Growing up, due to time differences, I had to take a disco nap and then start watching the Oscars at 2 am, which would then end conveniently just before it was time to go to school (where you’re zombie through the day, but still felt oddly satisfied you powered through). Now, I can watch them at 8pm, while having a living room picnic and it somehow feels more labor intensive than when it involved sleep deprivation.
In any case, the results are in, and while some (like Cesar, or that man Alexandra saw crying in the park on her way home) may be dissappointed that “There Will Be Blood” lost out to “No Country to Old Men”, lets just say there were zero suprises, in my book, this year.
“No Country” had positive momentum going for it for months now, with almost no backlash (unlike There Will be Blood, a difficult movie about difficult people made by some difficult people). Marion Cottillard and her undeniable Frenchness (which not even a movie with Russell Crowe could tarnish) won Best Actress for “La Vie En Rose”, Javier Bardem scooped up the Best Supporting Actor (the only 100% sure bet in my book), Tild Swinton was, as expected, the only award that went to “Michael Clayton” (Cate Blanchett lost due to the sheer “ooooh, she will be nominated 10 times next year again” vibe), Daniel Day Lewis and his gypsy earrings won Best Actor and Diablo Cody proved once again that if you make a small, independent movie that gets Oscar buzz, you will never, ever win anything BUT Original Screenplay (and the sporadic supporting actor award). For reference please see: Pulp Fiction, Lost in Translation etc etc.
John Stewart kept things breezy(ish) and won extra brownie points from me for lettng Marketa Irglova come back on stage and finish her “Once” thank you speech.
Rebecca Miller (Daniel Day-Lewis’ wife) wins for worst dress at the Oscars ever (or at least since Barbra stopped attending), Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill were the best presenting duo, John Travolta is looking creepier by the day and if I see Miley Cyrus anywhere else this year, I will probably shoot the screen and then shoot myself.
Oh and Persepolis lost to Ratatouille.
Which, I am afraid to admit, I 100% saw coming.
FULL RESULTS below:
Best motion picture of the year
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse)
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
Best animated feature film of the year
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney) Brad Bird
Best foreign language film of the year
Austria
“The Counterfeiters” An Aichholzer Filmproduktion, Magnolia Filmproduktion Production
Achievement in directing
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Adapted screenplay
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Original screenplay
“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Diablo Cody
Achievement in art direction
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Art Direction: Dante Ferretti
Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
Achievement in cinematography
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax) Robert Elswit
Achievement in costume design
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal) Alexandra Byrne
Best documentary feature
“Taxi to the Dark Side” (THINKFilm)
An X-Ray Production
Alex Gibney and Eva Orner
Best documentary short subject
“Freeheld”
A Lieutenant Films Production
Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth
Achievement in film editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” (Universal) Christopher Rouse
Achievement in makeup
“La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse) Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Atonement” (Focus Features) Dario Marianelli
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Falling Slowly” from “Once”
(Fox Searchlight)
Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Best animated short film
“Peter & the Wolf” (BreakThru Films)
A BreakThru Films/Se-ma-for Studios Production
Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman
Best live action short film
“Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)” (Premium Films)
A Karé Production
Philippe Pollet-Villard
Achievement in sound editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” (Universal)
Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
Achievement in sound mixing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” (Universal)
Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
I’d say Tildo Swinton was a surprise. Sure she’s British. But I really thought Cate Blanchett would get it.
February 25, 2008 at 11:54 amAnd I meant ‘Tilda’!
February 25, 2008 at 11:54 amonly caught the tail end, just best picture and best actress
agree more with Entertainment Weekly on the worst presenters, which were one of the few i caught:
Unfunniest Banter
Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen
The look-alike Knocked Up and Superbad costars made a walking sight gag as co-presenters, but having them argue about which of them more closely resembled Judi Dench, and which gave off a more Halle Berry vibe, drained all the funny out. Having them repeat the argument a few minutes later didn’t bring any of it back.
ecc – “I’d say Tildo Swinton was a surprise. Sure she’s British. But I really thought Cate Blanchett would get it.”
agreed 100%. though i did like her silly speech, that pale little thing. that may have been the beers, though. hell, i almost cried when robert boyle gave props to hitch.
February 25, 2008 at 4:15 pmnot to toot my own horn(fuck it, but this is totally tooting my own horn), but I believe I called all of No Country for Old Men’s oscars in my review of it 3 months ago.
This, unfortunately, wins me nothing.
February 25, 2008 at 7:31 pmi just have to say, all this talk about tilda swinton and the worst dress ever… and not one mention of tilda swinton’s dress? i mean, call me fashion imcompetent or something, but that thing looked like a oversized black satin smock with a sleeve missing, she looked TERRIBLE… but i guess she was just so avant garde that everyone’s afraid to say anything? i don’t get it…
February 26, 2008 at 3:44 pmagreed
i heard worse about Daniel Day Lewis’s wife’s dress:
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/images/photos/daniel-day-lewis-oscars.jpg
would like to see a full length image before making a determination but can’t find one
February 26, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Did you even see the dress Clooney’s arm-candy was wearing? It was like she was wearing a retailored muʻumuʻu. Awful.
Also, Ratatouille, and more specifically Brad Bird, is amazing. I’m not at all surprised it won, but I am more interested in seeing Persepolis now.
February 25, 2008 at 9:53 am