The 92nd Oscars Afterthoughts and the Complete Winners List
Monday, February 10, 2020 at 12:58AM by Nathaniel R
You know how we do at The Film Experience. We'll have a few days of post-mortem on the 92nd Academy Awards, honoring the films of 2019. So it's not quite over yet but the rest is the after-party if you will. And we think you will feel like partying. We sure do. Parasite won 55% of your votes in our readers poll for who SHOULD win (with Hollywood and 1917 fighting for a distant second place on the Best Picture chart) and it also took the top prize at both the Team Experience Awards and my own prizes right here. And then it actually went and won Hollywood's top honor, too, defying all odds (again) to become the first Foreign Language picture ever to triumph at the Oscars. It will go down as history as one of the best choices the Academy ever made in the top category along with films like Moonlight, Silence of the Lambs, Amadeus, All About Eve, and other classics...
Roma may have come close to making history last year but it took a more successful, tirelessly promoted, and long-legged theatrical hit to finally break that "1 inch tall barrier" (as Bong Joon Ho describes subtitles). The crowd inside the Dolby appeared to be ecstatic about Parasite's multiple wins. Spike Lee was noticeably enthusiastic reading out the big Best Director upset "BONG JOON HO!" when he opened the envelope. What's more the crowd even forced the show runners to bring the lights back up (front-row cheerleader Charlize, we see you!) in order to hear the second part of Team Parasite's final speech when they tried to wrap the show too quickly.
We won't make the same mistake and, again, we'll have more to say about the big night and its prizes very soon in our own after-party. But for now...
Six quick takeways before sleepy time
• Opening with Janelle Monae and Billy Porter, both unapologetically black and queer, was a nice touch and definitely a rousing performance. Janelle's hooded shimmery 40s but 2020 glam kept startling us in a very good way from the crowd shots all throughout the show.
• Give an Emmy to Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig for Best Performance on a Variety Special. They absolutely slayed their extended bit of A-C-T-I-N-G. Better yet, let them host the Oscars next year. This no host thing isn't bad but let's mix it up on occasion!
• Brad Pitt continued his run of shockingly perfect run of awards speeches, always utterly him but also charming and polished and funny and humble -- a whole rang of feeling! -- to the point that people are wondering if they're ghost-written. (Renée's speech definitely should've been, poor thing!) Our favourite random bit was thanking Geena Davis and Ridley Scott for his breakout opportunity. He didn't name-check Thelma & Louise (1991) but he didn't need to as he stole the world's hearts that year and the world has loved him ever since.
• Tom Hanks's joke about plastering the walls of the new Academy Museum while Scarlett Johansson lugged around her orbital sander and Brad Pitt tiled the roof shirtless was pretty damn great.
• Shout out to Cynthia Erivo for delivering a perfect version of "Stand Up" from Harriet and side-eyeing the camera as it spun around her at the finale. In her sleek gold down, she was like 'I'm the Oscar here!' After the performance my best friend and I were raving all over again about her Tony-winning Broadway run in The Color Purple and how lucky we were to have seen it.
• Most endearing speech: Bong Joon Ho's director win was very generous and classy with heartfelt love for his fellow nominees and the perfect silly capper "Thank you I will drink until morning" at the close. More on the acceptance speeches soon.
AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...
Picture Parasite
Director Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
Actress Zellweger, Judy
Actor Phoenix, Joker
Supporting Actress Dern, Marriage Story
Supporting Actor Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Original Screenplay Parasite
Adapted Screenplay Jojo Rabbit
Cinematography 1917
Costume Design Little Women
Production Design Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Editing Ford V Ferrari
Visual Effects 1917
Makeup and Hair Bombshell
Original Score Joker
Original Song "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" Rocketman
Sound Mixing 1917
Sound Editing Ford V Ferrari
International Feature Parasite, South Korea
Documentary Feature American Factory
Doc Short Learning to Skate in a War Zone (If You're a Girl)
Animated Feature Toy Story 4
Animated Short Hair Love
Live Action Short The Neighbor's Window
How'd we do on our predictions? A not at all bad with a 19/24 though we missed two of the biggest ones (Picture/Director) and couldn't have been happier to be wrong.
more 92nd Academy Awards coverage
musical performances, ranked
top five presenters or duos
embroidered fashion statements (literally)
new Oscar trivia
the winner and immediate afterthoughts
Reader Comments (69)
Bong Joon-Ho winning 4 Oscars for his own film. That is huge and for a film to not feature that much English is astronomical. The fact that it's already having a positive effect for anyone who speaks English as a second language or don't even speak English is just great. Bong deserves to get drunk and just rest. Give the guy a few years off and then let him make a new film when he's ready. After all, there's still other Korean filmmakers out there as I'm waiting for what Chan-wook Park will do next.
This was a FANTASTIC Oscars. Every speech was so weird and wonderful, and the best movie of the year wins it all. Nathaniel, I would love for you to rank the decade’s best picture winners, plus all the acting winners. I think this decade has given us two of the greatest best picture winners ever: MOONLIGHT and PARASITE, plus excellent movies like 12 YEARS A SLAVE and BIRDMAN, very solid if not memorable winners in SPOTLIGHT, THE SHAPE OF WATER, THE ARTIST, THE KING’s SPEECH and ARGO. And also it unfortunately gave us GREEN BOOK.
Parasite is a genius movie, no doubt - but it's waaaay too awesome for the Oscars - so now I feel Paraste has been devalued.
It'll now bear the dreaded Oscar stamp for the rest of its life!
Well... I just hope that the director will be able to fend off Hollywood,
and won't be lured by its big pay checks and so on, so he can keep his singular vision and not get a bad Hollywood experience.
What a moment...Bong was the star of the night. Up there with Moonlight winning BP. Loved it!
I was awake the whole night watching oscars and I can’t sleep right now But no problem I don’t feel sleepy at all ! Team Parasite forever
Bong joon ho’s upset in best director made me cry and what a speech!
Diane ladd look at laura dern And phoenix shouting out his brother river in his speech were also highlights of the night.
Still can’t believe , there is a long journey from green book to parasite!
I love how there's now perfect symmetry for the last decade: five BP/Director splits and five BP/Director matches!
Awesome that yet another foreign-born director has won.
Watching Maya and Kristen presenting the award for best costume design reminds me the post in this page about how to present that category and now both of them would it be my answer.
I would also love if they could not only host the Oscars but actually present EVERY category of the ceremony.
Is curious for me that since SNL it can be appreciated a better chemistry between Maya with Kristen and Tina with Amy, but the four are fantastic.
I AM SO EXCITED FOR PARASITE!
Thrilled for Bong Joon Ho. The energy in the room for this film was palpable.
Renee and Joaquin's speeches were terrible. God have mercy both of them dragged on forever.
Kristen + Maya for 2021 hosts PLEASE. I'm sick of this no-host thing, however I will say the ceremony was better and more organized than last year.
Since it had a blink and you will miss it cinematic release here in Australia, I'm so glad I rented Parasite on iTunes and made my family watch it yesterday. We were riveted and it immediately gave me something to feel passionate about during the broadcast. Before seeing it, I was tossing up between OUaTiH and Marriage Story to cheer for while thinking that 1917 had it in the bag. When 1917 didnt get editing I was starting to think that maybe Parasite had a chance after all. I cheered out loud for the first time during an Oscar ceremony in years.
More Cheers for:
- I know there some negativity about Jo Jo Rabbit. I really loved it. So I was glad to see Taika win. He seemed a little nervous though as if he was unprepared. Speaking of Taika, it was interesting to see him give an acknowledgment of country recognising the original custodians on the land on which the event is taking place. In Australia, we do that at the beginning of many events including major sporting events but I cant remember see seeing it done during on Oscar's ceremony or any broadcast from the US.
- Laura Dern. Love her speeches and the fact that she acknowledges her Hollywood heritage as a source of love and inspiration. And I'm glad Marriage Story won at least one.
- The first female composer to win best score. Awesome.
- Elton and Bernie. Yay!
- Brad. Double Yay!!
Wasn't Happy:
- I really wanted Adam Driver to win :( and Noah for Original Screenplay. :(:(
- VFX. Why not give it to Star Wars or at least Avengers. Come on Academy. I'm mean all the nominees were brilliant but nothing beats the world building of Star Wars.
- Make Up and Hair to Bombshell. I know Charlize does look uncannily like Megyn Kelly but beautiful women being made to look like other beautiful women is not a stretch.
Over all a really good show.
The ceremony was messy and boring until Bong Joon Ho won Director. From that point forward, it was incredible (save Joaquin Phoenix's speech about the cows, anyway).
SO THRILLED for Parasite. What an incredible win.
This is going to be a situation where five years from now, people will look back and think “How did Parasite sweep picture, director and screenplay but not win for its iconic production design?” I mean, seriously, they went all out in their Parasite love but somehow didn’t give it that one? Craziness!
So happy for Parasite’s win, but the real MVP of the night for me was Park So-Dam and her fuchsia gown.
I'm still in shock!! This is amazing!! Take tt GG, Bafta n PGA!! All o them try to steer Oscar towards a 1917 victory, but Oscar finally shows them who's the Boss!!! 😂
I alws knew in my gut tt Parasite will win Best Pic ♥ (n it muz hav achieved 50%+1 or more votes on the 1st count to beat 1917!) but I nev expect Bong to win Best Director after losing GG, Bafta n DGA!! The luv for Parasite IS real!! 😁😁
I'm so happy tt it seems like a dream!!! The Best Pic o the year actually WINS the best pic!!! 👏 👍 ♥
You’re from New York, it’s more motivation than luck that you get to see Tony Award winning shows and performances. You would deserve to be banished to bumfuck nowhere if you didn’t ha.
Yep, indeed one of the BEST Best Picture choices they've EVER made. So glorious.
Nathaniel is in Zell, er hell right now, but apart from Pitt I would rather have seen an upset in Actor or Supporting Actor before Actress. None of her competitors were super impressive, just about par t9 be honest.
So the shortened awards season didn't hurt after all - we got the best Best Picture winner of the century !
I died when Weaver came out and the other 2 started bowing down,so funny Miss Weaver..
Wonder what Liza thought of Renee's speech,I thought her speech was wonderful and her tribute to Garland during it.
Mendes thought he had it in the bag.The look on his face was why I watch.
Not to be a party pooper but the opening of this ceremony was a disaster. It really needs a good MC. And Maya Rudolph and Kirstin Wig”s bit was overlong. Ditto for Eminem’s presentation. Didn’t he decline to sing this song at the ceremony where he won? Why then invite him to sing now? The ceremony just got better when they announced Parasite winning best director. Before that, a train wreck.
The Saint & The Bitch won nothing, except Best Supporting Actress. Was that a feminist statement?
And what about that Adapted Screenplay win for Jojo Shitbit? Did they even watch that "film" or was it just their token WWII/Hitler winner? Either way, shame on them for this one.
Afterthoughts: Fuck Twitter. People tried to spin Shia LeBeouf kind of nervous laughing as his down syndrome co-star was struggling or pausing before reading his autocue lines as laughing at him. Plus when Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig were presenting the camera cut to a smiling Billie Eilish who made a face when she saw the camera had thrown to her for some reason and tried to spin that into her disapproving or not liking the presentation. Can't stand those who throw out context, even if that context is merely watching the whole video and not a snappy gif image. Rant over.
Just thinking on your awards and these Oscars. I also just caught up with A Fantastic Woman for context, but I kind of wish we'd start seeing a trend of the Best Internation feature winner managing and acting nomination like with Roma and Amour because almost every year a performance in those films shines and is more than worthy (usually more) than the lineups we get. Imagine a Parasite nominee, Vega, Agata Kulesza from Ida or Ulrich Mühe from The Lives Of Others.
Was ebullient that Parasite and Joon Ho won. I was on my feet! A good reminder that every now and then, the Academy - against all odds - forgoes what's safe and makes a thrilling choice for its top prize.
Is this also the first best pic where no one from film was nominated in any of the acting categories?
Jane Fonda must present Best Picture until the end of time. I've been saying this for years.
Called this a few weeks ago: Actors loved Parasite. Actors are the biggest branch of the Academy. 1917 is decidedly /not/ an actors’ movie. Also, was 1917’s weird editing snub a canary in the coal mine?
I think what will age worse than Parasite’s loss for production design (you can’t say Once Upon... doesn’t deliver on that front) is its lack of acting nominations, especially given its SAG/BP trajectory. Thrilled with your supporting actress winner Nat!
I have to say I LOVED how the acting clips were presented.. Well done Academy!
Only thing missing was there was so many JLO clips that would've killed!
@Jamie: As of recently, I recall Slumdog Millionarie.
How could anyone not be ecstatic about Parasite's wins?? It was incredible.
It *almost* makes Zellweger's awful win tolerable. But not quite.
Peggy Sue you can often be a trashfire (not thevoid99 or volvagia at his digressive worst level), but I agree about Fonda one hundred percent. That silver hair was indeed foxy on her!
Jamie - Slumdog Millionaire, Last Emperor and Braveheart are just a few Best Picture winners that had NO acting nominations. U
I've read a few articles claiming Parasite is the first Best Picture to win without acting nominations. I think the writers of these articles didn't do their research. Google can be wonderful!
Charlea - If Zellweger's win of all the wins tonight is the one that sticks in your craw than you need a taste transplant and maybe a nice quiet sit alone, possibly with some chamomile tea.
Oh but if Once Upon... was going to win a visual category I wish it’d been Arianne Phillips, who is one of the best in the game and deserves a win ASAP.
Bong’s speech was the definition of class. Joaquin and Renee’s speeches were cringeworthy. The audience demanding the lights back up could have been an all time great moment if it hadn’t been followed by that rambling speech from an executive producer. Do non-winners usually get to speak?
One note that hasn't been mentioned: Billie Eilish's "Yesterday" during the In Memoriam section. I have found her intolerable up until last night, but that was perfect. She took a cliched chestnut and just nailed it -- I was quite moved.
This was so very much like Moonlight. Not just because it's a great win, but because 1917, like La La Land, is an excellent film and I had thoroughly made peace with its inevitable win. And then, when the RIGHT picture won, it was almost hard to be with.
Billie Eilish's singing was awful, what are you saying?
They missed a few people as well..how? Luke Perry is in Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood.
If you can ad unneed "critique" to any article on "Zee" than context and critique in an agreeable comment should be fine. When you go low, we go low is your Michelle Obama paraphrase I guess.
On the one hand, the montage approach to the acting clips let us see more of the nominees. But I really missed seeing what they might have chosen as *the* Oscar clip and letting each nominee have their moment.
@zig - I missed seeing the clips also! I didn't mind the montages, though
This was a great ceremony, enough surprises throughout the night (Sound split! FvF for Editing! Parasite for Director and Picture!) that the inevitable acting victories didn't bother in the slightest.
Looking forward to your trivia post, Nathaniel!
JF-
Didn't Arianne win for that movie Madonna directed, W.E.?
Is Bong Joon-Ho's haul of four Oscars for the one film a new record? I know a couple of people have made three, but not four...
Parasite is brilliant and I hope this utter surprise brings people into Korean cinema who were never interested before. Bong has other brilliant films (Snowpiercer, Mother, even Barking Dogs Never Bite is great), Park Chan-Wook (especially Oldboy), Kim Ki-Duk (Spring Summer Fall Winter & Spring, 3-Iron, The Isle are all incredible), and Lee Chang-Dong (Oasis, Poetry, Burning). Maybe South Korea's 2nd International Film nomination will come sooner than later now.
Fascist!
I can't help but reflect and feel grateful to Cheryl Boone Isaacs for her AMPAS leadership from 2013-17.
During her tenure as President of the Academy, she led a movement to revise the membership to better reflect world cinema, gender, and race. Literally hundreds of formerly disenfranchised artists were invited to join the Academy. Isaacs pushed through rules with the Board of Governors that removed long dormant members from the award voting roster so that the Oscars are decided by active filmmakers.
While those new members may not be solely responsible for the awards presented last night, I feel that the four year effort to change the face of the Oscars' decision makers contributed to the victory of Parasite.
I think I just answered my own question...
Bong Joon-Ho only officially won 3 Oscars , the fourth was officially won by South Korea.
or am I mistaken with the new rules...
Una -- if your comment is about the "you have been warned" comment please note that that wasn't actually from me. I removed the imposter comment. Signed, your host. (sigh, the imposters are at it again.)
It seems like the Oscars are rudderless. Agree that Joaquin and Renée gave terrible speeches.