On March 12, the annual Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Dolby Theatre where those in the entertainment industry gathered together to honor the exceptional achievements of cinema during the 2022 season. 

   Hosted by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, the night was considered “safe, it was familiar, it was tasteful, it was reassuring” according to Variety.

   The night was packed with guest celebrity appearances, musical performances, movie clips encapsulating Oscar-nominated films, and more intriguing elements. However, after the ground-breaking “slap heard ‘round the world” from last year’s awards ceremony between actor Will Smith and presenter Chris Rock, Kimmel was tasked with the challenge to keep the audience engaged and composed. This is not to say that he strayed away from last year’s turn of events, as it was addressed in his opening monologue, and assisted in jokes several more times throughout the night. 

   According to the Los Angeles Times, “We want you to feel safe. And most importantly, we want me to feel safe,” Kimmel said. “So we have strict policies in place. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.” 

   The night persisted smoothly, accompanied by music performances by artists including Lady Gaga, Rhianna, David Byrne, and Sofia Carson. Lenny Kravitz led a moving in-memoriam tribute to those in the industry who had recently passed. Another performance of the song “Naatu Naatu” from the film RRR triggered a standing ovation. Later on, the track won the Oscar for Best Original Song with the award accepted by music composer M.M. Keeravaani and lyricist Chandrabose according to the Economic Times. 

   Before the ceremony, categories were packed with talented and eligible nominees in line for a potential Academy Award win. However, as the night came to a close, one stood out in particular: Everything, Everywhere All At Once. The film was nominated for 11 awards and, although not a clean sweep, accepted seven Oscars, labeled as the leading movie in wins for the 95th Oscars. 

   According to the Academy, the film took home Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, along with Michelle Yeoh’s Best Actress, Ke Huy Quan’s Best Supporting Actor, Jamie Lee Curtis’s Best Supporting Actress, and Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Best Director(s). 

   One specific win to note includes Brendan Fraser’s first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in The Whale. Also, the film All Quiet on the Western Front collected the second-highest number of awards with four Oscars including Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and Best International Feature Film according to ABC7.