2026 Oscars: 5 Best And 5 Worst Moments

And so, the 98^th Academy Awards are done. The "I Lied to You" musical performance was delightful. Conan O'Brien was hysterical. Amy Madigan's acceptance speech was endearing. Already, the ceremony is generating immense chatter online, much of it centering on the show's biggest snubs and surprise wins. But this is just one of the inevitable outcomes of any Oscars ceremony.

Whether it's an event like "The Slap" in 2023, a streaker parading around the stage in the '70s, or whatever was going on the year Allan Carr produced the ceremony, the Oscars always stir up chatter. Given the show's inevitably lengthy nature, it's also inevitable that there will be some creative peaks and valleys. Any TV endeavor running over three hours can't be entirely perfect or a waste of time. 

Some of the ceremony's very best moments showcased why people tune into this production year after year. The most befuddling, weakest points of the 98^th Academy Awards, though, reflected the kind of boondoggles only live television and severe creative miscalculations can create (such as two "Avengers" veterans not being great at live television). For better and worse, you won't see moments like these anywhere else in the cultural landscape. Whether it was the ceremony's most iconic or boo-worthy moments, these parts of the 98^th Academy Awards won't be forgotten anytime soon.

The opening segment of an Academy Awards ceremony sets the tone for what's to come. Will this be a bunch of hollow film references and misguided comedy? Does Regina King's endless walk to a podium foreshadow the ensuing ceremony being a miscalculated trainwreck? Luckily, Conan O'Brien and pre-filmed segment director Scott Gairdner kicked the 98th Academy Awards off with an inspired variation of Billy Crystal racing through the year's most beloved movies. Here, Conan is dressed like Aunt Gladys (Madigan) from "Weapons," and is chased by a slew of children.

After racing through a handful of "Weapons" sets, Conan invades scenes from "Hamnet" and "One Battle After Another." The gags here were hysterical, including the ingenious repurposing of "Hamnet" shots to suggest its characters reacting with befuddlement to Conan's presence. Stopping this propulsive sequence so Conan (still in Aunt Gladys makeup) and the kids could engage in a chat with Stellan Skarsgard from "Sentimental Value" was especially hilarious. 

For Conan geeks, this beat scored extra points for evoking Conan's very first "Tonight Show" cold open where he stopped his race across America to check out a doll museum. Harkening back to that earlier Conan gag, as well as the segment's clever silliness (and its use of a Beastie Boys song), made this whole sequence so classically Conan while fitting snugly into the Oscars. This was a rib-tickling, effective kick-off to the larger ceremony.

Film is a visual medium. So many auditory components factor into making this realm as compelling as it is, but imagery ultimately drives cinematic storytelling. One would think that any Oscars ceremony would work overtime to make sure that all live camerawork was perfectly realized and planned out. The 98th Academy Awards, though, were bizarrely underwhelming in this regard. The camerawork was plagued by strange shortcomings that disrupted pre-planned comedic bits or potentially moving moments.

This flaw was glaringly apparent from the start, when Conan O'Brien attempted to pull off a joke about Leonardo DiCaprio inspiring a new reaction meme at this ceremony. Throughout this whole gag, the timing of the camera's movements were ludicrously off, including cutting to DiCaprio seated in the audience too early. Later, the introductions to the best casting nominees featured a flub where it cut to Delroy Lindo before Wagner Moura was finished talking about "The Secret Agent's" casting director, leaving poor Lindo looking flummoxed.

 Considering this is the 98th Academy Awards and they've been broadcast on television since March 1953, it's baffling that rookie errors were so prevalent throughout the proceedings. The visual storytelling of 2025's many great movies deserved better than the shoddy camerawork plaguing the 98th Academy Awards.

Long-time Conan O'Brien fans must've erupted into cheers when, during his opening monologue, he mimed petting a cat (a nod to Blofeld from the classic James Bond movies) while speaking in a "nefarious" accent. A bit of physical comedy Conan previously utilized when describing ex-NBC executive Jeff Zucker was here deployed in a gag at the expense of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos. This streaming figure has long lambasted movie theaters as "outdated," so Conan joked about how Sarandos must be confused at assembling so many people into one theater for the Oscars.

After that initial punchline, Conan mimicked Sarandos reacting to the sight of people having a good time in public spaces. "What are they all doing enjoying themselves?" Conan cried out, "They should be home where I can monetize it!" This was one of several welcome slams at streaming platforms throughout the show, including another gag where Conan focused on the weirdness of Amazon being in the movie business.

Further jokes were deployed at the expense of watching movies vertically on mobile devices and Will Arnett chastising generative A.I., a technology many streamers are pushing as "the future." Given the power and influence a handful of streamers now have over the world, these jabs were more than welcome. The fact that they were hilarious (and allowed Conan O'Brien to once again mime petting a cat) was just a cherry on top. 

Two Avengers "assembled" to present some Oscar categories for the 98th Academy Awards in the form of Robert Downey Jr. (decked out in a green suit suggesting his upcoming role as Doctor Doom) and Chris Evans. Chris Evans was initially worried about playing Captain America before taking on the part, but that uncertainty has clearly faded now that he's reminding people of his Marvel days at the Oscars. Unfortunately, him and Downey Jr.'s banter was absolutely dire.

For starters, the whole concept of their comedic exploits was flawed. Evans asked if Downey Jr. would be giving him a gift for the 14th anniversary of "The Avengers." 14 is such a weird number for an anniversary, which already made the starting point of these antics a stretch. The ensuing back-and-forth rapport between the two actors wasn't very amusing and it only got worse when Downey Jr. returned to the stage with a glistening thong purportedly belonging to Channing Tatum. Is the sight of a thong still so scandalous it can function as a joke's be-all end-all punchline?

Everything about Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.'s shenanigans were a waste of time and potential, with even the live audience seeming unamused. These two needed some super-powered wit to save their bedraggled hijinks. 

Judy Irola. Maryse Alberti. Amy Vincent. These are just a few of the women who worked in the cinematography field in the 20th century. Vastly outnumbered by their male peers, cinematographers belonging to marginalized genders endured and produced striking images that have become iconic. These problems still persist in the modern world, as seen by only 7% of 2023's top 250 highest grossing movies having a woman cinematographer. At the 98th Academy Awards, though, history was made when Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win best cinematography.

This triumphant moment went to an artist whose work on "Sinners" was outstanding. Arkapaw's execution of IMAX cameras, use of natural lighting, and theatrical shot compositions solidified "Sinners" as a must-see. Accepting her award, Arkapaw's excitement, gratitude, and enthusiasm for her fellow crew was already so endearing. Then, she really solidified her speech as iconic by asking all the women in the room to stand. Applause broke out as the Dolby Auditorium's lady inhabitants rose, with Arkapaw noting that "I don't get here without you guys."

During this historic achievement, Arkapaw made this a celebration of something much bigger than herself. "People are so beautiful, and I'm honored to be photographing them," Arkapaw movingly declared in an acceptance speech. All the trailblazing women cinematographers that came before her are undoubtedly mighty proud of Autumn Durald Arkapaw's accomplishment.

While "Bridesmaids" star Rose Byrne has said they would do a sequel, such a project has yet materialized. If you wanted to see the "Bridesmaids" leads interact once more, the 98th Academy Awards was your best bet, where five of the six  presented the awards for best original score and best sound. Once you get five extremely funny people on-stage, you want them to do something silly. So their introduction to best original score included a bit where they read aloud "letters" seemingly penned from major people in the audience.

That was all well and good, but then, for some reason, there was also an extended bit involving the comedians when it was time to present best sound. Given that they'd already delivered wacky shenanigans moments earlier, grinding the show to a halt so they could go back-and-forth on what sound exactly is was just befuddling. To add insult to injury, this whole best sound set piece just wasn't funny. 

The best sound introduction was ill-conceived in every respect, with even the ceremony's clumsy camerawork capsizing certain punchlines in this segment. It's always a treat to see comedy legends like Ellie Kemper and Kristen Wiig, but they deserved better material than the rehashed punchlines littering this stretch of the 98th Academy Awards.

Broadcasters and organizations have come under fire in recent weeks for their treatment of political declarations in major award season acceptance speeches. "My Father's Shadow" director Akihola Davies Jr., for instance, had his "Free Palestine" cry removed by the BBC from the BAFTA's. Meanwhile, the Toronto Film Critics Association allegedly censored the televised version of Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers' acceptance speech, which emphasized solidarity between Palestinians and indigenous groups around the world. These instances brought to light the importance of artists speaking out against fascism and genocide. When others are being silenced, it's crucial to get louder.

That leads to Javier Bardem, who isn't just famous for his one hilarious request for "Dune: Part Two." He's also a staunch supporter of Palestine, which continued when he and Priyanka Chopra Jonas took the stage to present best international feature. Bardem bluntly stated "say no to war and free Palestine." It was a precise, simple moment that was tremendously impactful. Bardem's smart timing made it impossible for his words to get censored or cut around.

Bardem had left a positive mark on the evening after an award season where such political statements had faced difficulty getting on the airwaves. If only more celebrities shouted out the causes this "F1" veteran is so passionate about.

The best movie soundtracks of all time have helped solidify their movies' cultural reputation. 2025's "KPop Demon Hunters" is an immense testament to this reality, with its catchy ditties like "What It Sounds Like" and "Soda Pop" being inescapable radio staples. Unsurprisingly, the "Demon Hunters" tune "Golden" won the best original song Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards. Six figures, include Ejae, took the stage to accept this historic win.

At first, the speech went smoothly, as Ejae delivered a moving speech about how she used to "get made fun of for listening to KPop" and now this musical style had just won her an Oscar. However, when another person stepped up to speak after Ejae, the music indicating it was time to wrap up started blaring. The speaker's mic was cut and the camera cut away. Given that Ejae was only speaking on-stage for 60 seconds, it's insane why the Academy couldn't spare another minute or two for the other folks behind the "Demon Hunters" tune.

Not only was this insulting to the artists that had just won an Oscar, but it also produced an incredibly awkward moment of television. There was temporary dead air as the show hurried the winners off-stage without having anything new to cut to. The artists behind one of 2025's most iconic movie songs deserved way better.

If Ewan McGregor thought it was challenging to act against a greenscreen in the "Star Wars" prequels, then he was in for another level of difficult presenting the final Oscar of the night at the 98th Academy Awards. He did this alongside Nicole Kidman, with the pair reuniting from "Moulin Rouge!" The duo even referenced the lyrics to "Elephant Love Medley" through their presenting banter in a tribute to the film's 25th anniversary. While not exactly bad, the more boilerplate nature of this bit was a microcosm of how the whole "reunions" motif didn't work.

At least three times throughout the 98th Academy Awards, actors were "reunited" to hand out Oscars, with the stars of "The Avengers," "Bridesmaids," and "Moulin Rouge!" being brought together. This concept had several problems, though. For one thing, many of these actors had either worked together since these famous movies or were cordial with each other publicly. There wasn't any novelty to seeing Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans on stage again since they've just spent the last year shooting "Avengers: Doomsday."

Plus, the actors were reunited to share the most surface-level blather with each other. There just wasn't enough entertainment to make this "reunions" anything more than a half-hearted element. Its only fleeting presence throughout signaled how even McGregor and Kidman's charms couldn't make this emphasis on reunions click.

Teyana Taylor is an inherently compelling personality. Whether she's singing one of her beloved tunes, acting in movies like "A Thousand and One" and "One Battle After Another," or just giving interviews, Taylor keeps your eyes glued to the screen with her charms. She reaffirmed her transfixing nature with her gloriously tangible enthusiasm throughout every moment of the 98th Academy Awards. Whenever the camera cut to Taylor, she was just giddy for winners, excited to see what came next, or just being a bundle of infectious zeal.

Just when the ceremony was running low on energy, the camera would return to Taylor and its pulse started racing again. Her transfixing fervor culminated in her response to Paul Thomas Anderson winning best picture for "One Battle After Another," which involved her putting the filmmaker in a headlock and bouncing up and down with joy. It was a moment of raw excitement that signaled the deep bond she and Anderson have cultivated.

It also encapsulated the enthralling enthusiasm Taylor exuded during the entire show. Teyana Taylor's joy throughout the 98th Academy Awards, including for winners and accomplishments not tied to the movie she starred in, reflected how all the artists assembled here have worth. There's always something worth cheering for when people put themselves out there artistically, which Teyana Taylor perfectly embodied.