4. The Obligatory Academy President Speech
Every year, the TV audience gets treated to a dry, dull mini-monologue from a high-ranking member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And every year, thats the time to take a bathroom break or refill a drink. No disrespect to the position or the Academy, but you would think that by now, someone might have figured out a way to make the Academys face time at their own awards more interesting and engaging. The only President I wanted to see speak tonight was Daniel Day Lewis. Good movies dont feature stale, monotone, or uninteresting performances. Neither should the Oscars.
3. Ceremonial Sound Mixing
Mixing sound for a live broadcast is undeniably challenging but thats no excuse for the flubs and imbalances that often occur. Adeles performance was stunning, but it would have been even better if the music and her voice had been better balanced. Microphones crackled, sound dipped in and out, and thank-yous and jokes fell by the wayside more often than they should have. On the upside, at least the lights didn't go out for half an hour