8 Best Oscar Moments Of ALL Time And 7 Of The Worst
It's the most wonderful time of the year. Okay, okay, so it's not Christmas or anything even close to a holiday, but it is the day after the Oscars, and that means it's the best day ever since it's time to reflect on last night's awards ceremony. Chances are, you're just as obsessed with the Oscars as everyone else on the planet. You plan for this day for ages. You start an office poll to predict who's going to win and you swear you always know (even though, of course, you do get things wrong because hey, you're only human). You grab your BFFs and watch the big ceremony with tons of junk food and if you're feeling particularly inspired, some cocktails inspired by that year's nominations. Yup, you're a true movie addict and this is your night. So now that the 2017 show is behind us, it's time to look back.
Here are the 8 best moments of the Oscars of all time… and 7 of the worst.
15 Best: Leo's 2016 Win
When Leonardo DiCaprio FINALLY won an Oscar last year for starring in the scary bear movie The Revenant, you cheered. You felt like there was some justice in the world and you could not have possibly been more excited. This was definitely one of the best moments of the Oscars of all time. You also think that he totally deserved this win. After all, who else could have done such a good job in such a terrifying movie?! You also know that this shoot was apparently really difficult. You can't even imagine how tough it must have been and so Leo definitely deserved an award for that alone, let alone his stunning and amazing performance. Then there is the fact that he is pretty cute. Yeah, you know that you can't exactly give someone an Oscar for being cute, but you kind of think that this should be a thing.
14 Worst: The 2016 #OscarsSoWhite Scandal
Last year, the scandal revolving around the Oscars was that they were, unfortunately, racist. This was all that anyone in Hollywood could talk about and it definitely cast a tragic tone over the awards ceremony that people look forward to each and every year. When Chris Rock gave his opening monolog at the ceremony last year, he said, "It's not about boycotting. We want opportunities. We want black actors to get the same opportunities as white actors -- that's it. Not just once." Before the ceremony aired, there was a lot of talk about the lack of black actors being nominated… or even getting legit film roles. This was definitely one of the worst moments in the history of the Oscars since it's really a shame that this is even happening. Everyone deserves the same amount of opportunities, just as Chris Rock so eloquently said, and that's the honest truth. It's really a problem that this is still an issue. People are saying that this year was much better but it's definitely not perfect yet.
13 Best: A Horror Movie Doing Well In 1992
Have you seen The Silence Of The Lambs? Chances are you're one of two people: a total horror movie buff… or totally terrified of anything that makes you think that there is a monster hiding under your bed. Yes, you still think that way, even though you're supposedly a grown-up now. You were probably too young back in 1992 to watch the ceremony but here's some fun Oscars history: a horror movie did really well that year. The Silence Of The Lamb won five Oscars and not only that, but these were considered the ones that your film really should win in order to be considered a big deal. These awards are Best Actress and Best Actor along with awards for writing and directing and, of course, Best Picture. Can you imagine a horror movie winning Best Picture again?! Definitely not. Horror movies and comedies aren't usually considered typical Oscar fare, but back in the 90s, they were given some respect, at least one year. You knew you loved the 90s.
12 Worst: Adele Dazeem In 2014
Oh man. You can barely think about this without breaking a sweat. So awkward. In 2014, John Travolta stood on that storied stage and called Idina Menzel "Adele Dazeem." It was not a joke. Nope. He was totally and completely serious. He thought that was her name. Um, what?! Even a few years later, you are still pretty shocked and still can't wrap your head around it. It just does not make sense. How can you make such a huge mistake? It is not the nicest, most respectful thing in the world to call someone by the wrong name anytime and anywhere, but especially on this historic and famous stage. This was definitely one of the worst moments in Oscar history and it likely won't ever be forgotten. How do you even live something like this down?! You are not sure because you still do not know how to react to this.
11 Best: The Standing O For Charlie Chaplin In 1972
Okay, so this was way before your time, and maybe you've never heard about this. It's time that changed. In 1972, the great Charlie Chaplin was given an honorary award… and the crowd cheered for him. As in they seriously cheered. He got a standing ovation and it didn't last a minute or two. It didn't even last five minutes. This lasted 12 minutes. Yes, really. Just think about that. This is definitely one of the best Oscar moments ever and it's something that proves how much Hollywood respected and appreciated and adored him. It's impossible to imagine this happening today, right? It seems like people would stop it and make sure that it didn't go on too long, or if it did happen, they would cut to a commercial break ASAP and you wouldn't even have a clue that it even happened. It was truly an epic and special moment.
10 Worst: Every Time Someone Totally Predictable Wins
Sadly, you can't decide who wins Oscars. If only you could. That would definitely be your dream job. So instead, you're at the mercy of the people who are supposed to be voting and you have to live with their decisions (even if you don't always agree). There are certain actors, actresses or films that you totally believe should have won and you can never get over the fact that they weren't shown any Oscar love. For example, you definitely think The Social Network should have beat The King's Speech because come on. A brilliant movie about the origins of Facebook?! Now that's an amazing movie and if that's not worthy of an award, then you really don't know what it is. You also think that James Franco should have gotten some recognition for his amazing role in 127 Hours. So every year, someone predictable wins and you're always sitting there, wondering why things can't be more exciting.
9 Best: The Political Tone In 2017
This year's Oscars were, of course, super political, and you wouldn't expect anything less. Since the political climate is so sad and tricky right now, there was no reason to believe that stars wouldn't speak up. Host Jimmy Kimmel joked about Donald Trump calling Meryl Streep overrated and said, "Meryl Streep has phoned it in for more than 50 films over her lackluster career." When Hailee Steinfeld took the stage with Gael García Bernal to introduce Best Animated Feature, Gael knew that he had to say something. So he did. He talked about the wall that Trump has spoken about building and he said, “As a Mexican, as a Latin American, as a migrant worker, as a human being, I am against any form of wall that wants to separate us.” You definitely respect and appreciate every Hollywood figure who speaks out against injustice and hate because it proves that they are not just pretty faces -- they are real people who are compassionate and care about their country.
8 Worst: James Franco And Anne Hathaway Hosting In 2011
YIKES. You totally shudder just thinking about this, right? You were super thrilled that some of your Hollywood faves were given the awesome opportunity to host the Oscars back in 2011. You thought it was a really great idea and you agreed that it was time for some young blood. Of course, this was THE WORST IDEA EVER and things could not have possibly gone worse. You agree with critics and fans alike that Anne was so excited and happy about this, she made everyone watching feel super uncomfortable, and James seemed like he would rather have been anywhere else. They were an odd couple, to say the least, and it made you (and everyone else) wonder why they were even paired together in the first place. Needless to say, this moment will go down in Oscars history as one of the worst moments ever.
7 Best: Titanic Won Big In 1998
You know that Titanic is a movie that you will adore forever, no matter how much it makes you sob and no matter how much it breaks your heart. Maybe those are the reasons why you adore it so much. Hey, you're kind of a masochist, but that's okay. You may not have watched this ceremony because you were just a kid back then, but in 1998, this movie won big. The beautiful and tragic film got 14 nominations and won 11 of them. Yes, 11. That's crazy amazing and really something to be proud of. Of course, this was not exactly a huge surprise to anyone at the time, since this movie was such a big success at the box office and with fans and critics as well. You can't really imagine another movie cleaning up like this these days. Today, if a film wins a handful of awards, it's considered a pretty big deal, so this was definitely an important moment in the history of the awards ceremony.
6 Best: Jennifer Lawrence Falling In 2013
Sure, it might seem like Jennifer Lawrence falling on the steps of the Oscar stage would be in the worst category, but this is totally not the case. You loved this star, even more, when she fell down and that's how everyone else felt, too. She laughed it off and stayed the classy woman that you know she is and she joked about how everyone was clapping because it was such a humiliating moment. There aren't a lot of women out there, famous or otherwise, who could handle this kind of embarrassing moment, and so you totally give Jennifer Lawrence props for handling this Oscar moment with grace and elegance. She really is a true star. This was also such a great moment since it proved that she's really just a normal girl -- the kind who falls, who is klutzy, and who loves eating junk food. See, she's totally you.
5 Best: Halle Berry's Historic Win In 2002
When Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar in 2002 for Monster's Ball, it was a historic moment for sure. She was completely overwhelmed and basically crying before she even made it up to the stage. She could barely speak when she got up to the podium and it was a super sweet and touching moment. She said, "This moment is so much bigger than me" and said "It's for the women that stand beside me -- Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett. This is for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has the chance because the door tonight has been opened." It was a truly beautiful moment and it is one that will go down in history as one of the greatest of the Oscars. This is why you watch the awards ceremony year after year and why you continue to be so inspired by the people behind the movies that you love watching so much.
4 Best: Ellen's Group Selfie In 2014
You know that Ellen DeGeneres is one of the best people ever and that she should basically always be allowed to host the Oscars. That would be a great idea. Sadly, she has only hosted twice -- in 2007 and then again in 2014. But lucky for you (and the rest of humanity), she did the coolest thing ever when she hosted the 2014 show. Of course, that would be her group selfie. There were so many famous figures in this one photo, it is insane. Think about it. You have Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, and Lupita Nyong'o (with her brother Junior). This photo became the most re-tweeted tweet ever and you can totally believe it since it was so epic, you are still thinking about it today. Hey, you probably re-tweeted it yourself, right? You definitely did. How culd you not?
3 Worst: Seth MacFarlane's Demeaning Hosting In 2013
When funny guy Seth MacFarlane hosted the Oscars back in 2013, the truth was out: he was not always funny. And he definitely was not funny that night. You cringed along with the rest of humanity as every single thing that came out of his mouth seemed to be totally inappropriate toward women. Ouch. Things did not get out to a very good start: his opening song was called "We Saw Your Boobs" and was exactly as mature and sophisticated and smart as it sounds. You could not believe that this was happening. It definitely ruined the evening and made you wonder what had happened to the Oscars since they are always supposed to be such an elegant night celebrating the art of the film and the beautiful and talented people who made such films. Well, in 2013, that all went out the window and it was just awful.
2 Worst: The 2017 Best Picture Mix-Up
OMG. You can't even believe that this happened. But it did. It definitely did. Maybe you stayed up late and saw the whole thing with your very own eyes, or maybe you woke up this morning and absolutely freaked out. It sounds crazy but it's totally true: La La Land was announced as Best Picture… and then it turned out that film didn't win at all. In fact, Moonlight ended up getting the night's highest honor. There you were, watching the beautiful and inspiring speeches that the filmmakers behind La La Land made… and then there was a commotion on stage. You heard the words, "Moonlight won Best Picture. This is not a joke." Jimmy Kimmel said, "I would like to see you get an Oscar anyway. Why can't we just give out a whole bunch of them?" You totally agree. Thankfully, Emma Stone and her crew were super classy and lovely about the whole deal and she made a statement about how sure, it would have been great to win and it seemed exciting for a minute or two, but she loves the other film too and believes it was worthy. You knew you loved her. But although this worked out well in the end, you have to say this was a bad moment for the Oscars since a mix-up like that is just so embarrassing.
1 Worst: Leo Getting The Blame
Poor Leo. Last year he won Best Actor… and this year, he was blamed (at least partly) for the epic mix-up. Some people are saying that he was the reason why this happened. Who knows?! You don't want to blame him because you love Leo. You don't really want to blame anyone… because these things happen. And it's not like anyone can change it so everyone probably just needs to move on. But still, you get that this was a big deal since it was so epic and so crazy. You think it's a shame that Leo got the blame since the party line is that there are always two envelopes and two possible winners so it makes sense that there would be two envelopes floating around there. Apparently, there were two cards in there and one said "Emma Stone, La La Land" so that's why the pause. Honestly, you just want to forget about this. Because you have something to do. You have to see all the Oscar movies that you didn't get a chance to this year… so you're totally ready and free and clear to watch all the films that are going to be nominated next year. A movie lover's job is never done.