2016 Oscars: Big Winners and Best Dressed Stars

Last night, a number of talented movie stars and industry professionals gathered to celebrate the past year’s achievements. Hosted by the hilarious Chris Rock, the 2016 Oscars were fun, thought-provoking and at times surprising – just like a good film.

2016 Oscars: The Winners

Spotlight, a searing drama about an investigative team at The Boston Globe, nabbed the evening’s top prize – “Best Picture.” It also took home the award for “Best Original Screenplay.”

Not to be outdone, The Revenant, another tough, challenging film, earned several of the Oscar’s most coveted awards – “Best Director” (Alejandro Iñárritu) “Best Actor” (Leonardo DiCaprio) and “Best Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki).

However, the biggest winner of the night was Mad Max: Fury Road. The post-apocalyptic action film nearly swept the technical categories. Indeed, it won 6 highly deserved awards including “Best Costume Design” (Jenny Beavan) and “Best Make-Up and Hair” (Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin).

Of course, the evening had a few upsets as well. Sylvester Stallone, the predicted favorite for Creed, lost “Best Supporting Actor” to Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies). Additionally, Ex-Machina won “Best Visual Effects” over the likes of Star Wars and Mad Max.

2016 Oscars: Best Dressed Stars

Although there were a few misses, overall the evening was glamorous and tasteful. Many stars played it safe both in color and in shape. However, there were several knockouts as well. Here are a few of our favorite gowns of the night.

To begin with, Lady Gaga looked simply stunning in her Brandon Maxwell creation. The pantsuit/dress hybrid avoided being gimmicky by highlighting the classic silhouette and remaining relatively simple.

Moreover, “Best Supporting Actress” Alicia Vikander was one of the only stars to go with a bold color. The bubble hem was an original touch and the earrings perfectly complemented the silver embellishments on her Louis Vuitton dress.

Unsurprisingly, Charlize Theron sizzled on the red carpet in her crimson Dior gown. The hair and accessories were perfection. And, more importantly, few actresses can pull off such a deep plunging neckline so effortlessly.

Finally, “Best Actress” winner Brie Larson was radiant in her royal blue Gucci dress. The Room star wore a jeweled hair accessory to match her intricate pearl-encrusted belt.

Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees alike! This past year was a great one for film. Let’s hope 2016 delivers even more thoughtful, challenging and diverse stories.