The 87th Annual Academy Awards: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Neil Patrick Harris's Oscar predictions

Another Oscar ceremony has come and gone, and it doesn't feel like much. Already the dust is Jurassic World, Star Wars 7, and Hot Tub Time Machine 2. Yet, there were a few bright stars last nights, so let's take a look:
settling and my mind is turning to the host of awesome movies that are coming out this year like

The Good: 

1. Big Hero 6 winning Best Animated Feature - It was the biggest upset of the night. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was good but Hero was far better. In a category that should have easily gone to The LEGO Movie, this was a small but nice consolation prize.

2. The Opening Number by Neil Patrick Harris - It was amazing, one of the best in recent years. It was fun, nostalgic, sophisticated, and featured a ton of great movies.

3. The Scenery and General Design - Really cool, flashy, and hip yet not pretentious.

4. Lego Oscars - Lonely Island handed out Lego Oscars to random people. Oprah looked so excited to have one; I would be too.

5. J.K. Simmons winning for Whiplash - He's great in everything. I was very happy for him.

6. Best Dressed - Jennifer Aniston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anna Feris, Dakota Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Rosmund Pike, Giuliana Rancic, and Reese Witherspoon

The Bad:

1. Neil Patrick Harris - Besides the opening number, Harris fell pretty flat. Only about 25% of his jokes were funny, and his central gag about Oscar predictions was only OK. I had huge hopes for him because he did a great job hosting the Tonys and the Emmys.

2. Birdman winning Best Director over Boyhood - Boyhood wasn't perfect but it pushed the medium of cinema, and it was all Linklater's vision. This will be the only film from the ceremony that people will still talk about fifty years from now. Maybe LEGO Movie too.

3. Lady Gaga and The Sound of the Music - Not one of my favorite things.

4. Platforms - This one is  tricky. Art is a way to express the human experience so it makes sense to highlight important issues, but it felt really over done last night, like they were over compensating for something. It really takes the breath out of the room, especially when they mention issues surrounding homosexuality. It's nice to just enjoy great entertainment.

5. The LEGO Movie loosing to song to Selma - "Everything is Awesome" was the only original song from a film I bought this year. Super catchy and fun. Every other nominee was nice but forgettable.

6. Worst Dressed - Marion Cotillard, Lady Gaga, Lupita Nyong'o, Margot Robbie, and (gasp) Emma Stone

The Ugly:

1. Boyhood loosing editing to Whiplash - This was foul. Sandra Adair had to edit footage from twelve years and make it look like a cohesive narrative. She executed it flawlessly.

It was a wimpy end to a mediocre year; there's trouble brewing when the nominees for Best Visual Effects are better than those for Best Picture. Oh well, 2015 is right around the corner.