The Shadow Cabaret

Jeff Bridges’ rambling and joyously heartfelt tribute to his parents was the highlight of the 2010 Academy Awards, a slick (if nonetheless 3 ½-hour) broadcast that provided few surprises but plenty of glitz and good will for some talented practitioners.

The closest thing to a surprise was undoubtedly Sandra Bullock’s Best Actress award for The Blind Side, not only beating out Meryl Streep’s formidable performance as Julia Child but also making her the only performer ever to win an Oscar and a Razzie (for All About Steve) in the same year.

Kathryn Bigelow’s win as Best Director was less of a surprise to those who saw The Hurt Locker (also the winner for Best Film), showing the cynics that the titanic box office return of Avatar couldn’t buy an Oscar. In winning, Bigelow also made Academy history as the first woman to win the award for directing.

Among the year’s winners:

THE HURT LOCKER

Best Picture

Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow)

Best Original Screenplay (Mark Boal)

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THE BLIND SIDE

Best Actress (Sandra Bullock)

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CRAZY HEART

Best Actor (Jeff Bridges)

Best Original Song (“The Weary Kind,” Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett)

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PRECIOUS

Best Supporting Actress (Mo’Nique)

Best Adapted Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher)

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INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Best Supporting Actor (Christolph Waltz)

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UP

Best Animated Feature

For a complete list of nominations and winners, see ABC’s Academy Awards Website.