Everything Everywhere All at Once, a film made for less than US$20-million by independent studio A24, was the big winner at the 95th Academy Awards, picking up best picture and six other trophies over some of the highest-grossing pictures in Hollywood history.
The genre-bending sci-fi film also won best actress and supporting actor awards for Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan. It won directing and original screenplay trophies for the team of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
Two of the highest-grossing films ever came up short. Avatar: The Way of Water, the James Cameron-directed sequel that grossed $2.3-billion, scored one Oscar for visual effects. Top Gun: Maverick, the Paramount Pictures fighter-jet movie which took in nearly $1.5-billion globally, won for sound editing.
The night was also a chance for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to move past a wild controversy that overshadowed last year’s ceremony — when actor Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage before winning best actor — and keep the focus on the movies.
In ways, the evening was both traditional and new. As in years past, it put the spotlight on an original film. However, it continued an effort to highlight talent that was overlooked in the past. For example, Asian actors made a stronger-than-usual showing among nominees and winners.
“They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me,” Quan said in an emotional speech for best supporting actor, referencing his time as a refugee. “This is the American dream.”
In Everything Everywhere, the actor plays Waymond Wang, the husband of Evelyn Wang, a laundromat owner whose struggle to complete her taxes spirals into a genre-bending multiverse of conflicts. Yeoh, who was the first Asian woman to win best actress, also referenced challenges she’d overcome when she picked up her award.
“To all the ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you are past your prime,” Yeoh said in her acceptance speech.
Subdued
The event was an otherwise subdued affair. Winners avoided making political speeches while picking up their trophies on stage, which has been a popular soapbox in years past. Jimmy Kimmel, hosting for the third time, took a few jabs at last year’s events but avoided totally skewering the industry.
Besides A24, which also picked up two awards for Brendan Fraser-led drama The Whale, Netflix emerged as a big winner. It collected a trophy for best animated feature for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and four prizes for the World War 1 movie All Quiet on the Western Front. The streaming giant also won for The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary short film.
Walt Disney Co’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever won the award for best costume design. The movie was the latest instalment of the popular Marvel franchise. Disney won two awards overall.
“Thank you to the academy for recognising the superhero that is a black woman,” said Ruth Carter, who designed the costumes for the picture. Carter said her mother recently died and she hoped the franchise’s late star Chadwick Boseman, who died from cancer after the first film, was taking care of her.
Last year’s ceremony reversed a long-term ratings decline, even before the viral slap moment. The show, broadcast on ABC, attracted 16.6 million viewers last year, up 58% from a year earlier.
Here is the complete list of winners from the 95th Academy Awards, including studio or distributor.
Best Picture
Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24
Actress in a Leading Role
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24
Actor in a Leading Role
Brendan Fraser, The Whale, A24
Directing
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, A24
Film Editing
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Paul Rogers, A24
Original Song
Naatu Naatu, RRR, MM Keeravaani and Chandrabose, DVV Entertainment and Raftar Creations
Sound
Top Gun: Maverick, Mark Weingarten, James H Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor, Paramount
Adapted Screenplay
Women Talking, Sarah Polley and Miriam Toews, United Artists Releasing
Original Screenplay
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, A24
Visual Effects
Avatar: The Way of Water, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett, Disney
Original Score
All Quiet on the Western Front, Volker Bertelmann, Netflix
Production Design
All Quiet on the Western Front, Christian M Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper, Netflix
Animated Short Film
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy, directors, Apple
Documentary Short Film
The Elephant Whisperers, Kartiki Gonsalves, director, Netflix
International Feature Film
All Quiet on the Western Front, Edward Berger, director, Netflix
Costume Design
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth Carter, Disney
Makeup and Hairstyling
The Whale, Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley, A24
Cinematography
All Quiet on the Western Front, James Friend, Netflix
Live Action Short Film
An Irish Goodbye, Tom Berkeley and Ross White, directors, First Flights,
Documentary Feature Film
Navalny, Daniel Roher, director, CNN Films
Actress in a Supporting Role
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24
Actor in a Supporting Role
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24
Animated Feature Film
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, directors, Netflix. — Thomas Buckley, with Christopher Palmeri, (c) 2023 Bloomberg LP