In a studiously silly (and sniffily) performance that began with the gross-out humor of his emerging out of the body of Demi Moore from “The Substance,” O’Brien evoked some of his delightfully experimental bits from his old late-night show.

With enthusiastic odes to Los Angeles slotted smoothly next to absurd symphonic space worms, the 2025 Academy Awards had a little bit of everything - and tied it all together with, get this, a genuine love for the nominated movies.