This Sunday’s Oscars were a momentous occasion, that gave us a chance to see Hollywood’s most cherished hotties take the stage, accept their prizes, and have tons of fun. While we didn’t expect 12 Years a Slave to walk away with best picture, or Gravity to be awarded 7 Oscar prizes, we can only say that the year was full of great surprises and funny moments. As with every Oscar celebration, there were wonderful moments, and some not so wonderful ones (for example, when great actors, like Leonardo Di Caprio, didn’t receive an Oscar prize). Let’s take a look at the best Oscar moments that shocked, delighted or downright amazed the audience. Here are the ten highs of Sunday’s marathon-length ceremony:
1. Awesome Acceptance Speeches
Matthew’s performance in “The Dallas Buyer’s Club” was exceptional, so it should not come as a surprise that he managed to snatch the Oscar from Leonardo Di Caprio. But it was his speech that managed to touch our hearts, especially since it ended with his trademark “all right” x 3 line. He also gave elaborate shot-outs to God and his deceased father. Next on our awesome acceptance speeches list was Jared Leto who has an incredible relationship with his mother, and brother. He gave a great speech in which he thanked his number one lady for everything that she did for them. Definitely one of the best Oscar moments!
“In 1971, Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she managed to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she’s here tonight. And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream.” (Jared Leto – Acceptance Speech)
2. Ellen DeGeneres and the Infamous Celebrity Selfie
Ellen DeGeneres was the host of this year’s Oscars and she did a great job! She started the night off with an edgy monologue that relaxed the stars while also preparing them for a breath-taking show. But the highlight of the night was undoubtedly the A-List selfie that she took with them, and later posted on her Twitter (it actually became the most retweeted Tweet of all time). Every intervention she made was worthy of our best Oscar moments list!
Among other moments we would also like to remember her scarring Leonardo diCaprio and Sandra Bullock, and ordering pizza for everyone in the audience (which Lupita paid for with a lipbalm). In her opening speech she also talked about the pretties person in the room (Jared Leto) and the Oscar’s being a lot like the hunger games: only one person wins, and last year’s winner was Jennifer Lawrence.
3. Belle of the Ball
There were some memorable appearances on the red carpet, but Lupita Nyong was definitely the crown jewel of the night. She was wearing a gorgeous fairytale pale blue gown, made for her by Prada, and a sophisticated tiara. It is nights like these that teach women how to dress better, and Kerry Washington, and Olivia Wilde managed to put off beautiful outfits even if they had some baby bumps to hide.
4. The Musical Performances
At some point during the show I was wondering if I wasn’t watching the Grammy’s by mistake, because there were so many musical moments that had the audience jumping for joy. First we had the rock heavyweights, U2, who performed “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”. Then came Pharrell Williams who danced with Lupita, Amy Adams and Meryl Streep during the song Happy, and Pink who performed Somewhere over the Rainbow, in commemoration of 75 years since The Wizard of Oz was released. Last but certainly not least, Karen O, an indie darling, performed “Her” and “The Moon Song”, while Idina Menzel also performed “Let it Go” from “Frozen” animation.
5. 12 Years a Slave Comes Through
Although Steve McQueen did not win the Best Director award, his intense drama “12 Years a Slave” was nominated, and chosen for the Best Picture award. Lupita Nyong’o also won the best supporting actress prize for her role, and Solomon Northup actually said that “You charge everything you fashion with a breath of your own spirit. Thank you for putting me in the position. It has been the joy of my life.”
“I dedicate this to everyone who has endured slavery and to those who continue to endure slavery.”
What a way to close the night, right? Did you enjoy this year’s Oscars, and if so, what was your favorite moment? Please share your thoughts with us.