On March 2, all of the most prestigious people associated with film will come together to celebrate and compete amongst the most brilliant minds to take to the screen. In 2025, the Oscars have morphed into more than just an award ceremony, but a representation of life itself. Each year the world takes on new challenges, dilemmas, and celebrations for the Oscars to commemorate and reflect on.
What started as a simple award ceremony for the extremely talented and wealthy in 1929 has become a reflection of human behavior. In 2025, the Oscars have branched into various categories, like non-English-language films, celebrating true diversity within the industry and society itself. The true power of movies and films is the reflection on domestic struggles and realness. The Oscars contemplate a movie’s ability to accurately display representation of gender, race, and political circumstances.
“Its the Academy awards that decide (the winner). The Tonys is Broadway, Emmys is TV, Oscars are movies, and Grammy is music. So basically it’s the biggest night for the movies that the Academy votes on.” Senior Hayden Kissel said.
One of the biggest controversies going into the Oscars is the musical “Emilia Perez”. The film has 13 nominations, rivaling world-renowned films like “Titanic”, “All About Eve”, and “LA LA Land”. The film follows a Mexican lawyer, as she is offered to help a cartel boss transition into living as a woman. The movie deconstructs relevant themes of transitioning, femicide, and cartel violence. While “Emilia Perez” has already won a handful of awards like the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and the European Film Award for Best Film, the film has received a great deal of criticism. Many viewers, mostly from the LGBTQ+ community, have already come out that the film directly portrayed trans people in a “degrading way”. With nominations in major categories like Best Actress and Picture, against films like “Wicked” and “Anora”, viewers wonder who or what film is most deserving.
“I want Wicked [to win]. I want Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to win Best Actress and Supporting Actress. Mainly because they deserve it, I know lots of people [actors and actresses] have been at this for a long time, but the best should win,” senior Madison Watschke said.
This year the box office has a field day with Oscar-nominated films and“Wicked” is no exception. This past year, “Wicked” became the top-grossing film based on a Broadway musical. The musical subtly deconstructs and reflects on the nature of human behavior in 2025. It tells the story of a young woman feeling out of place in her own skin and the world around her, as she tries to find a way to fit in. Actress Cynthia Erivo and her castmate Ariana Grande have quickly become the runaway favorites for their selected categories. From singing live to doing their very own stunts, the two actresses are sure to make a splash at the Oscars.
While this year’s Oscars nominated and commemorated many talented people and beautiful films, it’s hard to forget the forgotten. Films like “Challengers” and “Long Legs” fall nothing short of Oscar material, leaving many to wonder why were they snubbed. Every year multiple films, people, and productions are snubbed from various categories at the Oscars. Which leads viewers to question, what makes something Oscar worthy? In order to meet “Academy” worthy quality, must follow one of the following: Lead or significant supporting actors from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, creative leadership and project team, and industry access and opportunities.
Whether or not your favorite film, person, or project brings home the trophy, the Oscars are a time to celebrate all the beautiful art that was created in 2024. The true “win” of the night is to see all of the best creators come together to celebrate all things film.
