This article is from the archive of our partner .
Sunday's 84th Academy Awards ceremony (which we live-blogged!) has come to an end. And while plenty happened, there are really only ten things you need to know about the ceremony to hold your own during today's water cooler conversation. Here they are.
Supporting Boring
While we're happy for both Octavia Spencer and Christopher Plummer — both good actors who did good work in good roles — their wins were so inevitable that they felt like afterthoughts. And they exemplified two different but oddly similar tropes in Academy voting. Spencer got the borderline offensive standing ovation that awards show audiences seem hellbent on giving to black people who they're congratulating themselves for liking, and Christopher Plummer had the dubious honor of winning the you-might-be-dead-soon old guy award. Again, both were deserving, but their wins were marred by lack of surprise and uncomfortable Academy politics.
Chris Rock Makes a Case for Another Hosting Gig
In a blunt, hilarious mini-routine done while presenting the Best Animated Feature category, 2005 Oscars host Chris Rock mocked the mind-boggling paychecks of celebrity voiceover actors and did a good bit of (likely accidental) campaigning for a future return hosting gig. Rock was biting but not mean, smart and self-aware but not condescending. The Oscars are a cheesefest, and someone who can cut that cheese (heh) is always welcome.