The 2015 Oscars: Who Got What Right?

This year’s Oscars were a celebration of Hollywood’s best films and performances from the past year, as well as a showcase for some of the most innovative and stylish outfits on the red carpet. It was also a reflection of the incredible variety of roles that women are playing in Hollywood today.

The year 2015 was a landmark one for Hollywood, as it was the first time that the Academy Awards did not name a single movie as the year’s best. The award for best picture went to *Wonder Woman*, a superhero film starring Gal Gadot, and it was an honor to be part of such an iconic film. There were also numerous other films and performances that were heavily contested, including several prominent Oscar hopefuls. So who did you think got what right? Let’s examine the stats and find out, shall we?

The Biggest Movers

The biggest movers on the night were *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, which went from no previous nominations to tying with *The Hateful Eight* for the most nominations (nine). It also won four awards, including best production design and sound mixing. While we were not able to see J. K. Rowling’s best-selling fantasy novel adapted for the big screen, the trailer did not do the book justice. It definitely looked better than the film adaptation of the same name, which was released in 2002 and starred Ian Mckellen as the renowned adventurer, Newt Scamander.

Also in the running for the most nominations this year was *The Hateful Eight*, which tied with *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* for the most nods (nine). However, it was the former’s performance as a western directed by Quentin Tarantulinu that got the film a lot of recognition—it won best supporting actor for Kurt Russell, as well as best director and best screenplay. In addition to winning three awards, including best picture, Tarantulinu also won for best adapted screenplay, which was co-written by Ruth Wilson.

The Biggest Box-office Winners

The biggest box-office winners of 2015 were *Mad Max: Fury Road* and *The Hateful Eight*. Both films were unexpected box-office success stories, having been either critically or popularly panned beforehand. The fourth entry in the Mad Max series, which began in 1979, pulled in more than $150 million in worldwide box-office sales and became the highest-grossing entry in the series. It was also the highest-grossing film of the year, as well as one of the biggest-ever commercial successes for its star, Tom Hardy.

The Hateful Eight was Quentin Tarantulinu’s western about a former slave and the eight guests he invites to spend the winter in his cabin. The group of outlaws, whom he calls *”the vilest creatures of which nature is capable”*, conspire in various ways to ruin each other’s lives and threaten to turn the tables on Tarantulinu. The film, which was released in December, took in more than $40 million in its first week alone and ended up being one of the biggest box-office hits of the year. It also went on to become one of the most acclaimed films of all time, having been cited by The New Yorker as one of the greatest westerns ever made and by the BBC as a masterclass in filmmaking.

Oscars Outfit Icons

While we were not able to see many of the famous red-carpet looks from the Oscars, we were blessed with some amazing fashion moments, which in turn, made us fashion historians. One of the most iconic outfits from this year’s Oscars was Beyoncé’s black-and-white-checked dress. It was one of the most influential looks of the night, not only because of its uniqueness, but because it stood for more than just one theme. The singer’s dress was a tribute to the iconic 1940s film noir, as she proudly sported a cigarette, which she had been depicted as in the movie, many times. The dress’s checkered pattern was a recreation of the look worn by Rita Hayworth, one of the film’s actresses. Although Hayworth eventually quit smoking, she was portrayed as a hopeless addict in the 1941 film ***Angels with Dirty Faces***.

Another iconic outfit was Adele’s gold-sequin dress. The singer was one of the most nominated performers at this year’s Oscars, with 12 to her name, including nominations for best song, best actress, and best original soundtrack. She is best known for her global smash hit “Hello,” which went viral in February 2015 and became the most-viewed YouTube video of all time at the time of publication. While the song was inspired by a relationship Adele was feeling at the time, the dress’s formal yet semi-casual dresses made it the perfect ambassador for the year 2015.

The Most Influential and Innovative Movies and Performances

While we were not able to get a clear picture of the entire red carpet due to time constraints, we were able to catch sight of a number of movie and performance highlights.

The majority of the films that we could see clearly had a strong influence on fashion and style today. The best example is Mad Max: Fury Road, which was released in May 2015 and became one of the biggest-grossing movies of the year. It was also one of the most prominent examples of apocalyptic fashion, with the women in the Max franchise dressing in a variety of underwear and bikinis, as well as a variety of headwear and scarves. While the film was not without controversies, due to its references to racism and sexism, it influenced many more than its costumes would have you believe.

Best Picture

While we were not able to get a clear picture of the entire red carpet due to time constraints, we were able to see Mad Max: Fury Road and The Hateful Eight in their entirety.

Mad Max: Fury Road, which was released in May 2015 and became one of the biggest-grossing movies of the year. It was also one of the most prominent examples of apocalyptic fashion, with the women in the Max franchise dressing in a variety of underwear and bikinis, as well as a variety of headwear and scarves. While the film was not without controversies, due to its references to racism and sexism, it influenced many more than its costumes would have you believe.

The Hateful Eight, which was released in December 2015 and became one of the biggest box-office hits of the year. It was also one of the most acclaimed films of all time, having been cited by The New Yorker as one of the greatest westerns ever made and by the BBC as a masterclass in filmmaking.

This year was a celebration of Hollywood’s best films and performances from the past year, as well as a showcase for some of the most innovative and stylish outfits on the red carpet. It was also a reflection of the incredible variety of roles that women are playing in Hollywood today.