It’s that time of year again — Oscar’s season. With the award show taking place on March 15, cinephiles and casual movie enjoyers alike are gearing up for the biggest ceremony in Hollywood. The 98th Academy Awards will honor actors, directors, and more across a variety of categories. What better way to watch the much anticipated winners accept their awards than alongside friends at an Oscars watch party? Pay homage to the films that made the nominees list this year with these snacks, activities, and decorations!
Food & Drinks
With nine Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture, it makes sense to have a Marty Supreme-themed food at your watch party. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you’ve definitely seen its iconic marketing — celebrities wearing Marty Supreme jackets, Timothée Chalamet’s many Instagram posts, and of course, the iconic orange ping pong balls. While actual orange ping pong balls aren’t edible, you can get close to the real thing by serving orange cheeseballs. They’re the same shape and color as the balls from the movie — except tastier.
If you’ve seen Yorgos Lanthimos’ comedy/sci-fi picture Bugonia, then you certainly remember the dinner scene. Emma Stone, who plays a CEO named Michelle, is joined by conspiracists Teddy and Don, who have kidnapped her on suspicion of her actually being an alien. The three eat spaghetti and meatballs, with Michelle chained to her chair as she engages in a tense conversation with Teddy. For the main course of your watch party, consider serving your own meal of spaghetti and meatballs. When it’s time for dessert, serve a coconut and mango puree cake, which is the cake Teddy offers the cop before things go sideways. Chunky’s Cinema Club on TikTok posts film reviews and cinema-inspired dishes, so he naturally had to give Bugonia’s iconic cake a shot.
Although not explicitly mentioned, a tamale restaurant can be seen in a shot during Sinners, which has 16 nominations — the most for a film in the Academy’s history. This shot is a nod to the long history of tamales in the Mississippi Delta. Called hot tamales, these tamales are different from traditional tamales. Instead of being steamed, they’re simmered in a spiced brine, giving them a red color. They’re smaller (and spicier) than typical tamales and usually contain beef or pork. The exact origins of these tamales in the Mississippi Delta are unknown, but it’s widely believed that African Americans living in the Mississippi Delta adapted and slightly altered the recipe of tamales made by Mexican migrant workers in the area, which explains the blend of Mexican and southern flavors. Making your own hot tamales might sound complicated, but it’s actually not as difficult as it seems. TikToker Vincent Ford Jr., who is from the Mississippi Delta, shared his hot tamale recipe.
Of course, you’ll need some drinks to wash down all the food and sip on as you watch the winners accept their awards. If you watched One Battle After Another, the French 75 means nothing more to you than the name of the revolutionary group that Bob and Perfidia were a part of. Unbeknownst to many, a French 75 is also a drink. Known as a celebratory cocktail, it’s made with gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It’s topped with champagne or sparkling wine, and typically served in a champagne flute. This is the perfect drink to sip on as you celebrate a win for One Battle After Another — with 13 nominations, it’s sure to win something.
If making cocktails isn’t your thing, consider serving champagne as an homage to F1’s iconic champagne-spraying podium celebration. If members of your party are underage, consider serving a non-alcoholic sparkling cider — it still has that bubbly effect, but without the alcohol.
Activities
While there will be plenty of entertainment during the Oscar’s, especially with Conan O’Brien as the host, there will be plenty of downtime to engage in some games with your friends. Before the ceremony starts, fill out your Oscar’s ballot with your winners of choice for each category. Letterboxd has a version available for download. Tick off your predictions for each category, and as the ceremony goes on, see which friends had correct predictions. Whoever has the most correct predictions at the end can get a prize: you can even go as far as getting your own Oscar’s award from Amazon.
Another fun activity you can do as the ceremony goes on is make your own bingo cards. Fill the blank spaces with predictions of what will happen throughout the night, such as the camera panning to Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, or a winner’s speech going over the allowed time. As events occur, mark off your boxes until someone gets bingo.
Decorations
While it’s nearly impossible to replicate the exact glamour of the Dolby Theater (where the awards are hosted), you can certainly try. You can’t go wrong with elegant black table cloths, and you can get one on Amazon for only $8. For a centerpiece, consider something sparkly with black and gold, like this bouquet of stars.
For plates, cups, and cutlery, it only makes sense to go with gold — the color of the award that everyone wants to get their hands on. This set from Amazon includes plates, cutlery, cups, and even napkins.