2009 Academy Awards Recap

By Kam Williams, heritagekonpa Magazine

Headline:  Slumdog Sweeps!

Penelope Cruz accepts the Best Supporting Actress award for 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' during the 81st Academy Awards - Feb. 22, 2009, photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Host Hugh Jackman during the 81st Academy Awards, photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Slumdog Millionaire emerged the big winner at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, garnering 8 Oscars overall, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Because none of Slumdog’s cast members were even nominated, the acting categories were up for grabs.

                  Sean Penn (Milk) upset sentimental favorite Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) in the Lead Actor category, while Kate Winslet (The Reader) won for Lead Actress because she was the only Brit nominated and since she did such a great job of turning a Nazi pedophile into a sexy and sympathetic character. As for supporting roles, the late Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) was a shoo-in, while Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) was a trickier pick, since no Spanish actress had won before.

                  The event was staged at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood where it was hosted by Hugh Jackman who mixed a little song-and-dance in with the ordinary emcee duties. Most notable among the others doing musical numbers were Beyonce and Queen Latifah, and the funniest presenters by far were Steve Martin and Tina Fey who were teamed together to hand out the scriptwriting awards..  

                  As for acceptance speeches, the most memorable arrived early on, and was delivered by recipient Dustin Lance Black for Milk’s screenplay. After choking up, the openly-gay scriptwriter collected himself to thank his mother for her support and Harvey Milk for his inspiration.

                  Mr. Black concluded by reminding “all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours.”

                  As for Oscar office pools, you’re probably sitting pretty right now, if you relied on this critic’s picks in filling out your entry, since I was correct on 19 of the 20 categories in which I made predictions. Perhaps most impressively, I tabbed Sean Penn to prevail over Mickey Rourke, despite the momentum the latter was enjoying coming into the evening.

                  You owe me.

Sean Penn accepts the Best Actor award for 'Milk' during the 81st Academy Awards - Feb. 22, 2009, photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage

Complete list of winners at the 81st annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles:

• Motion Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk."

• Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

• Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."

• Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

• Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Foreign Film: "Departures," Japan.

• Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk."

• Animated Feature Film: "WALL-E."

• Art Direction: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

• Cinematography: "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Sound Mixing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight."

• Original Score: "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman.

• Original Song: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.

• Costume: "The Duchess."

• Documentary Feature: "Man on Wire."

• Documentary (short subject): "Smile Pinki."

• Film Editing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Makeup: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

• Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes."

• Live Action Short Film: "Spielzeugland (Toyland)."

• Visual Effects: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Angelina Jolie at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, photo by Lester Cohn/WireImage.com

Freida Pinto at the 81st Annual Academy Awards

Freida Pinto and Dev Patel at the 81st Annual Academy Awards , photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

Anne Hathaway arrives at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com/WireImage.com

Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com/WireImage.com

photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com Queen Latifah at the 81st An

photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images John Legend and guest arrive at the 81st Annual Academy Awards

Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan and Anil Kapoo at the 81st Annual Academy Awards - Feb. 22, 2009

photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Host Hugh Jackman and Beyonce Knowles performer on stage during the 81st Academy Awards - Feb. 22, 2009

photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Kate Winslet accepts the Best Actress award for 'The Reader' during the 81st Academy Awards - Feb. 22, 2009