The best and worst moments from the 2018 Oscars

By Dana Schwartz and Seija Rankin
March 05, 2018 at 12:54 AM EST

1 of 12

HIGH: Helen Mirren shows off a Jet Ski

Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

How do you make the Oscars go by more quickly? Provide a prize for the person who gives the shortest speech. With a stopwatch ready to go, host Jimmy Kimmel promised a lime-green Jet Ski to whoever could rattle through their thank-yous the fastest. And who better to act as dazzling presentation model than the esteemed Dame Helen Mirren? Unfortunately, the Dame was not included as part of the prize. Another high? When costume designer Mark Bridges came out sitting on his new Jet Ski.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

HIGH: Jennifer Lawrence does Jennifer Lawrence

Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

In typical J.Law fashion, the Oscar winner was spotted mingling and climbing over seats at the Dolby Theatre before the show began... while balancing a full glass of wine.

3 of 12

HIGH: Lakeith Stanfield in the opening monologue

Credit: Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

One bright spot in an unmemorable opening monologue from Jimmy Kimmel? Lakeith Stanfield as a long-speech deterrent. Instead of using music to play the winners off, Kimmel proposed a new idea where Lakeith Stanfield would reprise his character from Jordan Peele's film and tell them to "GET OUT!"

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 12

HIGH: Rita Moreno

Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

Wearing the same dress she wore to the Oscars in 1962 when she won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in West Side Story, Rita Moreno (who is 86!) proved that charm and sass never go out of style.

Advertisement

5 of 12

LOW: Kobe Bryant wins an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film

Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

In the #MeToo and #TimesUp era, it feels upsettingly tone deaf to award a gold statue to someone who was accused of sexual assault.

6 of 12

HIGH: Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence as seatmates

Credit: ABC

We'd like to thank the Academy for seating these two goofballs together. We wish we were part of their squad.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 12

LOW: Eiza González compares Ansel Elgort to the nominated musicians

Credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC

No disrespect to Ansel "DJ Ansolo" Elgort, but he hasn't exactly composed a film score.

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 12

LOW: Jimmy Kimmel's 9-year-old self

Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

This bit should have been a slam dunk thanks to the cute kid on stage, but uninspired writing and flat jokes led to one awkard moment.

Advertisement

9 of 12

LOW: The field trip to the theater next door

Credit: ABC

In an effort to thank the ordinary people who go to the movies, Kimmel took a gaggle of A-listers on a field trip to a nearby screening to surprise the audience with snacks. The gimmick didn't really work and chaos ensued when Kimmel handed off the mic to an average Joe in the crowd to introduce the next presenters.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 12

HIGH: Jordan Peele wins for Best Original Screenplay

Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The writer and director took home the trophy for the Get Out screenplay. And did you see his adorable happy face as he left the stage? "I would have given the Oscar to Get Out three times if I could've!" — Bradley Whitford in Get Out

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 12

HIGH: Roger Deakins breaks his losing streak

Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

It took 14 nominations, but cinematographer Roger Deakins is finally an Oscar winner. Deakins received his first nomination in 1994 for The Shawshank Redemption and took home the Best Cinematography trophy for Blade Runner: 2049.

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 12

HIGH: Frances McDormand steals the show with passionate speech

Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri actress won the Oscar for Best Actress, and she wasn't going to let her speech go to waste. McDormand made sure to recognize all of the nominated women in the audience by asking them to rise. "We all have stories to tell and projects we need financed," she said, before calling on stars to demand inclusion riders -- or requirements for gender or racial diversity -- in their contracts.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next