Look, I realize the inherent ridiculousness of excessively analyzing the results of a pop culture awards show. They’re heavily criticized by some as just a bunch of rich people being self-congratulatory, and that’s certainly valid.

However, as a fan of cinema, I can’t just ignore the Oscars. As bad as the show can be at times, it can also be an opportunity for artists to be given proper credit for their work in front of an audience of millions. 

The only award that was worth much criticism was Best Actor in a Supporting Role, which went to Jared Leto for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club.” I predicted last week that he would win, but that doesn’t mean I think he should have. His character, a transgender woman, probably should have been played by an actual transgender actress. Many also rightly criticized his acceptance speech, where he mentioned the volatile political situation in Ukraine and his band 30 Seconds to Mars, but not one word about the struggles of real transgender people. The Academy loves to reward “daring” performances, but this was one case where someone else may have deserved it a little bit more than Leto.

Lupita Nyong’o won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in “12 Years a Slave,” which seems like it was incredibly well-deserved. She was a fan favorite throughout the awards show process, and if she hadn’t won, it would have felt like highway robbery. The clip they showed from her performance during the show was more powerful than several entire movies from last year. As much as I loved June Squibb in “Nebraska,” I think Nyong’o definitely deserved the award.

I figured before the show that “Gravity” would win every technical award, and I was right about that. When the characters aren’t talking, “Gravity” is probably my favorite movie of 2013 because of how incredible it is on a technical level. The cinematography, editing and sound design are all top-tier and help to create a terrifying atmosphere of dread and hopelessness. Unfortunately, the script and acting weren’t as good as they could have been, which made Alfonso Cuarón’s Best Director award feel a bit undeserved.

The early domination of “Gravity” made it seem like it might win Best Picture, but thankfully, it didn’t. “12 Years a Slave” ended up taking home the big one, and I doubt anyone will try to argue with that decision by the Academy. The power of films is that they can entertain, intrigue, educate and immerse audiences into a world all at once. Great works about the horrors of slavery are few and far between in cinema, so a film such as this with any kind of lasting significance deserves recognition.

Lastly, Ellen DeGeneres was adequate as a host. There weren’t a ton of hilarious moments, but nothing was as embarrassing or offensive as Seth MacFarlane’s turn last year. Overall, by the standards of awards shows, this year’s Academy Awards went about as well as anyone could have expected.