I enjoy the Critic’s Choice Awards because sometimes very deserving shows get wins where they otherwise wouldn’t but totally deserve. In any case, a lot more awesome stuff at least gets nominated.
What I don’t generally love about this awards show in particular is that it airs on the CW, which has those dumb black bars on the top and bottom, making everything look awkwardly squatty. In any case, even there was some COVID going around from the Globes last Tuesday (I’m sure more cases to come in the next couple weeks), almost everyone was in attendance. It was great seeing everyone interacting and having a good time again, but I couldn’t help but cringe more when I saw SO. MANY. KISSES. Some of your friends just got COVID! Be smarter than that! Overall though, as host Chelsea Handler said, “the vibe was high” for the evening.
It is a little crazy to me that so many categories just get rattled off like a commercial from time to time. Some of them felt critical, too! Poor Gabriel LaBelle, who was at the ceremony, didn’t get a chance to give an acceptance speech. We just saw him standing excitedly after they were done announcing the batch. I don’t know how much weight these wins will hold with the Oscar voters, but for the film categories, it was interesting that The Banshees of Inisherin got completely shut out. It’s clear the critics were obsessed with Everything Everywhere All at Once, yet it’s captivating lead, Michelle Yeoh lost out to Cate Blanchett. At this point, I think Angela Bassett may be a lock in supporting actress, along with Ke Huy Quan for supporting actor, but best actor still feels totally up in the air right now with Brendan Fraser taking home the win for the night.
On the television front, I wasn’t too surprised, only mildly disappointed, that Better Call Saul took home so many awards for its final season. I appreciate the praising swan song, however, I thought there were much better performances out there. For instance, Antony Starr continues to deliver top tier entertainment for The Boys, and Bad Sisters was a perfect show according to Rotten Tomatoes (and me, look out for the review soon). I did like seeing The Bear pull off a win in Jeremy Allen White, and of course Jennifer Coolidge and Paul Walter Hauser are more than deserving, but I would have loved to have seen Fresh, This is Going to Hurt, and Ben Whishaw pull off wins in their respective categories.
Overall, the show was entertaining with it’s fair share of touching and hilarious moments, but it’s always one that feels very chaotic to me. With that being said, the road to the Oscars, regardless of who wins, seems to be made up of a group of deserving individuals. Many of whom are just now re-entering the orbit of entertainment. It’s nice seeing them all unanimously embraced.