It's over and you know what? The ceremony itself seemed to fly by this year thanks in large part to the lack of paired celebs presenting. When it's just one person out there on the stage reading off lines, things go by a whole lot quicker.
No Country for Old Men wound up the night's big winner, which was pretty much what was expected to happen. In fact, I think there may have been just two surprises in the more publicized categories. Not to in anyway knock her performance, but Tilda Swinton wasn't favored to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Swinton deserved the nomination and the win; she just simply wasn't who people expected to be walking off with the Oscar this year. I wouldn't call Marion Cotillard's win a major surprise as she had momentum on her side, but it most definitely wasn't a given.
Checking my own scorecard, I did get my Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor picks right. I missed with my Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress predictions but, you know, 5 out of 7 isn't bad so I'll accept that and try harder next year.
As for the Awards themselves, with very few exceptions the acceptance speeches won't stick with viewers overnight. The
Once songwriters spoke earnestly from the heart (you've got to love the fact host Jon Stewart brought one of them back out after the Oscars broke for a commercial just so she could say her speech). Equally as impressive (now that I've had a chance to finally hear it) was Bardem's speech as he accepted his Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Diablo Cody was obviously very shaken up by her win for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis always delivers a moving speech. First-time nominee and Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard also came across as sincere and geniunely surprised to be up on the stage. On the flip side of the coin, the Coen Brothers wound up three-time winners, but their speeches won't ever earn them any awards.
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