I always felt Fraser had the stronger narrative (and performance) over Butler, but i didn't want to jinx his chances.

My brain said Butler, but my heart said Fraser. I'm sure Butler will be nominated again and have a long and illustrious career. ✌️

Brendan was irritating to me throughout the oscars season

Personally, Butler just rubbed me the wrong way with his Elvis persona during the campaign and just didn't feel genuine. Brendan seemed genuinely happy to win and always gave very moving speeches, I think his humbleness was the key factor over the "cool hot guy" schtick from Butler

The fact that Angela still hasn’t won angers me.

This was an amazing year for acting. People can say, the Oscar’s are just another awards show, but at the end of the day, if you win an Oscar, it’s a big damn deal. This year, even months after the awards show, I think this will go down as one of the best years in acting history. I’m thrilled that Brendan has an Oscar and no one can take that from him.

He won because he deserved to win.

I’m over-the-moon that Brendan won. He deserved it. I liked The Whale more than you, I guess. It was emotionally powerful. Elvis was more more surface level re-imagining of the legend told by an unreliable narrator played terribly by Tom Hanks, something I never thought I’d say. If they had given Butler more character building scenes, I might have had a different opinion, that and maybe him losing the accent during award season. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t sound like Elvis in Dune 2. There’s potential, but he seems to rub me the wrong way, some insincerity, a thin facade 🤷‍♂️.

Over a year after this oscar ceremony and what I see is an Austin Butler still living, speaking and looking like elvis. The whole thing with Vanessa coming into light made him very unlikeable in hollywood. I'm so happy this went to Fraser instead of Butler

I was really rooting for Butler; but I knew Fraser would take it

Love that Fraser and Ky won, both great Performances, both ostracized by Hollywood but making huge comebacks and having made a movie together decades earlier. No one would have wrote this because it seems too contrived. It's inspiring and hilarious in all the right ways.

Also another example for the makeup-major acting win - just last year, The Eyes of Tammy Faye won Best Makeup as well, and wouldn't you know it, Jessica Chastain wins the Oscar later in the ceremony

Curtis was an amazing supporting actor, she brought out everyone's best performance. Angela Bassett is a leading actress, she can carry films on her own. Send Angela some good scripts and she will win Best Actress!

Brendan Fraser’s character to me is that when you play a character that is so emotionally heartbroken that you as the audience member want to reach out and show Charlie love and that it’s OK to not be OK and to me that speaks volumes

The comeback narrative was too much for the Academy to resist. It was probably close between him and Butler, but the acting he had to do pull off through the fat suit and prosthetics was no small feat. Plus playing someone with a physical impediment and about to die always gives you a leg up at the Oscars. They like to see ACTING with a capital A, which killed Farrells chances. Subtle work sometimes wins, but it depends on the actor and the competition they have in their category. I found the Whale a bit too Oscar baity, but I like Brendan and glad he pulled it off.

I knew the second I saw The Whale at TIFF he was going to win. There was just no other performance in the category that came close or had such a great career narrative.

Bravo once again, Brian! I agree with you totally. Brendan so deserved this award, and I'm so glad that his career is now thriving. In addition to your excellent insights, I really like your voice and your diplomacy. You use phrases such as "I would argue that..." You are never pompous or self-involved. You are a total class act. Once again, congrats. You are my favorite critic since the passing of Roger Ebert.

♥️ Thank you for another video. I was so happy Brendan Fraser won, The Whale was an emotional watch. I was also aghast to find out that James Corden was first offered the lead role in The Whale. As Tom ford was prior contemplating making/directing the movie “I was going to play that part, and Tom Ford was going to direct.” - James Corden. I can’t imagine, how that version of The Whale would have turned out.

As a gay man, it seems to me a little Hollywood virtue signaling to give Oscar's repeatedly awarding for roles of doomed flawed gay characters ( Philadelphia , Monster, etc. ). Like they like seeing gays suffer. It's not like these movies went to show us how wonderful they were.

I always love hearing your insights Brian. This is another amazing video, welldone