Table of Contents
The Oscars this year were a big victory for the movie “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan. It won seven awards, including best picture, best actor, and best director.
The film tells the story of the man who created the atomic bomb.
Cillian Murphy, who played the lead role, won the best actor award. This was his first Oscar win and the first time someone from Ireland has won in this category. Robert Downey Jr. won the best supporting actor award. This was also his first Oscar win.
Christopher Nolan won his first best director Oscar for this film.
Emma Stone won the best actress award for the comedy “Poor Things.” This is her second Oscar award. The movie also won awards for production design, hairstyling and makeup, and costume design.
The movie “The Zone of Interest,” directed by Jonathan Glazer, won the award for best international feature. This is the first time a British film has won in this category. The movie also won an award for sound.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in the drama “The Holdovers.”
The movie “Barbie” had eight nominations, but won just one award for best original song, performed by Billie Eilish. Ryan Gosling also performed his nominated song “I’m Just Ken” at the ceremony.
The documentary “20 Days in Mauripol,” about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, won the award for best documentary. This is the first time a movie from Ukraine has won an Oscar.
Japanese cinema also did well. “The Boy and the Heron” won best animated feature and “Godzilla Minus One” won best visual effects.
Vocabulary
- Oscar – A special gold trophy given at the Academy Awards for movies; * ‘The Oscars’ is another name for the Academy Awards
- Victory – win; success; achievement; triumph
- Direct – to lead; to be in charge; to command; to give orders;
- Award – A prize given for doing something well; 🥇🏆
- Include – to contain; incorporate; to be part of; to have something smaller as a part of it; come with
- Picture (motion picture) – movie; film
- Actor – A person who pretends to be someone else in a play or movie (often used for men)
- Director – a person in charge of making a movie or a play; the boss of a movie or play production
- Film – movie; motion picture
- Atomic bomb – A very powerful bomb that uses nuclear energy
- Play – to act as; to be a character in a show or movie
- Lead – The main role in a play or movie
- Role – the character that an actor or actress plays in a movie or a play
- Category – a type, or a group of things having some features that are the same
- Supporting actor/actress – not the main actor in a movie or show; someone who plays a smaller role in a movie or play, but is still important to the story;
- Actress – A female actor; A person who pretends to be someone else in a play or movie (used for women)
- Production design – The look and feel of a movie’s set; Making the sets and backgrounds look real for a movie
- Hairstyling – The way an actor’s hair is styled or looks for a movie; Fixing someone’s hair to look a certain way for a movie
- Makeup – Cosmetics and makeup design used on actors for a movie; to change someone’s face or appearance for a movie
- Costume – the clothing that actors and actresses wear in a movie, play or TV show; clothing people wear for fun
- Costume design – The clothes actors wear in a movie;
- Feature – A full-length movie, not a short one
- Nomination – the act of officially suggesting someone or something for a job, position, or prize; the first step in the process of giving someone an award or choosing them for a job
- Original – Something that is the first of its kind; not a copy or remake
- Perform – to entertain people by dancing, singing, acting, or playing music
- Ceremony – A formal event, especially one celebrating a special occasion
- Documentary – A movie that tells about real people and events;
- Invasion – the action of attacking and entering another country or area
- Cinema – Another word for movies or the movie industry;
- Animated – A movie made with drawings, not real people
- Visual effects – Special tricks and techniques used to make unreal things seem real in movies
Quiz
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Discussion Questions
- In your opinion, does winning an Oscar change an actor’s or director’s career? How?
- What impact do you think an Oscar win has on a country’s film industry?
- Why do you think “Oppenheimer” won so many awards?
- Is it important for movies to be historically accurate, even if they are not documentaries? Why or why not?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
The Oscars this ______ were a big victory for the movie “Oppenheimer,” directed ______ Christopher Nolan. It won seven awards, including best ______, best actor, and best director.
The film tells the story of the ______ who created the atomic bomb.
Cillian Murphy, ______ played the lead role, won the best actor award. This was his ______ Oscar win and the first time someone from ______ has won in this category. Robert Downey Jr. won the best ______ actor award. This was also his first Oscar ______.
Christopher Nolan won his first ______ director Oscar for this film.
Emma Stone won the best ______ award for the comedy “Poor Things.” This is her second Oscar ______. The movie also won awards for ______ design, hairstyling and makeup, and costume ______.
The movie “The Zone of Interest,” directed by ______ Glazer, won the award for best international feature. This is the ______ time a British film has won in this category. The movie ______ won an award for sound.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the best ______ actress Oscar for her role in the ______ “The Holdovers.”
The movie “Barbie” had ______ nominations, but won just one award for best original ______, performed by Billie Eilish. Ryan Gosling also ______ his nominated song “I’m Just Ken” at the ceremony.
The ______ “20 Days in Mauripol,” about the Russian invasion of ______, won the award for best documentary. This is the first time a movie ______ Ukraine has won an Oscar.
Japanese cinema also did ______. “The Boy and the Heron” won best animated ______ and “Godzilla Minus One” won best visual ______.
