This was an Oscars to remember – unlike some of the winners Peter Bradshaw

almost 4 years in The guardian

In a night of real drama, Jane Campion and Ariana DeBose’s triumphs were sound choices from the Academy – but why on earth did Coda win?“That was the greatest night in the history of television!” said a stunned Chris Rock, and it was certainly up there with Bernard Levin getting punched in the face, live on air in 1962, by the husband of a woman whose novel he’d been mean about.But was it the greatest night in the history of the movies. Erm, no. This was an Academy Award ceremony which contrived to give the best picture award to the most shallow and mediocre movie on the list – along, incidentally, with keeping craft prizes out of the live broadcast and also the honorary Oscars for Elaine May, Liv Ullmann, Danny Glover and Samuel L Jackson. Continue reading...

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