The 98th Academy Awards ceremony unfolded with several unexpected moments that captivated both industry insiders and the viewing public. While some categories saw predictable outcomes, many were marked by significant surprises and notable snubs, especially revolving around the highly nominated film “Sinners.”

One of the night's biggest shocks was “One Battle After Another” clinching the Best Picture award. This race had been incredibly tight throughout the season, with “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” considered neck-and-neck contenders. Despite “Sinners” earning a historic 16 nominations, “One Battle After Another” ultimately triumphed with six overall wins, making its Best Picture victory a genuine surprise. Similarly, the Best Actor category delivered an upset as Michael B. Jordan won for his dual role in “Sinners,” overcoming Timothée Chalamet, who was widely favored early on for his performance in “Marty Supreme.” “Marty Supreme” ended the evening without any awards.

The newly introduced Oscar for casting also had its share of surprises. While industry prognosticators had predicted Francine Maisler would win for her work on the vampire epic “Sinners,” the statue ultimately went to Cassandra Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.” Adding a poignant touch to the ceremony, three of the season's most notable acting snubs – Paul Mescal, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Chase Infiniti – were given the opportunity to introduce their respective casting director nominees, a graceful acknowledgment of their strong performances. The Live Action Short Film category brought another rare moment with a tie, as both “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” shared the award, marking only the seventh tie in Oscar history.

A monumental win occurred in the Best Cinematography category, where Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history for her work on “Sinners.” In a race that, like many others, pitted “One Battle After Another” against “Sinners,” Arkapaw not only secured the top lensing award but also became the first woman and the first woman of color to achieve this distinction. Hailing from Filipino and African American Creole descent, Arkapaw's win stands out significantly in the category's history, where only three women had ever been nominated prior to her win: Rachel Morrison (2018 for “Mudbound”), Ari Wegner (2021 for “The Power of the Dog”), and Mandy Walker (2022 for “Elvis”). Arkapaw also broke ground as the first female cinematographer to shoot on Imax 65mm and Ultra Panavision for “Sinners.” In her acceptance speech, she expressed gratitude to director Ryan Coogler, thanking him for his belief and trust, and acknowledged the immense support from women throughout her campaign, emphasizing that such moments are made possible by collective advocacy. Despite missing every pre-cursor nomination in the lead-up to the Oscars, Arkapaw prevailed over a competitive field that included Adolpho Veloso, Michael Bauman, Dan Laustsen, and Darius Khondji. “Sinners” marked her second collaboration with Coogler, following “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” highlighting their strong professional synergy. She notably detailed the visually stunning “piercing the veil” sequence in “Sinners,” which transitions from reality to surrealism and showcases the introduction of three strong characters.

Other notable snubs included “The Perfect Neighbor,” a Netflix documentary about police body cam footage, which was widely considered a frontrunner for Best Documentary Feature but lost to “Mr Nobody Against Putin.” In the animated short film category, “Butterfly,” despite leading pundit predictions, was upset by “The Girl Who Cried Pearls.” Comedian Kieran Culkin added a moment of tart humor during his acceptance speech, quipping about Sean Penn’s predicted absence from the ceremony: “He couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to.”

The ceremony itself wasn't without technical glitches. Several tripped and fumbled camera shots and incorrect blocking, such as failing to show all celebrities during the Rob Reiner tribute, detracted from the visual polish expected of Hollywood’s biggest night. Similarly, the sound mixing was notably odd, with a tasteful piano score occasionally overpowering Barbra Streisand’s touching speech about Robert Redford. Adding to the night's peculiarities, a pervasive presence of Burger King commercials led many to jokingly wonder if the fast-food chain had bought up all available advertising slots, especially given their campaign's unusual focus on being “less terrible now.”

One of the evening's highlights was a stirring live performance of “I Lied to You,” the Oscar-nominated original song from “Sinners.” The film's stars recreated the iconic “Pierce the Veil” segment, with Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq leading an all-star cast of musicians and performers. This impressive ensemble included Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith. Billed as a tribute to the film’s “singular visual style,” the performance began with Saadiq on guitar, passing to Caton who sang the first verse. On a set resembling the film’s Club Juke, the artists joined together, with Brittany Howard on guitar, Alice Smith singing, and Misty Copeland dancing ballet, culminating in a powerful rendition. Caton, who played the young Sammie in “Sinners,” has performed the song multiple times since the film’s release. “I Lied to You” earned one of “Sinners’” record-breaking 16 nominations and played a pivotal role in the film, inspired by 1930s and ‘40s blues music, and featured in a defining scene where Sammie sings at a juke joint amidst the swirling lineage of Black music. “Sinners” received nominations across a broad spectrum of categories, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, and many others, solidifying its place as a significant cinematic achievement of the year.