2024 Academy Awards (Oscars) Red Carpet & Ceremony

[manhn]

I don’t think Maestro is any more Oscar Baity than Oppenheimer or The Holdovers or Killer Moon. Heck, even something like Poor Things.

 

[PRlady]

I don’t think Maestro is any more Oscar Baity than Oppenheimer or The Holdovers or Killer Moon. Heck, even something like Poor Things.

Poor Things is not for everyone (says the woman who won’t see it because it will give me nightmares.) The Holdovers was a solid B picture like some of the undeserving winners like Green Book. So was American Fiction.

But Nolan was robbed on Interstellar and Dunkirk so this was a foregone conclusion.

 

[manhn]

Maestro is not for everyone either. Kinda over auteur-driven movies (which are often the least diverse) are seen as being “above it all”, as if Emma Stone et al weren’t campaigning it as hard as everyone else.

 

[Jay42]

What happened when Emma Stone accepted her award? It looked like she kinda took it off Michelle Yeoh - but then gave it to Jennifer Lawrence for some reason?

Michelle Yeoh gave it to Jennifer Lawrence to give to Emma Stone because Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone have been best friends for over a decade. She posted explaining it on Instagram.

 

[cygnus]

I didn't realize until I saw a close-up that the embellishment on Lily's gown is quillwork. Gorgeous!

That dress is stunning.

 

[puglover]

I thought the older women - Sally Field, etc. looked great. Not so much of the over puffed or pulled plastic look. Maybe the top plastic surgeons are indeed getting better at it.

 

[Sylvia]

Jeffrey Wright's post-Oscars acknowledgments include the Shibutanis and how they met:

Jeffrey Wright on Instagram: "Once more with feeling. End of the road for me on this one. Nice ride. On to the next. My thanks to everyone out there who has expressed appreciation for our film @americanfictionmovie and for my work in it. Our story

16K likes, 653 comments - jfreewright on March 12, 2024: "Once more with feeling. End of the road for me on this one. Nice ride. On to the next. My thanks to everyone out there who has expressed appreciation for our film @americanfictionmovie and for my work in it. Our story goes on. Massive...

www.instagram.com

Massive thanks to my brilliant Olympian friend @alexshibutani for chronicling the journey over these last weeks. His eye and camera have made me look good! His BTS videographer sister, the wonderful (and even more brilliant than Alex! ;-) @maiashibutani, makes me smile! Helps with pix. I met the Shib Sibs one night at LAX, on the way to catch a red eye home after a stint filming Westworld. Alex was a fan of the show, and I was a fan of their athletic mastery. Friends ever since.

 

[PRlady]

Jeffrey Wright's post-Oscars acknowledgments include the Shibutanis and how they met:

Jeffrey Wright on Instagram: "Once more with feeling. End of the road for me on this one. Nice ride. On to the next. My thanks to everyone out there who has expressed appreciation for our film @americanfictionmovie and for my work in it. Our story

16K likes, 653 comments - jfreewright on March 12, 2024: "Once more with feeling. End of the road for me on this one. Nice ride. On to the next. My thanks to everyone out there who has expressed appreciation for our film @americanfictionmovie and for my work in it. Our story goes on. Massive...

www.instagram.com

I knew I liked that guy.

 

[orbitz]

Did anyone really enjoy the "Ken" musical number ? I had read some early rave reviews so I eagerly watched it on utube. Disappointing! I thought it was a somewhat incoherent and overproduced mess. I couldn't even hear Ryan's vocal during parts of it. I just don't get why people seem so excited about that number.

 

[Tesla]

Did anyone really enjoy the "Ken" musical number ? I had read some early rave reviews so I eagerly watched it on utube. Disappointing! I thought it was a somewhat incoherent and overproduced mess. I couldn't even hear Ryan's vocal during parts of it. I just don't get why people seem so excited about that number.

I just watched and thought it was amazing! All the Kens! And there was singalong! Here's the video I watched.

 

[Sylvia]

Filmed by Martin Scorsese's daughter, Francesca:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767249295957238135

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Did anyone really enjoy the "Ken" musical number ? I had read some early rave reviews so I eagerly watched it on utube. Disappointing! I thought it was a somewhat incoherent and overproduced mess. I couldn't even hear Ryan's vocal during parts of it. I just don't get why people seem so excited about that number.

Every party has its pooper.

 

[BaileyCatts]

I haven't seen the Barbie movie so don't know the context at all in regards to the 'I'm Just Ken' meaning, but I thought it was entertaining. It was supposed to be kind of over the top and hammy, wasn't it? I liked it.

 

[skatemomaz]

I just watched and thought it was amazing! All the Kens! And there was singalong! Here's the video I watched.

I thought it was fantastic, engaging and fun. Bonus, the choreography and costuming was an homage to Marilyn Monroe's iconic "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

I thought I'm Just Ken was a better song than What Was I Made For?

 

[MacMadame]

I thought I'm Just Ken was a better song than What Was I Made For?

I didn't. I was surprised it got a nomination tbh. OTOH, once I saw the number, I was glad because getting a nom is what gave us that glorious OTT mess. I was laughing hysterically through it all. It made me smile.

@BaileyCatts the context is that for most of the Barbie movie, Ken defines himself in relation to Barbie. And Barbie... and Ken! The sign he held up in his mug shot even said "and Ken". By the end of the movie, Ken realizes he's a person in his own right. He's not and Ken. He's just Ken. So it's a bit of empowerment for him.

 

[Jenny]

I haven't seen Barbie, am not a fan of big musical numbers and have no opinion on Ryan Gosling. But I thought the number was fabulous and thoroughly enjoyed it - the highlight of the Oscars for me, and points to Mark Ronson as I'm sure he was all over putting that together too. And Slash of all people taking the solo? Brilliant.

I also thought that after all the talk that he didn't deserve the nom because Margot and Greta didn't get theirs, I thought it was a great way to say, oh yeah? Well check this out.

 

[Tesla]

I thought it was fantastic, engaging and fun. Bonus, the choreography and costuming was an homage to Marilyn Monroe's iconic "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

I thought I'm Just Ken was a better song than What Was I Made For?

Oh my gosh, you're right! Madonna's "Material Girl" homage should've pinged me.

 

[Parsley Sage]

Wolfgang VanHalen was also on stage playing guitar during the performance.

 

[Desperado]

Wolfgang VanHalen was also on stage playing guitar during the performance.

Saw his mom (Valerie Bertinelli rocking a cream suit) gush about him his riffing on Instagram and it was fun.

I did not see Barbie and also didn't get the "Just Ken" number love but I was watching on my phone and it's one of these things that are more fun to watch live.

Party pooper, represent!

 

[overedge]

Honestly, I think Oscar desperation is largely in the eye of the beholder. Not being a person who follows Bradley Cooper closely, I watched Maestro and thought "Excellent performance," not "Man, he REEKS of longing for an Oscar."

I haven't seen Maestro, but if someone is desperate for an Oscar, I think they'd choose a project where they didn't have to direct, write, act and learn a difficult new skill (conducting, in this case). Acting in a dark dramatic film with a big acting turn like a death scene is a lot less work.

 

[flyingsit]

I thought I'm Just Ken was a better song than What Was I Made For?

I agree. What Was I Made For was a typical Billie Eilish song... it wouldn't surprise me if it was 80% written before she was asked to do something for the movie.

 

[KCC]

I didn't see Barbie, so didn't know the context and unfortunately, missed many of the words to I'm Just Ken. But the repeated line "anywhere else I'd be a 10" seemed strange, in that it reminded me of so many guys (and gals) who think they are a 10 and that they deserve better (better looking mates, better respect, better jobs/more money, etc.). I agree that context and the rest of the lyrics are needed. That said, it looked like a lot of fun on that stage, and I'd kind of like to see some confident guy show-skate to it in pink sparkles.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Wolfgang VanHalen was also on stage playing guitar during the performance.

So was Slash from Guns N’ Roses.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

I didn't see Barbie, so didn't know the context and unfortunately, missed many of the words to I'm Just Ken. But the repeated line "anywhere else I'd be a 10" seemed strange, in that it reminded me of so many guys (and gals) who think they are a 10 and that they deserve better (better looking mates, better respect, better jobs/more money, etc.). I agree that context and the rest of the lyrics are needed. That said, it looked like a lot of fun on that stage, and I'd kind of like to see some confident guy show-skate to it in pink sparkles.

It's definitely a context thing - Ken is designed as a "ten" but Barbie isn't interested in him in the least. Anyway, I have a huge soft spot for Gosling because he grew up in my other half's home town of Cornwall. The Ken number brought me huge joy during what's been a sad time for me.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I am not sure how anyone can read anything into the Ken lyrics. 10 rhymes with Ken?

It is a fun song, was a fabulous performance, did not at all take itself seriously and Ryan Gosling created one of the most iconic Oscar's moment that will go down in history and be remembered for all time.

 

[Garden Kitty]

I don't particularly like the song, but I loved how Gosling committed to it and was willing to be totally silly. Award shows can be a bit self reverent, and this was just fun

 

[vgerdes]

I don't particularly like the song, but I loved how Gosling committed to it and was willing to be totally silly. Award shows can be a bit self reverent, and this was just fun.

Yes. It was intentionally over the top, and I loved every minute.

 

[skatfan]

I agree. What Was I Made For was a typical Billie Eilish song... it wouldn't surprise me if it was 80% written before she was asked to do something for the movie.

No that isn’t true. Billie has been interviewed about how this came to be.

I love the song and knew it would win, but so glad the Ken number was able to be on the show and so amazing!

 

[tony]

I saw Barbie in an early release and I was both WTF and loving the I'm Just Ken randomness that got thrown into the movie, and then the song was stuck in my head for a long time afterwards. I remember the reaction in the theater was very WTF in a good way, too. The Oscars version had the same nonsense quality to it and I loved it; also, he stayed relatively on key the whole time until Slash was performing alongside him which was quite impressive to me. On the other hand, I had no strong feelings about What Was I Made For but I thought it was just stunning during the Oscars.

 

[screech]

I haven't seen Barbie, am not a fan of big musical numbers and have no opinion on Ryan Gosling. But I thought the number was fabulous and thoroughly enjoyed it - the highlight of the Oscars for me, and points to Mark Ronson as I'm sure he was all over putting that together too. And Slash of all people taking the solo? Brilliant.

Apparently Ryan was incredibly involved in the entire planning process, from requesting the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes homage, to starting in the audience, and even what lyrics he'd have his Barbie colleagues and Emma sing along to (and having the lyrics up on screen for audience involvement). He even got his La La Land choreographer involved (Mandy Moore - not the singer/actress of the same name).
Also, I loved that Ryan didn't take himself too seriously with the performance, however he clearly took the performance itself very seriously.