On the night of Sunday, March 2, 2025, The Dolby Theater at Ovation in Hollywood will open its doors to the most famous movie stars worldwide, for the 97th Academy Awards Ceremony since the very first one all the way back in 1929. Since then, of course, the movie industry has boomed, and boomed again, as motion pictures have become an indelible part of modern American pop culture, and permeated everyone’s lives with endless references and quotes that find their way into everything from a joke a friend might tell you in math class, to the awkward meme the teacher is using to explain the lesson on the board. So, to find out the public opinion on the subject, the Harborlight naturally went to the segment of society that watches the most movies – teenagers – to get the inside scoop on our community’s thoughts on the nominees this year.
One interesting distinction of this year’s Oscars ceremony is that it is hosted for the first time by talk show host and comedian Conan O’Brien, who has conveyed much enthusiasm for the esteemed position of Oscars’ host. Students at HHS may be familiar with YouTube clips of Conan from his TBS show of the same name, which ran from 2010-2021, while teachers may know him from his talk show Late Night with Conan O’Brien, which ran from 1993-2009. Known for his quirky, optimistic, unconventional comedy style, he promises to be an unpredictable addition to the traditional formalities of the Oscars ceremony this year. Chris Hoppe, a senior at HHS says, “I think he’ll make a great host – he’s always very funny on his show.”
As for the big nominees this year, they might be as unconventional as their host, Conan O’Brien. For best picture, a slate of groundbreaking films graces the nominations, from religious dramas to sci fi operas, to body horrors, musical biopics, comedies, and musicals, a slice of every kind of unique movie is surely mixed into the Oscars this year. Specifically, the nominees for Best Picture are Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, I am Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked. Personally, Chris Hoppe states “I am hoping Dune Two wins Best Picture. I saw it when it first came out and I thought it was an exceptional sequel with an incredible cast.” For the other 22 categories of the three and a half hour Oscar’s ceremony this year, some highlights at the forefront of the awards buzz this season include Demi Moore’s nomination for her wild role in The Substance, Timothée Chalamet’s best actor nomination for his inspired portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, and Cynthia Erivo’s quest to round out her EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) wins with her Best Actress nomination for her performance in Wicked.
Now, most importantly, the Harborlight asked students which of the great Oscar nominated movies students had seen. Although oftentimes the case for most movies excessively revered by critics, as was the case with Chris Hoppe with Dune: Part Two, there were some popularly loved films among the critical darlings this year. Joe Andrews, a senior at HHS fondly recalls seeing one of the more obscure Oscar nominees this year, stating “I saw Conclave and I thought it was well done. The cinematography was breathtaking, and the plot had many twists. I was fascinated by the insights into the pope selection process as well.”
Regardless of who wins, the 97th Academy Awards promise to be an exciting spectacle this weekend, so do not miss it, your favorite stars or some new ones will have their lives changed forever right before your eyes.
