Jimmy Kimmel hosted the 2018 Oscar Awards, and in his opening monologue he jokingly stated, “If you are a nominee tonight who is not making history tonight… shame on you!”

From accomplishments for the best picture award, to shattering the ceiling for female academy nominations, the most recent Oscars were attention grabbing in every category, rather than just best actor, actress, or picture.

Not only was the spectacle purely entertaining because of the recipients new accomplishments, but it also now serves as a bar to measure up to for future academy award producers and film makers (directors, actors, etc.) as well.

Therefore, let’s run down the list of the newly released accomplishments presented at the 90th Academy Awards.

The Shape of Water: first science fiction film to win best picture

The Shape of Water follows Elisa, a mute isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab’s classified secret — a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank.

As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist. 

Outside of the technical categories, sci-fi movies have always had a tough go at the Academy Awards. However, The Shape of Water was able to snag best picture in consequent to its impressive screenplay and conflicting love plot.

Jordan Peele: first African American to win best original screenplay 

Jordan Pelee’s Get out is a horror movie on the surface level, but upon deeper inspection,

serves as a depiction regarding racism in our society and how it is still alive and unfortunately well today. 

In this critically acclaimed film, protagonist Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, so she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with Missy and Dean.

At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined. 

Rachel Morrison: first women to be nominated for best cinematographer

Rachel Morrison was nominated for his new movie Mudbound, which has been argued to be the best drama this year.

In the midst of the family’s struggles, two young men return from the war to work the land. Jamie McAllan, Laura’s brother-in-law, is everything her husband is not – charming and handsome, but he is haunted by his memories of combat. 

Mudbound has numerous academy nominations and was a 2017 standout.

Denzel Washington: the most nominated black actor in history 

Another big accomplishment went to Denzel Washington. After his nomination for Best Actor in Fences last year made him the most nominated black actor in history with seven nominations over the course of his career, the nomination he scored this time around (another Best Actor nod for Roman J. Israel) brings that number up to eight and he continues to hold that record.

Christopher Plummer: oldest actor to be nominated for best supporting actor

Many of you may recognize Christopher Plummer from the famous Sound of Music. And while he may not look the same, he is still filled with exquisite talent.

Agnes Varda is the oldest nominee in Oscar history

The 89-year-old Belgian-born director earned an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary for Faces Places, and made history in the process. Shortly after learning of the nomination and asked to comment on being nominated at her age, Varda said, “I’m just saying, I’m not dead yet.” Varda was awarded a Governors Award by the Academy late last year.

These awards are stunning and even mind boggling. Furthuremoore . Hopefully they records either set or continued serve as benchmark for future Academy awards to come.