Why this Years' Academy Awards Ceremony Was One of the Best

Chris Rock

Every year, there has been enough tension between the day that the Oscar nominations are announced and when the winners finally give their speeches. It is a fun time to speculate, especially if you're a prognosticator who enjoys nitpicking statistics or at any point believing that The Big Short was a front runner of any kind. The race itself was exciting, but this was likely undermined by what everyone else wanted to talk about: Oscars So White. For the second year in a row, every acting category was jam packed with white faces that would eventually lead to notorious boycotts from black celebrities, specifically that of Jada Pinkett Smith and Al Sharpton. This raised a question: how do The Oscars go on? Thankfully Chris Rock was there, and he turned  in one of the best awards ceremonies in years. It was controversial, sure, but Rock and producer Reginald Hudlin turned in a 3.5 hour production that not only addressed the elephant in the room, but reminded audiences as to why The Oscars are so integral to Hollywood, and international representation.

The Worst Moments of the 87th Annual Academy Awards

Neil Patrick Harris

With the Oscars officially behind us, it is time to wrap-up the highs and lows of the season. Where the previous post saw an exploration of everything that the show did right, this is a look at the few flubs that maybe didn't work out. It was a hard year to judge because unlike the meandering that dominated last year's ceremony, this year ran like clockwork despite running long and featured a lot of soapbox moments. The following is a look at the moments that maybe didn't work so well at this year's Academy Awards, including some coverage of the best red carpet moment of the ceremony.

The Highlights of the 87th Academy Awards Ceremony

The moment has come and gone. The 87th Annual Academy Awards happened at the Dolby Theater and handed out 24 awards throughout the night, including Best Picture winner Birdman. What were some of the highlights of the evening? The following is a list of the various moments that stand out above the rest and prove just why Neil Patrick Harris, and the show in general, was in top form and knew how to make the overlong program move fast enough to keep attentive while also lacking in self-involvement. It may have not been the best ceremony ever, but at least it was a lot better than most years.

This Oscars Ceremony Performers and Presenters Continue to Get Weirder

Lady GaGa

If the current line-up of performers and presenters at the Oscars hasn't gotten you all sorts of excited, curious and confused, then you're about to experience a whirlwind of surprises. While previous reports have announced the familiar line-up of performers who will sing the Best Original Song nominees, there hasn't been too great of an understanding of what the show itself will be like. It has only been a week and it looks like we'll be having one of the craziest ceremonies in years. Or at least one of the most inventive.

A Rundown of What We Know About the 2015 Oscars Ceremony So Far

While everyone knows who the nominees for this year's show is, what are the chances that they know who will likely show up? This entry will serve as a compilation of everything that has been announced so far regarding the Oscars ceremony including presenters, performers and who is in charge of writing Neil Patrick Harris' opening song. While there is likely more information to come, this is what is known with a little over two weeks to go. If nothing else, there's a lot of great entertainment to look forward to this time around.

A Look at the Writing Staff for the 2015 Academy Awards Ceremony

Greg Berlanti

It has been awhile since we found out that Neil Patrick Harris was hosting the 2015 Academy Awards Ceremony. With many still excited over what is likely to come from the Gone Girl star and all around host maestro, the news continues to roll out for the people who will be putting on the show. This past Friday, the news was announced of who the writing staff is. While these names likely will not grab you as much as Harris', they still carry with them a particularly exciting weight that will hopefully elevate the show's material to something greater. The following will be a quick rundown of the team that will have the thankless job of writing and entertaining us. Here's a hint: It doesn't feature Bruce Villanch.

Neil Patrick Harris Confirmed to Host the Oscars Ceremony in 2015

Neil Patrick Harris

It is that time again. Every year, there's anticipation for who is going to host next year's Oscars Ceremony. The question has finally been answered. Continuing the trend of former TV stars of the past few years with Billy Crystal, Seth MacFarlane and Ellen Degeneres is How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris. The host of all trades announced via a Youtube in which he marked it off of a bucket list. What is there to expect from this performer and can it top last year's devastating hosting job?

Review: "Gone Girl" is Fincher's Excellently Twisted Take on Morality and Media

Director David Fincher may be the greatest filmmaker of the contemporary American mainstream crime drama. From Se7en to Zodiac and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, he has added a violent joy to tragedy. It is voyeuristic and, as he progressed, more artistic. He is a filmmaker of uncompromising talent by turning crime scenes into allegorical theories on human existence. In the case of Gone Girl, he explores the sick fascination with mental illness and essentially lying to the camera. It is a film that seems straightforward at first, but by the closing credits, the unnerving sense of happiness only makes things creepier. What Fincher has done was created probably his most twisted, unexpected, pulpy film to date, and it works more often than not.

Fincher Returns to Oscar Prospects with the Compelling "Gone Girl" Trailer

Ben Affleck

It may only be April, but that doesn't mean that we can't look forward to what the Fall season will provide. With an exceptional time in films right now with Noah, Joe and Under the Skin currently giving plenty to talk about, it would seem like the Oscar race has some early threats. However, for those that take last year's marginal selection as a sign of fate, then we haven't even begun. With all of this said, director David Fincher manages to hit the scene early with the first official trailer for his latest film Gone Girl, which opens in October. The results are immediately striking in true Fincher form and poses the question of what's really going to happen next.