The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Louis J. Horvitz

Writers:

Rory Albanese (writer)
Rachel Axler (writer)

Release Date:

24 February 2008 (USA)

Tagline:

The one. The only.

Plot:

In the annual awards presentation, the nominated films include Atonement (2007), Juno (2007), Michael Clayton (2007), No Country for Old Men (2007), and There Will Be Blood (2007). |

Plot Keywords:

Awards Show | Reference To IMDb | TV Special

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 7 nominations

Cast

Jon Stewart	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jan Aaris	...	Himself
Amy Adams	...	Herself - Presenter / Performer
Casey Affleck	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jessica Alba	...	Herself - Presenter: Scientific and Technical Awards
Don Ameche	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul Thomas Anderson	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture
Michelangelo Antonioni	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Jan Archibald	...	Herself - Winner: Best Makeup
Alan Arkin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Karen M. Baker	...	Herself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Javier Bardem	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Michael Bay	...	Himself
Ingmar Bergman	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Brad Bird	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Film / Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Cate Blanchett	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Robert F. Boyle	...	Himself - Honorary Award Recipient
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Memorial Tribute
Josh Brolin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Memorial Tribute
Alexandra Byrne	...	Herself - Winner: Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Jim Capobianco	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Steve Carell	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Kitty Carlisle	...	In Memoriam
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Memorial Tribute
Jay Cassidy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Herself - Performer
Julie Christie	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bob Clark	...	Memorial Tribute
George Clooney	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Diablo Cody	...	Herself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay
Ethan Coen	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture / Nominee: Best Editing
Joel Coen	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture / Nominee: Best Editing
Bill Conti	...	Himself
Marion Cotillard	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Penélope Cruz	...	Herself - Presenter
Miley Cyrus	...	Herself - Presenter
Laraine Day	...	Memorial Tribute
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Roger Deakins	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Ruby Dee	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Patrick Dempsey	...	Himself - Presenter
Judi Dench	...	Herself (archive footage)
Johnny Depp	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Cameron Diaz	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Cinematography
Donfeld	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Michael Douglas	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Paul Douglas	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Dykstra	...	Himself
Bud Ekins	...	Memorial Tribute
Peter Ellenshaw	...	Memorial Tribute
Robert Elswit	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Ray Evans	...	Memorial Tribute
Colin Farrell	...	Himself - Presenter
Dante Ferretti	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Dionne Figgins	...	Enchanted Dancer
Michael L. Fink	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Louise Fletcher	...	Herself (archive footage)
Harrison Ford	...	Himself - Presenter
Freddie Francis	...	Memorial Tribute
Kirk Francis	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Sidney Ganis	...	Himself
Jennifer Garner	...	Herself - Presenter
Alex Gibney	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary
Tony Gilroy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director & Best Original Screenplay
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Himself (archive footage)
Bernard Gordon	...	Memorial Tribute
Ruth Gordon	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Grafton	...	Himself
Johnny Grant	...	Memorial Tribute
Dabbs Greer	...	Memorial Tribute
Per Hallberg	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Christopher Hampton	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Handford	...	Memorial Tribute
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary Feature and Short Subject
Glen Hansard	...	Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
Curtis Harrington	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Ronald Harwood	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Anne Hathaway	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Katherine Heigl	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Makeup
Jonah Hill	...	Himself - Presenter
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Hal Holbrook	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Celeste Holm	...	Herself (archive footage)
Jennifer Hudson	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (also archive footage)
Holly Hunter	...	Herself (archive footage)
Betty Hutton	...	Memorial Tribute
Markéta Irglová	...	Herself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
George Jenkins	...	Memorial Tribute
Tamara Jenkins	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Elton John	...	Himself
Dwayne Johnson	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Visual Effects
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Janusz Kaminski	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Diane Keaton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Deborah Kerr	...	In Memoriam
Michael Kidd	...	Memorial Tribute
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter
László Kovács	...	Memorial Tribute
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Presenter
Didier Lavergne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Heath Ledger	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Lemmon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Skip Lievsay	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Sound / Best Sound Editing
Laura Linney	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Calvin Lockhart	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Francesca Lo Schiavo	...	Herself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Shirley MacLaine	...	Herself (archive footage)
Delbert Mann	...	Memorial Tribute
Martin Manulis	...	Memorial Tribute
Dario Marianelli	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Lois Maxwell	...	Memorial Tribute
James McAvoy	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Seamus McGarvey	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Jon McLaughlin	...	Himself - Performer
Alan Menken	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Song
Harold Michelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Scott Millan	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Helen Mirren	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Alfred Molina	...	Himself
Ben Morris	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Viggo Mortensen	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jamia Simone Nash	...	Herself - Performer
Barry Nelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself - Presenter
Nancy Oliver	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Tatum O'Neal	...	Herself (archive footage)
Eva Orner	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary
Ellen Page	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
David Parker	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Jan Pinkava	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Suzanne Pleshette	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute
Sidney Poitier	...	Himself
Sarah Polley	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Jason Reitman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
Jason Robards	...	Himself (archive footage)
Seth Rogen	...	Himself - Presenter
Saoirse Ronan	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Frank Edward Rosenfelt	...	Memorial Tribute
Vanessa Roth	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary - Short Subjects
Christopher Rouse	...	Himself - Winner: Best Editing
Scott Rudin	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Herself (archive footage)
Stefan Ruzowitzky	...	Himself - Winner: Best Foreign Film
Amy Ryan	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Ari Sandel	...	Himself
Susan Sarandon	...	Herself (archive footage)
Marlon Saunders	...	Himself - Performer
Julian Schnabel	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
Stephen Schwartz	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Song
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself - Presenter
Ousmane Sembene	...	Memorial Tribute
Melville Shavelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself (archive footage)
Maureen Stapleton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Hilary Swank	...	Herself - Presenter
Tilda Swinton	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Suzie Templeton	...	Herself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Randy Thomas	...	Herself - Announcer (voice)
Dylan Tichenor	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
John Travolta	...	Himself - Presenter
William Tuttle	...	Memorial Tribute
Christina Ulloa	...	Trophy Presenter
Miyoshi Umeki	...	Memorial Tribute
Jack Valenti	...	Memorial Tribute
Cynthia Wade	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary - Short Subjects
Denzel Washington	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Picture
Hugh Welchman	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Juliette Welfling	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Editing
Bill Westenhofer	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Forest Whitaker	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Dianne Wiest	...	Herself (archive footage)
Tom Wilkinson	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Owen Wilson	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Live Action Short Film
Trevor Wood	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Jane Wyman	...	Memorial Tribute
Renée Zellweger	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Film Editing
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Herself (also archive footage)
Peter Zinner	...	Memorial Tribute
Maria Zyrianova	...	Herself

Runtime:

197 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

Kodak Theatre - 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen always edit their movies themselves under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes. So, during the rundown of the Achievement in Film Editing nominees a picture of a Dust Bowl-era farmer was shown, instead of one of Joel and Ethan, which the Coens found in a book. The Coens insist so much on Roderick Jaynes being real, that, in case "he" had won the Best Editing Oscars, they would not have went up on stage and accepted it upon "his" behalf.

Quotes:

Glen Hansard: Make art! Make art!

Movie Connections:

Features Once (2006)

Soundtrack:

So Close

What a bleak show.

"The 80th Annual Academy Awards" shall go down in history as the show that almost wasn't there and the year without any surprises. The evening was nothing too bad but it all was just so standard and also the winners themselves didn't really gave away any memorable speeches or moments.

While watching this I couldn't help wondering; How good would they show had been if there was still a writer's strike? Because of the writer's strike, this award show got almost narrowed done to an evening that would show montages from previous Academy Awards ceremonies and the winners being announced in between. It's obvious that they still implemented some of these montages in the actual show and to be honest, the montages were also the best moments during the evening. It showed all the previous movies that ever won for best picture and lots of winning actors and actresses as well as a couple of humorous montages such as one that paid homage to binoculars and one about waking up after having bad dreams.

When especially compared to other years, there were hardly any political jokes or statements being made. Not even a lot of Obama, Clinton or Bush references. Not by presenter Jon Stewart, nor by any of the award winners. Not even any Iraq references were being made, other then of course the nominated documentaries, focusing on Iraq.

Jon Stewart himself did a fair enough job as the evening's presenter. He had a couple of good fun moments but for most part of the evening he was just standing there filling up the gaps and announce the next categories. There was hardly any improvisation involved. Blame it on the writer's strike? Most likely yes, for also the award presenters themselves hardly said anything, funny, good or memorable.

All of the usual suspect were also present handing out the award, also no big surprises or anything memorable there. The only surprising thing perhaps there was Owen Wilson, who a couple of months ago attempted a suicide attempt. Guess he just wanted to show his face that he was still around and ready to make his Hollywood return. But also then again; what's the point of letting him present something if he isn't going to do anything funny? Basically all he did was entering the stage and said; the nominees are...and the winner is.

And as for the winners, well really were there any surprises? The only thing perhaps was Marion Cotillard wining best actress in a leading role for "La Môme". But other then that; "No Country for Old Men" winning best picture, the Coen brothers winning best director, Daniel Day-Lewis winning, Javier Bardem winning and so on. None of the categories provided any surprising winners. Besides "No Country for Old Men", the other big winner of the evening was "The Bourne Ultimatum" for winning three out of three Oscar', even though not for the most important categories obviously.

Some great filmmakers spend their entire directing career without winning an Oscar (Hithcock, Kubrick). I just can't help that I lost some of the respect I had for the Coen brothers after appearing on stage for each of their 3 wins, including best picture and best directing. I always thought that they were a couple of awesome young dogs who only made movies they really wanted to make but as it turns out they are pretty boring individuals. They acted like this was a normal every day for them and the Oscar was not a big thing for them.

Perhaps the nicest winners of the evening were Diablo Cody for winning for best original screenplay for "Juno", who was genuinely happy and emotional and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová for winning best original song for "Once". It was nice that they won, since it was a simply made movie, made on a shoe-string budget and with a couple of camcorder but became an huge success nevertheless. It also was nice that they allowed Markéta Irglová back on the stage to make her acceptance speech, after being cut off by the music before. Perhaps a good idea to give EACH of the award winners the time to make an acceptance speech? I think it's quite disrespectful that in the case of three winners, only one is given the chance and time to make a speech. I mean, some of these people will probably never win an Oscar again. so please let them just enjoy this moment.

Interesting thing to notice was also the amount of international winners, from outside the English speaking countries. It shows that not the best movies and filmmakers are all come from Hollywood and film-making has become a real universal thing, perhaps more than ever before.

But really, do you always need to make a WW II to get nominated for best foreign movie? When is this going to change. It was nice for Austria to win their first ever Oscar for "Die Fälscher" but they really need to broaden their view on foreign films, since there are so many other nice films around, concentrating on totally different subjects.

Forgettable show, without any surprises, which perhaps is also a good thing since this doesn't annoy- or make anyone mad about things.

6/10