It wasn't a night for Hollywood to pat themselves on the back.
2017 was a grim enough year for the US film industry.
First with the rampant sexual harassment and abuse that was exposed in the latter half of the year, on top of the fact that
domestic audiences had dropped to their lowest numbers since 1992, it would be fair to say Hollywood ought not to have been in much of a self-congratulatory mood.
Likely picking up on this was comedian and talk-show host, Jimmy Kimmel - who hosted
the 90th Academy Awards - when he told the audience that instead of just thanking people within the industry, they extend that to the people "who actually go to see the movies you make".
"Tonight we thank the moviegoing public," he said, which on this occasion, was a group of unsuspecting people "lured" into the TCL Chinese Theatre across the street from the awards ceremony, under the pretence of seeing the sci-fi movie Wrinkle In Time, starring Oprah Winfrey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzsl9hcTQkw
Clip via Jimmy Kimmel Live
Kimmel managed to get a host of actors and directors on board, including Gal Gadot, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Hamill, Lupita Nyon'o, Emily Blunt, Ansel Elgort, Armie Hammer, Margot Robbie and Guillermo del Toro.
Armed with all kinds of snacks, the group entered the screening with Kimmel announcing that "there is a strong aroma of marijuana" in the room.
"We're sorry we interrupted the movie," Kimmel said, before Gadot shouted: "This is so much better than the Oscars."
Effectively the whole surprise descended into mild anarchy as hot dog cannons were brought in by Armie Hammer, while Kimmel shouted: "Do not aim the hot dogs at the vegetarians."
Finally, Kimmel had a member of the crowd read out a cue card introducing the next hosts - comedians Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph - only for the unsuspecting poor guy to get the pronunciation wrong, as it became evident he had no idea who the pair were.
Clearly unscripted (for the best part), it was a heart-warmingly awkward spectacle and the kind of hard left that the Oscars needed.
https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel/status/970499258511060992
