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

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:

Reference To IMDb | TV Special | Awards Show

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 8 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, Director & Picture
Michelangelo Antonioni	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Josh Brolin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jay Cassidy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Herself - Performer
Julie Christie	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bob Clark	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Michael Douglas	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Paul Douglas	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Dykstra	...	Himself
Bud Ekins	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Peter Ellenshaw	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Robert Elswit	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Ray Evans	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Gene Fallaize	...	Himself - guest
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Ruth Gordon	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Grafton	...	Himself
Johnny Grant	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Dabbs Greer	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Allen Lee Haff	...	Himself
Per Hallberg	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Christopher Hampton	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Handford	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary Feature and Short Subject
Glen Hansard	...	Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
Curtis Harrington	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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
Tom Kane	...	Live Announcer
Diane Keaton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Deborah Kerr	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Michael Kidd	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter
László Kovács	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Presenter
Didier Lavergne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Heath Ledger	...	Ennis del Mar Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Lemmon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Skip Lievsay	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Sound & Sound Editing
Laura Linney	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Calvin Lockhart	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Francesca Lo Schiavo	...	Herself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Shirley MacLaine	...	Herself (archive footage)
Delbert Mann	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Martin Manulis	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Dario Marianelli	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Lois Maxwell	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Melville Shavelson	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Christina Ulloa	...	Trophy Presenter
Miyoshi Umeki	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Valenti	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Maria Zyrianova	...	Herself

Runtime:

197 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

Kodak Theatre - 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

Set a new record for the number of films with acting nominations: 18.

Quotes:

[after correcting himself about the number of pregnant actresses at the show, in a mock category]
Jon Stewart: The baby goes to... Angelina Jolie!

Movie Connections:

Features Once (2006)

Soundtrack:

Falling Slowly

I've only seen two of the movies that got nominated for anything!

Yes, it's true! I, the ultimate cinephile, have only seen two nominated movies: "I'm Not There" and "Charlie Wilson's War". I've just been working so much that I haven't gotten to go to the movies much (and I frankly think that they should have nominated "Grindhouse" for at least something; I mean, they nominated f**king "Norbit" for an Oscar).

But anyway, on to the review. I really liked that during the pre-awards ceremony with the people arriving, two people made solid statements: Julie Christie wore an ACLU pin to call for the closure of Guantanamo, and Michael Moore apologized to the world for everything that the US has done. I wonder what would happen to anyone who attended the Oscars and called for continuation of the Guantanamo base.

When Jon Stewart hosted two years ago, I named him best host ever (at least during my lifetime). This year, his true highlight was noting that despite the lack of recognition for movies about Iraq, we have to stay the course and keep the movies in the theaters...otherwise the audience wins! In fact, Arianna Huffington noted that the Best Picture nominees all sound as though they allude to John McCain: "No Country for Old Men" (election season!), "There Will Be Blood" (his foreign policy), "Atonement" (how's he explain to his wife all this stuff about the lobbyist?), "Michael Clayton" (he needs a fixer), and "Juno"...well, let's keep an eye on Vicki Iseman.

The montages were about what I expected (why do they never show Kevin Kline?). I get the feeling that a lot of the young people watching this see the montages showing people from the days of yore and have no idea who any of them are. Heath Ledger was probably the most recognizable person in the "In Memoriam" montage.

But like I said earlier, I watched "The 80th Annual Academy Awards" completely numb to most of the nominees. I have no idea whether the winners deserved their wins or not; hell, I've never even heard of Marion Cotillard or Robert Boyle. Although you gotta admit, who would have guessed that Best Original Song would go to an Irish movie ("Once") over a Disney movie ("Enchanted")? The kind of people whom Stephen Colbert spoofs must have gotten angry about Best Documentary Feature going to one about Iraq (and Best Documentary Short Subject, if I remember right, went to a movie about a same-sex partnership). Of course, these sorts of individuals consider the Oscars an excuse for America-hating, Democrat-backing celebrities to promote the "gay agenda". In fact, Stephen Colbert should host the Oscars - in his right-wing commentator persona - and bash everyone for being the blame-America-first crowd (because let's face it: how many movies has Hollywood made saying anything good about the United States?).

All in all, it's neat to see Steve Carell, Cameron Diaz, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Helen Mirren, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker and the rest doing their stuff. Even though the two movies that I saw didn't win anything, I still liked the broadcast. Any pet peeves? Well, when they showed Bob Clark in the deceased montage, I think that instead of "A Christmas Story" next to him, they should have shown "Porky's"; or maybe "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things".

Overall, I liked it.