1. Jimmy Kimmel: Hands down, one of the funniest hosts of the ceremony in many years. I know how much people love Billy Crystal, Whoopie Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneris, and Steve Martin and I love them all as well. But given how entertaining this new crop of late night talent is, we should never have to sit through another boring four-hour Oscar telecast ever again...
2. Mahershala Ali: Well, I expected this, so my hope is that his moment and enormous talent will not end up wasted like so many other best supporting actors, especially those of color. Hollywood tends to get it right when it comes to this category, with rarely any controversy or undeserved accolades, but then there is the dilemma of how best to showcase that talent beyond that particular film. Here's to hoping for better opportunities for non A-listers who consistently perform on A-list level.
3. The Documentary Film Category: This caught me completely by surprise. I was familiar with a couple of the films that had been nominated, but it did not register that four of the five had African American directors. Perhaps this recognition will offer more opportunities for directing bigger studio projects, which brings me to the significance of...
4. Moonlight: I saw this film on a whim one afternoon and I am so glad that I did. I knew about the film from the heavy promotion it received locally, especially on public radio and ironically, on Facebook. I left the film believing it to be somewhat over-hyped because of its subtlety, but I never felt that it was undeserving of the critical attention it received. Then as the momentum built towards awards season, I watched several interviews with the stars, the screenwriter and the director which offered me the chance to reconsider whether I had missed something. I had. I had completely missed how Moonlight was one of the few films about African American life that was not placed in a historical framework. It was not one of the typical important films, just a really good one that told a story that allowed audiences to discover its merit.
I know that there are various conspiracy theories about the evening's cliffhanger regarding the best picture announcement. I am not all that concerned that Faye Dunaway got it wrong (on purpose or accidentally on purpose)...nor do I feel all that bad about the "lost" moment for the Moonlight cast and crew to bask in the glory of the win. For me, all that matters is that this year a black director got to take home the statuette, and every time that happens, it makes the odds so much more favorable for the next black (brown, Asian, female, gay, etc.) director.
Finally, the Moonlight adapted screenplay win is also very important for future projects. As much as I enjoy historical pieces, it is equally necessary for there to be a variety of options for black directors when it comes to the types of films they get to contribute. If we only hand out statues for so called "important" films that only present black life through struggle and triumph, then we never really move beyond the two-dimensional limits that bring only certain films to wider audiences. I am happy to see a film like Hidden Figures in the mix, but I also want more opportunities to see other films like...
5. Fences: And I will count myself in the minority by arguing that it would have been way too black if Denzel had won (not that I would have objected)...but it is more fitting that Viola Davis finally won for best supporting actress, even if we all know it was a cheat. Denzel probably won't get another Oscar any time soon, but perhaps he can get out-streep Meryl and get nominated for everything he touches, even perhaps earning an Emmy nod for marrying that couple during that bit from the ceremony.
Seriously, I am glad that August Wilson's work will finally be more accessible to audiences beyond the theatre. It is fitting for Viola Davis to finally win an Oscar for Fences since she is one of the many actresses who have brought Wilson's work to life. Denzel now has a stronger platform from which he can help launch some up and coming or undiscovered talent, which is ultimately more important than winning an Academy Award this year.
6. Lin-Manuel Miranda: He is my boo...and as much as I LOVE the Hamilton soundtrack, his song "How Far I'll Go" for Moana sounded a lot like every other song on the Hamilton soundtrack. He is a tremendous talent, though, so he can be forgiven for relying on what works best for him (since it seems to work well for everyone else in the music categories). I am looking forward to watching his career continue to explode.
7. Foreign Language Film: That moment was absolutely the most defiant act of the night! Too bad I never bother to see the foreign language films...of course now, I might have to make an effort. By boycotting the ceremony, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi made the blackest statement ever since Chris Rock's opening monologue last year. Given the injunction against the travel ban, Farhadi could have gotten a visa to come. But it is obvious from his statement that he was far more interested in highlighting how the travel ban had far-reaching implications for various types of visitors to the States. And if protest against injustice is not the epitome of blackness, then I don't know what else is.
8. Emma Stone and Casey Affleck: The two major awardees who aren't hardly black...starring in films that weren't hardly black...but they deserve an honorable mention for being the minorities this year. Congratulations!
9. Gary from Chicago: I mean, yeah. On the tour bus with his boo of 20 years. Grabbing Mahershala's Oscar during a selfie. Getting married by Denzel. Becoming a Twitter sensation and a FB meme. Then being dragged for being a returning citizen. Yep.
10. Halle Barry's Afro: I am absolutely in the minority, but I LOVED her hair! And I think all of the criticism of her choice is a reflection of our need to be more open to unconventional expressions of beauty. On the one hand, we argue that natural hair is mainstream and beautiful, but then we spend half the night dissing Halle for wearing a big fluffy Afro! In the very year that the Oscars were this black, someone needed to rock a fro and why not Halle?
And those are just my initial thoughts on this year's ceremony. I have a little more to offer, so stay tuned.
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