The Academy. A professional honorary film organization, or a bunch of old white men in monkey suits? This question sparked a huge controversy in the 2015 Academy Awards. The Academy is a collection of people responsible for deciding the recipients of the most prestigious recognitions in the film industry. In order to become a member of this elite group, one must have done production work in film. In theory, these people know what they are doing. They are able to analyze and critique films from the year based on the experience they have had in the field. However, the Oscar buzz went far beyond film, addressing diversity.
All 20 nominees for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress were white. This lack of racial diversity did not go unnoticed by the public. Selma, a film by Ava DuVernay, was rightfully nominated for Best Picture. However, many believe lead actor David Oyelowo was snubbed by the Academy. His portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. showed the viewer a new side of this leader. Oyelowo chillingly tapped into the personal aspects of King, demonstrated in scenes with Coretta, his wife. He beautifully represented how this powerful leader and activist dealt with moments of extreme vulnerability, making him a relatable figure. Frequently, people who make a significant impact on nations can be placed on a pedestal. While this type of recognition is truly earned, sometimes their hardships and raw characteristics can be overlooked. Oyelowo effectively reminded the viewer that King was more than a hero- a father, a husband, a friend. This type of performance earned more recognition by the Academy than it was given.
Many people speculate that Oyelowo's Oscar snub was because of the lack of diversity among the Academy. However, national controversies were brought up in several ways during the Academy Awards. The modern-day focus on gender equality was very apparent at this year's Oscars. Support for gender equality was evident from the start at Red Carpet interviews, right through to the acceptance speeches. I noted right away that Ryan Seacrest asked celebrities "Who designed your dress?" instead of the dreaded "Who are you wearing?". Generally, the Red Carpet gets a bad rap because it focuses too much on the appearance of women instead of the quality of their work. It was nice to see celebrities respond to interviewers in more meaningful ways than stating the label on their gown. For example, when asked about her jewelry, Laura Dern discussed how her turquoise ring was chosen to support lung cancer awareness in honor of her character Bobbi in Wild. Women's equality was further addressed in Boyhood's Patricia Arquette's acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress, saying "It is our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America". It was a nice change in this year's Academy Awards to see notable public figures in Hollywood draw further awareness to important issues.
The word "acceptance" was brought to a new light by many Academy Award winners. Along with Patricia Arquette's moving gender gap recognition, many award recipients shared their two cents on a variety of issues. When Selma won for Best Original Song, John Legend connected civil rights to the unbalanced racial demographics on incarceration in this country. The incredible J.K. Simmons encouraged viewers to call their parents to tell them you love them. Graham Moore mentioned his suicidal past, telling viewers to "stay weird, stay different". Much positive attention was brought to this year's Academy Awards because of the memorable, sincere, passionate acceptance speeches.
In that regard, 2015 was a great year at the Oscars. However, this year had the lowest viewer ratings since 2008. Initially, viewers were probably deterred due to the controversial lack of diversity. I thought there were many problems with the Oscars this year- due in part to Neil Patrick Harris' sub-par job of hosting. He had a tough act to follow, after Ellen's show involving pizza and selfies, and even the job done by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey at this year's Golden Globes. Harris made one too many puns and unfunny jokes. He tried his best, but it takes more than a comedian to do a good job of hosting. The hosting could probably go smoother with a seasoned host, someone more familiar with working in film. I did think, though, that Harris' bit incorporating material from Birdman and Whiplash was hysterical. It will be interesting to see who the choice for host will be in 2016.
There is a large objection to the choices the Academy makes when picking film nominations. People complain that only indie films are picked, and they aren't widely seen by the public. While this may be true, the show is not about pleasing the public. This particular award show highlights true accomplishments in film in the past year. Generally, many indie films are the ones breaking the norms of the film world. They are creative and risk-taking, making them ideal for critical review. How else will the film industry continue to develop and prosper, if not for a little risk? I personally viewed all the nominees for Best Picture with the exception of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and agree that each film nominated earned its spot. The Best Picture winner, Birdman, delivered beautiful cinematography and powerful cast performances. While many films promised these characteristics, there was a uniqueness about Birdman that set it apart from the other contenders. The incorporation of Ray Carver's short story, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, showed a new way of incorporating various mediums, such as plays, into the world of cinema.
So many aspects to this year's Academy Awards can be touched upon, however these aspects stood out to me the most. I will be curious to see the direction cinema takes in the next year, leading up to the 2016 Oscars. Will changes in show direction be made? Only time will tell. Regardless of whether you thought the Academy Awards went right or wrong this year it was a memorable show. I am excited for the year of film we have ahead.
