After a long and grueling winter (and no, I’m not talking about the weather) the writers’ strike came to a glorious end and the show finally went on. The 80th Academy Awards were presented at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday night, and it did not disappoint. Jon Stewart definitely brought his A-game to his opening monologue and continued throughout the show with hilarity and wise cracks as the host of the ceremony. No Country for Old Men turned out to be the big winner, earning three awards for brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, including Best Picture. Daniel Day-Lewis and Marion Cotillard won Best Actor and Actress, respectively, and the night was brightened by the five performances of the nominees for Best Original Song.

The hysterical host, Jon Stewart, joked constantly about the ongoing U.S. Presidential election commenting that, “normally, when you see a black man or a woman president, an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty.” After an explanation of the process of Academy voting, he even commented that he thought it was done through superdelegates—referring to the brewing controversy in the Democratic race. The high points in his performance were the cracks on the writers’ strike, which caused much drama in the actual production of the event. He joked about Diablo Cody, the ex-stripper and winner of Best Screenplay for Juno, by saying that she “used to be an exotic dancer, and now she’s an Oscar-nominated screenwriter.” He went on to say, “Hope you enjoy the paycut.”

On a more serious note, the Best Picture nod went to No Country for Old Men. Adapted from the novel by Cormac McCarthy, this film portrays the story of a man chased by death and the law across the empty landscapes of Texas in 1980s. The Coen brothers, known for their writing in The Big Lebowski and Fargo, cleaned up with No Country and proved their brilliance and wit during their acceptance speeches. No Country beat out Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton and There Will Be Blood for the top honor on Sunday.

Daniel Day-Lewis, who won Best Actor 18 years ago for My Left Foot, humbly accepted his statue for his performance in There Will Be Blood. Marion Cotillard won Best Actress for her portrayal of singer Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. Other mentionables were Javier Bardem as Best Supporting Actor for his role in No Country for Old Men and Best Supporting Actress Tilda Swinton for her performance in Michael Clayton along side George Clooney. Many thought that Ruby Dee would take the award for the competitive Best Supporting Actress category, as she was viewed as the sentimental favorite for her performance in American Gangster. Best Animated Feature went to a personal favorite, Ratatouille, and the Best Original Song went to “Falling Slowly” from the independent film Once.

All in all, Oscar Sunday was a great night. Filled with laughter, tears, sentiment for those who have passed in the last year, and celebration for those still in the business, the Academy Awards honored many stars, from the late Heath Ledger to the seasoned Robert Boyle. The Red Carpet was filled with the stunning fashion of Katherine Heigl and Laura Linney, and pregnant superstars like Jessica Alba and Cate Blanchett. In the words of Jon Stewart, "Tonight we looked beyond the dark days to focus on happier fare: this year's slate of Oscar-nominated psychopathic killer movies. Does this town need a hug? What happened? No Country For Old Men, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood? All I can say is, thank God for teen pregnancy. I think the country agrees."

Best Picture
No Country for Old Men

Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Actress
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Director
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Foreign Film
The Counterfeiters, Austria

Adapted Screenplay
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, Juno

Animated Feature Film
Ratatouille

Art Direction
Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Cinematography
There Will Be Blood

Original Score
Atonement, Dario Marianelli

Original Song
"Falling Slowly" from Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Costume
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Documentary Feature
Taxi to the Dark Side