Top Oscar Moments: Tears for a Joker, Million-Dollar Babies and More

• Feb 23, 2009 12:59 AM ET
• by Joyce Eng

Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman

Slumdog Millionaire swept. Kate Winslet finally got hers. Frost/Nixon got shut out. And on it goes. But, as we all know, there are much more to award shows than Oscar winners and losers. Here are our winners and losers from the 81st Academy Awards. Check them out and tell us yours!

11. Most Method: Ben Stiller channels his best Joaquin Phoenix — gum and all — to present cinematography because he wants to retire from "being the funny guy." "You look like you work in a Hasidic meth lab," Natalie Portman tells him.

10. So ... is there a Hasidic meth lab?: And does Adrien Brody work there, too? Seriously, what was with the facial hair and greasy curtain?

9. Comedy Done Right: Judd Apatow's ode to comedy in 2008 with Saul Silver and Dale Denton — er, James Franco and Seth Rogen. Who doesn't want to smoke some Pineapple Express and laugh during The Reader now? See, we like montages when they're done well. And way to make us miss Freaks and Geeks even more. Sigh.

8. Best Viral Video Shout-Out: After messing up his lines, Will Smith pulls a Brian Collins: "And boom goes the dynamite."

7. Moulin Retch: The time-wasting medley homage to musicals. They brought the musicals back... and then they killed it. And we thought Australia was Baz Luhrmann's worst production.

6. Best Comedy Duo: Tina Fey and Steve Martin engage in the night's funniest banter. Can they present everything from now on? Scratch that, can they host next year?

5. The Holy Trinity: Jennifer Aniston! Angelina Jolie! Brad Pitt! In one room! One's in white. One's in black. Yin and yang. Good vs. evil? It's too much for us to handle. But kudos to the producers for only doing two cutaways to Brangelina. How hard do you think it was to resist more?

4. Most Self-Aware: "I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often." —  Sean Penn, who thanks the "commie, homo-loving sons of guns" who voted for him.

3. Can You Hear Me Now?: In search of her dad, actress winner Kate Winslet commands, "Dad, whistle or something because I don't know where you are!" Who knew Papa Winslet — rockin' a killer fedora — could whistle so well and so loudly?

2. Cuteness Overload: The kids from Slumdog Millionaire might be the most adorable little rascals we've ever seen in our lives. Big ups to Fox Searchlight for flying the whole gang out.

1. Most Emotional Moment: There wasn't a dry eye in the house when the Ledgers accepted Heath Ledger's supporting actor Oscar. "We proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda," sister Kate said.