Post-Oscars, head on back to ‘Sesame Street’

(Photo/HBO Documentary)

Hollywood’s annual awards show was held on Sunday, and it proved for the most part underwhelming.

Yes, I get that the past year has been difficult. But these people are in the entertainment business. And there are ways to deal with social angst, fear and furor and still evoke laughter. All through this show I kept thinking of the late Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight ” sneering, “Why so serious?”

They couldn’t even get the most serious part right. When it came time to do the annual look back at all the industry folks who had passed on over the past year, the photos flashed by at varying speeds – giving the sense, likely unintended, that some of those being honored were less important than others.

Worse, they neglected to include enough (or hardly any) clips from the movies themselves, the very reason they all were there in the first place. Instead, various speaker warbled on with personal anecdotes about the various nominees – as if anyone in the audience actually cared.

We were watching as a way of honoring the product they produce: the movies. They clearly were there to honor themselves, which is something vastly different.

But … some folks I know disagree. So it goes. The good news about all this is that several of the night’s winners can still be seen locally on a public movie screen, namely at the Magic Lantern.

Among the films screening at the Lantern, you’ll find “Nomadland” (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress), “The Father” (Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay) and “Minari” (Best Supporting Actress). In addition, “Wolfwalkers,” one of the nominees for Best Animated Film is showing.

Added to that list, on Friday the Lantern will open the documentary “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.”

As Nell Minnow wrote for RogerEbert.com , “What is most endearing about the film is the palpable message throughout that ‘Sesame Street’ was brought to us by the letters LOVE.”

So, go see a movie. But do it safely. And above all else, enjoy. That’s what movies are for.