The first Academy Awards took place in the historical Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929. The attendance at the time was 270 guests: Since then it has increased to between 3,000 to 3,400 guests, according to Oscars.org. Last year approximately 19.7 million people watched the Oscars on TV, making it the most viewed and acclaimed annual awards show throughout the world.
The Oscars are a great way to cultivate inspiration for fans, in that appreciating talented actors and directors can promote a desire to someday do the same. Freshman, new to high school, may take particular inspiration from the Oscars.
Freshman Kelly Huang’s favorite 2026 Oscar-nominated choice is “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” She admires the hard work that was put into the movie and stunning effects. “I really enjoyed watching the main character ride and spend time with his Banshee. Before watching the movie, I went on the Disney Avatar ride. After watching the movie, it made the ride seem like a lot more sense. I was also glad to understand the lore of the movie and how that affected how the ride was made,” Huang said.
Huang wishes that the movie was less repetitive and she felt as if the second film was similar. “I thought the movie could have benefited from more explanation from some new concepts introduced. For example, in the first movie, Jake was threatened, flees, finds a new home and gets attacked. I feel like the plot should’ve moved further forward. Another thing is that the movie is a bit long, lasting three hours. Overall, the movie was very otherworldly, and made me understand the emotional impact of war,” Huang said.
Freshman Salma Polania’s top choice for the 2026 Oscar is “Wicked: For Good.” The movie made her feel nostalgic because of the focus on parting different ways and due to the deepening of the characters’ relationships. “My favorite part was when Glinda and Elphaba meet each other for the last time and Elphaba gets ready to confront the wizard. It reaffirmed their friendship before they departed into different lives but I do wish that the conflict between Elphaba and Glinda expanded a bit more,” Polania said.
Polania believes this beloved Broadway classic’s movie adaptation should get an Oscar because the creative storyline and social realism are clearly conveyed in the interactions and relationships between characters.
Freshman Allison Ramirez-Vargas believes “Marty Supreme” is deserving of a 2026 Oscar because it strongly conveys the fast-paced, chaotic Manhattan energy. Ramirez-Vargas also enjoyed this film due to the way it made her feel. “After I watched the movie it made me feel emotional because it left me wondering if Marty’s tears were actually joyful or a sense of loss. My favorite character from the movie was Tyler Okonma because of his high-stake energy, ambition and artistic vision. My favorite part of the movie was when Tyler Okonma performed as Wally in the ping-pong scene, which shows the motion to Marty’s journey to becoming a champion,” Ramirez-Vargas said.
