The Academy Awards have redeemed themselves. Trophies seem to finally be going to the rightful winners, and a ceremony loaded with the usual amount of drama has made the 84th Annual Oscar Ceremony big news. Here are some highlights of the awesomeness, in case you missed it:
The Artist dominates.
Viewers everywhere will be rushing to see The Artist after last night’s award ceremony. As if taking home five Oscars is not enough, this film has also earned recognition for being the first silent film to win an Oscar of any kind since 1929.
Meryl is back on top.
Meryl Streep takes home her third Oscar, this time for
Best Leading Actress in The Iron Lady
, and maintains her supremacy in the TV-world. This Yale graduate has been nominated for 17 Oscars throughout her career and her newest role in Great Hope Springs is expected to stir up some excitement when the film is released this summer on Aug. 10.
20 minutes? Pshh, plenty of time.
Octavia Spencer wins Best Supporting Actress for her role as
Minny Jackson in The Help
. Although she got only about 20 minutes of screen time in the film, Spencer left such an impression on viewers that the Oscars couldn’t help but throw some kudos her way.

 Rango brings it down a notch.
The only noticeable letdown of the Academy Awards was the selection of Rango as Best Animated Feature Film. Word on the street has been pulling in favor of the animated movie Rio, but the Oscars seemed to favor a much less exciting and remarkably bizarre film this year.
CM’s Best Dressed Award: Jessica Chastain turns heads.
Chastain commented to the Hollywood Reporter, "Most little girls dream of their wedding dresses, I grew up dreaming of my Oscar dress.” Well, Jessica, you’re living the dream—this star stunned viewers with a gorgeous black and gold Alexander McQueen gown and alluring, classic look. With sparkling beads and a dazzling smile, Chastain takes the cake for best dressed.
How did they not see Baron Cohen coming?
Of course, no famous awards ceremony can finish without at least one major publicity stunt. Sacha Baron Cohen, notorious for his media-attracting behavior, dressed in the attire of Admiral General Shabazz Aladeen (his new role in The Dictator) and approached host Ryan Seacrest on stage. Accompanied by two female “security guards”, Baron Cohen proceeded to dump white dust—the late Kim Jong-Il’s ashes, in fact, according to Baron Cohen—all over host Ryan Seacrest’s suit. He may have been escorted out by security, but he certainly got his point across. Mission accomplished.
