Oh Danny Boy(le) The Oscar, Oscar's Calling: "Slumdog" Top Dog
Oscar Reborn, Shines With Restrained Glamour In His 81st Party
"Slumdog Millionaire" Wins Eight Oscars Including Best Picture; Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger, Penelope Cruz Nab Acting Honors
"Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle accepting the Academy Award for Best Director. "Slumdog Millionaire", which starred Dev Patel (above), won a total of eight Oscars, including Best Picture.
(Photo: ŠAMPAS; Photo of Dev Patel courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures)
By Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
Sunday, February 22, 2009 SHARE
The Laurence Mark-Bill Condon produced 81st Annual Academy Awards was a tasteful and entertaining spectacle and Slumdog Millionaire" took full advantage tonight, winning eight Oscars including the top prize of Best Picture, dominating the show. The film was nominated for ten Oscars. As the night went on it was clear that Danny Boyle's film was going to get very familiar with Oscar despite "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" (which won three Oscars) being nominated for more awards (thirteen). It was the first time in many years that the film with the most nominations did not win the top prize. "Slumdog" was the film of the year, sweeping through all the major film awards shows around the globe and with its comprehensive accomplishments tonight the film's riches -- which was very nearly a direct-to-video title -- were somewhat anti-climactic if not joyous.
Danny Boyle was generally thrilled as he jumped up and down, dedicating his action to his two young children, imitating Tigger from Winnie The Pooh, keeping a promise that he said he had made to his daughters when they were younger about how he'd react if he had ever won an Oscar. Mr. Boyle praised everyone he could, including the producers of tonight's fast-moving three-and-a-half-hour telecast for making it look so good. "Slumdog Millionaire" marked the second consecutive year that a film made outside the Hollywood studio system won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, perhaps signaling a trend away from big-budget studio gloss flicks. "Benjamin Button", which cost at least $150 million to make, about twice the "Slumdog" budget, was soundly defeated tonight.
Much of the night though predictable, was refreshingly different from the past eighty Academy Awards shows, with the acting nominees being presented for the first time by five previous Oscar winners in each of their respective categories, making the honor of being nominated an intimate singular moment almost as rewarding as winning the eight-and-a-half pound statuette. Many people at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles tonight liked the format, and the nominated actors, most notably Viola Davis (supporting role in "Doubt") and Anne Hathaway (lead in "Rachel Getting Married"), displayed great emotion as they were personally addressed by Eva Marie Saint and Nicole Kidman respectively.
Speaking of her oft-rehearsed acceptance speech in the mirror as an 8-year-old in England with a shampoo bottle as an Oscar, Kate Winslet accepted the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as Hanna Schmitz in "The Reader", the film's only win of the night. "I feel very fortunate to have made it from there to here," the respected British actress said. Ms. Winslet, dressed in Yves Saint Laurent and best attired, finally won in her sixth nomination. She was up against Meryl Streep, with whom she had been nominated in the category with back in 2007, and said playfully, "I think we all can't believe were in a category with Meryl Streep at all. I'm sorry Meryl but you have to just suck that up!" Ms. Winslet capped off an amazing year, which began last month with dual wins for her roles in "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road", the latter of which Sam Mendes directed. Stephen Daldry directed "The Reader", which was the second successive film he helmed that won an Oscar for its leading actress. In 2003, Mr. Daldry's "The Hours" gained a Best Actress win for its lead role played by Nicole Kidman, who played Virginia Woolf.
Sean Penn won for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, America's first openly gay politician, the trailblazing San Francisco Board Supervisor member who was slain in 1978, in Gus Van Sant's "Milk". Mr. Penn won his second Best Actor Oscar in five years, last winning in 2004 for "Mystic River". The Bay Area resident, director and activist, who playfully began his thankful speech with "you commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns", made mention of some hateful signs near the Kodak Theater which greeted him as he drove to the Theater, made reference to them and to those who voted for banning gay marriage in California, saying that it would be a good time time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support." Mr. Penn also saluted America for electing "an elegant man" as president in Barack Obama and sang the praises of fellow nominee Mickey Rourke, calling him "my brother" acknowledging the tough road Mr. Rourke had been down over the years.
As expected, Heath Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for his supporting work as The Joker in "The Dark Knight". Mr. Ledger, who had died following and overdose of sleeping pills in January last year, became the first posthumous recipient of an Academy Award since Peter Finch's supporting actor win for "Network" in 1978. Mr. Ledger's father, joined on the stage with his wife and daughter said: "This is ever so humbling -- we'd like to thank the Academy for recognizing our son's work," as teary eyed Kodak Theater audience members watched. "Heath was such a compassionate and generous soul who added such excitement to our lives."
Penelope Cruz won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work as a wild and volatile character in Woody Allen's romance comedy "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". She had asked herself rhetorically whether anyone had ever fainted onstage while accepting an Oscar, informing the Kodak Theater that she might be the first to do so.
The big surprise of the night was the best foreign language film winner, as "Departures" from Japan. "I am very happy," said the film's director. "Waltz From Bashir" (Israel) was widely expected to win in the category and when it didn't the actual winner looked surprised. No surprise in the animated feature film category as "Wall-E" took home the prize. Andrew Stanton directed the film, and gratefully accepted the Oscar for the critically-acclaimed smash hit film of last summer. "Man On Wire" won best documentary feature, and its subject Philippe Petit, who once walked high above the Manhattan along a tightrope without supports, had an entertaining moment during the acceptance speech, which he punctuated with a magic trick, making a gold good luck coin given to him by Werner Herzog disappear before the eyes of a live worldwide audience of millions.
In one heartfelt tribute to a legend, the words, "This award touches my heart . . . thank you and goodnight", were uttered by actor-comedian-humanitarian Jerry Lewis, who received the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from Eddie Murphy. Mr. Lewis, whose work for children with muscular dystrophy over the last five decades was recognized, was labored in his breathing as he spoke briefly in appreciation of the Award.
Australian actor Hugh Jackman got the show off to a flying start in his maiden Oscar-hosting voyage, with quick dance numbers tailored to the Tony winner's specifications, rivaling Billy Crystal's riveting openers, except far less pricey in this time of economic depression. There were barbs at now-retired actor Joaquin Phoenix, executed cheekily by Ben Stiller. There were also a flurry of awards presented early on -- four in the first 38 minutes, which grew to seven before the 50-minute mark. There was little in the way of controversy, although Cuba Gooding Jr. jokingly chastised Robert Downey Jr. for playing his Oscar-nominated role in "Tropic Thunder" in blackface. Mr. Downey, who appeared somewhat tense throughout the night, reluctantly went along with the good-natured jibes.
Related: Complete list of winners on Oscar night
Related: The 81st Annual Academy Awards Oscar Night Page
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