The 93rd Academy Awards took place at Union Station in downtown LA this past weekend and the telecast had very mixed reviews. It was apparent that COVID definitely impacted the joy of the show. With no host to help keep things going in a fun and uplifting spirited way it ended up feeling more like a wake than a celebration. No disrespect to the quick rapid fire ‘in remembrance’ segment!
gives Craig Young a celebratory peck on the cheek.
It was a shame that lighting at Union station, which boasts a gorgeious combination of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco styles, left a lot to be desired and unfortunately washed out all the stars.
My husband noted that if you can’t even make the beautiful Margot Robbie look good then you messed up. Royally.
The musical performances were a missed opportunity and the general cheer of a crowd was sorely missed.
With a room full of just nominees it felt like a beauty pageant where there are 40 runners up and there can only be one winner. Poor Glenn Close who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride livened things up with her twerking and rapping skills. But unfortunate I felt that’s where the fun started and ended.
Not a ton of surprises either for the awards. Perhaps Anthony Hopkins winning Best Actor over Chadwick Boseman. But why mess with the line-up of awards when you know potentially two of your nominees cannot make it. At least end the night with Best Actress (and at the same time make a statement that women are just as important as men). However the biggest mistake was doing Best Picture BEFORE the Best Actor and Actresses awards. The Best Picture gong has always been the cherry on the top of the ceremony so it left a huge sense of anticlimax following the announcement. To my mind, this year’s telecast was a big dud and I’m not surprised that it lost 50% of its audience from the year before.
Meanwhile in Hollywood my home screening was a heck of a lot more fun. I got to celebrate with some fully-vaccinated and Covid-tested BRITS IN LA friends. It was nice to host something, what with being involved in a film (Mank) which bosted 10 award nominations and which won two Oscars on the night (Best Cinematography and Best Production Design). Our guests enjoyed fresh delicious sushi from Sugar Fish and champagne galore, my friend Seppi Aghajani made a makeshift red carpet for us, ensuring an unforgettable night for us all. Our after-party ended with a round of karaoke where literally the mic was dropped! 🙂
Congrats to all the winners and the nominees and here’s to next year and hoping we can get back to the glitz and the glamor we all love.
Cheers!
Craig Young
