Finally!

I don't often gloat, really, I don't. But indulge me, because I ROCK! If I were in an Oscars office pool, I would have made a tidy sum (of course, working in an actual office might help, but that's a different story...) I don't think I've ever predicted so many winners before :) For the first time in a long time, I think the most deserving nominees finally won, and even the ones I missed, I didn't mind as much because either 1) they weren't in categories I would have expected myself to discerningly predict correctly to begin with (Animated Short Film??); or 2) someone equally deserving won instead (I really really like Tilda Swinton, although sadly, the woman looked like she was wearing a trash bag tonight..)

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis - THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis - THERE WILL BE BLOOD
I loved his whole gesture of being knighted by Helen Mirren :) And how about that most eloquently delivered acceptance speech? The man sure has a way with words...

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Prediction: Javier Bardem - NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Winner: Javier Bardem - NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
We managed to watch the movie yesterday and man, does this man deserve to win. A cross between Fester Addams and a Beatles gone wrong, his Anton Chigurh was downright terrifying to watch. The scene at the gas station literally had me gnashing my teeth in pure fear...

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Prediction: Marion Cotillard, LA VIE EN ROSE
Winner: Marion Cotillard, LA VIE EN ROSE

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Prediction: Cate Blanchett - I'M NOT THERE
Winner: Tilda Swinton- MICHAEL CLAYTON
This was a prediction I honestly didn't mind not getting right. I've always liked Tilda Swinton, either as the malevolently frosty White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia or the twisted Angel Gabriel in Constantine. She made androgyny alluring (although again, what was with that trash bag??)

Best animated feature film of the year
Prediction: RATATOUILLE
Winner: RATATOUILLE

Achievement in art direction
Prediction: SWEENY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Winner: SWEENY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Achievement in cinematography
Prediction: THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Winner: THERE WILL BE BLOOD
This is the only other film from this year's crop Jude and I really want to catch. Hopefully there'll be a showing we can pop into when we're in Chicago next week.

Achievement in costume design
Prediction: ATONEMENT
Winner: ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
I should have guessed that the more lavish vehicle would win in this category. I was hoping that the Academy would have gone with something a little more classic and iconic.

Achievement in directing
Prediction: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Winner: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
I had said that I couldn't wait for the Coen brothers' acceptance speech, and I was right- it was a nice one indeed :) Favorite line: "...we're very thankful to all of you out there for letting us continue to play in our corner of the sandbox, so thank you very much." Even better was watch Frances McDormand 's tears of joy and whistling at her adorably awkward/dorky husband and brother-in-law :)

Best documentary feature
Prediction: NO END IN SIGHT
Winner: TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE

Best documentary short subject
Prediction: FREEHELD
Winner: FREEHELD

Achievement in film editing
Prediction: THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
Winner: THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

Best foreign language film of the year
Prediction: THE COUNTERFEITERS
Winner: THE COUNTERFEITERS

Achievement in makeup
Prediction: LA VIE EN ROSE
Winner: LA VIE EN ROSE

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
Prediction: ATONEMENT
Winner: ATONEMENT
I had written about the great shame that the There Will Be Blood soundtrack was not even nominated- my husband clearly felt the same way. When they were announcing the nominees, Jude shouted, "There Will Be Blood!!" After I gently broke it to him that it wasn't nominated, he shot me a dirty look that pretty much said, "See, I told you this whole Oscars thing is a sham..."

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
Prediction: "Falling Slowly" - ONCE
Winner: "Falling Slowly" - ONCE
Yay!!!! Yay!!! Did I say, Yay!!! The performance was just exquisite- so genuine, so incandescent, and... for lack of a better word, special. Compared to the sterile choreography and candy-colored big rah-rah song-and-dance routines of the other nominees, Hansard and Irglova shared the gift of their song in the best way they know how- with each other, their voices and the song. As you watch the clip, see how they sneak peeks at each other throughout the performance- they are so darn adorable :)



Best motion picture of the year
Prediction: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Winner: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
After two consecutive years of disappointing winners, it's so satisfying to have a most deserving film win :) Jude and I have half a mind to watch it again.

Best animated short film
Prediction: I MET THE WALRUS
Winner: PETER & THE WOLF

Best live action short film
Prediction: THE TONTO WOMAN
Winner:LE MOZART DES PICKPOCKETS

Achievement in sound editing
Prediction: THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Winner: THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

Achievement in sound mixing
Prediction: TRANSFORMERS
Winner: THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

Achievement in visual effects
Prediction: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END
Winner: THE GOLDEN COMPASS

Adapted screenplay
Prediction: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Winner: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Jude and I picked up Cormac McCarthy's original book at the bookstore yesterday after the movie. Stylistically very intriguing- summer reading, perhaps.

Original screenplay
Prediction: JUNO
Winner: JUNO
Diablo Cody looked visibly overwhelmed at winning- I can't imagine that she was surprised though... Did she think she wasn't going to win? Also, did anyone notice how she practically snatched the award announcement from Harrison Ford and ran off stage without even looking at him? She dissed Indy!! ;)

Make art. Make art.
-Glen Hansard, Academy Award acceptance speech 2008