The 2014 Academy Awards – The triumphs and the utter disappointments

After weeks, and even months, of premonitions and predictions – and many, many hopes – about who the takers will be at this year’s Oscars, the results are finally out after the ceremony took place last night, Sunday 2 March, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. There were a few obvious winners but there were also one or two surprises that have no doubt left many cinema-goers extremely perturbed.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Leonardo DiCaprio not winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street. He had the weight of the world’s hopes on his shoulders and we all thought that his gripping and astute performance – one of the many in his career – would finally earn him that award. But unfortunately, it wasn’t Leonardo’s time yet.

12 Years a Slave winning the Oscar for Best Picture has made history. Director Steve McQueen has become the first black director to get the top film honours in 86 years of Oscar history. This film was a firm favourite and definitely deserves the honour. And space thriller Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock, from Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, racked up five Oscars for technical achievements like visual effects and cinematography as well as Best Direction.

These were some of the main highlights of the awards function:

Best Picture – 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Animated Feature – Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho)

Best Cinematography – Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)

Best Costume Design – The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin)

Best Directing – Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron)

Best Documentary Feature – 20 Feet from Stardom (Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, Caitrin Rogers)

Best Adapted Screenplay – 12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)

Best Original Screenplay – Her (Spike Jonze)

It’s been a great and significant year at the movies. And hopefully next year will be as good, or even better. And hopefully, Leonardo gets that Oscar that the world is waiting for to be his too.