The opposite performances fared higher, although not by a lot. Hannah Waddingham’s slowed-down rendition of “Time After Time” for the In Memoriam bundle didn’t fairly work, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s oddly costumed and choreographed “Homicide on the Dancefloor” fell a bit flat, too. Clara Amfo, who was sitting within the aisle in entrance of me, was gamely dancing alongside to the latter, however actually nobody else was. All I’ll say is, I’m glad it wasn’t Cirque du Soleil once more (a BAFTAs favourite), however absolutely we will do higher. With each Ryan Gosling and Dua Lipa in attendance, couldn’t we’ve gotten some form of “Dance the Night time” and “I’m Simply Ken” mash-up?

The night’s MVPs included, in no explicit order: Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Grant, and the canine from Anatomy of a Fall

The loudest screams of the night from throughout the auditorium have been reserved for All of Us Strangers’s Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, who did little greater than stroll on stage and charmingly current finest animated Movie. (I additionally loved how they gently held one another as they walked out of the highlight.)

As for who obtained the most important laughs on a not-especially-funny evening? I loved Andy Serkis’s prolonged dog-related gag; Hugh Grant obtained the viewers award for finest and most concise award-presenter preamble along with his Oompa-Loompa rhyme; and, in a second that was—outrageously—omitted from the published, Keegan-Michael Key did an especially humorous British accent earlier than presenting the very best manufacturing design award. Somebody get this man to host an awards present, stat. Additionally, the truth that Nick Mohammed’s phase was proven on BBC One, whereas this was not? The thoughts reels. Oh, and one other large chuckle was reserved for Messi, the canine from Anatomy of a Fall, who popped up on the display alongside his co-stars when the nominees for finest casting have been being proven. (Sadly, Cynthia Arra, the casting director liable for his involvement, misplaced out to The Holdovers’s Susan Shopmaker in that class.) As awards season continues—and following a viral look on the latest Oscar nominees luncheon—Messi stays his movie’s secret weapon relating to its best-picture marketing campaign.

The screenplay class frontrunners have formally emerged

In a extremely aggressive 12 months for each authentic and tailored screenplays, Anatomy of a Fall’s Justine Triet and Arthur Harari and American Fiction’s Twine Jefferson have been trying more and more just like the respective frontrunners—and BAFTA cemented this narrative. Triet and Harari have been the right comedic double act, with the latter telling the room that if something occurs to him sooner or later, they need to most likely suspect foul play. Then there was Jefferson, who appeared overwhelmed, and spoke on the significance of taking dangers in a risk-averse business. Each wins and speeches have been obtained rapturously within the room and can—I sincerely hope—be replicated on the Oscar stage quickly sufficient.

In the meantime, the appearing races have been a story of two halves

After his BAFTA win, Oppenheimer’s Robert Downey Jr. appears to be like unstoppable within the best-supporting-actor race, and has now perfected his explicit model of very humorous and barely self-deprecating acceptance speeches. Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph, the frontrunner for finest supporting actress on the Oscars, is definitely a lock, too, and gave one in all her finest speeches to this point, combining some flirty banter with Chiwetel Ejiofor with a teary tribute to Paul Giamatti. Of her character in The Holdovers, she movingly mentioned: “There have been numerous Marys all through historical past, who’ve by no means obtained the possibility to put on a ravishing robe and stand on a stage right here in London. Telling her story is a accountability I don’t take calmly.” Once more, like Downey Jr., Randolph has riffed off of some widespread themes in her awards season speeches thus far, however as time goes on, she has change into extra eloquent and faster to encourage tears in her viewers. Each victories have been lapped up by the BAFTAs crowd—and I, for one, count on even higher speeches from the pair come the Academy Awards on March 10.