87th Academy Awards Recap

“Birdman” stole the show, but a stale host presided over some controversial proceedings

Geoffrey Young, Reporter

Neil Patrick Harris’ 87th Oscar Award show out of Hollywood, California, came and went with mixed results. Despite the one time Tony and Emmy award show host‘s charismatic approach to the prestigious event, it was to no avail, as several jokes fell on deaf ears.

“Tonight we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest — I mean brightest,” he joked, in a subtle nod to this year’s deficiency in demographics that are not white and male.

Neil Patrick Harris wasn’t alone on the event’s criticism. Before announcing the Best Picture’s winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” Sean Penn, the category’s presenter, exclaimed “who gave this son of a bitch his green card?” That garnered negative reactions among viewers, however Iñárritu seems to not be among them.

“I found it hilarious. Sean and I have that kind of brutal [relationship] where only true friendship can survive,” he said.

Best Picture:

Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper,” Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” Nora Grossman’s “The Imitation Game,” Christian Colson’s “Selma,” Tim Bevan’s “The Theory of Everything,” and Jason Blum’s “Whiplash”

Best Actor:

Steve Carell for “Foxcatcher,” Bradley Cooper for “American Sniper,” Benedict Cumberbatch for “The Imitation Game,” Michael Keaton for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and Eddie Redmayne for “The Theory of Everything”

Best Actress:

Marion Cotillard for “Two Days, One Night,” Felicity Jones for “The Theory of Everything,” Julianne Moore for “Still Alice,” Rosamund Pike for “Gone Girl” and Reese Witherspoon for “Wild”

Best Supporting Actor:

Robert Duvall for “The Judge,” Ethan Hawke for “Boyhood,” Edward Norton for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” Mark Ruffalo for “Foxcatcher” and J.K. Simmons for “Whiplash”

Best Supporting Actress:

Patricia Arquette for “Boyhood,” Laura Dern for “Wild,” Keira Knightley for “The Imitation Game,” Emma Stone for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and Meryl Streep for “Into the Woods”

The full list and more can be found here.