The night– or here in LA, the afternoon — of the season is here at last.
The Oscars: who will win? who will lose? who will watch?
Will Apple become the first streaming service to win Best Picture, with “CODA”? Will “CODA” be the first acronym film since “MASH” to pick up a lot of awards?
Will anyone explain the ending of “The Power of the Dog” to the audience?
Will Netflix’s tenacious campaigning finally yield a winner?
So many questions!
Maybe the biggest one is Who will win Best Actress? For months Nicole Kidman was in the lead with “Being the Ricardos.” Then the focus switched to Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker. In the last two weeks suddenly there is a flurry of interest in Penelope Cruz from “Parallel Mothers,” a movie shabbily treated by the Spanish film board– they didn’t submit it for nomination!
Plus, there are the internal controversies with the Oscars, particularly the non televised “Golden Hour” that the TV audience — and the press– won’t see. Eight categories will be given awards, but everyone will have to wait until the show begins on ABC to learn the winners.
The show will look different, more like the Golden Globes, with nominees seated at tables in the front rows instead of theater seats. How will that go over? And will Adele appear to present, sing, or just stay home? Her Las Vegas fans will be paying attention to that one.
So we wait…and see.. and wait for the ratings tomorrow, which are sure to launch a thousand protests that the End has come.
Me? I’ll be asking myself, Was it worth all the stress and money and exhaustion, and to miss the opening night on Broadway of “Plaza Suite”? Well, at least I know I’m COVID negative. I’ve had three tests in two days!
