First things first, a big dish of props to Hugh Jackman for that awesome opening to tonight’s 81st Annual Academy Awards Ceremony. His opening act was both funny and impressive, even if he took an opportunity for a shameless plug of his upcoming Wolverine movie.
There were a few surprises tonight, the biggest of which clearly was Wall-E for Best Animated Feature (Ok, that was a lame attempt at humor). But seriously, Slumdog Millionaire continued its run as “the little movie that could,” sweeping its nominated categories up an astounding 8 Oscars, including the top prize for Best Picture.
I was also happy to see the late Heath Ledger complete the SAG/Golden Globe/Academy trifecta with his win for Best Supporting Actor. Another deserving trophy went to Penelope Cruz for her powerful supporting turn in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Congratulations are in order for all of tonight’s winners. Here’s a list of the all categories (winners highlighted in bold):
Best Motion Picture:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Best Achievement in Directing
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry - The Reader
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant - Milk
Best Original Screenplay
Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh - In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Jim Reardon - Wall-E
Best Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
David Hare - The Reader
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Tom Stern - Changeling
Claudio Miranda - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister - The Dark Knight
Chris Menges and Roger Deakins - The Reader
Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Achievement in Editing
Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith - The Dark Knight
Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill - Frost/Nixon
Elliot Graham - Milk
Chris Dickens - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Achievement in Art Direction
James J. Murakami and Gary Fettis - Changeling
Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Nathan Crowley and Peter Lando - The Dark Knight
Michael Carlin and Rebecca Alleway - The Duchess
Kristi Zea and Debra Schutt - Revolutionary Road
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Catherine Martin - Australia
Jacqueline West - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Michael O’Connor - The Duchess
Danny Glicker - Milk
Albert Wolsky - Revolutionary Road
Best Achievement in Makeup
Greg Cannom - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan - The Dark Knight
Mike Elizalde and Thomas Floutz - Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard - Defiance
Danny Elfman - Milk
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman - Wall-E
Best Original Song
Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman - “Down to Earth” from Wall-E
A.R. Rahman and Gulzar - “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire
A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam - “O Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire
Best Achievement in Sound
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg and Gary Rizzo - The Dark Knight
Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty - Slumdog Millionaire
Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt - Wall-E
Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montano and Petr Forejt - Wanted
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Richard King - The Dark Knight
Frank E. Eulner and Christopher Boyes - Iron Man
Tom Sayers - Slumdog Millionaire
Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood - Wall-E
Wylie Stateman - Wanted
Best Animated Feature Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
Best Foreign Language Film
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
Entre les murs
Revanche
Okuribito
Vals Im Bashir
Best Documentary Feature
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
Best Documentary Short
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306
Best Animated Short
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up
Best Short Film, Live-action
Auf der Strecke
Manon sur le bitume
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland
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