Academy Awards Wrap-up

Larry Johnson, Reporter

The 87th Academy Awards Ceremony or the Oscars honored the best films of 2014 and took place on February 22, 2015 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. Heading off the ceremony was How I Met Your Mother star, Neil Patrick Harris as he would be the host of the historic show. During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented the Academy Awards in 24 categories.  The ceremony, televised by ABC, was produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan and directed by Hamish Hamilton.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and The Grand Budapest Hotel won the most awards tieing with four each. Birdman won the Best Director, Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Alejandro González Iñárritu. The Grand Budapest Hotel won Best Original Score for Alexandre Desplat. Other winners included Whiplash won three awards with Best Supporting Actor for J. K. Simmons, and The Theory of EverythingStill Alice, BoyhoodThe Imitation GameBig Hero 6IdaCitizenfourCrisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1The Phone CallFeastSelmaAmerican Sniper and Interstellar won one each.

Best supporting actor went to J.K. Simmons for his role in Whiplash beating out Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Edward Norton (Birdman), and Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher).

Recognized for Achievement in costume design, The Grand Budapest Hotel-Milena Canonero won over Inherent Vice-Mark Bridges, Into the Woods-Colleen Atwood, Maleficent-Anna B. Sheppard, and Mr. Turner by Jacqueline Durran.

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling recognized The Grand Budapest Hotel over Foxcatcher and Guardians of the Galaxy.

American Sniper by Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman brought home the Oscar for best sound editing.

The best supporting actress was awarded to Patricia Arquette for her role in the movie Boyhood. Other competitors include: Laura Dern (Wild), Keira Knightley (Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman),and Meryl Streep (Into the Woods).

The best animated feature film was won by Big Hero 6.

Whiplash and Tom Cross was awarded for the achievement in film editing.

Best original song was awarded to the song Glory from Selma-Lonnie Lynn (Common), John Stephens (John Legend). They won over songs from The Lego Movie and Beyond the Lights.

The winner of best original score was Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel).

Birdman won best original screenplay, while Graham Moore and The Imitation Game won the award for best adapted screenplay. The Imitation Game surprisingly won over the highly popular American Sniper film.

The man awarded best director was Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman. He won the award over Richard Linklater for Boyhood, Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher, Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game.

The best (leading) actor for 2014 was Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of well know physicist Stephen Hawking in the movie The Theory of Everything. Other nominees were Steve Carell for Foxcatcher, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game, Bradley Cooper for American Sniper, and Michael Keaton for Birdman.

The best (leading) actress for 2014 was Julianne Moore for her portrayal of Dr. Alice Howland, a renowned professor at Columbia University. Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night, Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything, Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl, and Reese Witherspoon for Wild were the other nominees for the award.

Finally, the best picture award went to Birdman. This film won many awards and rightfully so. It tells the story of ex-television star, Riggan Thomson, played by Michael Keaton. He used to play the superhero, Birdman. He is tormented by the voices of Birdman which inspires him to try and reinvent his career and his name. This film won over American Sniper, Boyhood, The Imitation Game, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash.