Benjamin: What you need to know from the 88th Academy Awards
The first award presented at the 88th Academy Awards was Best Original Screenplay to the writers of “Spotlight.” Nearly three and a half hours passed until the film would win another award, but it won the award that mattered the most: Best Picture. Becoming the first movie since “The Greatest Show on Earth” to win Best Picture and only one other Oscar, “Spotlight” and its victory was a fun surprise to end an unpredictable and edgy Oscars.
The show began with Chris Rock’s monologue, which was a brilliantly crafted demolition of the lack of diversity in Hollywood. Rock not only exposed the nooks and crannies of discrimination in the entertainment system, but he did it in a way that was hilarious and understandable. It made sense coming from Rock, and though every word he said sounded natural and fresh, the preparation behind that monologue was undoubtedly a grand task.
Rock’s monologue set the tone for the evening, and the Oscars proceeded to, in an odd way, have a theme of exclusion. The vast majority of Rock’s bits pertained to the lack of diversity in Hollywood, and the disconnect between the voting Oscar members and the viewing public. The show’s stunts included a tribute to Jack Black, in honor of Black History Month and a video of Rock interacting with customers at a movie theater in Compton.
Not every bit worked though, as a segment with Stacy Dash, an outspoken critic of African-American cultural touchstones such as Black Entertainment Television, was cringe-worthy at best. Overall though, Rock not only kept the show moving to the best of his ability, but he was also relevant and fun to watch.
As far as the actual awards went, this was one of the more unpredictable years of the race. Yours truly only got 16 out of 24 predictions correct, which despite being a respectable score, shows there was room for surprise. The “thank you” crawl that was on the bottom of the screen did not seem to add anything, as speeches proceeded like they usually would, but it was an interesting attempt to shake up the night.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” dominated the technical awards by winning six, but it was not a clean sweep. The biggest shockers were “Ex Machina” beating out “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” for Best Visual Effects, Mark Rylance beating Sylvester Stallone for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Bridge of Spies” and the newest James Bond theme “Writing on the Wall” beating Lady Gaga’s beautiful “Til It Happens to You,” a song about sexual assault.
A highlight of the night was Gaga’s powerful performance of her song, where she was introduced by Syracuse University alumnus and recent speaker, not to mention Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden. After her moving performance, I joked, “What if she loses the Oscar?” I never thought I would be right.
The biggest headline of the night, besides the big victory of “Spotlight,” is the conclusion of Leonardo DiCaprio’s 20-year search for the Oscar. Was this DiCaprio’s best performance? Probably not. But tonight, I will sleep soundly knowing that Leo has won himself an Oscar, and that can never be taken away from him. There were cheers around the country as he stepped up to the podium, as he warmly embraced the standing ovation. His speech was short, eloquent, and just political enough to be remembered but not so much so that it was obnoxious.
DiCaprio’s win combined with the victory of Alejandro González Iñárritu, the first consecutive Best Director winner in over 65 years, made it seem like “The Revenant” was picking up serious steam. When all was said and done though, Morgan Freeman revealed that the night, and Best Picture statue, belonged to “Spotlight.”
Personally, I am thrilled with the result, as “Spotlight” is a beautifully crafted, stirring film that shows the power of journalism and reporting in a world that consumes media 140 characters at a time. The show ran decently long, at three and a half hours, and though it seemed at times there was more fanfare than actual substance, this year’s Oscars will be remembered as one that tackled controversy head on and gave awards to the recipients that deserved them.
As the dust settles, it’s time to gear back up for next year. Too early for a prediction? Why not. Kevin Hart hosts, and “The Birth of a Nation” wins Best Picture.