Less montages, more speeches and other Oscars hot takes

So after much hype, and endless predictions -- including a handful of my own -- the 90th Academy Awards have come and gone. I expect to hear the inevitable quibbling over who won and who should've won.

I expect to see the inevitable headline about how the ratings have dropped to another all-time low (which is inevitable because of how people consume media nowadays). And I expect the usual griping about how long the show is -- even though it's really those montages of every movie ever made that weigh it down, not the often very touching speeches.

Now, I actually enjoyed this year's Oscars quite a bit. Jimmy Kimmel was smoother and funnier his second time around. I was glad he kept the forced viral moment hijinks to a minimum and he settled into a relaxed, sardonic vibe that suited the tone of the evening (quite a far cry from Seth MacFarlane's infamously tone deaf "you showed your boobs" number from a couple years back).

And while my favorite films of the year hardly dominated the proceedings, I was happy to see Get Out get justly rewarded for its original screenplay and to see Blade Runner 2049's incredible cinematography get recognized as well.

As for The Shape of Water's big win -- I can't say I was surprised. It was probably the closest thing to a consensus choice and the film least likely to offend anyone. Director Guillermo del Toro is a sweetheart and impossible not to like, and he made a lovely, offbeat little fairy tale that felt both deeply personal and widely accessible.

I for one hope it does not get the inevitable backlash that so many other recent Best Picture winners have received. So many recent winners of the top prize from Chicago to The Departed to Crash to The Artist to Birdman and Argo have since been slammed as mediocre or terrible, even though I really enjoy some of those movies.

It almost seems better not to win Best Picture, because if you do it's like you have an automatic target on your back. If you are viewed as robbed (it can almost add to your film's mystique.

Hell, even Citizen Kane didn't win Best Picture.

Of course, there will be the inevitable discussion about whether this pageant is even relevant anymore. I will go on record saying I think it is.

The Shape of Water will inevitably get a boost at the box office. This year's Oscars did really earnestly try to make amends on past transgressions in terms of sexism, abuse and discrimination -- and while one show won't make up for decades of malfeasance, I thought it was a step in the right direction.

I know there are those will say that they are boycotting the show because Hollywood marginalizes marginalized people -- and they're not entirely wrong -- but I would argue almost every industry marginalizes minorities, and this is at least one we can exert some influence over with our dollars and sense.

For instance, Black Panther had better be represented at next year's awards, not just because it is such a commercial and creative feat, but because it is a great, smart film that is worthy of getting recognized.

And hopefully, last night demonstrated that every work of art is enhanced by inclusion, not harmed by it.https://adamhas2manymovies2watch.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-artist-and-other-most-overrated.html