There hasn't been a fight for Best Picture in a decade, with the last shock win (Crash beating Brokeback Mountain) so unexpected it was less a battle than an assassination. Which made this year rather exciting to watch - after early favourites Foxcatcher and The Imitation Game failed to build momentum, more off-kilter choices began to lead the pack, with the race ultimately coming down to Boyhood and Birdman. Richard Linklater's coming-of-age epic with a purposely meandering plot was the favourite by the time the Oscar nominations were announced, but in the month or so since Alejandro González Iñárritu's meta-comedy with a purposely meandering camera had pulled it back, with wins at all three Guild awards putting it a favourite going into the night. Still, it's hard not to be a little disappointed that Boyhood comes out the awards a loser, only picking up Best Supporting Actress, particularly after it had managed to turn a minor initial release into something that made even Harvey Weinstein jealous. Both films are great, so it's not exactly a travesty, but Boyhood's snub is shocking all the same. Did you watch the Oscars? What were the biggest surprises of the ceremony for you? Share your thoughts down in the comments.
