88th Annual Academy Awards

The Oscars are the biggest event of the awards season, and to many the biggest night of the year! However, this year the show was surrounded by controversy after all of the nominees in the acting categories (as well as almost every category) were entirely white for the second year in a row.   It will be interesting to see how #OscarsSoWhite affects the ratings and to see what steps the Academy will hopefully take in the coming years to ensure that the nominations are representative of the excellent work being done by wonderfully talented people of color. 

Chris Rock took the stage to host the Academy Awards for the first time.  His opening number was understandably focused on the "Oscars So White" controversy but he handled it very well and it was pretty excellent. It was pervasive throughout the whole show in multiple jokes and bits including Black History Minute with Angela Bassett and Stacey Dash coming out on stage. 

Some of the more interesting events that took place during the awards included: Chris Rock's daughters bringing out Girl Scout Cookies and selling them to the nominees, Buzz and Woody from Toy Story handing out the Best Animated Feature Award, and Lady Gaga's incredibly powerful performance of "Til it Happens to You" introduced by Vice President Joe Biden 

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role went to Mark Rylance, for his role in Bridge of Spies. Alicia Vikander won the Oscar for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in The Danish Girl. Leonardo DiCaprio won Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role in The Revenant, his first Oscar.  Brie Larson won an Oscar for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Room.

Inside Out won for Best Animated Feature Film. Original Screenplay went to Josh Singer and Todd McCarthy for Spotlight while Adapted Screenplay went was presented to Charles Randolph and Adam McKay for The Big Short.  

Mad Max: Fury Road garnered the award for Production Design, Costume Design, Best Make-Up and Hair Styling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing Whiplash won for Sound Mixing and Film Editing, and Interstellar took home the award for Visual Effects.  Ex Machina took home the award for Best Visual Effects. The Revenant won for Cinematography and Director for Alejandro G. Inarritu.  Spotlight was awarded Best Picture of the Year.

A full list of winners can be found here.

Red Carpet Fashion

 

Cate Blanchett looked stunning in an Armani Prive gown. 

(PC: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Brie Larson wowed in a blue Gucci gown. 

(PC: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Saoirse Ronan looked elegant in an Emerald Calvin Klein gown.

(PC: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Charlize Theorn looked incredible in red. 

(PC: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Jacob Tremblay is the most adorable person on the red carpet by far in an Armani tuxedo. 

(PC: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

87th Annual Academy Awards

The Oscars are the biggest event of awards season, and to many the biggest night of the year! Neil Patrick Harris took the stage to host the Academy Awards for the first time.  His opening number was pretty epic. It paid homage to some of the industry's best work much more than it made fun of it and being joined by Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and Jack Black was a phenomenal addition! 

Some of the more interesting events that took place during the awards included:  many winners talking through the play out music, Viola Davis having to watch the briefcase containing Neil Patrick Harris' Oscar predictions, Tegan and Sara and The Lonely Island performing "Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie, Tim McGraw paying tribute to Glen Campbell with "I'm Not Gonna Miss You", and Lady Gaga singing an incredible medley of songs from The Sound of Music followed by Julie Andrews coming out and awarding the Oscar for Best Original Score.  The awards of course ran way over the allotted time, but nonetheless it was a great show with many memorable moments. 

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role went to J.K Simmons, for his role in Whiplash.  This came as no surprise, as he has won virtually every award for which his portrayal in the film has garnered him a nomination.  Patricia Arquette won the Oscar for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Boyhood and gave an impassioned speech calling for wage equality. Eddie Redmayne won Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role in The Theory of Everything and dedicated his award to everyone around the world battling ALS.  Julianne Moore won an Oscar for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Still Alice.

Big Hero 6 won for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year. Original Screenplay went to Alejandro Iñárritu for Birdman while Adapted Screenplay was presented to Graham Moore for 
The Imitation Game and he deserves  a second award for his acceptance speech, stay weird. 
Alejandro Iñárritu also took home the Oscar for Directing Birdman. 

American Sniper garnered the award for Sound Editing. Whiplash won for Sound Mixing and Film Editing, and Interstellar took home the award for Visual Effects.  Birdman won for Cinematography and took home the biggest award of the night, Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Birdman was the night's big winner, despite Michael Keaton's lose in the Leading Actor Category.

A full list of winners can be found here.

Red Carpet Fashion

Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike looked flawless in a formfitting red Givenchy gown.

Photo Credit Getty Images

Anna Kendrick dazzled in a custom Thakoon coral halter gown. Expect to see her on the majority best dressed lists! 

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Cate Blanchett looked stunning in a simple black number by Margiela and a statement necklace by Tiffany & Co.  

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images

American Sniper star and current Sally Bowles in Cabaret Sienna Miller looked elegant in Oscar de la Renta. 

Photo credit NY Times

Felicity Jones was the epitome of the quintessential Oscars look in Alexander McQueen. 

Jason Merritt/Getty Images 

Marion Cotillard looked gorgeous in this Christian Dior Couture gown. I've already seen it on some worst dressed lists, but that's a matter of opinion.