In short, not really.
La La Land has done so well and lapped up so much attention over the last few months that ultimately it didn’t really matter whether it won Best Picture or not.
At time of writing, it has scooped $ 140.9 million at the US Box Office, and $ 369 million worldwide – huge when you consider its modest $ 30 million budget, and the fact it’s such a different film for Hollywood to be putting out in this day and age.
It was also a hit with critics, amassing a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a healthy 93 out of 100 on Metacritic. Its soundtrack album hit No1 in the UK and No2 in the US – over here it has already been certified Silver.
Long story short, everyone bought into the hype so much that they rushed to lap it up – so much so that it didn’t really matter what silverware it won. It had all the publicity of a Best Picture winner without actually winning Best Picture.
For Moonlight, however, this award will make all the difference.
The low-key, beautifully-made film – which had a budget of just $ 1.5 million – has made much less at the Box Office than La La Land. Without a huge marketing budget behind it, and with no stars like Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone or John Legend on board, it has struggled to find a wider audience.
Not anymore, however. Now, it should see its receipts skyrocket: director Barry Jenkins can expect a much bigger budget for his next effort, and more people will be able to see a story with black gay characters at the centre; something so rarely seen in mainstream cinema.
The way the result came about was awful, but in the grand scheme of things – it was the right result.
See the full Oscars winners list here.
Daily Express :: Entertainment Feed
