I watched (most of) the Oscars last night and was pleasantly surprised at how not political it was. (Though I did miss the very beginning.) Winners thanked their mothers and their fathers for their sacrifices. Spouses and children were thanked and otherwise included. There appeared to be a lot of traditional families who do what families do: encourage and challenge and sacrifice.
The Best Actress winner, Michelle Yeoh from Everything Everywhere All at Once, even declared that mothers are “superheroes.”
I know that there are too many threats against the human family in our society today than can be mentioned in a short post, but from my very superficial view of the Oscars (pretty sure I’ve seen none of the movies nominated), it was refreshing. Women being women, dressed beautifully. (Rihanna, with child, was stunning.) The complementarity of marriage on display. Winners talking about the American dream still being alive — as actor and actresses wore U.N.-encouraged blue ribbons for refugees, one from Vietnam won for Best Supporting Actor — Ke Huy Quan (from the same Everything movie). Having a family shouldn’t be an elite luxury.
And, of course, Russian dissident Alexei Navalny’s family taking the stage as the documentary about him won an award was a reminder of true suffering and courage in the world, realities that Hollywood doesn’t always have to be an escape from.
It was the first Oscars after Dobbs, and there were no speeches about the need for abortion. While there was undoubtedly a lot going on under the surface, one could argue that the evening made a case for strong families and the hope they bring.