15 reasons these were the best Oscars ever

ELLEN DeGeneres hosting, a record Aussie trophy haul, and the world’s most popular selfie — the 2014 Academy Awards rocked.

THE most enjoyable Oscars ceremony ever? That seems to be the general consensus.

Polls have overwhelmingly voted Ellen DeGeneres as the host with the most. Academy Award viewers loved her genuine, fun approach to what was essentially a relatively long awards ceremony.

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Here are our Top 15 reasons why these Oscars rocked:

• Ellen as host was funny, naughty, a little bit (subtly) cynical and still retained the art of delivering good, clean humour.

News_Rich_Media: Oscars host Ellen bags Jennifer Lawrence in opening of Academy Awards: Courtesy Nine Network.

• The musical performances were flawless — from Pharrell singing Happy, which got the audience up out of their seats, to Bette Midler performing at the Oscars for the very first time with Wind Beneath My Wings, to Pink, who belted out Over The Rainbow. All class.

News_Image_File: Bette Midler singing her signature ballad Wind Beneath My Wings. Picture: AP

• Speeches were fun, humble, passionate and heartfelt, from Matthew McConaughey’s ode to Dazed and Confused (plus his love for his family) and Cate Blanchett, who also thanked her beloved Sydney Theatre Company. Most nailed their 42 seconds on the stage.

News_Image_File: Best Actor winner Matthew McConaughey: all class. Picture: AFP

• Loved how our double-whammy Oscar winner, the dynamic Catherine Martin, pulled her speech out of her bra. “It’s a very Australian thing to do,” she smiled.

News_Rich_Media: Catherine Martin has won more Oscars than any other Australian after taking out the Academy Awards for Costume Design and Production Design for The Great Gatsby

• With social media platforms going into overdrive, plenty of feeds gave us a full 360-degree view of the entire awards ceremony. (Doubt we’ll see as much when the drinks start kicking in.)

Look who I just found backstage. pic.twitter.com/rp5Mt1sYsx

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014

• Everyone — from presenters, to wannabes to guests and big-time filmic folk — seemed to be in high spirits. Maybe we can blame it on the rain — the great leveller!

News_Image_File: The show must go on: crews were on hand to ensure the Oscars red carpet wasn’t a washout.

• The pizza delivery scene. OK, it was kind of corny, but Ellen dragged the pizza guy on stage and we watched Brad Pitt hand a slice of pizza on a paper plate to Meryl Streep. It was pure slapstick fun. The joke was made even better when Ellen asked some of Hollywood’s biggest players (including studio boss Harvey Weinstein) for money to tip the delivery guy!

News_Image_File: Brad Pitt lends a hand as Ellen passes around slices of pizza. Picture: AP

• The star-studded multi-selfie, orchestrated by Ellen and taken by Bradley Cooper, featuring a swag of the biggest front row Hollywood names. It only took an hour or two to become the most-retweeted photo ever!

If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014

• An awards ceremony isn’t the same without a few slip-ups. This year, Jennifer Lawrence tripped over her red Dior gown and the zip on the frock of E! News’ Giuliana Rancic splitting were just a few of the malfunctions.

News_Rich_Media: Oscars red carpet host Giuliana Rancic suffers a wardrobe malfunction on camera.

• You couldn’t help but love Jared Leto’s balayage (that’s hair talk for painted-on, bleached hair tips) and his simply brilliant Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech.

News_Image_File: Jared Leto and his beautiful, beautiful hair. Picture: AP

• Cate Blanchett telling Julia Roberts to “hashtag suck it” — obviously an ‘in’ joke that we will get to the bottom of!

News_Rich_Media: Cate Blanchett wins Best Actress and tells the Oscars audience "Julia hashtag suck it".

• Lupita Nyong’o, Best Supporting Actress award winner for her role in 12 Years A Slave. We don’t even need to give a reason. She just ‘is’.

News_Image_File: Cate Blanchett and Lupita Nyong’o cleaned up at the Oscars. Picture: AP

• Stars taking their beautiful mums as their Oscar dates — from Leo to Jared and Matthew (OK, he had his gorgeous wife there too).

News_Image_File: DiCaprio chats to Christoph Waltz as Leo’s date for the evening, his mum (far right), snaps a pic of the two.

• Seeing Liza Minnelli rocking some blue hair (to match her blue silk pant suit) and marvelling at Kim Novak’s extraordinary face.

News_Rich_Media: From Vertigo to now, Hollywood hottie Kim Novak as she looks today on stage at the Oscars

• Matt McConaughey’s ‘hero’ speech — to approach everyday with someone to look up to, something to look forward to and someone to be your hero. Mad about him.

News_Image_File: Matthew McConaughey kisses wife Camila Alves before taking to the stage to collect his Oscar. Picture: Getty Images