One of the reasons last night’s Oscars broadcast went so smoothly is it was very streamlined. There wasn’t a lot of fluff, and we only saw host Jimmy Kimmel a few times after the opening monologue. But there were the expected segments, such as the Best Original Song performances and the In Memoriam that took place, and for the most part they went off without a hitch.
The musical performances were interesting for how eclectic a mix it was. From Rihanna’s superstar performance of “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, to Lady Gaga’s stripped-down “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, to a blistering Bollywood performance of “Naatu Naatu” from RRR, there was a little something for everyone. We also got the legendary Diane Warren, who is there pretty much every year, for “Applause” from the anthology film Tell It Like a Woman, and David Byrne with Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu with “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The In Memoriam was particularly heartbreaking this year, as it opened with a teary-eyed and choked-up John Travolta introducing the segment that would include his beloved Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John. Lenny Kravitz performed the music while images of other deceased honorees, including Kirstie Alley, James Caan, and Ray Liotta
Of course, there were those who were bizarrely left out, such as Anne Heche, Tom Sizemore, and Charlbi Dean who was key to current Best Picture nominee Triangle of Sadness. How could you exclude any of them? But especially one who is seen in segments throughout the night?
