Despite controversy abound, the 88th annual Academy Awards went off and delivered an entertaining show.
Host Chris Rock immediately addressed the #OscarsSoWhite controversy with stabs at Hollywood”s hiring process and advocated equal opportunity for all. But unfortunately, after the fifth jab at racial equality, the gag lost its luster. A couple jokes here and there are okay, but Rock”s jabs were so pervasive, that by the time Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs addressed the seriousness of the issue, some viewers were saying, “Enough already!”
Bradley Burgess
Rawr
That said, there were some funny moments, as Rock sold $65,243 worth of Girl Scout cookies for his daughters and Louis CK remarked that the Best Documentary Short Oscar is “Going Home in a Honda Civic.”
But anyway, onto the winners.
The technical categories were dominated by the best reviewed film of 2015, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which won all but two of its technical nominations – Best Cinematography, which went to three time winner Emmanuel Lubezki AKA “Chivo” for “The Revenant,” and Best Visual Effects, which deservedly went to the low budget sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina.”
Speaking of “Ex Machina,” that film”s star Alicia Vikander won Best Supporting Actress for “The Danish Girl” and won over the red carpet with her lemon yellow dress. There was an upset in the Best Supporting Actor category as “Bridge of Spies” actor Mark Rylance beat out favorites Mark Ruffalo and Sylvester Stallone for “Spotlight” and “Creed,” respectively. Rising star Brie Larson also won Best Actress for her emotional performance in “Room.”
But the most talked about and most anticipated award of the night was Leonardo DiCaprio”s long deserved Best Actor win for “The Revenant.” The fifth time was the charm for Leo as he earned a standing ovation and used the opportunity to discuss the realities of climate change.
Finally, “Spotlight” took home Best Picture, while Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu won his fourth Oscar for “The Revenant.” Most of the awards were foregone conclusions, but nonetheless, it was satisfying to see them win especially in DiCaprio”s case. A great ceremony, despite the boycotts and controversy.
Trivia: “Spotlight” is the third consecutive Best Picture winner to be produced by 20th Century Fox after “12 Years a Slave” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance.)”
Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson, and Mark Rylance won Oscars for their first nominations. Leonardo DiCaprio wins for his fifth.
“Bridge of Spies” is only the second Steven Spielberg film to win an Oscar for acting. The first was “Lincoln.”
Best Original Song winner Sam Smith claimed he was the first openly gay man to win an Oscar, when in fact, there have been several openly gay winners in non-acting categories, including Elton John, Dustin Lance Black and Melissa Etheridge.
Emmanuel Lubezki AKA “Chivo” wins the Best Cinematography Oscar for the third year in a row, after winning for “Gravity” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”.
Leonardo DiCaprio”s Best Actor win is the most retweeted moment in Oscar history.
John Williams scored his 50th Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu picks up his fourth Oscar in two years- two Best Director wins, one Best Original Screenplay win, and Best Picture.
Bradley Burgess can be reached at [email protected]