Renee Sogueco, ‘Doah Managing Editor
March 4, 2015

On Feb. 22, people across the United States tuned in to watch the 87th Academy Awards show, which was presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Taking place at the Dolby Theatre in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, film, music and television stars gathered on the red carpet in order to see which 2014 films took home the coveted golden statue.

This year, Neil Patrick Harris hosted the ceremony. Many criticisms of the 2015 showing include the length and pace of the show. While Harris is notable for his improvisation and dry humor during his hosting, he provided only a mediocre and flat performance at the Academy Awards, constantly noting about his predictions box throughout the night as a joke that ran dry. His interactions with the audience felt especially forced and awkward throughout the night.

Other criticisms stemmed from Joan Rivers’ exclusion from the “In Memoriam” segment. This portion, presented by actress Meryl Streep, was supposed to honor those famous figures in film that passed in 2014. Rivers, however, was included in the online version of the “In Memoriam.”

Many across the country further criticized the Oscars and its nomination process due to its lack of diversity in its nominees. “Selma,” though nominated for Best Picture, was excluded from Directing, Acting and Screenplay categories, and all acting nominations were for only Caucasian actors and actresses. There was also a notable lack of female nominations beyond the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, furthering the amount of criticisms towards the Academy. The president of the Academy responded that all members are working towards including more culturally diverse and inclusive members in order to combat the stagnant nominations.

One of the notable positive segments of the show was Lady Gaga’s medley from “the Sound of Music.” Most people gawked at the pure vocal flexibility and power, but Gaga, at an early age, was accepted to Julliard for vocal performance. From the media to those who attended, everyone seemed awed at her performing such vocally demanding compositions, especially such iconic songs. Though she transposed it to fit her mezzosoprano range, she emoted and encompassed the character of Marie and placed herself on a higher pedestal amongst the other performers.