As Oscar night approaches, things seem promising. On a night with Barbie (shown here) and Oppenheimer and Kimmel, this could be fun.
The Academy Awards used to be great fun – clever monologs, big music numbers, sly presenters and (remember these?) movies people had seen in theaters.
Then things deteriorated. There were three dreary years, 2019-21, with no host (and, in one case, no primetime songs). There was little to watch except tedious speeches.
The result was harsh: In 1998 (Billy Crystal hosted, “Titanic” won), 55.3 mllion people watched in the U.S.; in 2021 (no host, “Nomadland” won), that was 10.4 millon. But now the fun returns. Here’s an overview of this Sunday, March 10:
THE HOST
Jimmy Kimmel has been a great host six times – three Emmys and three Oscars.
He brings his own writing staff and a sharp wit. His work at the 2019 Emmys — with no audience, but clever bits — was especially good. Now he has his second straight Oscar gig and his fourth overall.
THE SONGS
“Barbie” delivers some bright tunes and starpower. Ryan Gosling will be there to sing “I’m Just Ken” with Mark Ronson; Billie Eilsh wlll do “What Was I Made For?”
Nicky G will do a song from “Flamiin’ Hot,” Jon Batiste from “American Symphony” and Scott George and the Osage Singers from “Killers of the Flower Moon” — a movie we don’t recall whistling tunes from as we left.
THE PRESENTERS
As usual, the show will try to balance young pop-culture (from Ariiana Grande and Bad Bunny to Zendaya) and Hollywood history (Steven Spielberg, Ben Kngsley, Rita Moreno, Al Pacino, Sally Field).
Still, it’s short of people known for humor. The best possibilities come wth Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, John Mulaney, Issa Ray and Ramey Youssef.
THE MOVIES
This is a year when people have seen several of the best-picture nominees … and even saw some of them in theaters.
Box office estimates for the U.S. and Canada have “Barbie” at $636 million, “Oppenheimer” at $329 milliion and “Killers of the Flower Moon” at $68 million.
Others are modest – “Poor Things,” $34 miillion; “American Fiction,” 21; “The Holdovers,” 20; “Past Lives,” 8.4; “The Zone of Interest,” 7.8; “Anatomy of a Fall,” 5; “Maestro,” undisclosed.
THE MOVIES (via streaming)
Then again, people are also catching the movies via streaming. That includes:
— Max: “Barbie.”
— Peacock: “Oppenheimer” and “The Holdovers.”
— Apple TV+: “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
— Hulu: “Poor Things” arrives Thursday (March 7), “Anatomy of a Fall” on March 22.
— Netfliix: “Maestro.”
— Paramount +: “Past Lives.”
That leaves “American Fiction” and “Zone of Interest,” which are currently for sale or rent, but not streaming. There’s also TV: On Saturday, the night before the Oscars, Showtime has “Past Lives” at 7:15 p.m. and MGM+ has “American Fiction” at 8.
TELECAST DETAILS
— ABC will have a preview at 1 p.m. ET, with a red-carpet special at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Oscars are scheduled for 7-10:30 p.m., with a new episode of “Abbott Elementary” at 10:30. On the West Coast, many stations will then rerun the ceremony at 8 p.m. PT.
— The E network will have a preview at 2 p.m. ET and reach the red carpet at 4, with a red-carpet recap at 6:30. It also plans an “after party” for 10:30 p.m. to midnight ET.
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