87th Academy Awards - Wrap Up


The 87th Academy Awards were handed out on Sunday night! The full list of winners in below but first, as always, some fashion.


We start with some men. I found the red carpet to be rather tame this year, nothing exceptionally good or bad, but the men looked great. So first up are three men who went for classic looks and looked great. From left to right: Chris Pratt in Tom Ford; Michael Keaton in Ralph Lauren; and Chris Pine in Armani. What a way to start!


Next, one of the evening's trends: ladies in red. Above left is nominee Rosamund Pike in Givenchy, and above right is presenter Dakota Johnson in Saint Laurent. Another colorful trend was yellow. Below left is Jennifer Hudson in Romona Keveza, and below right is Emma Stone in Elie Saab. The two ladies are wearing significantly different shades of yellow. Hudson looks great in hers while this particular hue doesn't complement Stone's coloring.




Several couples made statements on the red carpet. Above are three of them. Left to right we have Steve and Nancy Carrell; David Burtka and host Neil Patrick Harris; and Chrissy Theigen (in Zuhair Murad) and John Legend. From stunning couples to a couple of presenters who stunned. Below left is Cate Blanchett in Maison Margiela Couture by John Galliano, and below right is Lupita Nyong'o in an intricate Calvin Klein Collection gown that boasts 6,000 pearls.


Of course, not everyone knocked it out of the park. Below are two beauties who just missed the mark. On the left is Naomi Watts in Armani Prive. Her red carpet choices usually say she likes fashion, so it isn't surprising that she took a risk. However, the top just doesn't work. If the black bandeau had been the entire top, making the dress look like a skirt and top, this would have been better. And on the right is Scarlett Johansson in Versace. The dress is phenomenal. The hunter green is rich, and the structure and lines are sexy and entirely flattering. But the statement necklace ruins the look. Coco Chanel famously said that before leaving the house, women should look in the mirror and take one thing off. Johansson should have listened.




Back to trends. There was black and white all over the red carpet. In particular, note Reese Witherspoon (who's been looking fabulous throughout award season and knows how to pose on the red carpet) in Tom Ford, and Patricia Arquette in Rosanna Getty. Below are three more men, and unlike the classic gentlemen at the top, these guys went for something a little different. From left to right: David Oyelowo in Dolce and Gabbana; Eddie Redmayne (who's always flawless on a red carpet) in Alexander McQueen; and Common in Prada. Let's hear it for the boys!




I couldn't quite decide on just one best dressed lady, so I'm choosing two. Above is presenter Anna Kendrick looking perfect in Thakoon. The color complements her skin tone without washing her out; the sparkly collar adds some pizzazz; the cut out in the top adds some sex appeal; and flow of the skirt is fun and flirty. My other pick, at right, is the winner of the night, Julianne Moore in Chanel. Moore likes fashion, and this dress combines the classic feel of a Chanel column dress with exceptional detailing that makes Moore stand out. Bravo!

Without any further ado, here are the winners (noted in bold typeface and with an asterisk):

Best Picture
This wasn't too surprising after the film also won in the Screenplay and Director categories (see below), though I'd say I was pulling for Boyhood. Also because the Academy loves movies about movies/actors. Not to take away from the film - it's good, I just felt Boyhood more.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
  • Bradley Cooper, American Sniper 
  • Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
  • Michael Keaton, Birdman
  • Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything*
Bravo to Tony winner Redmayne! What an affecting performance from a gifted and versatile actor.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
It's about damn time one of the best actresses of our time won an Oscar. Maybe there's hope for Leo...

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Robert Duvall, The Judge
  • Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
  • Edward Norton, Birdman
  • Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
  • J.K. Simmons, Whiplash*
Good job, J.K., and to everyone else: call your parents!

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Hell yeah, Patricia Arquette. This was a strong category, but Arquette's performance was beyond compare. And another hell yeah for her awesome acceptance speech. She's like our very own Sheila Franklin.

Best Director
  • Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman*
  • Richard Linklater, Boyhood
  • Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
  • Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game 
I'm not mad about this; Birdman came together because of the director's vision. I'm glad Linklater and Anderson were nominated, though, because their respective works were phenomenal.

Best Original Screenplay
  • Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman*
  • Richard Linklater, Boyhood
  • E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
  • Wes Anderson (screenplay and story) and Hugo Guinness (story), The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
I'm so conflicted about this. Nightcrawler is a fantastic film, and it's a true shame that this is the only nomination it received. The Grand Budapest Hotel is wonderfully original and creative. I guess the screenplay for Birdman is good. I was really pulling for Budapest or Nightcrawler.

Best Adapted Screenplay
I haven't seen this, so I can't reasonably say whether or not this win is a deserving one. Still, I liked Moore's heartfelt and inspiring speech. Stay weird.

Best Cinematography
  • Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman*
  • Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida 
  • Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
  • Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Obviously. With no disrespect to the other talented nominees, was there any way Lubezki wasn't going to win? The cinematography is the crowning achievement of Birdman.

Best Film Editing
  • Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, American Sniper
  • Sandra Adair, Boyhood
  • Barney Piling, The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
  • Tom Cross, Whiplash*
I still don't understand how Birdman's film editors weren't nominated. Still, the intensity of Whiplash doesn't happen without skilled editing, so bravo.

Best Costume Design
  • Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel*
  • Mark Bridges, Inherent Vice
  • Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods
  • Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive, Maleficent
  • Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner
Hooray!

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
  • Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard, Foxcatcher
  • Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel*
  • Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy  
Again, hooray!
Best Production Design
(the first person listed is credited with production design; the second person is credited with set decoration)
  • Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel*
  • Maria Djurkovic and Tatiana Macdonald, The Imitation Game
  • Nathan Crowley and Gary Fettis, Interstellar  
  • Dennis Cassner and Anna Pinnock, Into the Woods
  • Suzie Davies and Charlotte Watts, Mr. Turner
Right on. Yet another technical award for the great Wes Anderson flick.

Best Sound Editing
  • Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman, American Sniper*
  • Martin Hernandez and Aaron Glascock, Birdman
  • Brent Burge and Jason Canovas, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
  • Richard King, Interstellar
  • Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro, Unbroken
Best Sound Mixing
  • John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin, American Sniper
  • Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montano and Thomas Varga, Birdman
  • Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten, Interstellar
  • Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montano and David Lee, Unbroken
  • Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley, Whiplash* 
Those of you who've seen Whiplash will have no problem understanding this win, even if, like me, you're not entirely sure what sound mixing is.   
Best Original Score
  • Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel*
  • Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
  • Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
  • Gary Yershon, Mr. Turner
  • Johann Johannsson, The Theory of Everything
Still bothered that the original drum score for Birdman was deemed ineligible.

Best Original Song
  • "Everything is Awesome," music and lyrics by Shawn Patterson, from The Lego Movie
  • "Glory," music and lyrics by John Stephens (aka John Legend) and Lonnie Lynn (aka Common), from Selma*
  • "Grateful," music and lyrics by Diane Warren, from Beyond the Lights 
  • "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," music and lyrics by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond, from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
  • "Lost Stars," music and lyrics by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois, from Begin Again 
John Legend, Common and a vibrant choir gave a powerful and rousing performance of "Glory." I kind of feel like Alexander Hamilton would like this song. And Common and Legend gave an equally powerful and rousing speech. March on.

Best Visual Effects
  • Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould, Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher, Interstellar*
  • Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Time Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer, X-Men: Days of Future Past  
Best Documentary Feature
  • Citizen Four*
  • Finding Vivian Maier
  • Last Days in Vietnam
  • The Salt of the Earth
  • Virunga
 This is a documentary about Edward Snowden. A feature film (non-documentary) about him, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, will be out later this year.

Best Documentary Short Subject
  • Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1*
  • Joanna
  • Our Curse
  • The Reaper (La Parka)
  • White Earth
Best Live Action Short
  • Aya
  • Boogaloo and Graham
  • Butter Lamp
  • Parvaneh
  • The Phone Call*
Best Animated Feature
  • Big Hero 6*
  • The Boxtrolls
  • How to Train Your Dragon 2
  • Song of the Sea
  • The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Best Animated Short
  • The Bigger Picture
  • The Dam Keeper
  • Feast*
  • Me and My Moulton
  • A Single Life
Best Foreign Language Film
  • Ida (Poland)*
  • Leviathan (Russia)
  • Tangerines (Estonia)
  • Timbuktu (Mauritania)
  • Wild Tales (Argentina)   

There you have it. Check my Oscars Pinterest board for photos.

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