The Verge - The 2014 Oscars: all the news from Hollywood's biggest nighthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2014-03-04T06:27:40-05:00http://www.theverge.com/rss/stream/52290172014-03-04T06:27:40-05:002014-03-04T06:27:40-05:00161 years later, New York Times corrects its '12 Years a Slave' story
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<p><i>The New York Times</i> today <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/pageoneplus/corrections-march-4-2014.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0">published</a> corrections to a story that ran more than 150 years ago, thanks to the twin forces of Twitter and Hollywood. The <a target="_blank" href="http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E03EEDC1438E334BC4851DFB7668388649FDE&smid=nytimesarts">article</a>, published on January 20th, 1853, describes the story of Solomon Northup, a freed African-American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Northup's memoir, <i>Twelve Years a Slave</i>, was turned into the movie that <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5464266/2014-oscar-winners-gravity-best-director-12-years-a-slave-best-picture">won the Oscar for best picture</a> at Sunday's Academy Awards in Los Angeles.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/4/5469090/161-years-later-new-york-times-corrects-its-12-years-a-slave-story">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/4/5469090/161-years-later-new-york-times-corrects-its-12-years-a-slave-storyAmar Toor2014-03-03T22:17:31-05:002014-03-03T22:17:31-05:00Kevin Spacey as Keyboard Cat is not the weirdest part of this Jimmy Kimmel video series
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<p>Late night host Jimmy Kimmel celebrated the Academy Awards in the only way he's become accustomed to: poking fun at the entertainment industry using its own stars. Riffing off the fact that many of the Oscar-nominated films were adapted from books, Kimmel turned to <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/jimmy-kimmel-live/news/after-the-oscars/Youtube-Movies" target="_blank">internet memes as a source for future films</a>, resulting in a four clips that star A-list actors doing things you would never expect.</p>
<p>Key among them is a version of <i>Amadeus —</i> somewhat unfortunately — "<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrFCuJ-m9KU&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Ameowdeus</a>," that stars Kevin Spacey as <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ" target="_blank">Keyboard Cat</a>. Spacey is joined by a slew of other famous actors, including Gary Oldman, Ben Kingsley, Mandy Patinkin, Christoph Waltz, and Abbie Cornish. Kimmel throws in references to "<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDMNHvnIxic" target="_blank">Hamster on a Piano</a>" and "<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw" target="_blank">Dramatic Chipmunk</a>," in a clip...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5468262/kevin-spacey-as-keyboard-cat-is-not-the-weirdest-part-of-these-videos">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5468262/kevin-spacey-as-keyboard-cat-is-not-the-weirdest-part-of-these-videosJosh Lowensohn2014-03-03T00:08:13-05:002014-03-03T00:08:13-05:00'12 Years a Slave' earns best picture Oscar, 'Gravity' and 'Dallas Buyers Club' win big
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<img alt="12 Years a Slave (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KnZ1sFuIfb9dt21lwR2PSu5V2DM=/0x0:640x427/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/4079535/12yearsaslave1_640.jpg" />
<figcaption>12 Years a Slave (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)</figcaption>
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<p><i>Gravity</i> won big tonight at the Oscars, as Alfonso Cuarón's space drama took home seven awards including best director — but it was <i>12 Years a Slave</i> that won the highest honor of the evening. Going into the Oscars, the two films that seemed to be in the strongest position were <i>Gravity</i> and Steve McQueen's drama, with ten and nine nominations each, respectively. But the Matthew McConaughey-starring <i>Dallas Buyers Club</i> was the film that got off to the quickest start, with Jared Leto taking home the statue for best supporting actor while the film also snagged best makeup.</p>
<p><i>Gravity</i> first made a statement in the technical categories, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464334/gravity-2014-oscar-wins" style="background-color: #ffffff;">picking up awards for best visual effects</a>, sound editing, and best sound mixing. The roll continued as <i>Gravity...</i></p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5464266/2014-oscar-winners-gravity-best-director-12-years-a-slave-best-picture">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5464266/2014-oscar-winners-gravity-best-director-12-years-a-slave-best-pictureBryan Bishop2014-03-03T00:04:06-05:002014-03-03T00:04:06-05:00'Wall-E' director celebrates the power of storytelling in Google's Oscars ad
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<figcaption>google-story-ad-woody</figcaption>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpOjnXcy8NE">Google newest ad</a> has just aired during the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/5455850/blockbuster-production-an-inside-look-at-building-the-2014-oscars-academy-awards">86th annual Academy Awards</a>. It shares the Oscars' reverence for film, using Pixar's Andrew Stanton — the director of <i>Finding Nemo</i> and <i>Wall-E</i> — to emphasize the importance of storytelling. Stanton, who performed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxDwieKpawg">a TED talk on the subject</a> in 2012, speaks about the power of stories, his words set to shots of filmmakers young and old across the United States using their own cameras to tell their own tales.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5464752/google-oscars-ad-celebrates-power-of-stories">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5464752/google-oscars-ad-celebrates-power-of-storiesRich McCormick2014-03-02T23:42:27-05:002014-03-02T23:42:27-05:00Spike Jonze wins best screenplay Oscar for 'Her'
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<figcaption>via <a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4079159/her_promotional_images2_1020.jpg">cdn3.sbnation.com</a></figcaption>
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<p><i>Her </i>director Spike Jonze took home his first Academy Award tonight for best original screenplay. The film bested such contenders as David O. Russell's <i>American Hustle </i>and Woody Allen's <i>Blue Jasmine</i>, but was long a favorite for the Oscar.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/17/5218374/her-review-spike-jonze-imagines-what-its-like-to-fall-in-love-with-a"><i>Her </i>won heaps of praise this year</a> for its thoughtful, shockingly intimate treatment of a romance with an operating system. The film is also up for the Oscar for best picture, though it faces stiff competition from <i>Gravity</i>.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464740/spike-jonze-wins-best-screenplay-oscar-for-her">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464740/spike-jonze-wins-best-screenplay-oscar-for-herKwame Opam2014-03-02T22:54:00-05:002014-03-02T22:54:00-05:00Ellen earns the most retweets ever for her Oscars selfie
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<figcaption>Ellen retweet</figcaption>
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<p>Ellen managed to shatter the record for most retweets with her Oscar selfie tweet this evening. The tweet, which shows the host flanked by nearly a dozen stars, has more than 2 million retweets and the number is still climbing. It even caused a "<a target="_blank" href="http://status.twitter.com/post/78400054104/brief-service-issue" style="background-color: #ffffff;">brief service issue</a>" in its wake. The feat was pulled off all in a little more than half an hour. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464422/ellen-takes-a-selfie-at-the-oscars-sponsored-by-samsung" target="_blank">Samsung must be pleased</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464650/ellen-earns-the-most-retweets-ever-for-her-oscars-tweet">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464650/ellen-earns-the-most-retweets-ever-for-her-oscars-tweetKwame Opam2014-03-02T21:23:57-05:002014-03-02T21:23:57-05:00'Gravity' wins seven Oscars, including best director
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<figcaption>Gravity (WARNER BROS.)</figcaption>
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<p>It's shaping up to be a big night for <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/1/4788682/gravity-review">Alfonso Curaon's <i>Gravity</i></a>. The science fiction epic took home seven Academy Awards, including best director and best visual effects (<a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/24/5443870/heres-how-special-effects-masters-made-gravity-look-so-real" target="_blank">not entirely surprising</a>). Overall, <i>Gravity</i> was nominated for ten Oscars, meaning it lost three — best production design (to The Great Gatsby), best actress (to Cate Blanchett / <i>Blue Jasmine</i>), and big one, best picture (to <i>12 years a Slave</i>). Cuaron already took home the top prize <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/26/5347210/gravity-wins-top-prize-at-dga-awards-predicts-oscar-win" style="background-color: #ffffff;">from the Director's Guild of America Awards</a> in late January, which was a strong indicator that he'd win the Oscar for best director tonight.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464334/gravity-2014-oscar-wins">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464334/gravity-2014-oscar-winsRoss Miller2014-03-02T21:16:09-05:002014-03-02T21:16:09-05:00Ellen takes a selfie at the Oscars, sponsored by Samsung
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<p>In a moment devoid of all subtlety, Ellen DeGeneres took a moment away from her hosting duties at the Oscars tonight to take a selfie with what appeared to be a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Of course, Samsung is a major sponsor of the festivities tonight, so the move was fitting... if somewhat bizarre.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464422/ellen-takes-a-selfie-at-the-oscars-sponsored-by-samsung">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/2/5464422/ellen-takes-a-selfie-at-the-oscars-sponsored-by-samsungKwame Opam