Anora and The Substance are locked in a thrilling Oscar race, with fans eagerly anticipating which film will take home the prize.

While some clarity has lately emerged, with a handful of big wins for Sean Baker’s “Anora,” it seems likely to be a nail biter until a winner is declared at the March 2 Oscars, when white smoke unfurls from the Sistine Chapel, I mean the Dolby Theatre.

Compared to today's Academy Awards, the first Oscars held in 1929 was a quaint dinner party that honored a history-making best picture.