Well, well, well. The 2024 Oscars certainly didn’t disappoint when it came to shocking twists and turns! Let’s dive into the juiciest highlights from last night’s star-studded affair.
Overview: What Won Big?
| Category | Winner |
| Best Picture | Poor Things |
| Best Director | Emma Hay (Poor Things) |
| Best Actor | Michael C. Hall (Poor Things) |
| Best Actress | Emma Stone (Poor Things) |
| Best Supporting Actor | Brendan Gleeson (Killers of the Flower Moon) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jessie Buckley (Poor Things) |
| Animated Feature | The Boy and the Heron |
‘Killers’ Flowers Wilt at the Oscars
Going into the night, Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed Killers of the Flower Moon had a whopping 10 nominations, leaving many to wonder if it would bloom into a bonafide Oscar darling. Alas, the film ended up getting royally snubbed, failing to take home a single golden statuette.
In one of the night’s biggest shockers, Lily Gladstone lost the Best Actress race to Emma Stone for her role in Poor Things, despite being the frontrunner according to most pundits. Stone’s surprise victory left the internet ablaze with hot takes and bewildered memes.
As the cameras cut to a crestfallen Gladstone after her loss, you could almost hear the collective “Awww!” from viewers at home. The tender moment when a visibly emotional Scorsese consoled his leading lady with a warm embrace nearly brought a tear to this writer’s eye.
Lily Gladstone was expected by some to win best actress tonight and after #Oscers statue went lost to Emma Stone, Lily’s Killers of the Flower Moon director Martin Scorsese was seen consoling his star and giving her a big hug. pic.twitter.com/C1pnmZQGDr
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) March 11, 2024
Emma Stone Rocks Despite Controversy
Speaking of Emma Stone, her Best Actress win was somewhat overshadowed by the recent controversy surrounding her starring role in Poor Things. Many had criticized the film for allegedly glamorizing sensitive subject matter.
Nevertheless, Stone’s masterful performance was a shining gem that couldn’t be ignored by Academy voters. In her acceptance speech, the actress gracefully acknowledged the debates around the film while thanking her collaborators “for bringing this daring vision to life.”
‘Barbie’ Looks Plastic at the Oscars
While Greta Gerwig’s pop culture phenomenon Barbie didn’t get blanked like Killers of the Flower Moon, its single win (for Best Costume Design) felt pretty anticlimactic given its impressive seven nominations.
Many had expected the iconic doll’s big-screen romp to snag awards like Best Production Design or even Best Adapted Screenplay for Gerwig’s clever meta-narrative. But aside from that solitary statuette for the iconic fashion, Barbie ended up being more of a showpiece than a heavyweight Oscar contender.
Spidey Gets Tangled in Heron’s Web
In one of the night’s biggest head-scratchers, The Boy and the Heron managed to swing past Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for the Best Animated Feature award. The Spider-sequel had dominated the precursor awards and seemed like a shoo-in Oscar lock.
Was it another case of ageism against Miyazaki’s final film? Or did the iconic animator’s poignant environmental themes simply resonate more with voters? Whatever the reason, this monumental upset is sure to spark plenty of spicy hot takes in the days to come.
Final Thoughts? Oscar Never Disappoints!
At the end of the day, the 2024 Oscars stayed true to their reputation for delivering unexpected winners, teary moments, and no shortage of glamour and spectacle. Whether you agree with the results or not, it was an endlessly entertaining night of Hollywood indulgence.
And really, isn’t that what we film buffs live for? The gloriously subjective chaos of trying to decide which movies and performances from the past year were truly “the best”? Debate away, my friends! The movies will be back to thrill us again next year.
