The 97th edition of the Oscars gala has been a mere formality to not miss the annual event. We hope it will be to gain momentum for the centenary. In a politically turbulent time, in a war context in which the United States has a lot to say, in a situation in which some citizens are losing rights and freedoms, the great Hollywood ceremony chose to look at its navel and have a peaceful party. Conan O'Brien was a disciplined master of ceremonies, somewhat outdated and with overacted jokes. The best of the night, his appearance from inside Demi Moore's body in The substance. Despite promises to go to work, his interventions could have been reduced by half. "If you're still putting up with this, you have Stockholm syndrome," he said in the final stretch, ignoring the show. Even the initial tribute to the city of Los Angeles, devastated by fire, was discreet and with a special concession to the city's firefighters. Guests who will not cause any fires. This year, the musical performances were the crutch on which to sustain the show. A showy, but very boring proposal, which contributes to maintaining that low profile. The sugary start with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo set the tone for the night, dull and predictable. They were not original even when choosing the music to accompany the video of the deceased. Requiem Mozart is very nice, but at a film gala it betrayed little desire to rack one's brains. The political mentions were brief, at the opportune moment and without stridency. Even the ambient sound of the room seemed under strict control.
The most surprising thing about the gala was its inability to construct a moment of sincere emotion, beyond Morgan Freeman remembering his friend Gene Hackman. Hollywood is in shock or anesthetized and seems to function by inertia. The musical show of homage to 007 resonated like a sad farewell to the purest essence of the spy, after the sale of the franchise on Amazon was consummated. The most devastating plan was that of the director looking for Demi Moore in the seat after the award for best actress was taken by Mikey Madison for Anora. An ironic finish for someone who has taken on the challenge of highlighting the cruelty of the industry when you get older.
Adrien Brody, beyond the Oscar for best actor, also took home the award for the donut of the night. Halfway up on stage he realized he had a piece of gum in his mouth and, instead of putting it in his pocket, he turned around to throw it to his wife, who with the intrepidity and devotion of a proud wife, caught it in flight.
In the end, Karla Sofía Gascón's much-talked-about attendance only served to make a few jokes at her expense. "If you have to tweet something about me, remember that my name is Jimmy Kimmel!" said the presenter, recalling the controversy over his unfortunate tweets. The Oscars have become a machine that is able to easily swallow the industry's own miseries, but which has a harder time swallowing reality.
