Chris Rock defended all blacks and knocked it out of the park. "This should be white people's choice awards," he said. "And when your grandma is swinging from the tree it is silly to protest best cinematographer. The "in memoriam" is going to be black people shot by cops going to movies. Jamie Fox was so good in Ray that they unplugged the real Ray. We don't need two of these." Rock emphasized that black people need equal opportunity and ensured this black out at Oscars will never happen again. I hope. But Rock really went into high gear when he skewered the hypocrisy of the some of the high paid African American stars who boycotted the event.
Clips from nominated films had black stars such as Whoopi Goldberg and Tracey Morgan inserted for gag appeal. These vignettes worked as the stars were funny and addressed racial issues. Chris Rock traveled to Compton where the film Straight Outta Compton was filmed and made a vignette interviewing its African American folk about what they thought about the nominated films. A handful of blacks did not know the films nominated and did not care about them. Rock's way of sticking it to the 'oh so white' Oscar voters was to show not all blacks cared about the Oscars.
An upset was scored by Spotlight which won Best Picture for the Boston Globe's investigation into the Catholic Churches charges of sexual abuse by its clergy. Best original screenplay was also nabbed, rightfully so, by Spotlight.
VP Joseph Biden introduced Lady Gaga who sang her Oscar nominated song from The Hunting Ground for all those victims of sexual violence. Gaga showed her respect for the victims who surrounded her on stage as she sang at her white piano in a sculptured white pantsuit showing little cleavage. Her modest look was so understated. But she really was "Oh so white" and because of this slightly inappropriate. But it was great to see Gaga transform herself from an attention seeking pop singer wearing a meat dress to a serious talent concerned about issues that matter. But she forced the song and was a bit over the top in her singing which diminished the seriousness of the issue.
Best Actor went to Leonardo Di Caprio for The Reverant which was no surprise. His speech addressed his concerns for climate change.
Whoopi Goldberg in a dress fashioned after Bette Davis from All About Eve at first appeared awkward as blue jeans become her, but her charm opened up when she was interviewed and radiated a ladylike appeal which she hides when she hosts the View. Her hair was done up neatly in a chignon and not the dreadlock look she covets. Interviewed before the show began by a stunning Robin Roberts, Whoopi assured Roberts that Chris Rock 'had this down'. And indeed he did.
Louis C K announced his favorite Oscar for Documentary short. He lauded this category which he said would not give riches to the winners contrary to wealth of the audience. "This Oscar is going home in a Honda Civic," he said. "This Oscar will not make its winner rich while you will all go home to your mansions."
As to the outstanding beauties, Sophia Vergara was refreshing with hair back and in midnight blue and her bosom regal. Her understated sexually only made her pop more.
Jarrod Letto wore a black tux by Gucci with red trim and a carnation as a tie. Robin Roberts stole much of the spotlight from those she interviewed by looking like a gold beaded mermaid. Reese Witherspoon wore purple strapless and was not unusual. Her long hair beach look bla. Kate Blanchett was stunning as she looked like a giant blue flower. Irish actress Saoirse Ronan wore a beaded green Calvin Klein in honor of Ireland. She did not realize she was filmed outside of her limo as she adjusted her breasts making sure her nipples were covered which was no easy feat.
For this brief moment we had a glimpse of Ronan not being the innocent she portrays. Kate Winslett looked sexy in black with no cleavage and now very blonde which becomes her. Her hair was back on one side as she looked relaxed and uncontrived. Her dress was a metallic Ralph lauren. No stylist. Best Actress winner for Room Brie Larsen looked innocent and glowing in royal blue while great beauty Charlize Theron wore red with a horrible diamond and dangling necklace. Her hair was back and too extreme which made her total look awkward. A surprise from this mistress of 'the look.'
Sarah Silverman was funny taking on James Bond. She looked classy and regal as she put down the sexism of Bond as she said Bond never called her back after sex and he had sex with women who all wanted to kill him afterwards. Tina fey looked elegant and regal in purple with her hair straight back as her beauty shined through as she announced best production design
Margot Robbie in gold perfect beauty with great shoulder pads and looked like a female Oscar statue herself.
The big upset was Best Supporting Actor to Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies over Stallone who wore a navy tuxedo and whom everyone expected to win for Creed. Rylance thanks Tom Hanks whom he credited for giving his performance as he worked with him.
But six Oscars went to Mad Max Fury Road which started the broadcast as though it was going to be a sweep. Frankly I had trouble sitting through it as it was so violent and grotesque which I realize was its twisted kind of charm.
When Matt Damon was flashed on the screen during his performance in The Martian, his director Ridley Scott was photographed in the audience not applauding and looking stern. Odd reaction from Scott to his star. Meanwhile Sir Ridley Scott was shown during an intermission hocking IBM with a smug complacency.
Best documentary was given to No Girl in the River and because of it the Pakistani government said it changed law in favor of women. This is power of film. Let's hope Chris Rock's monologue changes next years Oscar nominees from 'oh so white' to 'oh so diverse'.
But where were the real stars of Hollywood? The Warren Beattys? The Meryl Streeps? The Kevin Spacey's? The Julia Roberts? The Jack Nicholson's? So many TV stars getting attention when the Oscars should only be about the movies. Shame on the producers of this show. Also ageism is a big issue in Hollywood which is rarely addressed. When is the issue going to be that the Oscars are only for the 'oh so young'? Bring back Sophia Loren, Academy. Show some respect for age as well as racism.