
As much as me have strong opinions about how Oscar telecast should be presented, me really not have patience to watch whole thing. Me just check internet couple of times that evening to see who won.
That being said, here are strong opinions about what they should do (many of which are things they have done, which worked, so naturally they stopped doing them.)
— First, and most obvious, get Kermit to host. How has that never happened? Frog has been at top of show business heap for 50 years, and is natural fit.
— Failing frog, get Conan. He know how to keep things breezy and currently has free time.
— Open show with catchiest nominated song. That year the opened with Justin Timberlake singing "Dance, Dance, Dance" was terrific.
— Do opening monologue and then keep banter to minimum. Just keep things moving.
— Stop treating "technical" awards like no one cares and stop making jokes about how no one watched arthouse films. This should be about celebrating movies, not being defensive about people caring about this stuff.
— Show the damn movies. Not long montage celebrating Old Racist Hollywood, or movies with chairs in them or whatever. Not wedding toast from presenters about why nominee was deserving. Just show clip from each movie that show us why that movie got nominated.
— One thing from recent years me enjoyed was having someone sing song over In Memoriam that related to someone who passed that year. Me not big Streisand fan, but having her sing "People" after Marvin Hamlish died was absolutely perfect. See, me not can just complain. Occasionally they get it right.
"Stop treating "technical" awards like no one cares and stop making jokes about how no one watched arthouse films. This should be about celebrating movies, not being defensive about people caring about this stuff."
THIS. Don't keep trying to convince us that this isn't important and we are dumb for caring about it! When you watch the Super Bowl they treat everything up to and including the opening coin toss like it's a religious sacrament. Take pride in what you're doing! We're watching because we LIKE this stuff!
Yeah, I always loved the montages, which seemed to get cut back in attempts to “trim the fat.” Apparently, the Oscars aren’t about the history of the movies as well as recent ones anymore? Because we’re all more interested in cringeworthy jokes about, you know, Uma and Oprah (that’s a pretty old one, but you get my point)? /crank
The Ringer had a good fix for the Oscars, IMO: https://www.theringer.com/oscars/2023/3/6/23626817/academy-awards-2023-how-to-fix-the-oscars-telecast-show
Me like that idea. Ringer usually get it right.
No.
I’m the sicko who has watched all of the televised shows including buying 3 months of britbox to watch the BAFTAs so yes.
I haven’t watched the Oscars in full in years, although I did tune in for the last hour or so of the one Soderbergh produced because social media kept telling me how odd it was.
Great header image, by the way. I’m reminded of the year TCM ran THE OSCAR as counter programming during the Oscars.
Looking forward to it!
no. give me a 2hr long event where critics and the artists get to discuss why they think certain movies, actors, directors, etc are worthy of praise. I dont care who wins an art contest. And i don't mind the pomp, but i dont like the self-absorption
Only if Armond White gets invited for drama purposes lol
I normally just avoid this as a topic, but since you asked... I did not grow up watching award shows, dipped into them during college and found them just far too slow and boring for my attention span. I inevitably switch to something else and forget to come back. So it's never been part of my routine, and now if anything actually impressive happens it's almost certainly available for me to catch online the next day.
I've been very surprised that seemingly all of the professional critics seem to enjoy the show. I would have expected more "I have to cover this for professional reasons", but y'all do seem to like it.
but out of curiosity, for those of us who have "cut the cord", is there a way to watch them streaming?
Outside of paying out the nose for those services like "Hulu Live" or whatever, I think your best bet (and the one I use as a fellow cord cutter) is just getting a digital antennae and watching it live over the air. I think the one I got was $50 and it works great to watch any network TV (along with like 50 other free channels) when the need arises.
we tried one of those a few years ago to try and watch the olympics, but it was a completely spotty experience. Haven't tried since, but maybe one day!
I'm personally surprised more of these events aren't available streaming, even for a modest fee, but I'm sure there are money reasons
I tried the antennae last year and had the spotty (freezing, pixelated) experience. I got a free trial to YouTube Live and then cancelled before it cost anything. That door is closed so going to do the same with Fubo this year.
Don't forget all the illegal streams that are always out there for you, should you want your computer to be bombarded by pop-ups and malware.
Say no more!
Oh we will be watching at our house. This is one of my favorite events of the year! We will have a ton of friends over, a great cocktail bar and a giant potluck where people have to bring a dish paired with one of the Best Picture nominees that we drew out of a hat (we did NOT include a few of the nominees, one in particular.) The Oscars are fun, inane, inspiring, and maddening, often in equal measure. But it's also the best opportunity all year to convince someone to watch a movie like PAST LIVES or ZONE OF INTEREST or MAY DECEMBER and that's a good thing.
This is my opinion on the Oscars. Ridiculous? Yes. But it’s incentive other than box office for more kinds of films to get made and incentive for more people to watch them. It’s the Super Bowl of Talking About Movies.
I unabashedly enjoy it and with only a couple of exceptions have watched beginning to end since I was 10. (My parents were normally very strict about bedtimes but made an exception for the Oscars. They'd probably revise that rule if they got to do it all over again.) This year my little brother will be there with his wife. First time I've watched it with an original family member in a long, long time. Will have a spread, a couple signature cocktails, a little bit of betting. Will definitely check in on the live chat.
I'm so grateful that they are starting earlier this year. I still fully expect it to exceed 3 hours, but I'll take 11:15 over past midnight for sure. Also, we lose an hour of sleep the previous night, so doubly thankful. Looking forward to the chat!
Oh wait, it starts at 7 pm ET, so more like 1015 end time! Even better for these sleepy eyes...
I used to love watching the Oscars. It was always a big to-do in my family—I used to take off work the day after, so I could stay up after the show talking about it!—but I feel more and more detached from them every year. A lot of it gives me second-hand embarrassment, so I just don’t watch anymore. I 100% DO NOT mean that in an I’ve-grown-out-of-that-frivolity kind of way. It actually makes me kind of sad. But I love reading liveblogs and discussions like these, so I look forward to The Reveal’s commentariat weighing in.
I try to watch live every year, especially lately Australia has been streaming or broadcasting live. They usually start around lunchtime. I enjoy it, not that I think they’re good. I have been there for most of the insane things that happened recently. I’ll try and join the chat.
Unfortunately in my country the Oscars are during the work day. And then that evening I have my film society screening (which on Oscars night will be After Hours, yay!). But I'll try to avoid all spoilers*, and then when I get home I'll watch the entire ceremony.
But for that reason I won't be able to join you. But it sounds fun - hope everyone that participates enjoys it.
( * Back in 2020, a friend of mine sent me a txt that simply read "!". I saw the txt, noticed the time, and instantly realised Parasite must have won Picture. I am VERY sensitive to spoilers.)
Although I’ve been disappointed by a few things the past three years (the ridiculously minimalist covid ceremony of 2021; Will Smith not being escorted out of the theater after he assaulted someone in 2022; CIA propaganda film “Navalny” winning Best Documentary Feature in 2023), I always end up watching. I used to predict the winners but I stopped a few years ago after I got 22 out of 23 correct. Not quite perfect, but I might as well quit while I’m ahead. My only predictions this year is that Emma Stone will win for Lead Actress (which I was saying before the film was even released) and propaganda film “20 Days in Mariupol” will emerge victorious. At the very least I’m convinced that an actress with “stone” in her name will win.
No, I’ll be live-streaming Amatocon on the HEI Network for key business insights I can use and also LIMITED Oscar Coverage from Movie Expert Gregg Turkington.