The dictum that you can’t spell “Oscars” without “chaos” may not have been an adage before tonight, but it won’t be far from anyone’s minds when the Academy next gathers, thanks to an uneven and wildly unpredictable 2022 ceremony.
First, there was the telecast, which opened with a surprise Beyoncé drop that felt weirdly out of place, and included a wince-inducing Oscar-special rewrite of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” that made zero sense in any context. The production’s decision to move many awards to the pre-show turned baffling when the presenters still announced those winners during the ceremony, doing nothing to help save time or momentum. That didn’t mean there weren’t some genuinely moving speeches, and even an amusing host, but bizarre moments were the norm.