Top Five Highlights of the 2015-16 Oscar Season

Twelve days removed from the Oscars, and I'm more than ready to leave it in the rear view. The overall season felt a bit fatiguing and lacklustre this year, which I can owe that to my own pessimistic misreading of the Best Picture race. But the big night itself had a few positively thrilling outcomes, and the preceding months were not completely without their pleasures. Herewith are my top 5 highlights.

5. Leo's Red Carpet Rampage and other fun stuff
Leo winning what many would call his overdue Oscar for such an uninteresting performance (Hoo-Ah!) would normally bother me a lot more, but a couple of things allowed me to enjoy it. A) I don't weep for his competition. B) There was just so much glee to be had on the Internet! The Red Carpet Rampage video game is an obvious highlight, but there were plenty of other good guffaws.

@ladygaga verdade pic.twitter.com/mvmi2RJFb6

— luscas (@luscas) February 28, 2016

Oscar Telecast Retrospective Part 3: The Big Shock, and Failing Gags

Let's set the stage: Mad Max had just gone six for seven in the crafts, and Andy Serkis arrives to announce the outcome of its 8th nomination, Best Visual Effects.

First of all, having Serkis presenting this category is kinda inspired (though not as inspired as giving him an actual Oscar nomination would be), but I take umbrage with his introductory clip reel featuring only two of his various performance-capture characters he's played, Gollum and Caesar. Where's King Kong? Captain Haddock? Jeez, even Supreme Ruler Snoke? Talk about a diversity problem!

But I barely had time to tweet my nagging quibble, because moments later the collective jaw of Oscar watchers hit the floor when he announced Ex Machina as the winner. I was so gobsmacked that I didn't even realize the orchestra was playing “Get Down Saturday Night” from Oscar Isaac's much gif'ed sexy dance interlude from the film. Too much fun!