Crime thriller "No Country for Old Men" put its directors in the record books Sunday night, as Ethan and Joel Coen became the first ever siblings to win the best director prize.
The film, chosen by critics and fans alike as the year's top movie, surprised few when it garnered best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor honours at the 80th annual Academy Awards.
The Coens -- known for their quirky characters, attention to detail and highly styled cinematography -- have received one Oscar in past years, for the screenplay they wrote for "Fargo" in 1996.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem accepted the prize for best supporting actor for his portrayal of emotionless killing machine Anton Chigurh in the widely-acclaimed film.
"Thank you... for putting one of the most horrible haircuts in history over my head," Bardem said jokingly, referring to the bowl-cut host Jon Stewart had compared to 1970s figure skater Dorothy Hamill earlier in the evening.
"No Country" went into the night with eight nominations, tied for highest number of nods with oil-boom epic "There Will Be Blood."
Lauded actor Daniel Day-Lewis surprised few when he took home the Oscar for best actor for his role as brutal oil tycoon Daniel Planview in the Paul Thomas Anderson film. It was his second best actor Oscar, following his win in 1989 for "My Left Foot."
"There Will be Blood" also took home the honours for best cinematography, but failed to defeat the Coen juggernaut for best picture. Nominees in that category also included wartime romance "Atonement," legal thriller "Michael Clayton" and teen pregnancy comedy "Juno," which boasts a notably Canadian sensibility after being filmed in this country by a cast and crew bursting with local talent.
Canadians lose out
But, while plenty of Canadians went into the evening with nominations, none came out on top.
Jason Reitman's "Juno," which earned three wins at Saturday's independent Spirit Awards, was nominated in four categories but came home with only one award, best original screenplay for Chicago-based exotic-dancer-turned-writer Diablo Cody.
"This is for the writers," Cody exclaimed, holding her golden Oscar figurine in the air while struggling to keep her flimsy leopard-print dress from blowing up in the stage-fan-generated breeze. "I want to thank Jason Reitman, who I consider a member of my family. I am in awe of his skill as a filmmaker."
A Montrealer, Reitman has been moving toward status as a household name since "Juno" premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2007.
Torontonian Sarah Polley failed to cash in on her best adapted screenplay nod for "Away from Her" and neither of the Canadian entries in the short animated film category -- "Madame Tutli-Putli" and "I Met the Walrus" -- secured a win.
French actress Marion Cotillard took home the coveted best actress Oscar Sunday night, earning the prize for her role as iconic chanteuse Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose."
More known in Canada for her starring roles in two music videos for Ontario-based musician Hawksley Workman, Cotillard can also be seen in Tim Burton's "Big Fish" (2003) and Ridley Scott's "A Good Year" (2006).
"La Vie En Rose" -- named after Piaf's signature song -- also earned the 2008 Academy Award for makeup.
England's Tilda Swinton accepted the Academy Award for best supporting actress by comparing the golden statuette's shapely figure to that of her American agent -- including its shapely buttocks.
Swinton earned the Oscar for her performance as lawyer Karen Crowder in the legal suspense film "Michael Clayton," just weeks after earning a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for the same role.
Stewart salutes Hollywood writers
Jon Stewart kicked off the broadcast by tipping a hat to Hollywood's writers, who returned to work two weeks ago after a 100-day strike.
"You're here! I can't believe it, you're actually here," he exclaimed, welcoming the star-filled audience to the famed Kodak Theater. "These past three and a half months have been quite tough. The town was torn apart by a bitter writers' strike but I'm happy to say the fight is finally over. So tonight -- welcome to the makeup sex."
A self-proclaimed "fake news anchor," Stewart had the audience in stitches in no time, making jabs at the actors, writers and this year's slate of best-picture nominees.
"Tonight we look beyond the dark days and focus on happier fare: this year's slate of Oscar-nominated psychopathic killer movies. Does this town need a hug?
"All I can say is thank God for teen pregnancy."
Oscar translates to bigger bucks
While the glitz associated with the Academy Awards certainly carries panache of its own, the benefits of winning an Oscar don't stop with the people's ovation and fame forever. According to Montreal-based film critic and author Matthew Hays, an Oscar win can mean big bucks for an up-and-coming actor.
"Winning an Oscar is quite simply huge for an actor," he told CTV.ca on Sunday night. "Usually, it means that the actor's agent can push (for more roles for) the actor... and that they can get more money for the next role they take on.
"The name recognition is massive."
With files from The Associated Press
