Why the Oscars might be worth watching this year

I fell out of love with the Academy Awards in the 1990s, but thanks to multiple controversies that have plagued this year’s awards race, I might actually tune in on Sunday.

1995 was the year that did it. Up until that point I was an Oscar loyalist, watching every nominated movie I could in advance, then tuning in to see who was victorious at Hollywood’s most prestigious event.

‘95 was more exciting than most, and not just because we had a British film in the running thanks to Four Weddings and a Funeral. The real excitement concerned Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, which went off like Vincent Vega’s Smith & Wesson, both in my teenage brain, and the film industry at large.

This was a different way to tell stories, through a new style of dialogue, a fresh approach to chronology, and a swagger that set it apart from pretty much everything else in cinemas. Sure, the work was derivative. Yet somehow it was also wildly original, and clearly the best film of the year. But then Robert Zemeckis was named Best Director over Tarantino on the night, before Forrest Gump was crowned Best Picture. At which point I realised it was all nonsense.

Why I broke up with the Oscars

Over the next decade, I clocked contradictions that undermined the very idea of movie awards. Harvey Weinstein effectively buying nominations was outrageous, Pulp Fiction notwithstanding. Studios sticking actors in clearly incorrect categories to improve their chances felt unfair. The concept of it being “someone’s year” no matter the quality of their work seemed ridiculous. And the ‘Best Picture’ usually being American, and almost always in the English language, just plain wrong.

There were injustices and inconsistencies everywhere I looked, all of which brought me to the realization that art isn’t sport, and we therefore probably shouldn’t pit movies against each other because, you know, we have sport for that.

So I tuned out and cringed whenever I got a glimpse at someone thanking Weinstein, or crying because their self-worth depended on the opinion of a bunch of strangers, or Crash winning. This meant I missed Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, the best thing to happen to the Oscars since David Niven roasted that streaker (see video above), and a mistake I won’t be making again.

Because while there’s unlikely to be violence at the 2025 ceremony, there’s also trouble brewing on several fronts, and with just five days to go before the big night, that drama shows no signs of letting up.

Emilia Pérez and those tweets 

The biggest of the controversies concerns Emilia Pérez, a Netflix musical that divided opinion amongst critics, and that was before the tweets came to light. So many horrible tweets by nominated actress Karla Sofia Gascón, concerning but not limited to Muslims, George Floyd, and somewhat ironically, diversity at the Oscars. 

In response, Gascón issued awkward non-apologies that made the situation worse, with Netflix apparently removing the actress from ad campaigns, cast members distancing themselves from the comments, and the actress a no-show at the Critics Choice, BAFTAs, and Screen Actor’s Guild awards.

An Oscar appearance seemed unlikely, then just a few days ago Variety reported Netflix will pay for Gascón to attend, and is currently figuring out if she should walk the carpet or be seated next to her co-stars. I for one can’t wait to hear what she says and what’s said about her.

Gascón wasn’t the only nominee apologizing during awards season either. I’m Still Here star Fernanda Torres – also up for Best Actress – said sorry for donning blackface during a sketch on Mexican television in 2008, helpfully stating that the practice is “never acceptable.”

There’s even beef between Gascón and Torres, with the former accusing the latter’s social media team of trying to “tear down” her work during their Oscar campaign. Karla, maybe get your own house in order before throwing shade at others!

The Brutalist and Anora controversies explained

There have been AI issues, with The Brutalist accused of using voice-generating tech to make actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones sound more authentically Hungarian. 

Director Brady Corbet – doubtless concerned that this decision would affect his movie’s many Oscar chances – released a statement saying AI was only used to “refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy,” and “done with the utmost respect for the craft.”

Simulated sex also entered the debate, with Sean Baker coming under fire for not using an intimacy coordinator during steamy scenes in Anora. The film’s lead Mikey Madison said she and co-star Mark Eydelshteyn “decided that it would be best just to keep it small.” 

In response, intimacy coordinator Lauren Kieli DeLeon told Variety that such roles are imperative for everyone on a movie, not just the director and lead actors. “We’re hearing from the people who have the most power on this set,” says DeLeon, “But they can’t speak for how every extra felt on the film.”

Why I can’t wait for these Academy Awards

So that’s racism, robots, and rumpy-pumpy spicing up this year’s Academy Awards, and giving me multiple reasons to tune in that have nothing to do with the actual films.

Will the red-carpet interviews be more interesting than the usual “Who are you wearing?” Will acceptance speeches tackle any of these issues? And how hard will host Conan O’Brien go at those responsible for these controversies, bearing in mind they’ll be sitting right in front of him?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, the 2025 Oscars could be more dramatic than the movies in competition, and for the first time in decades, I can’t wait.

Head here for the full list of 2025 Oscar nominees, and here to see where you can watch Best Picture candidates Conclave, Dune Part Two, A Complete Unknown, Nickel Boys, and Wicked, including all streaming details.