Oscars recap

What I Loved:

Sean Penn wins!
--I knew it all along. When so many people were jumping on the Mickey train, I stayed with Sean. I was a mess when he took it home: I screamed and through the pillow I was covering my face with across the room and started crying. My fellow party goers were making fun of me, but I didn't care. A hot mess, mind you, but a mess none the less.

Dustin Lance Black's speech
--Best of the night, absolutely. He was so genuine and adorable and wonderful, and of course he made me cry.

Kate Winslet and her dad
--I loved Kate already and it was great to see her win, but her dad was absolutely adorable with that little whistle he gave and his little hat he was wearing. Love him.

The acting presentations
--Such a great concept that really panned out well. I mean that's not to say that I didn't miss the clips, but the speeches that the past winners gave to the nominees were really great. Kudos to Whoopi for being especially hilarious.

Judd Apatow's comedy montage
--Hysterical. The best montage of the night, by far, if only for the 'Doubt' comments.

Queen Latifah!
--Her version of "I'll Be Seeing You" brought yet another tear to my eye. An absolutely beautiful way to accompany the In Memorium segment.

Hugh
--He was underused, but definitely gets an A for effort. And he looked especially gorgeous, so that's always a plus.

The stage
--Great set-up this year. I really loved the intimacy of the stars being literally right in front of the stage.


What I Hated:

The inevitable 'Slumdog' sweep
--I don't think I've ever rooted for a 'Crash'-redux so fervently, ever. Any year since then. But hey, good for them, they (Danny Boyle) certainly were enthusiastic. Even though they didn't deserve really any of those awards other than for Best Original Song. Whatever. I'm over it.

Overall I thought it was a really great show, certainly one of the best I've seen this decade. It flew by like nothing! Great job, Bill Condon. You actually pulled it off.

The 81st Annual Academy Award 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: Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Original Screenplay: Milk
Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire


Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petites Cubes
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Costume Design: The Duchess
Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Animated Short: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Song: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire

Last Minutes Oscar Predictions

Well here we are. It's just about 3 PM here, five or some hours away from the 81st Annual Academy Awards. I'm praying that there was a sudden 'Slumdog' backlash. And that Sean takes it home. So since I have to go get ready for my Oscar party, I'm gonna leave you with these, my last minute predictions. Have fun tonight, kiddies!

Best Picture: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Milk)

Best Director: DANNY BOYLE - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Gus Van Sant - Milk)

Best Actor: SEAN PENN - MILK (alt: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler)

Best Actress: KATE WINSLET - THE READER (alt: Meryl Streep - Doubt)

Best Supporting Actor: HEATH LEDGER - THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Josh Brolin - Milk)

Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (alt: Viola Davis - Doubt)

Best Original Screenplay: MILK (alt: WALL-E)

Best Adapted Screenplay: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Reader)

Best Foreign Language Film: THE CLASS (alt: Waltz with Bashir)

Best Animated Feature Film: WALL-E (alt: Kung Fu Panda)

Best Documentary Feature: MAN ON WIRE (alt: Encounters at the End of the World)

Best Original Score: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Original Song: "DOWN TO EARTH" - WALL-E (alt: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Art Direction: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Costume Design: THE DUCHESS (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Make Up: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Cinematography: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Film Editing: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Sound Mixing: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Sound Editing: WALL-E (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Visual Effects: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Documentary Short: THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306 (alt: Smile Pinki)

Best Short Film (Animated): LA MAISON EN PETITES CUBES (alt: Presto)

Best Short Film (Live Action): SPIELZEUGLAND (alt: The Pig)

A few words on ... 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'

So on my first night out in a little bit less than a week, I saw 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. It has been panned by most critics, and could be considered "mindless fizz". Well if this is mindless fizz then it's of the best possible caliber. The Dom Pérignon of mindless fizz, 'Shopaholic', was just what I was looking for after my seemingly never-ending bought of illness. Isla Fisher was charmingly hysterical, Hugh Dancy was adorable, and the jokes and clothes flew by like nothing. It was some of the most fun I've had at the movies recently, regardless of the fact that the plotline was a little bit of the improbable side.

Okay, a lot on the improbable side. Whatever. Go see it: it's a blast.

An incubus of viral plague

So since around I'll say Saturday I've become, as Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestley so lovingly names her first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt) in 'The Devil Wears Prada', "an incubus of viral plague". Anyways yeah I more or less died on Saturday at a friends house and because of that have done absolutely no blogging. Here I am! It's the Thursday before Oscar night and I'm scared out of my mind because of two reasons: 1) 'Slumdog Millionaire' has the possibility of winning nine total awards, and 2) Sean Penn has the possibility of losing Best Actor to Mickey Rourke. I'm hopeful though, because I know that the Academy has been a fan of surprises, and hey, maybe they'll throw us a bone and break the hearts of Danny Boyle and crew! How lovely that'd be.

So now I will rest up, watch some 'High School Musical 3' (thanks Mom) and whether or not I have to bring a doggy bag for my vomit, I'm seeing 'Frost/Nixon' before Sunday. See you guys then!

BAFTA Winners

BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST ACTOR: Micky Rourke, The Wrestler
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
BRITISH FILM: Man on Wire
ANIMATED FILM: WALL•E
CARL FOREMAN AWARD: Steve McQueen, Hunger
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: I’ve Loved You So Long
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
VISUAL EFFECTS: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
MAKEUP and HAIR: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
SCORE: AR Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
SOUND: Slumdog Millionaire
EDITING: Slumdog Millionaire
COSTUMES: The Duchess
RISING STAR: Noel Clarke
SHORT ANIMATION: Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death
ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP: Terry Gilliam

Sigh. I guess we're in for a BAFTA repeat come Oscar night. I'll be so upset if Rourke does indeed take Actor, as I'm sure you're all aware. And I still just DO NOT GET the 'Slumdog' sweep.

I can't wait to look back on this and laugh.