It’s not like I had expectations of anything worthwhile, but I still was depressed at the pathetic nature of this year’s Academy Awards. Worst of all is the bald-faced lie of inclusion.

Sinners, a predominantly black production, was hailed for receiving the most nominations in Oscar history (16), winning four, including Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor. Great, right? Or as Jordan said, “God is good.” Uh, no. Sinners is not a very good film, meandering through vampires and gore to nowhere, paling in comparison to Fruitvale Station (2013), Ryan Coogler’s first film with Michael B Jordan which received zero nominations.

Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the cinematographer for Sinners, became the first woman to win in this category. Great, right? Uh, no. There have only been three previous female nominees ever in this category – Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner & Many Walker – a profession known historically for being for men-only. Why? Yeah, good question.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another won six awards, including Best Picture and Director, and featuring a black female lead, Chase Infiniti. Great, right? Uh, no. Anderson’s previous films, including There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love & Magnolia, were not acknowledged – despite being far superior in substance, style and meaning.

Worst of all this year was the exclusion of Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, not only the best picture of the year but perhaps the decade. Also excluded, not even nominated (!), was Alex Babenko’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka, documenting the futility of war in Ukraine. Ukraine? Iran? Whatever. But…”God is good.” Okay.

Conan O’Brien, the host for the evening, spent much of the night performing gags related to the increasing irrelevance of the Academy Awards, due to the present generation’s inability to focus and empathize. Wow, okay. As my mother used to say, “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”