OSCAR 2011: The Winners and Why

Last night's Academy Awards was, to say the least, surprising, but not necessarily in a good way. In fact, I have to admit I would have been a lot happier if we had absolutely no surprises. Realistically, that didn't happen, and we got plenty of shocking moments that simply didn't need to happen. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" took home an Oscar for the absolute worst aspect of the film. "Hugo" took awards for technical aspects that simply didn't support it, all the while I was reminded of how soulless a feature Scorsese's latest was. But if there's a single win that defines the disappointment I feel this morning, it's Meryl Streep winning Best Actress.

From the very start of the evening, we saw Viola Davis absolutely working it on the red carpet, and I couldn't have felt happier for her. This was her night, and the Academy refused to recognize it. If she had taken the stage, last night would have been absolutely perfect in my memory. I don't blame Meryl Streep for winning. You have to blame the Academy for simply making the wrong decision and not voting on what's simply better and more deserving. Meryl Streep didn't need another award, but even more than that, her getting countless awards for performances like this is like giving Adam Sandler an Oscar for "Jack and Jill" because he was great in "Punch-Drunk Love" in the past. For the most part, however, I was pleased with what was predicted to win "The Artist"s wins were extremely heartfelt, and "A Separation" was just a great moment.

Best Picture: "The Artist"

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist")

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin ("The Artist")

Best Actress: Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady")

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer ("Beginners")

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer ("The Help")

Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen ("Midnight in Paris")

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon , Jim Rash ("The Descendants")

Best Animated Feature: "Rango"

Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"

Best Documentary: "Undefeated"

Best Documentary Short: "Saving Face"

Best Live Action Short: "The Shore"

Best Animated Short: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"

Best Original Score: "The Artist"

Best Original Song: "The Muppets"

Best Sound Editing: "Hugo"

Best Sound Mixing: "Hugo"

Best Art Direction: "Hugo"

Best Cinematography: "Hugo"

Best Makeup: "The Iron Lady"

Best Costume Design: "The Artist"

Best Film Editing: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Best Visual Effects: "Hugo"