A&E
88th Academy Awards delivers predictable but entertaining night
By Matt Burner ’17
March 3, 2016
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Another Academy Awards ceremony is in the books. Hosted by Chris Rock, this year’s show provided a few laughs but, as usual, also plenty of stuffiness. The Oscars have always struggled with the mantle of being the most prestigious awards show, which often leads to a relatively more conservative and predictable show than alternatives like the Golden Globes. Here are several thoughts I had regarding this past Sunday’s show:
Delivery of Important Messages: In the lead up to this year’s Oscars, there were two talking points that dwarfed all others. Would Leonardo DiCaprio finally win an Oscar this year? And would Chris Rock disparage the Hollywood establishment for its lack of minority nominees? The answer to both questions was a resounding yes. After five earlier nominations, DiCaprio finally won for his starring role in The Revenant. However, despite reveling in his long-awaited victory, DiCaprio spent most of his acceptance speech spreading awareness about global warming. Although he isn’t the first award winner to use their speech to deliver a message, DiCaprio’s speech caught traction because of the attention aimed at his long-awaited win.
While DiCaprio’s message was fairly mild in its delivery, host Chris Rock’s monologue was filled with biting humor. Addressing the lack of black nominees, Rock cleverly blasted Hollywood over perceived institutional racism and a lack of opportunities for minority actors. He also proposed the interesting idea of categories dedicated solely to non-white actors and actresses, which would surely alter what studios consider when making films. One can only hope that Hollywood pay attention to this year’s controversy and does not make the same errors again.
Mad Max’s Big Night: The film with the most Academy Awards at the end of the night came as a bit of a surprise to many. Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, won a total of six Oscars Sunday night. While all of these awards came in technical categories such as Film Editing and Costume Design, the amount of awards won certainly speaks to the quality of the film. Mad Max is one of the best action movies of the 21st century, with thrilling action sequences and a gripping story. It is currently available to view on HBO Go and is definitely worth viewing.
Spotlight Wins Best Picture: Despite the Best Picture category being considered a toss-up between The Revenant, The Big Short and Spotlight, many were surprised when Spotlight won. Spotlight possessed a great script and solid performances, and is certainly an all-around solid film. Most viewers, however, predicted that The Revenant would ultimately win out. Spotlight likely won, however, due to its strong script and topical story of abuse cover-up within the Catholic Church.
Overall, the night was a success and the show was entertaining, if predictable. Now, it’s time to look forward to the new films of 2016, and hope not only that the Academy learns from its mistakes and rewards the efforts of people of color in film, but that Hollywood branches into highlighting more diversity on the silver screen.