The Oscars have celebrated the best performances and craftsmanship of films since 1929, and the 2025 ceremony was no exception, making history in multiple ways. One of the biggest contenders was Brady Corbet’s film “The Brutalist,” starring Academy Award winning actor Adrien Brody alongside other A-list celebrities including Guy Pierce and Felicity Jones. Nominated for 10 awards, it follows Jewish-Hungarian Holocaust survivor and architect pursuing the American Dream. The film won Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, add- ing to its Golden Globe success. “Emilia Pérez,” a musical thriller about a cartel leader transitioning to live as a woman, led with 13 nominations—the most for a foreign language film. Some critics raised concerns about its portrayal of Mexico, as it was directed by a French filmmaker and shot in France. Despite this, MHS video teacher Elena Elmoznino noted that “since Emilia Perez received the most nominations, there is a good possibility that it will take home the most awards,” and that it did, as Zoe Saldana won Best Supporting Actress making her the first American of Dominican descent to receive an Oscar. Additionally, the film won Best Original Song for “El Mal.” “The Substance,” a comedy/ horror film about an aging fitness show host using a black-market youth serum, also performed well. Scotia Kuriloff (‘25) believed Demi Moore had a strong Best Actress chance due to controversy surrounding Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Pérez). While Moore didn’t win, the film took home Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Kuriloff noted its nomination was “amazing for the horror genre,” which is often overlooked. “A Complete Unknown,” a Bob Dylan biopic, earned multiple nominations, including Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet. However, Chalamet couldn’t surpass Adrien Brody as the youngest winner in the category. Other nominated films included “Wicked,” “Anora,” and “Conclave,” each earning six or more nominations. ”Wicked” won in Best Costume Design, making Paul Tazewell the first Black man to win in that category, and Best Production Design. Every year, there are some upsets “snubs.” Elmoznino noted “Challengers’” soundtrack, com- posed by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, was overlooked. Also pointed to Pamela Anderson in “The Last Showgirl” and horror film “I Saw the TV Glow,” saying, “The Academy famously hates horror—and from the looks of it…innovation.” Nicholas Arena (’28) thought that “Dune: Part 2” was ‘snubbed’ in Best Supporting Actor for Austin Butler. MHS students had strong opinions on the results, especially when it came to the winner for Best Lead Actress. With many talented women in the running, it came down to Demi Moore for “The Substance” and Mikey Madison for her role in “Anora.” Ultimately, breakout star Mikey Madison took home the award with her the film also winning Best Picture. The night was not without other historical moments, as the first Latvian film, “Flow,” won Best Animated Feature and “No Other Land” took home Best Documentary Feature. With the results in, the Oscars have once again proved to be an unpredictable and all-around exciting event. Only time will tell how these wins will impact the future of film and the lives of the winners.