By: Brian Lines
As we look back on the movies of 2022, the 2023 Oscars results have a little bit of surprise mixed with a pinch of met expectations. With over 50 films being nominated for various awards at the prestigious ceremony, only 13 different movies walked away with awards. So let’s dive right in to looking at the surprises of this year!
The first and hardest to predict surprises of every year are the films that didn’t attain even a single award. These include “The Banshees of Inisherin” who came in with the second most nominations (nine), “Tár” a divisive yet widely popular film and “Elvis.” All three of these films came into the Oscars nominated as Best film and multiple other categories yet walked away with nothing.
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this year’s Oscars came before the ceremony even began, with the nominations. Many movie fans were surprised to see “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Top Gun: Maverick” listed as nominations for Best Picture.
In contrast to the style and themes of the other nominations, these two films were some of the biggest blockbuster films of the year and both leaned into nostalgia and visuals perhaps more than their storytelling. Both films walked away with one award each, “Avatar” with Best Visual Effects and “Top Gun” with Best Sound.
Now let’s take a look at some of the expectations that were met by the end of the night. “Everything Everywhere all at Once” came into the ceremony with the most nominations (11) and walked away with seven wins, including five of the six biggest awards: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director(s). The chaotic but popular film was not nominated for Best Actor as it starred the wonderfully talented Michelle Yeoh, who became famous from a 1990s series of Hong Kong action films in which she performed her own stunts. Michelle Yeoh is an accomplished actress and martial artist who certainly deserved her award.
Perhaps the most emotional moment of the night was Ke Huy Quan’s acceptance of the Best Supporting Actor award. Quan starred as a child in the second “Indiana Jones” film and “The Goonies,” but has had a struggling acting career since. And yet the performance that Quan gave in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was one matching a top-class, A-list actor. The pure joy that Quan displayed at the ceremony was enough to make anyone smile.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” came away with the second most awards (four) including Best International Feature Film. The WWI film, all in German, was perhaps the most well crafted film present, winning Best Production Design and Best Cinematography.
“The Whale” was the final of the only three films that got more than one award, coming away with two Oscars. Famous 1990s and early 2000s actor Brendan Fraser made a great comeback in his career winning the Best Actor award after starring in “The Whale.” Fraser has become a widely popular figure due to his genuine kindness and his emotional response to all the love the internet and masses have shown him recently as he has made his way back into the spotlight.
“RRR,” “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “Navalny,” “An Irish Goodbye,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Women Talking,” “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elephant Whisperers” and “Top Gun: Maverick” all walked away with one award each.