Katie Volk
Arts Editor
The annual Academy Awards took place on March 12th at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The highly prestigious award show was broadcasted to 18.7 million people.
Starting in 1929, the Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) distribute awards based on artistic and technical merit that is exhibited throughout films of the year. Selected by members of the film industry, films and individuals receive nominations for their cinematic achievements. Ultimately, out of the pool of nominees, only one gets selected to win an Oscar award.
The 95th Academy Awards was hosted by late night show host, Jimmy Kimmel, who delivered comical lines and set a relaxed atmosphere for the audience in the theater as well as for the viewers who were watching the show from home. Kimmel maintained a charming attitude for the entirety of the show.
Over twenty awards were awarded on March 12th. Awards such as Best Actor, Best Actress, Directing, Best Film, and Best Original Screenplay. Some wins are predictable such as Film Editing for “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and Visual Effects awarded to “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Each award was presented by famous and established individuals in the film industry.
Despite having a strong pool of nominees in each category, the film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” swept the Oscars. The film about a simple Chinese American family traveling through countless multi-verses won Best Picture, Directing, Film Editing, and Original Screenplay.
Michelle Yeoh won her first Oscar for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” under the Best Actress Category. Her co-stars Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis won Actor and Actress in a supporting role. In total, the film won seven Oscars.
Other awards include Cinematography which recognizes the artistic talent and vision that is displayed through composition, filters, lighting of a scene. This award was given to “All Quite of the Western Front.” This film also won Original Score, Production Design, and International Feature Film.
Indisputably, the highlights of the night were the speeches given by the winners. Brendan Fraser gave a heartfelt speech where he explained and expressed his gratitude for the award as well as the opportunity he has been given after winning Best Actor for his gut wrenching performance in “The Whale”. Ke Huy Quan delivered a tear filled speech in which he thanked everyone involved in the success of the movie and advised everyone to never give up on their dreams.
Another highlight of the award show were the stunning outfits worn by the attendees. Model and actress Cara Delevingne amazed everyone with her red Elie Saab dress along with her beautiful accessories and a red makeup look. Actress Zoe Saldana wore an incredible Fendi lace strap dress which displayed both quaintness as well as elegance.
The 3 and a half hour show also featured performances from artists such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna for their nominations for Best Original Song. The award was ultimately awarded to M.M. Keeravaani and Chandrabose for their song “Naatu Naatu” from the movie RRR.
Included in the show was the “In Memoriam” segment. This part of the show honors the lives of film stars and people who have left a significant impact on the film industry. Actor and singer Lenny Kravitz performed his 2004 single “Calling All Angels” during this portion of the show.
The 95th Academy Awards was a success, however it could be argued that most of the wins of the night were extremely predictable because of the successes the films had in the box office along with the attention they were earning from movie goers. This makes the integrity of the awards questionable. Nonetheless, the winners of the night were deserving of the awards.
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