Oscars For Old Men

There were no big surprises at the 80th Academy Awards, although some minor shockers came in the female categories, as French actress Marion Cotillard took home Best Actress for La Vie En Rose, while Brit Tilda Swinton got Best Supporting Actress for her role in Michael Clayton.

In fact, all four of the acting awards went to Europeans this year, as Daniel Day-Lewis captured his much-expected Best Actor Oscar for There Will Be Blood, and Spaniard Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor for No Country For Old Men.

Bardem’s trophy was only one of many for Joel and Ethan Coen’s dark film, as No Country For Old Men also went home with Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

As for the Oscar ceremony itself, second-time host Jon Stewart seemed much more comfortable this time around – and while this year’s awards may not be among the most memorable, Stewart did nothing to embarrass himself, and even scored some points when he allowed Best Original Song winner Marketa Irglova to return to the stage to give an acceptance speech after she was abruptly cut off before a commercial break.

The only black mark on this year’s telecast was the inexcusable absence of the recently-passed Roy Scheider during the “In Memoriam” reel. Shame on you, Oscar.