A recap of the 88th Academy Awards

Hailey Loftin
Features Editor

      Each year at the Oscars is very different. From the fashion to the kinds of movies nominated, the Academy Awards are always an interesting event to watch. Any year that Leonardo DiCaprio is nominated for an Oscar but does not win, there is a sure bet that social media will be filled with jokes about DiCaprio’s great acting ability and lack of Oscars. It is a good night to get educated about movies that are impacting the film industry.

---

      The awards show was hosted by Chris Rock, who used his role to help bring light to the racial issues in Hollywood. The Academy did not nominate any African-American actors for any awards this year, despite many African-Americans playing outstanding roles, like Will Smith in Concussion and Michael B. Jordan in Creed. Rock made many jokes throughout the night about the lack of diversity in the nominations. Many of the winners used their stage time to bring attention to other issues as well. DiCaprio (Best Actor winner) talked about the relationship of his character with nature and the need to try and slow down global warming. Jenny Beavan (Best Costume Design, Mad Max: Fury Road) briefly addressed the need to protect the environment as well. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Best Documentary Short Subject, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness) announced that the Pakistani Prime Minister plans to change the law on honor killing, which is murdering women that have brought dishonor to the men’s families, after seeing her film.
      As for winners, the complete list of awards and winners can be found below. Mad Max: Fury Road ended up with six total Oscars but did not manage to get any of the bigger awards. DiCaprio (finally!) won the Oscar for Best Actor, much to the delight of fans all across the world who have long anticipated his much-deserved win. Best Picture went to Spotlight, a movie about news-reporting of child molestation in the Catholic Church starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams.
      The eighty-eighth Academy Awards were another amazing night for fashion. Alicia Vikander stunned in a Louis Vuitton dress that was faintly reminiscent of Belle’s ball dress in Beauty and the Beast, and Jennifer Garner’s Atelier Versace black gown was elegant and modern all at once. The men all look dapper in suits, especially Kevin Hart, whose jacket had sparkly detailing on the lapels and pockets.
      The Oscars are always something that is fun to watch from home. Envying the clothes on the red carpet and laughing at the jokes are very nice ways to spend a Sunday night. Make it a point to watch all of the nominated movies; often, they are making a statement about a difficult subject, and it is important to stay informed about them.

Award Winners

Best Picture
Spotlight

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio

Best Actress
Brie Larson

Best Director
Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu (The Revenant)

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Rylance

Best Supporting Actress
Alicia Vikander

Best Foreign Language Film
Son of Saul

Best Original Song
Writing’s on the Wall (Sam Smith)

Best Writing Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short

Best Original Screenplay
Spotlight

Best Documentary Feature
Amy

Best Animated Feature Film
Inside Out

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki (The Revenant)

Best Original Music Score
The Hateful Eight

Best Costume Design
Jenny Beavan (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Visual Effects
Ex Machina

Best Sound Mixing
Gregg Rudloff, Chris Jenkins, Ben Osmo (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Documentary Short Subject
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Best Animated Short Film
Bear Story

Best Film Editing
Margaret Sixel (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Production Design
Lisa Thompson, Colin Gibson (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Sound Editing
David White, Mark Mangini (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Makeup
Lesley Vanderwalt, Damien Martin, Elka Wardega (Mad Max: Fury Road)