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Remember when movies were, quote unquote, good?
The Academy does. A very long — some may argue inordinately long — montage became one of the first divisive moments of the evening for viewers.
This isn’t the first time the Academy put together a montage of classic Oscar-winning movies for its award ceremony, but this year, it certainly felt like one of the longest. The montage was created by the Academy to celebrate 90 years of movie and Oscars history. While the effort was clearly appreciated by those watching in the audience, there’s no doubt it went on a little too long for us viewers at home.
“The Oscars wish to thank audiences for 90 years of going to the movies.” Take a look back at 90 years of timeless movies as we celebrate the 90th @TheAcademy Awards. https://t.co/OPQh4B2ScI #Oscars pic.twitter.com/AqAo5zXmar
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 5, 2018
Twitter became even more inundated with sarcastic groans and smart-alecky responses following the montage, thanks to film aficionados who took the montage as a reminder that cinema was once good, but no longer is.
A jet ski to all the members of a category who ban together to stop their montage. https://t.co/bSWcNAVVj0
— Whitney Friedlander (@loislane79) March 5, 2018
EVERY MONTAGE AT THE OSCARS:
— Jon Bershad (@JonBershad) March 5, 2018
1. Some movie
2. Some movie
3. Some movie
4. Some movie
5. That match clip from Lawrence of Arabia
6. Some movie
Remember that pointless montage when the show edges toward four hours...
— Kurt Loder (@kurt_loder) March 5, 2018
So that’s just gonna go unexplained? No one is ever going to tell me what that montage was all about? I have to die in confusion?#Oscars
— Jennifer Maas (@jmaas421) March 5, 2018
"This show is way too long so everyone please keep your speeches as short as possible. Anyway here's a 20 minute montage whose theme is Scenes From Movies."
— Dan Amira (@DanAmira) March 5, 2018
Cut every montage. #oscars
— Jenny Jaffe (@jennyjaffe) March 5, 2018
When I host the Oscars there will be a montage of ICONIC BOTTOMS.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) March 5, 2018
I was on the fence but that ten minute montage finally convinced me: movies are cool
— Alison Herman (@aherman2006) March 5, 2018
Others tried to be the voice of optimism and love, celebrating the montage for reminding us that movies have always been good and will continue to be good.
Yes, they tried to remind us that the future of film is hopeful during the same year that The Boss Baby is up for an Oscar.
Real talk...this montage of cinema throughout history drives home how much movies mean to me and what an honor it is to talk about them for a living, and HOLY SH*T IS THIS THE SONG FROM LOVE ACTUALLY OH MY GOD I CANNOT STOP CRYING
— Grae Drake (@graedrake) March 5, 2018
I do understand the anti-montage thing, the "we already know the movies are great!" thing. But especially in the last year or two, film (and art generally) has meant so much to me, and has been a source of delight and, like, the vigor of the brain, you know? And I'm grateful.
— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) March 5, 2018
That #Oscars ‘90 Years’ movie montage was amazing. Who else is watching? #Oscars90 #Oscars2018 pic.twitter.com/OGfuxncBhR
— Meghan Harwood (@meghan_harwood) March 5, 2018
Yes I cried at that montage, even with the inexplicable use of the theme from #LoveActually. #Oscars
— Alyson L. Rosenfeld (@AlysonRosenfeld) March 5, 2018
I was ready to be cynical about this #Oscars montage but then there’s Tim Robbins in “Shawshank” saying “No good thing ever dies” under footage of James Dean, River Phoenix and Anton Yelchin. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
— Alex Biese (@ABieseAPP) March 5, 2018
Look, we’re not here to rag on the Oscars — or movies as a whole. If we didn’t like movies, we wouldn’t be writing about them. We’re covering the Oscars because we love and believe in what movies can do for people all around the world.
We also, however, recognize that the Oscars are basically four hours long, leaving us with a limited amount of time to use the restroom, scarf down some pizza and post a pretty witty tweet without missing a second of it. It’s just that playing an extended montage when the message of the night is “please don’t take too long while accepting a speech” is kind of ironic, right?
It’s true: The first Oscars lasted 15 minutes from the beginning to end. Tonight’s Oscars will last a solid three-and-a-half hours, at least. It’s a Sunday. We have work and school tomorrow.
Please, save the montages for YouTube.
