Let’s Talk About That WTF Moment From The Oscars

And no, I’m not talking about the slap. This is for the Editorial Fellowship.

So… that happened.

NBC / Via giphy.com

Will Smith just slapped the holy hell out of Chris Rock live on television for the entire universe to see and it’s all everyone is talking about. Seriously, you can’t go scrolling a couple post on your twitter feed without seeing some new meme about it.

DitzyFlama @DitzyFlama

08:47 PM - 28 Mar 2022

DitzyFlama / Via Twitter: @DitzyFlama

Actually, you can't go anywhere on the internet really.

youtube.com / Via youtube.com

But that wasn’t the only crazy moment of the night.

Mashable / Via giphy.com

Well, I mean, it certainly was the craziest moment once it happened. But there was another one that was poised to take that prize before all this happened.

Well, it took home two prizes actually.

NBC / Via giphy.com

I’m of course talking about the results of the Oscars new fan favorite category for fan favorite movie and cheer worthy moment . You could tweet out in support of your favorite film to take home the Oscar with those results then being narrowed down to the five most popular films for each category and voted on for a final time by the public.

And this is a real award?

Marvel Studios / Via giphy.com

Technically, yes. While this does draw shades of the Oscars previous attempt to stay relevant and modern with the Best Popular Film award for the 2018 show, which was suggested but ultimately didn’t happen following widespread criticism, apparently they didn’t receive as much backlash this time around and proceeded with it.

NBC / Via giphy.com

And the Oscar goes to….

The Academy Awards / Via giphy.com

While there was certainly some… interesting choices here, tell me I’m not the only one who had never heard of Minamata and I love Dreamgirls as much as anyone else but, c’mon, there’s way more cheer worthy moments from other films out there, both awards ended up going to perhaps the one person many would argue finally deserved this recognition, director Zack Snyder.

Zack Snyder / Via vero.co

So what’s so WTF about that?

NBC / Via giphy.com

Anyone who knew of these categories’ would probably have pegged Spider-Man: No Way Home as the likely winner for both, and for good reason. Many believed the Academy created these categories solely to recognize No Way Home after many claimed the film should be nominated for Best Picture for helping to revitalizing the theater going experience in this age of Covid, not exactly an easy feat and one that definitely should be recognized. But, maybe not with a Best Picture nomination. And really, this is a great consolation prize all things considered.

But that’s not really what makes this so WTF.

CBS / Via giphy.com

Just because it should win doesn’t mean it will, which usually seems to be the case with awards shows. Once both awards revealed their winners to be the two films Snyder directed last year, Zack Snyder’s Justice League taking cheer worthy moment and Army of the Dead for fan favorite movie, I was honestly shocked as were others on social media who were, let's say, more vocal on the matter. But my shock came from two reasons, the first being that two big budget popcorn movies were recognized at this level and the second, that a movie that really shouldn’t exist won this prestigious award.

Wait, hold on...

NBC / Via giphy.com

Concerning the first point, Snyder’s films certainly aren’t for everyone. However, nobody can deny that they are true big budget blockbusters and visual spectacles, just look at the opening credits of Watchmen, the Man of Steel first flight scene, and the now award-winning Speed Force sequence from his Justice League cut . The fact that Snyder’s films, and these types of movies in general, were finally recognized on this stage speaks leagues to the talent and hardworking ethic that goes into creating them which is often overlooked during these types of awards save for rare cases like Black Panther's Best Picture nomination in 2019.

Now let’s get back to that “shouldn’t exist” thing.

Apple Inc. / Via giphy.com

If you don’t know the whole ordeal, which is certainly quite a read, the short of it is this; in the middle of production for Justice League, Warner Bros. had a change of heart and wanted to restructure the film away from Snyder’s original vision. When the opportunity to do so unfortunately appeared, they hired a new director to take over the film leading to the weird amalgamation that is 2017’s Justice League, a movie that is essentially two competing visions of the story unsuccessfully stitched together. Since that movie’s disappointing release, Snyder has teased for years the existence of his original cut of the film which fans have demanded Warner Bros. to allow him to finish and release despite the studio's claims that it never existed.

But then it did.

Marvel Studios / Via giphy.com

It can’t be ignored the support that Snyder has garnered through the #ReleasetheSnyderCut, and now #RestoretheSnyderVerse, community, fans who have taken to social media and beyond rallying in support of Snyder to be granted the opportunity to complete his vision of DC’s cinematic universe. In fact, if it wasn’t for their persistence throughout these last few years, Snyder’s cut of Justice League would perhaps have never seen the light of day and truly wouldn’t exist, denying him and the fans of this moment. As these categories were decided on by the public, this defining and deserving recognition that the film received in front of all of Hollywood and the world belongs not only to Snyder, but to them as well.

Us United

Fabian Wagner / Via instagram.com

While this easily could’ve been the biggest WTF moment of the ceremony, it wasn’t thanks to that now infamous slap which is what the public will largely remember from this night. But this achievement by Snyder should not be overshadowed by that or mocked by his detractors, it is an amazing milestone in his career and one that has provided a sense of justice and legitimacy to his previously tampered with film. Actor Ray Fisher, who portrayed the hero Cyborg and has also notably faced injustices in relation to the film and its production, perhaps said it best once Snyder won the award.

Ray Fisher @ray8fisher

It’s all right now! #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague

01:34 AM - 28 Mar 2022

Ray Fisher / Via Twitter: @ray8fisher