02.23.09
81st Academy Award Winners
Despite my gut feelings that “Departures” and “La Maison en Petits Cubes” would end up winning, I managed to score 18/24 correct predictions which, if you think about the overall predictability of the Oscars this year, is pretty lame. Actually, its embarrassing really, lol. But me predicting correctly is not what its all about, is it? And it sure as hell doesn’t matter now.
So I have finally watched the Oscar telecast in its entirety and I am impressed, more than I thought I would be anyway. Yeah, the musical numbers were mostly cheesy, John Legend was pretty awful, hearing Zac Efron of all people saying “And the Oscar goes to…” really got under my skin…..but it was a classy affair, and the sense of unity and camaraderie really gave it a feeling I am not used to – a feeling I quite enjoyed. Bravo to the producers.
The acting winners – Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Sean Penn and Heath Ledger – were all deserving, regardless of who my favourites were, those four’s performances were uniformly outstanding and they deserved to be showered with the highest honour in the acting world, if I do say so myself.
Sure Anne Hathaway finally proved to the world exactly why she is so amazing, as did Melissa Leo, but at the end of the day, Kate Winslet has been doing that for years and if she was going to finally get her hands on the Oscar that eluded her thus far, her turn in “The Reader” was as deserving as any other (even if not as much as her turn in “Revolutionary Road,” but that doesn’t matter now).
Even though I would have loved to have seen Mickey Rourke complete his comeback with the honour of honours, I still loved “Milk” and Sean Penn was excellent and astounding and breathtaking and made the movie, and him and Dustin Lance Black (!!!) winning is, for me, an indication that change, tolerance and equality on Earth isn’t as far off as I may have believed before. It’s within our reach and when it comes the time for me to make the transition into the real world, I have no doubt that it will be a better place because of people like Harvey Milk and the makers of “Milk” who reiterate their valueable, life changing messages. “You gotta give ‘em hope!” That’s just that they’ve done.
All I can say is that I couldn’t be happier with the eventual winners, including “Slumdog Millionaire” and its eight Oscars. Pure magic if you ask me, predictable or not.
With that, I feel rejuvenated, ready for the 2009 film calendar to get underway and follow the road to next years Oscars. So long, 2008. From tomorrow for me, anyway. The telecast wasn’t a train wreck (even the music montage wasn’t that awful), Hugh Jackman was entertaining and it wasn’t nearly as boring as this years Oscar race – which are two major pluses in my book.
Just want to say a huge thank you to Mr. Paul Denny, a friend of mine, without whom I wouldn’t have been able to have seen all the major Oscar nominees before the ceremony. Later on, I might have more to say, but for now that is almost all.
Finally, I do not think I have heard or seen as moving an acceptance speech as Dustin Lance Black’s. Never in my life. I know I am not alone in saying that. For the second year in a row, the Best Original Screenplay category’s winner is another idol I can look up to, and my favourite win of the night.
The Winners:
Best Picture: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Actor: Sean Penn, “Milk”
Best Actress: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Adapted Screenplay: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Original Screenplay: “Milk”
Best Art Direction: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Best Cinematography: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Costume Design: “The Duchess”
Best Film Editing: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Makeup: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Best Music (Original Score): “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Music (Original Song): “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Sound Editing: “The Dark Knight”
Best Sound Mixing: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Visual Effects: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Best Animated Feature Film: “WALL-E”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Departures”
Best Documentary Feature: “Man on Wire”
Best Documentary Short: “Smile Pinki”
Best Short Film (Animated): “La Maison en Petits Cubes”
Best Short Film (Live Action): “Toyland”
Carlos said,
February 23, 2009 at 6:21 pm
What a great night, I loved it and love all the winners and cannot wait to see Departures!
Nick Plowman said,
February 23, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Yeah, I still have to see Departures, The Class, Revanche, The Baader Meinhof Complex, The Betrayal, The Garden…yeah. Looking forward to that. About to watch the show…in 20 minutes in fact. Exciting!
Daniel said,
February 23, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The foreign film bunch really seemed like a great group this year. I need to see Revanche, Baader and Departures, and the other two were already excellent. And Let the Right One In wasn’t even in that group! Maybe one of the better years in recent memory.
I was thrilled overall because of Slumdog, of course, but I know that wins and losses don’t mean as much to me as the actual films. It’s why I’m OK with Rourke missing out, for example – and The Wrestler not even being nominated, for that matter.
Looking forward to another year of this madness…
k said,
February 24, 2009 at 2:03 am
Don’t worry, I got 15/24.
KeegsMom said,
February 24, 2009 at 3:42 am
ok, i didn’t get to see the whole thing due to my state’s broadcasting system being held together with duct tape and spit, which then fails in big snowstorms, but, uh, I understand there were NO clips shown from this year’s nominees. I heard some kvetching about this. I’m not sure I agree with it myself. Isn’t it sort of odd not to have them? Other surprise: I did see Hugh Jackman’s opening number, which was pretty funny. I’m surprised he was so good (again, by all accounts).
Thrills for Sean Penn and DL Black!
RC of strangeculture said,
February 24, 2009 at 5:12 am
congrats on sensing departures…definitly didn’t see that coming.
ugh…zac efron…that was too bad.
and please…i like John Legend, but please…do not have him sing every year like Beyonce does…in fact, let’s try someone different next year besides beyonce too.
Franz Patrick said,
February 24, 2009 at 8:07 am
When I saw Zac Efron on the red carpet, my first thought was, “Why the heck is he even here???” And then it got worse when I was forced to see him again when he presented an award. Blech. Thankfully, Emile was there to make me feel better. haha He rockin’ that suit!
Dustin Lance Black… Oh, man. I agree; his speech was so inspiring. I got teared up a bit, to be honest. And he looks good! Like… really good.
I have to admit I got kinda bored when “Slumdog Millionaire” started winning EVERYTHING. I was like, “Okay, this is not funny anymore. Let someone else win!” Thankfully, Hugh Jackman was there to sing (lol) and dance aaaaand I loved the Bollywood musical numbers. It was so colorful and energetic, it made me happy.
I also adored Sean Penn’s speech as well. That “commie homo-loving” thing cracked me up. And let’s not forget the whole “grandchildren being ashamed” bit. It’s true. Children today, I think, will be more accepting when they grow up.
AND THANK GOD for Kate Winslet winning. It’s about time. I thought she would be over-the-top with her speech (those are always the most entertaining ones) but she was quite poised considering everything. Well, she looked stunning. And so did Natalie Portman.
Overall, I liked the Oscar this year. Not as much as the last two years but it was still above average.
Mikey Filmmaker said,
February 25, 2009 at 3:36 am
I went with my guy on Departures and Cubes. Paid off big time. It was a good show.
Kerry said,
February 28, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Academy Award Winner Kate Winslet, Academy Award Winner Penelope Cruz, Academy Award Winner Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award Winner Danny Boyle, Academy Award Winner Heath Ledger. Love.
glimmer said,
March 1, 2009 at 9:55 pm
thanks for blog roll (out) ha ha… !!!! :)
Anonymous said,
July 17, 2009 at 7:25 am
Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Dustin Lance Black, Danny Boyle, Heath Ledger.
Thanks your thinks :)
Hassan said,
July 17, 2009 at 7:26 am
Best Cinematography: “Slumdog Millionaire”