by Joseph Demme
The 81st Academy Awards ceremony took place last Sunday night, hailing itself as “the biggest movie event of the year.” Producers Bill Condon and Laurence Mark set out to bring back the glitz and glamor of years past. Last year was a record low in television viewing, resulting in a need to change it up.
And what better way to make this a reality than bringing in actor Hugh Jackman to host the awards? Jackman, star of such films as “X-Men,” “Oklahoma!” and “Kate & Leopold,” brought a much-needed enthusiasm to his performance. Starting off the night with a low-budget musical that incorporated the nominated films set the tone for the new and improved Academy Awards.
Another change in the schedule had previous award-winning actors and actresses addressing each nominee individually for their respective awards. It was a classy touch, though I miss the videos that showcase their
performances.
THE AWARDS:
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn
Best Actress: Kate Winslet
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz
Best Director: Danny Boyle
Best Original Screenplay: Milk (Danny Lance Black)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire (Simon Beaufoy)
Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire (Anthony Dod Mantle)
Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire (Chris Dickens)
Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Greg Cannom)
Best Costume Design: The Duchess (Michael O’Connor)
Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman)
Best Original Song: “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire (James Marsh)
Best Foreign Language Film: Okuribito
Best Animated Feature: WALL•E (Andrew Stanton)
Best Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Jochen Alexander Freydank)
Best Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes (Kunio Katô)
(Click HERE for a complete list of winners and nominees)
