This yr, the undertaking of the Academy Awards was once, greater than the rest, to keep away from disaster. Essentially the most-discussed ceremonies within the remaining decade were marked via jaw-dropping viral moments—none of which had a lot to do with the films supposedly being celebrated. The flawed Absolute best Image was once introduced. Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, then gave a rambling acceptance speech for the Absolute best Actor award. The primary Oscars after the beginning of COVID-19 gambled on finishing with one Absolute best Actor win and ended up with some other—somebody who was once at house, and already in mattress. This night, with a couple of massive field administrative center successes like Oppenheimer and Barbie up for a slew of awards, the Academy for Movement Image Arts and Sciences had a first-rate alternative to degree a really perfect rite—and this time, principally not anything went flawed.

In fact, that implies that most of the winners had been unsurprising—a symptom of a protracted and ever-growing awards season that anoints favorites months upfront, and is especially prone to a juggernaut like Oppenheimer. And the evening’s one large marvel was once just a little awkward, with Emma Stone amassing her 2nd Absolute best Actress trophy for Deficient Issues, spoiling the risk of a groundbreaking victory for the Local American actress Lily Gladstone in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. However via and big, the oldsters on the Academy might be cheering an evening that moved at a tight clip, ended at an affordable hour, and featured numerous recognizable winners whilst managing to focus on one of the maximum cherished losers.

For example, Ryan Gosling’s efficiency of Barbie’s “I’m Simply Ken” may were the spotlight of the night from a manufacturing perspective, overflowing with visible humor and constructed across the actor’s best peacocking skills. However then it didn’t even win—Absolute best Tune went to the opposite, slower Barbie quantity, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s “What Was once I Made For?” That was once Barbie’s most effective trophy of the evening, a tune citizens obviously determined was once critical sufficient to be worthy of an Oscar. That’s frequently the way it is going on the Academy Awards, with the large drama generally triumphing over the thrill comedy, however this yr’s citizens had the good thing about with the ability to toughen an excessively just right “critical” movie in Oppenheimer for Absolute best Image.

Christopher Nolan’s wartime biopic ended up with seven Oscars, together with Absolute best Image, Director, Actor, and Supporting Actor—a forged take, although now not the large haul some anticipated. Most of the technical classes ended up going to Yorgos Lanthimos’s Deficient Issues, an epic comedy a couple of Frankenstein woman (Emma Stone) occurring a adventure of sexual self-discovery and finding out some Marxist concept at the approach. Deficient Issues is the type of gonzo paintings that previous Oscar citizens may have brushed aside as too excessive, however the Academy’s main power to diversify club over the previous few years has internationalized the balloting frame and given it a somewhat younger edge. Lanthimos additionally well gave his film a cheerful finishing, sending audiences out of the theater with a leap of their step.

I don’t know the way else to give an explanation for Stone’s victory. Her efficiency is an outstanding comedian feat, particularly from a bodily point of view, however she gained the class for 2016’s Los angeles Los angeles Land, and Oscar citizens are generally shy about giving actors two wins at a tender age. Stone’s festival integrated the veteran Annette Bening (now a five-time loser) for Nyad, and the dazzling Sandra Hüller, who gave very good performances in two Absolute best Image nominees (Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Hobby, successful her nomination for the previous). Nevertheless it was once Gladstone who was once observed as the favourite for her surprising paintings in Killers of the Flower Moon—and whose loss felt maximum conspicuous. Stone appeared in fact flabbergasted as she took the degree (partially as a result of her get dressed was once malfunctioning), however the win gave the look to be warmly gained within the room—no profound weirdness abounded.

Learn: Not more Absolute best Supporting Actress curse

Except that, the evening in large part bounced between trophies for Oppenheimer and Deficient Issues. For Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. sounded probably the most triumphant notice of his decades-long comeback when he gained Absolute best Supporting Actor; Cillian Murphy was once his same old understated self after taking Absolute best Actor over a crowded box. Down the poll, citizens frequently leaned in opposition to the artier selection, giving Absolute best Animated Movie to Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron over Spider-Guy: Around the Spider-Verse, and Absolute best Visible Results to the Eastern movie Godzilla Minus One over 4 Hollywood blockbusters. The Zone of Hobby were given deserved consideration for its sound, along an anticipated World Movie award. Wes Anderson, an eight-time nominee and titan of the cinematic shape, quietly gained his first Oscar for the quick movie The Glorious Tale of Henry Sugar, although he wasn’t there to simply accept it.

Oppenheimer’s good fortune was once measured sufficient that different common movies were given to slide in for a win or two, with The Holdovers taking Absolute best Supporting Actress, Anatomy of a Fall grabbing Authentic Screenplay, and American Fiction scoring Tailored Screenplay. However two of the most important Absolute best Image nominees had been principally omitted: Killers of the Flower Moon scored 10 nominations and 0 wins (the similar goose egg that came about Scorsese’s remaining movie, The Irishman), and Barbie gained just for tune (after host Jimmy Kimmel poked a laugh at its nomination snubs for Absolute best Director and Absolute best Actress previous). The Academy by no means completely succeeds at spreading the wealth round, however given that there have been glaring puts for Flower Moon and Barbie to get extra reputation (Actress and Tailored Screenplay, respectively), the misses might be better-remembered than some.

In his fourth go-round as host, Kimmel was once his dependable self, retaining the trains on time and sticking to a punchy monologue that was once gentle on large laughs however in large part skilled. (The hot crash-and-burn paintings of Jo Koy on the Golden Globes served as a reminder of simply how badly this gig can cross). I’m massively in want of a seasoned hand comparable to Kimmel over one of the horrible website hosting experiments the Oscars have attempted in recent years, together with having no host in any respect, having 3 hosts, and letting Seth MacFarlane sing a tune about boobs. With the rite feeling on steadier floor (and rankings prone to upward push), it’s more than likely time to check out somebody new within the function subsequent yr. The comic John Mulaney, who had a good time presenting the award for Absolute best Sound this night, turns out the obvious selection. However there’ll all the time be the worry that the Academy will spoil a just right factor via looking to repeat it, and drive Gosling again onstage in a rhinestone jacket to kick off subsequent yr’s display—or worse, a nude John Cena.