It began with a song that didnt come out last year. It began with a song that didnt come out in this century. But what a song to open the 97th annual Academy Awards: Ariana Grande threading a wilting rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The moment obviously was a nod to the other Oz-centric movie on peoples minds these daysand one that Grande was nominated forWicked. And to be sure, theres powerful, internet-friendly magic in both Rainbow and the Wicked song that Cynthia Erivo soon joined Grande on stage to belt, Defying Gravity. Yet this didnt feel only like a play at ratings. It felt like a promise that much of the following four hours lived up to. Were here, the telecast seemed to insist, to celebrate the joy of going to the movies.How interesting it is, then, that Hollywoods biggest night would afterward be dominated by two indie studios most intent on living up to that ideal, including by a film championing a sex worker from Brighton Beach who will not be denied.Anora was indeed the biggest winner of the evening, dominating in every category within which Sean Baker was nominated: Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Director, and of course Best Picture (Baker is also a producer on the film). It was a grand slam for one of the biggest defenders of independent and theatrical cinema, with his leading lady and the woman responsible for bringing the formidable Ani Mikheeva to life, Mikey Madison, also taking home the Best Actress Oscar in what appeared to be a nailbiter race against The Substances Demi Moore.It was a sweep that might have surprised even some of the Anoras biggest boosters from a few months agowhich includes the critic youre currently readinggiven the films rather downbeat and somewhat cynical disposition about a capitalist system that puts Cinderella-like dreams in the eyes of Madisons tenacious protagonist, but leaves her with a bitterly cold reality come morning.But then again, Anoras biggest competition makes Bakers slow-boiling screwball comedy look like a fairytale in comparison. The other major winner of the night was Brady Corbets The Brutalist, a massive three and a half hour epic that deconstructs the American dream and the predatory nature of mixing commerce with art. While Corbet was shut out of Picture and Director, his grandiose vision still picked up a Best Actor Oscar for Adrien Brody (his second little gold man from the Academy), as well as prizes for Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.In many ways, this falls into place with Academy trends over the last decade, which has seen one other Neon acquisition win Best PictureBong Joon-hos Korean film, Parasiteand two A24 releases, Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Yet it seemed to speak perhaps to this moment in the industry writ-large.As aforementioned, tonight felt like a sincere celebration for the love of the movies. Grande opened things by reprising one of the greatest songs ever written for a motion picture, courtesy of Harold Arlen and Yip Harburgs Hollywood songbook in The Wizard of Oz. But it continued through maestro Quincy Jones getting his own prime spot in the telecast where Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg eulogized the composer and then introduced a propulsive rendition of Ease on Down the Road from The Wiz. (This 90s kid also appreciated the Academy orchestra playing Jones iconic Austin Powers suite earlier in the evening.)But perhaps most presciently was the Oscar telecast simply stopped for nearly 10 minutes as the Academy gave a rousing tribute to the James Bond franchise, complete with musical performances of Live and Let Die and Skyfall. There was even a mini-ballet led by The Substances Margaret Qualley.For the record, it is not a major birthday in the James Bond franchises history, nor was it in honor of any particular artist or filmmaker. It was, however, a tribute and perhaps a memorial service for the Broccoli familys legacy. After shepherding the Bond movies for more than six decades, the Broccolis (led now by Barbara and her stepbrother Michael G. Wilson) have reluctantly surrendered the rights for 007 to a reportedly aggressive Amazon MGM, which has big dreams of a shared universe orbiting around Bond.So there will be more Bond to come, of course. So much more. But as with Star Wars or Lord of the Rings before it, the content to come via streaming shows and spinoff movies will likely never recapture that classic cinema magic which the Broccoli family jealously guarded for the better part of a century. And the Academy chose to celebrate (and mourn?) this turning of the tide.In all respects, this telecast was a rousing salute to the movies, right down to a charming host in Conan OBrien and the sharp idea of having collaborators like, say, Lily-Rose Depp come out to praise Nosferatu costume designer Linda Muir. In past years, older Oscar winners would appear to praise colleagues who might literally be strangers to them. It was as if to say welcome to the club. Tonight, by contrast, was intelligently about people worked closest to the nominees praising their talent, as well as perhaps explain to the folks at home why a cinematographer or production designer is so important.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Yet so much of that celebration was in honor of Hollywood legacies of the past: Oz, Jones, and 007. But in an Oscars telecast that two short months ago looked briefly like it could be dominated at last by Netflix before Emilia Prezs campaign implosion, it was the indies taking home the lions share of major awards above and below the line. Prez still saw Zoe Saldaa win Best Supporting Actress, as well as take home a Best Original Song Oscar. However, after earning 13 nominations, walking away with only two Oscars does seem like a mild disappointment. Meanwhile the only other times streaming services were mentioned were via those implicit eulogies or for gags, such as when host OBrien led a comedy segment where he took a bunch of Gen-Zers to Cinema-Streams, a place where you go to watch streaming from a phone that the the building holds.Meanwhile newly minted four-time Oscar winner Baker wasnt joking during one of his quartet of Oscar speeches. After thanking presenter Quentin Tarantino for introducing him to Mikey Madison by casting her in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Baker said with passion and steel: Watching a film in a theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, scream and fight together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together. And in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. Its a communal experience you simply dont get at home, and right now the theatergoing experience is under threat, movie theaters, especially independently owned movie theaters, are struggling and it is up to us to support them if we dont reverse this trend we will be losing a vital part of our culture. This is my battle cry: filmmakers keep making films for the big screen. I know I will. Distributors please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your films. Neon did that for me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.It would seem many in the industry feel similarly. A Netflix release like Emilia Prez can tie for the second most amount of Oscar nominations ever. But when its time to go home for the night, the Academy is still leaving with the films and studios that are supporting original theatrical experiences. And if you havent noticed theyre looking a lot more indie these days.