Oscars 2021 Review: 8 Ups & 8 Downs

1. Shocker: Anthony Hopkins Beats Chadwick Boseman For Best Actor

Again, the big shock of this year's show was Anthony Hopkins winning the Best Actor Oscar over season-long favourite Chadwick Boseman.

Though it's frustrating how cynically the Academy bet on a Boseman win by having this category close out the night, ultimately Hopkins' performance is a monumental feat of acting that surpasses anything else in the category this year.

While it's easy to sniff at the Academy for rewarding an old white guy who already has an Oscar to his name, this absolutely wasn't a case where Oscar voters' typically milquetoast prejudices showed them up.

Hopkins' monolithic turn is an absolute all-timer, and ranks among the very best Oscar-winning performances of all time.

As such, any ire about the outcome should be directed at the producers of the show for setting expectations otherwise, rather than an 83-year-old man for simply delivering the work of a lifetime.