And the Oscar goes to...

In what was a generally banal affair, The 2014 Oscars were only sporadically engaging and ultimately flat.

While the awards themselves were utterly predictable, the appointment of Ellen as host for the evening seemed to be a kneejerk reaction to a “safer” Billy Crystal type place, after Seth MacFarlane rattled a few too many cages last year.

Look, all of the films that were nominated were solid at worst and spectacular at best and you can generally tell who’s going to pick up what by what direction the bookies are going in. But the show should be a bit more entertaining given the endless hype for months leading up to the ceremony.

Eddie Murphy was supposed to host a few years back, we’d love to see that happen. Or what about Jimmy Kimmel? Give the show a bit of an edge from someone who knows how to push comedic boundaries without veering too much into the offended territory that can, and has, freaked Oscar out.

Big winners were Gravity and 12 Years a Slave, while American Hustle didn't manage to win any despite a lot of nods.

Full list of winners below:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Best actor : Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best supporting actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best supporting actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave

Best Director: Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron

Original screenplay: Her, Spike Jonze

Adapted screenplay: 12 Years a Slave, John Ridley

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song): Let It Go" from Frozen; Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score): Gravity

Best animated feature: Frozen

Best Costume Design: The Great Gatsby

Best make-up & hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club

Best Animated Short Film: Mr Hublot

Best Live Action Short Film: “Helium”

Best Documentary Short: “The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life”

Best Documentary Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom

Best Foreign Language Film: The Great Beauty

Best Sound Editing: Gravity

Best Sound Mixing: Gravity

Best Visual Effects: Gravity

Best Cinematography: Gravity