The BAFTAs are over. You can find the results here
Now go and look at them.
My impressions:
Slumdog Millionaire won a lot, and I can’t begrudge it any of the awards it won. It might be Danny Boyle’s award film, but that doesn’t make it in any way bad. That said, I only saw it today, an eon after the release (8th of Jan, I think).
I haven’t seen Waltz with Bashir, but from impressions it should have won instead of Wall-E.
Short animation went to Aardman again. Loaf and Death was brilliant.
Supporting actor was always going to end up that way. Do I think he deserved it? Absolutely. Much as I love Philip Seymour Hoffman Heath Ledger put in a classic performance. Supporting actress should have gone to Amy Adams or Marisa Tomei.
Best Cinematography, Music, Sound, Director and Film all went to Slumdog Millionaire. Now, I know it might have swung a bit because it’s a British film, but I think they were deserved, especially cinematography. The audience seemed to agree.
Original screenplay went to In Bruges, as I expected. Adapted went to Slumdog Millionaire.
Best actor went to Mickey Rourke, who probably deserved it. I haven’t got around to seeing Frost/Nixon yet but I have no huge problem with that. Also his speech was very amusing (“Marisa was very brave taking all her clothes off. I enjoyed looking at her.” She laughed a lot at that, and that’s the start).
Best actress went to Kate Winslett, who was running against herself. She won for The Reader, and was so enthusiastic and happy on stage that I would feel grumpy to deny her the award. Plus, Meryl Streep has lots of awards, and Angelina Jolie is probably going to get the Oscar.
Rising star went to a great young British actor- he was in Adulthood, I think.
Best British film went to Man on Wire. Deserving.
Lastly, Terry Gilliam was accepted as a fellow of the academy to a standing ovation. He’s rather funny, too.