Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the award for best director for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Birdman” captured Hollywood’s top honor at the Academy Awards yesterday, where the jazzy, surreal comedy about an actor fleeing his superhero past won best picture at a ceremony punctuated by passionate pleas for equality.
On a stormy night in Hollywood, the 87th annual Academy Awards — which came in humbled by backlash to its all-white acting nominees — bristled with politics and heartfelt speeches about women’s rights, immigration, suicide prevention and race.
Oscars voters opted for a movie that epitomizes much of Hollywood — showy, ego-mad, desperate for artistic credibility — over one («Boyhood») that prized naturalism and patience. «Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)» also won best director for Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, best original screenplay and best cinematography.
Eddie Redmayne accepts the award for best actor for “The Theory of Everything”
“Maybe next year the government will inflict immigration restrictions,” said Innaritu, recalling last year’s best director winner, Alfonso Cuaron. “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.”
Inarritu, a larger-than-life figure of frizzy hair, regularly wrapped in a scarf, concluded the night’s many moving speeches that called for societal progress. Innaritu said he prays his native country finds “a government we deserve” and that immigrants to the U.S. “can be treated with the same dignity and the respect of the ones who came before and (built) this incredible immigrant nation.”
The ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, hosted by Tony Award veteran Neil Patrick Harris, was heavy on song-and-dance to near-Grammy levels. Lady Gaga lavishly performed “The Hills Are Alive” from “The Sound of Music” with a rapt Julie Andrews looking on.
The awards overwhelmingly went to less-seen independent films and were widely spread around. All eight of the best-picture nominees won awards, including Britain’s Eddie Redmayne for best actor for his technically nuanced performance as Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything.”
“Please know this that I am fully aware that I am a lucky, lucky man,” said the young British actor. “This belongs to all of the people around the world battling ALS.”
All of Sunday’s big winners were first-timers, including best actress winner Julianne Moore, who won for her performance as an academic with early onset Alzheimer’s in “Still Alice.”
“I read an article that said that winning an Oscar could lead to living five years longer,” said Moore. “If that’s true, I’d really like to thank the academy because my husband is younger than me.”
Harris gave the Academy Awards a cheery tone that sought to celebrate Hollywood, while also slyly parodying it. “Tonight we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest — I mean brightest,” he began the night, alluding to this year’s all-white acting nominees.
Julianne Moore accepts the award for best actress in a leading role for “Still Alice”
Though Richard Linklater’s 12-years-in-making “Boyhood” was the critical favorite for much of awards season, it won only best supporting actress for Arquette.
Tears streamed down the face of David Oyelowo, who played the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma” and was infamously left out of the best actor nominees, during the rousing performance of the song “Glory” from the film. Immediately afterward, Common and Legend accepted the best song Oscar with a speech that drew a standing ovation.
Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” a European caper released in March when many awards contenders were still shooting, tied for the most Oscars with “Birdman.” The academy awarded Anderson’s latest confection with awards for production design, score, costume design and makeup and styling.
At Hollywood’s studios has increasingly focused on mounting global blockbusters, the Oscars have become largely the providence of smaller indies. In the night’s opening routine, Jack Black, playing villain to the cheery Harris, lamented Hollywood releases “opening with lots of zeroes, all we get is superheroes.”
“Birdman” was thus a fitting winner: a meta-movie about an actor (Michael Keaton) reconciling himself to his superhero fame. Backstage, co-writer Nicholas Giacobone warned: “Birdman 4” will open next summer. Jake Coyle, Film Writer, Los Angeles, AP
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