OSCARS

GET READY FOR A RECAP OF THE OSCARS

81st Annual Academy Awards

-Winners in Bold

• Best Picture

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Frost/Nixon

-Milk

-The Reader

-Slumdog Millionaire

Loved Slumdog Millionaire! 

• Best Director

-Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

-Stephen Daldry (The Reader)

-David Fincher (The Curios Case of Benjamin Button)

-Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)

-Gus Van Sant (Milk)

• Best Actor

-Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)

-Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)

-Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of BEnjamin Button)

-Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

 -Sean Penn (Milk)

This was very surprising.  It was predicted that Mickey Rourke would win.  I am happy for Sean Penn, but felt bad the Rourke did not end up winning when most thought he would.

• Best Actress

-Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)

-Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

-Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

-Meryl Streep (Doubt)

-Kate Winslet (The Reader)

I am so happy she won.  It was predicted she would win and she definitely deserves it.  It's about time!  She was so nervous, but gracefully gave her thanks to the many people who have helped her throughout her career.  Her dad also whistled, by her request, so she could locate him in the crowd.  Much deserved!

• Best Supporting Actor

-Josh Brolin (Milk)

-Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)

-Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)

-Heath Ledger (The Dark Night)

-Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

The most touching moment was when Heath Ledger was announced the winner for best supporting actor.  His parents and sister accepted the award on Heath's behalf and each gave their own beautiful speeches of how they wished he was here to collect this honorable award and how "they had talked about this day." 

• Best Supporting Actress

-Amy Adams (Doubt)

-Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

-Viola Davis (Doubt)

-Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

-Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

I wasn't surprised by this considering Penelope Cruz was predicted to win.  I am very happy for her and like her a lot, however, I was hoping Taraji P. Henson would win.  I felt like she deserved the award the most.  

• Best Animated Feature Film

-Bolt

-Kung Fu Panda

-WALL-E

I didn't really care who won in this category.  I had only seen Kung Fu Panda so I was impartial. 

• Best Foreign Film

-The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)

-The Class (France)

-Departures (Japan)

-Revanche (Austria)

-Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

• Best Original Screenplay

-Milk (Dustin Lance Black)

-Frozen River (Courtney Hunt)

-Happy Go Lucky (Mike Leigh)

-In Bruges (Martin McDonagh)

-WALL-E  (Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter)

Impartial to this category as well.  I was not fortunate enough to see any of these films.

• Best Adapted Screenplay

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Eric Roth, Robin Swicord)

-Doubt (John Patrick Shanley)

-Frost/Nixon (Peter Morgan)

-The Reader (David Hare)

-Slumdog Millionaire (Simon Beaufoy)

LOVED this movie! So glad they won.  My favorite film of 2009!  Everyone should see this film!

• Best Documentary Feature

-The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)

-Encounters at the End of the World

-The Garden

-Man On Wire

-Trouble the Water

• Best Original Score

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Defiance

-Milk

-Slumdog Millionaire

-WALL-E

• Best Original Song

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Defiance

-Milk

-Slumdog Millionaire

-WALL-E

Love the music and dancing throughout this film.  I am semi-tempted to buy the soundtrack!

• Best Film Editing

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall)

-The Dark Knight (Lee Smith)

-Frost/Nixon (Mike Hill, Dan Hanley)

-Milk (Elliot Graham)

-Slumdog Millionaire (Chris Dickens)

• Best Documentary-Short Subject

-The Conscience of Nhem En'

-The Final Inch

-Smile Pinki

-The Witness-From the Balcony of Room 306

• Best Cinematography

-Changeling (Tom Stern)

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Claudio Miranda)

-The Dark Knight (Wally Pfister)

-The Reader (Chris Menges, Roger Deakins)

-Slumdog Millionaire (Anthony Dod Mantle)

• Best Costume Design

-Australia

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-The Duchess

-Milk

-Revolutionary Road

I am so glad The Duchess won.  Costumes were amazing, especially out of the other choices in the category.  

• Best Sound Mixing

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-The Dark Knight

-Slumdog Millionaire

-WALL-E

-Wanted

• Best Sound Editing

-The Dark Knight

-Iron Man

-Slumdog Millionaire

-WALL-E

-Wanted

• Best Live Action Short Film

-Auf der Strecke (On The Line)

-Manon on the Asphalt

-New Boy

-The Pig

-Spielzeugland (Toyland)

• Best Animated Short Film

-La Maison de Petits Cubes

-Lavatory (Lovestory)

-Oktapodi

-Presto

-This Way Up

• Best Makeup

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-The Dark Knight

-Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I felt that either The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or The Dark Knight should have fun.  I almost felt like it should've been a tie between the two because the use of makeup in The Dark Knight was remarkable and so realistic.  Not to say that in The Curious Benjamin Button the use of makeup wasn't great, but it is not the first time that makeup is used in a full to make someone look younger/older.

• Best Art Direction

-Changeling

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-The Dark Knight

-The Duchess

-Revolutionary Road

Good choice.  Impartial to this category as well. 

• Best Visual Effects

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-The Dark Knight

-Iron Man

The opening number, with Hugh Jackman, was definitely entertaining and brought something different to the OSCARS.  He stated that due to the economy and cutbacks there was not going to be an extravagant opening number, so he saluted each of the nominated films with a flair and a unique take.  He carried Anne Hathaway out of the audience in a salute to the Frost/Nixon film.

The dresses on the red carpet were amazingly beautiful.  Lots of one-shoulder strapped dresses.  Penelope Cruz looked like the bell of the ball in a vintage full-skirt gown thats about 60 years old.  Kate Winslet looked classy in black and full of excitement over her nomination for best actress.  

I really enjoyed the OSCARS this year.  I felt that this one was the best one yet and can't wait till next years.  

SIDE NOTE:  I am kinda getting sick of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's standoff-ish attitude.  Anyone else agree with me??