Over the past decade, the academy has chosen to divide its awards among several big winners, but for "Slumdog Millionaire," the academy was willing to break recent tradition. On Sunday night, there was a general feeling of celebration because the movie turned out to be the big winner at this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The Mumbai story picked up a total of eight Oscars, including best director for Danny Boyle and best picture. Throughout the entire evening the film also received numerous critic and industry awards which can only prove that the academy really does love "Slumdog Millionaire." Then again, they're all actors, so it's a little hard to be sure.

Early in the evening, Dustin Lance Black, the "Milk" screenwriter, accepted the award for best original screenplay by addressing gays directly. He encouraged them to go on doing what they do best in spite of anyone’s opinion because God loves them too and they must be confident that they will have equal rights federally across the country in the end. Milk received another award for Sean Penn’s performance on the best actor category, but it was a pretty difficult choice between Penn’s “Milk” and Mickey Rourke’s “The Wrestler.” The award went to Penn because the academy has always favored performances in which actors disappear into their role, the way Penn did as Harvey Milk and because the actor really was great in the role. He accepted the best actor prize for "Milk," calling the academy a bunch of "commie homo-loving sons of guns" after which he segued into an impassioned statement on behalf of gay rights.

In the best actress category, front-runner Kate Winslet finally received an Oscar after five previous nominations. She won for "The Reader," in a performance previously honored at the Golden Globes, but in the supporting actress category. It is thought that Winslet did not really win for "The Reader" but for her work in 2008, which included a brilliant performance in "Revolutionary Road," and for a series of extraordinary performances over the past decade. At 33, she has already assembled an estimable body of work.

Penelope Cruz also got a trophy for best supporting actress due to her performance as a neurotic artist in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." This event marked the fifth time Allen has directed someone to a supporting acting Oscar. The other winners were Dianne Wiest (twice), Michael Caine and Mira Sorvino.

In the best animated feature category, voters decided upon “Wall-E,” which had a transcendent beginning and ending but which was a long slog through the middle. The “adversary” was "Kung Fu Panda," which was entertaining throughout and never waned, but which never reached the heights of "Wall-E" at its best.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" received 13 nominations but was limited only to a couple of technical awards, including best visual effects.