Called up to the stage again and again, Bong Joon Ho kept saying he was ready for a drink 鈥 鈥渂loody ready.鈥
But the Oscars weren't bloody ready to stop giving him awards.
By the end, the South Korean director and his masterful social thriller 鈥淧arasite鈥 had won best original screenplay, best international film, best director, and best picture, the latter a history-shattering win as the first non-English language film to win the top prize in the Oscars' 92-year history.
Bong's giddy, increasingly incredulous acceptance speeches 鈥 and the warmly raucous reception he received 鈥 were emblematic of an Oscar night that turned out to be much more inclusive and joyous than expected.
Indeed, when nominations were announced less than a month ago, the story was the depressing lack of diversity in the acting nominees, and the fact that no female directors were nominated. That obviously didn't change, but the show itself struck an inclusive note from the start, with a bold and rousing performance by Janelle Monae. The night also saw the first Maori to win an Oscar; a rare win by a woman in the best score category; and the first actor with Down syndrome to present at the Oscars.
Some key moments of Oscars 2020, both serious and whimsical:
TIME TO COME ALIVE
As the very first person to take the stage, Monae set the tone when she plainly addressed the diversity issue in her opening number. 鈥淚t's time to come alive, because the Oscars is so white, it's time to come alive!鈥 she sang. Her performance directly referenced movies and actors who'd been snubbed in the nominations, and also the missing female directors.
"I鈥檓 so proud to stand here as a black, queer artist telling stories,鈥 Monae said. 鈥淗appy Black History Month.鈥
MISSING: A CERTAIN REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN
Diversity 鈥 both racial and gender 鈥 was also a major topic of the 鈥渘on-monologue鈥 given by 鈥渘on-hosts鈥 Chris Rock and Steve Martin. (Like last year, the show famously went hostless.) Rock quipped pointedly that actor Mahershala Ali had two Oscars, but 鈥測ou know what that means when the cops pull him over? Nothing.鈥 Martin noted that among the directing nominees, something seemed to be missing. 鈥淰aginas?鈥 replied Rock.
A BIT O' POLITICS
Although politics wasn't a huge subject of the evening, Martin did manage to get off an effective one-liner about recent fumbles on the Democratic side, referring back to that time 鈥淟a La Land鈥 was mistakenly announced best picture 鈥 and then noting that wouldn't happen this year, 鈥渂ecause the academy has switched to the new Iowa caucus app.鈥 Ouch.
THE PROM KING GETS HIS CROWN
This we know to be true: If Hollywood is high school, the Oscars is prom night. And Brad Pitt has always been the prom king, missing only his actual crown.
The much-admired actor, finally winning his first acting Oscar for his sly, knowing performance in Quentin Tarantino's 鈥淥nce Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,鈥 grew emotional as he looked back at his fairytale rise to Hollywood stardom, beginning with a combustively sexy performance in 鈥淭helma & Louise鈥 nearly three decades ago. 鈥淥nce upon a time in Hollywood. Ain't that the truth!鈥 he said, misty-eyed.
He also got a little political. "They told me you only have 45 seconds up here, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,鈥 he said in one of the few references to the recent impeachment hearings.
ADELE DAZEEM, CORRECTED
Introducing his co-star in the 鈥淔rozen鈥 franchise, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad threw some shade at John Travolta for his famous mangling of the actress-singer's name in 2014. Gad noted Menzel's name was 鈥減ronounced exactly how it is spelled.鈥 Menzel's performance of the nominated song 鈥淚nto the Unknown鈥 included the appearance of Elsas from all over the world, belting along in their native tongues.
A FIRST FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ...
An emotional highlight of the night was Taika Waititi's win for best adapted screenplay for the anti-hate themed 鈥淛ojo Rabbit.鈥 Waititi, from New Zealand, became the first Oscar winner of Maori descent. He dedicated his victory 鈥渢o all the indigenous kids of the world who want to do art and dance and write stories. We are the original storytellers, and we can make it here as well.鈥
Later, as a presenter, Waititi took the stage and noted the Academy was gathering 鈥渙n the ancestral lands of the Tongva, Tataviam and the Chumash.鈥
... AND FOR DISABLED ACTORS
When "The Peanut Butter Falcon" star Zack Gottsagen appeared to present in the live-action short category, it was a first for both him and for the Oscars.
Gottsagen was the first presenter with Down syndrome, and he received a standing ovation after intoning the familiar line: 鈥淎nd the Oscar goes to ...鈥
A NEW FIGHT CLUB
Rarely has the best original score category become a vehicle for a presentation on women's empowerment, but that's what happened Sunday night as Sigourney Weaver, Brie Larson and Gal Gadot 鈥 female action stars, past and present 鈥 took the stage.
After joking that they were forming a new fight club 鈥 "Men are all invited, but no shirts allowed," Gadot said 鈥 they announced that for the first time, a female conductor (Eimear Noone) would lead the orchestra in performing nominated film scores.
Then Hildur Gu冒nad贸ttir won the award, for 鈥淛oker,鈥 only one of three solo women to ever win best score.
鈥淭o the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters, who hear the music bubbling within, please speak up," she said. "We need to hear your voices.鈥
AND SPEAKING OF VOICES
When Joaquin Phoenix won as expected, the 鈥淛oker鈥 star spoke about 鈥渢he opportunity to use our voice for the voiceless.鈥 He added that he saw a commonality in the different causes people in the Hollywood community fight for.
鈥淲hether we鈥檙e talking about gender inequality or racism or queer rights or indigenous rights or animal rights, we鈥檙e talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one race, one gender or one species has the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity,鈥 he said.
He also apologized for past behaviour. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a scoundrel in my life," he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been selfish, I鈥檝e been cruel at times, hard to work with. I'm grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance.鈥
EMINEM, TAKE TWO
Also getting a second chance was rapper Eminem, who stunned the crowd by showing up for a surprise performance of 鈥淟ose Yourself鈥 鈥 17 years after it won best original song from the movie 鈥8 Mile.鈥
On Twitter, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, wrote: 鈥淟ook, if you had another shot, another opportunity... Thanks for having me @TheAcademy."
Mathers didn't show up in 2003, when he won, but this time, in a category introduced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, he wasn't throwing away his shot. (Ba-dum-bump.)
BUT NO SECOND CHANCE FOR 鈥楥ATS鈥
Too soon?
Nah.
You knew somebody had to make fun of 鈥淐ats,鈥 and they did 鈥 James Corden and Rebel Wilson, that is, who both came onstage in full 鈥淐ats鈥 regalia.
鈥淎s cast members of the motion picture 鈥楥ats,'鈥 Wilson said, at which point the audience was already laughing, "nobody more than us understands the importance of鈥︹
鈥淕ood visual effects," they said together.
Then they didn't drop the mic. They just pawed at it, again and again.
