81st Annual Academy Award Winners… What Did You Think?
Well the Oscar ceremony has officially ended, and the results are in… Slumdog Millionaire dominated on every front! From Best Picture and Best Director to Best Editing, Best Original Song and Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay, it was a pretty amazing night for the cast and crew of this little film. I never would have thought that the buzz that first started at the Toronto Film Festival last year would have carried it this far, but here we are. I’m pretty stoked for Danny Boyle and everyone involved.
In terms of upsets, there weren’t many, except for Sean Penn who took home the award for Best Actor over the favourite Mickey Rourke. I do feel disappointed for Rourke, but he’s had plenty of recognition already this year and I think Penn deserved it. Were you happy with the results? What about the telecast… were you as bored as we were? Clearly the Pineapple Express segment with Seth Rogen and James Francho was a highlight. In case you missed, it, here’s a list of the winners below.
- 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 Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)
- Best Documentary: Man on Wire
- Best Short Documentary: Smile Pinki
- Best Animated: Wall-E
- Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petits Cubes
- Best Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
- Best Foreign Film: Departures
- Best Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire)
- Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Best Editing: Chris Dickens (Slumdog Millionaire)
- Best Make-Up: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Best Costume Design: The Duchess
- Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
- Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
- Best Original Score: A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
- Best Original Song: “Jai Ho” by A.R. Rahman/Gulzar (Slumdog Millionaire)
Comments (31)
During the end credits when upcoming movies for 2009 were previewed, there was no Star Trek! Even a hamster movie called G-Force got a preview!
Posted by Reed Farrington on February 23rd, 2009The musical numbers with Jackman were awful. They were really uncomfortable to watch. Same with the presentation of the screenplay awards. Who’s terrible idea was that? Other than that…boring as usual. Happy for Danny Boyle though.
Posted by Neil M on February 23rd, 2009What a night for Slumdog Millionaire.
Posted by Christian on February 23rd, 2009Even more curious in that final ‘2009 montage’ I didn’t see THE ROAD. W-T-F?
Posted by kurt on February 23rd, 2009first off, great job everyone on the live podcast and chat! kept me awake for this boring thing.
i’m happy for slumdog and its big representation on this list. it wasn’t the best movie of the year, but it was honest and heartfelt and totally not a piece of oscar bait like every one of the other best picture nominees (yeah, even milk had a whiff of this).
i was rooting for mickey rourke, but i can’t feel too disappointed about sean penn’s win for what may be the performance of his career. i also didn’t mind the politicized speeches of penn and milk screenwriter dustin lance black. it’s a real embarrassment the way gays are treated in this country (and how this treatment is sanctioned by so many venerated institutions), and nothing’s wrong with pointing that out.
frank langella must be kicking himself for going “full nixon” …
Posted by Joel on February 23rd, 2009I was hoping Lavatory-Lovestory would win Best Animated Short. Just because that sounds like an intriguing premise.
Posted by Mason on February 23rd, 2009Why waste time with a long and unnecessary top hat and tails routine when they could have used that time and avoided the train wreck of the Wall E song being raped by 2 Slumdog songs?
Posted by MoriaOrc on February 23rd, 2009Was there really no time to perform a song or nominate more than 2 movies in that category?
The whole panel of previous actors giving mini reviews of each nominee was beyond awkward.
Like some kind of bizarre cult ritual.
Some one pass the chalice of baby blood please.
The montage of deceased actors and filmmakers was terrible.Maybe the best way to honor their memories really is to pan and zoom away from televisions with some peoples names i could barely make out.
Same effect occurred during the set presentation.
i love how no one blames religion as the root cause of the treatment of gays in this country…it’s just tagged as ignorance…except Bill Maher, he knows what the root of the problem is.
Rourke was robbed. Think about it…the Wrestler go NO recognition…unless you count 2 losing nominations
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 23rd, 2009I loved the telecast, except for most of the winners.
Hugh Jackman was fantastic. Classy, silly in a good way, stayed away from politics, I wish there had been more of him. Pulling Anne Hathaway on stage for that opening number was brilliant. Can’t ever get enough of either of them! I like the musical medley with Beyonce too. Jackman was totally right when he said the Oscars need more “show” and less “biz.”
Pineapple Express bit was dumb. I haven’t seen the movie, is that what it’s really like? Yikes. Although the bit with the cinematographer was pretty funny, the rest was all Apatow highlights.
Reed, I think they were actually Guinea Pigs. No idea why that clip was chosen over Star Trek. I noticed several other potential blockbusters.
Kurt, the lack of Road footage has me wondering WHERE is this movie? We still haven’t seen a trailer, maybe that’s why they didn’t want to show it here, but still, WHERE is the trailer?
Loved the set with the Swarovski crystals. Beautiful. Nice fashion this year, but lots of creams and off-whites, not enough colour.
I liked the screenplay and the acting presentations, even though I didn’t like all the previous winners they managed to get to present the awards, and it was a little bit kiss-ass. But that’s Hollywood for you. I thought some of the reactions from the nominees were very sincere.
I didn’t like the Best Song medley, Peter Gabriel was right to drop out in protest. They had time for all those stupid montages, but they couldn’t find time for the songs? I can’t remember, was this decision to shorten the songs made before or after the nominees were announced? Maybe they only did it because six minutes of Slumdog music would have caused me to change the channel. Also not a fan of Queen Latifah singing through the In Memoriam.
I loved both Rourke and Penn’s performances, but I really think Rourke deserved the Oscar. He embodied that character, he came back from professional exile, and I honestly don’t think he’s ever going to get a role like that again, or even be able to keep it together long enough to be offered another great role. Penn is nominated all the time, and he even won recently, I was hoping they would share the wealth. And I thought it as disappointed that Penn didn’t even mention Harvey Milk in his speech. Dustin Lance Black’s message seemed more sincere.
Then again, Mickey’s speech probably would have been torn to shreds on network television. :S
Posted by Ashley on February 23rd, 2009Whoa, long comment! Sorry! :S
Funniest presenter: Ben Stiller as Joaquin. Yeah, it was a little mean, but it was spot-on.
Heath Ledger’s family was so classy. Hardest moment to watch all night, but I’m so glad he won.
Posted by Ashley on February 23rd, 2009Only 4 movies with multiple awards
Slumdog – 8
Benjamin Button – 3
Milk – 2
Dark Knight – 2
So I suppose Dark Knight fanboys can at least say it was the 3rd most awarded film of the Oscars
Posted by Goon on February 23rd, 2009My thoughts on telecast:
1. Liked the stage design
Posted by rus in chicago on February 23rd, 20092. the staging of awards in order of the movie making process is one of those ideas that sounds good but becomes painful to watch – to many similar awards with dry personalities lumped together. Plus they didn’t even follow the logic of the pattern; musical score before editing!? Directing at end.
3. The camera crane floating up to plasma screens in set work showing clips and art design sketches was UNWATCHABLE and confusing. This should never have made it past camera test.
4. The five past Oscar winners speaking about the nominees was very clever and cool, yet we don’t get to see any clips?! Why not go crazy and have past actors talk about nominated actresses, etc.?
5. Heath Ledger die Jan. 22 08′ – why was he not in the montage?!
6. The opening number was o.k. and a good effort but I go to the movies to get away from references to daily struggles, why remind me of them? Hugh Jackman has a long way to go to be a song and dance M.C. like Billy Crystal.
7. Bill Maher embarrassed himself by blatantly asking for people to watch his clueless doc. and making fun of the winning docs. subject.
8. If they want to do an Oscar telecast that follows the movie making process get some balls, have live improv for screenwriting segment, do some techno crazy thing for the postproduction awards, hell CNN introduced hologram journalists in Nov. what about a virtual presenter.
9. I predict a lot of liberal Hollywood backlash with the gay rights, religion bashing references.
10. The musical medley gave me a headache at one point and pulled a “partial pregnant” moment. Partial pregnant is a screenwriting term meaning you are not committing to something, i.e., you are either pregnant are you are not. During the musical medley a few drummers went like 20 feet in to the crowd. COMMIT, if you are going in to the crowd go full bore, make the whole Kodak theatre a big Cirque du Soleil type event! Fuck you’re the Oscars dammit. What makes it frustrating the performers exiting through the audience at the end!!
Anyone know the song that was played over the montage of movies coming out in 2009?
Posted by MB on February 23rd, 2009Hugh Jackman + Beyonce + Zac Efron + musical is the worst idea ever
High point for me: Apatow’s pineapple express short- although feel a bit too long for me, should be ended on Franco watching himself kissing; and Philippe’s tricks
Posted by Xu on February 23rd, 2009of course also Ledger’s award
Heath Ledger was clumsily tacked onto the end of the of the In Memoriam Segment at last year’s ceremony. I agree he should have had a proper clip this year as well, but at least he won the award.
I liked the categories being presented in production order, and I understand why they left the director for the end. It’s a major award, plain and simple. It was nice that they got through the technical catgories faster with the same presenter for several awards. It seemed to go by much faster to me.
Bill Maher embarrasses himself everywhere he goes. But I thought it was priceless when the Doc Short winner thanked the Lord right in front of him!
Posted by Ashley on February 23rd, 2009Hugh Jackman was horrible. That montage in the start was so awkward to watch. After a little more of all the boredom I decided to just go to bed instead.
About who won what, I can’t say I dissagree, besides from the god awfull Penn winning best actor. I can’t stand that guy.
Posted by Kasper F. Nielsen on February 23rd, 2009I don’t think Bill Maher embarrassed himself at all.
Posted by MoriaOrc on February 23rd, 2009The only reason you might say that is because you don’t agree with his point of view.
to rus :In what way is Bill Mahers’ film clueless?
Did you even watch it?
I’m guessing you didn’t and are just making assumptions.
Yeah, Bill Maher is the clueless one…haha. Did any of you watch it beside moriaorc?
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 23rd, 2009Let’s talk about the blunders…
1. They forgot Heath in the dead actors memoriam.
2. They introduced Anthony Hopkins to present the best actor as Anthony, which should have been Sir Anthony.
3. They made a point of saying coming up soon an actor who’s films have grossed over 4 Billion dollars. But who was that, as it was never mentioned again.
Don’t even get me started on the Walking Death interviewer on the red carpet from ABC. The grey haired person who gushed at the actresses dresses.
3.5 hours I will never get back.
Posted by Greg on February 23rd, 2009Documentary was awesome, Herzog-then-Maher-then-frenchman.
Posted by Henrik on February 23rd, 2009for MoriaOrc,
I like Bill Maher, but he was an ass last night. His “multiple gods” statement was misplaced and demeaning in the way he delivered it. He made a wise crack about the French dude that won, thanks Bill for putting the dude down right after the greatest moment of the dude’s life, classy.
You can’t do a study of religion and not examine the fact that religion could be a “construct” that man would have created whether there was divine intervention or not. In Game Theory, religion functions as a way to organize and define central beliefs of the “tribe” over the wishes and desires of the “individual”. You would also need to examine how a belief in the afterlife benefits the “thinking man’s” reasoning and purpose and what would have been the outcome throughout history without this mindset. You would also have to analyze cultural and artistic events that are the by-product of religious endeavors and how organize religion organized masses, as much as, it enslaves them. Examples: organizing the new world due to search for religious freedom, modern law was based on Christian doctrine, every major architectural breakthrough up until 1600s was supported by religion. If you tell me Bill’s doc. includes a study of some of these issues, I give it a try. If it is like the trailer and a cavalcade of Bill going up to different religious people and saying, “You believe in a fairytale, prove me wrong” I want no part.
Posted by rus in chicago on February 23rd, 2009The Oscars were really good this year. Obviously some years are way more boring and predictable but this one had some nail biters. Two problems I had though were one why did they have crane photography for the “who died this year” portion, you could barely see the people or read the names. I thought it was kind of disrepectful. The other was, why did they they have a pointless musical number in the middle? That was pretty stupid. But I guess it can never be perfect.
Posted by jackson on February 23rd, 2009Other than that I thought every award was justified.
rus,
You are opening a can of worms you cant back up. Let’s not turn this into a religious debate.
So…when do you all think madea will go to space?
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 23rd, 2009Background: I watch every year with a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of red wine. And I *like* watching the Oscars.
1) Boring? Come on. If it sucked as bad as some of you say, then why do you keep watching it year after year?
I think it was Johnny Carson who said: “It’s a spectacular 30 minutes of television crammed into a 4 hour telecast.” (paraphrased)
2) The purpose of the red carpet is to build hype. But it’s always horrible. Nobody says anything interesting in their 2.5 seconds of screen time, and the announcers run out of things to say at about the 5 minute mark. Anybody who says “who are you wearing” should be banned from next year’s show.
3) Much hype about how it was going to be “new” and “different” this year. You know, like every year.
4) Hugh’s “Best Picture Montage” at the beginning was clever, as usual. I think it was enjoyable: it gave props, while poking fun.
5) On the other hand, the musical medley felt contrived and disjointed. (”hey, let’s put them all into one act, to save time!”) It didn’t work for me.
6) The “5 past winners presenting” idea was *gold*. The “star power” and emotion pulled out of those moments felt very genuine. This worked for me.
7) Jack Black’s line: “I take my paycheque from Dreamworks, come to the Oscars, and bet it all on Pixar” was my best laugh of the night.
9) Speeches with humour: good.
Speeches with lots of thank-yous: bad.
Speeches with a preachy message: bad.
…if that message is in the movie: acceptable.
Speeches with emotion: good.
Speeches with scripted emotion: bad.
Speeches by people you’ve never heard of who are funny and emotional: good.
Speeches by people you’ve never heard of who thank everyone and their cat: snore.
10) Monologue bits which poke fun: good.
Monologue bits which use pop-culture references related to the speaker: good.
Monologue bits which try to use current pop-culture references to look hip: bad.
Monologue bits which self-deprecate: good.
Monologue bits which self-promote: bad.
11) The Pineapple Express bit *was* dumb. Maybe if I’d seen the movie, it would have made more sense. At the time I thought it was embarrassingly bad.
12) Heath Ledger was in last year’s montage, not this year’s. (correct me if I’m wrong)
13) Ben Stiller as Joaquin – it would have helped if I’d seen the Letterman segment first, but now that I have, it was pretty damn funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDZl22QUl20
14) The “4 billion thing” – yeah, hello? (good one Greg)
15) On the whole, I thought Hugh Jackman did a good job. At least as good as most recent hosts.
Same time next year?
Posted by Doug on February 23rd, 2009I actually agree that Bill Maher was a little bit obnoxious, even though I like the guy.
What about how pissed Richard Jenkins looked when Adrien Brody mentioned googling him??!
Posted by Sean on February 23rd, 2009Bob the Slob,
I was just responding to a direct request for justification and I can back up anything…I’m a master debater, uh wait, that doesn’t sound right.
Wasn’t the 4 billion man Will Smith.
The Ben Stiller bit might have been funny if it hadn’t been done the day before during the Spirit Awards!
Anyone who accepts last night’s telecast as a good effort should watch some of the crazy shit they are doing for the European MTV music awards to see how trying modern hip ideas can enliven an award show.
Posted by rus in chicago on February 23rd, 2009Jerry Lewis also 2 billion in charity, films etc. Steven Spielberg at the end? Fuck I don’t know…
Posted by rus in chicago on February 23rd, 2009Didn’t watch a second of the ceremony. Just checked out the Pineapple Express segment on Youtube which had to be the best part of the whole thing!
Posted by Ryan M. on February 23rd, 2009Screw the Oscars, screw the old people that vote on the Oscars, screw people who take the Oscars as the defining judgment of a film’s greatness, screw anyone who watches the Oscars to see what the “stars” are wearing, and screw anyone who thinks Sean Penn, the biggest hypocrite in the world, should win an Oscar for portraying someone who fights for Gay Rights. The guy supports Fidel Castro(who jailed and executed gays), did everyone miss that? Slumdog Millionaire is a nice film, but in no way does it deserve best picture. At times I felt like throwing up because the picture was so jarring on my eyes. I want to like the Oscars, and believe in them, but they are so out of touch.
Posted by Patty mike on February 23rd, 2009I think the problem with the Oscars is that these movies are too new. We need time to think about them and watch them over and over. To look at them with plenty of hindsight. Heck, we need time to watch them even once since a lot of films come out yearly nowadays. I propose that every year the Academy have an awards show for the films of ten years ago. I doubt that Shakespeare in Love would still win. I mean come on. 1998 was clearly the year of The Big Lebowski. It’s just that our minds were clouded during the whole Monica Lewinsky impeachment scandal.
Posted by Mason on February 23rd, 2009I was deffinetly more than dissapointed about Mickey losing but other than that I think the academy was spot on with there choices. I would of liked to have seen Frost/Nixon get a little bit more recognition though. I enjoyed the show, I’m a big Oscars fan and I always sit through the whole brodcast and enjoy it, but Hugh was a little forgetable. But overall i’m pretty happy.
Posted by Drew on February 24th, 2009Leave a Reply