How Do You Watch the Oscars?
Sunday, February 9, 2020 at 5:20PM by Eric Blume
It's about time for High Holy Night, and as most of you reading this are serious cinephiles, we all know that HOW you watch the Oscar show is crucial. Everyone has their own individual idea of what makes the show the most fun to watch.
Personally, I can't watch the show with too many people in the room. I like to hear the show and don't need twenty opinions at every moment. I've found the magic number for the gathering is somewhere around six or so: people who are passionate and committed filmgoers, but also really smart, funny people who know just when to say that special bon mot that makes the watching so much better...
My friends usually do a meal, complete with movie candy, and sometimes someone buys those fun Oscar cookies (pictured) from Eleni's in NYC. After 25 years watching in that city, I'll be seeing the show for the first time in LA this year. It's surreal having the show start at 5:30pm!
This site has readers all over the world, so I'm curious. How do you watch the show? Do you like a big party? Do you clap during the Dead Reel? Who else will have a group of six to console them when Antonio loses to Joaquin? Share your Oscar-watching routine with us...
Reader Comments (32)
A local cinema for the past few years has shown The Oscars on the big screen. Great way to watch them!
I usually watch ALONE. No matter how much people may love film, they will want to make silly comments during the acceptance speeches of "minor" awards. And I want to see and hear absolutely everything. Ten years ago I was living in Monterey, California, and three friends promised that if they wanted to talk we could hit the pause button on the TiVo. That was OK. But then, at one point, a friend (and fellow Argentine) from Miami phoned me shouting "We made it! Isn't it wonderful? The Secret in their Eyes! won Best Foreign Film!!!" The thing is, we were some 15 minutes behind!!!! Talk about spoilers!!!! I went back to watching it alone...
Marcos-
I agree... I love to savor every single second of the show and I dont want to be a bad host and constantly tend to people with snacks, drinks, etc.
lol
Always alone because I live in the UK and it starts at 1am.
Similarly. It is on from midday here in eastern Australia, so I take a half day off to watch them live. No other friends (not even the ones who like to talk about them) prefer to do that, and just watch a Twitter feed. It used to be the case that they weren't televised live, so many of us walked and drove around through the day trying our best to avoid media and spoilers, so as to watch the delayed telecast later in the evening. (Whenever an Australian won, it was almost impossible - I still remember standing in a newsagency in Mount Gambier and hearing over the radio that Geoffrey Rush had won. I think my "hands over the ears" reaction drew some weird glances..)
alone. i will CUT. lol
The missus and I have to live stream the broadcast due to poor reception near the mountains and no local broadcast stations on cable.
I watch the highlights.I don't have a subscription to get the Oscars.
Travis C - As an Australian I too remember Rush winning.
I avoided spoilers all day and just before the awards started Channel 9 - who were broadcasting on delay- advertised the awards by telling people to Tune in to watch Rush win - with a short clip! I was furious.....
In Portugal, the Oscars start around 1 AM, so I'm used to watching it alone on TV. This year, however, I'm joined by my mother and two lovely (slightly grumpy) cats.
Sometimes I and some friends talk through the ceremony, messaging each other. I'll never forget the 2017 ceremony when a dear friend of mine - a huge Moonlight fan - immediately turned the TV off and went to bed when Faye announced La La Land as the winner. I kept trying to reach her to tell her to turn the TV back on, but she was so fed up she turned her phone off. She only discovered in the morning that the right picture had actually won. That was such a thrilling night, it was one of the only times I cried during the Oscars. Tears of joy, in that instance.
Varies from year to year. Sometimes big parties, sometimes small ones, sometimes à deux. This year I'll be watching alone. Which is a very good thing, since I really don't want anyone seeing me perform these secret voodoo incantations during the ceremony...
I'm meeting friends for dinner and drinks afterwards.
Watching right now with 12 others at my annual Oscar party - 29 years and counting!
At 76, Randy Newman must be the second oldest person performing at the oscar, just behind Shirley Bassey's 2013 magnificent Goldfinger
Happiest when I can watch it alone, but it's fun to start off watching it with friends/family. Try to get them to do ballots to get them into it, which usually helps the overall enthusiasm in the room.
I’m on the West Coast, which used to make for ideal viewing. But I have a young child and we just don’t watch much tv with her — plus we have to do the basics like dinner, bath, bedtime! Not conducive to the kind of obsessive viewing that my husband and I used to do. Now we watch the telecast in snippets, crossed with following updates online. Can’t wait for the year when the kiddo actually can watch along!!
The Oscars are really fricking weird. One year they pick Green Book, the next Parasite.
That Parasite win still feels unreal, moreso than even Moonlight did. Not a bad night, though for a while it looked like 1917 was going to win almost everything. Strangely, the director win made it feel like Parasite would go on to win the big one. And you could sense the love for the film in the hall everytime it was mentioned.
The Eminem surprise was the moment of the night though for me. It took me back to my teenage years and the win for the song still remains one of the Academy's boldest choice. Not bad for it to be performed again tonight.
Both the leading win speeches were all over the place, but at least Phoenix seemed genuine. Quite liked how everyone who won for Ford V Ferrari made it known that they felt Mangold should have been nominated. I am certain he will for his next Oscar type film, maybe even win. Tonight indicated that he enjoys the support and respect of technicians.
None of the critics picked Parasite to win. Ha! Love surprises. Thought Renee gave an excellent speech, deserved to win. Laura Dern had the best gown.
How radical was it of Phoenix to appeal for reformative justice in today's cancel culture. He rambled, was tentative even... but felt it was necessary for someone to speak up for humanity when so much of activism and woke culture seems to be missing that very crucial element which those who have been oppressed on various grounds by the majoritarian for so long have advocated- empathy.
Reminded me of Nathaniel's wise comment after Kirk Douglas' death on another thread, though of course Nathaniel was far more effective and lucid in getting the point across.
Who knew that the 'upset win' will happen in the director and picture categories. The victors in acting were pretty much the same as in previous awards, but man, how cool for Parasite to win the big awards.
Considering the nominees it was pretty good from A (deserving historic Best Picture) to ‘Zee’. The years of hate and snide ness really cemented her win in a shortened season where otherwise a banner year Johansson could have taken it. As somebody who loved the Judy performance and thinks Zellweger is an iconic and talented actress and one of the more genuine and natural actresses in interviews and such, I sincerely want to thank you Nathaniel for making this moment possible! Maybe switch to disliking Sigourney for a few years, just for me please. Xox ;)
A real thrill to cap off the ceremony: first Bong winning Directing and then, a short while later, Parasite winning Best Picture! Amazing.
I enjoyed the show. Eminem was a highlight. There were a lot of good speeches. Ford v Ferrari won two Oscars. And although The Irishman was the only Best Picture nominee not to win anything, Scorsese was treated like the living legend he is!
Oh Abzee, Nathaniel’s comments could have been better without the Log Cabin Republican/I’ll be fine under any administration talking points and tone.
Renée Zellweger and Joaquin Phoenix won their Oscars - that's what really matters. With this the world is safe and sound.
Parasite winning 4 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director is the best win since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016 and the time Eddie Guerrero won the WWE Championship in 2004.
My voodoo worked.
Brandz, I’ve seen that type dress in every cheap brand for $20 for years. Obviously Dern’s had much more lux materials, but for such a simple known kind of dress it missed th extra touch of sophistication and elevation needed. She has an Oscar so I doubt she cares about her decent dress.
I agree with brandz. Laura Dern paying tribute to me with a gown that, by looking at it, she created and made herself is lovely.
I just thought Laura Dern looked very elegant.
Crafty queens do have a quaint charm which goes against the over the top glamour, I agree with you on that brandz.