The 2009 British Academy Film Awards (the “UK Oscars“) were handed out at the The Royal Opera House in London, England last night and, to no one’s real surprise, Slumdog Millionaire (the awards show darling this season) took home the award for Best Film (along with 6 other awards) … beating out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk and others. The good news for Benjamin Button is that the film did win two awards (Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects and Best Production Design) but Brad Pitt and his pseudo-wife Angelina Jolie went home empty handed … yet again. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals last night:

Poor Brangelina … they both looked so lost on the red carpet … wandering around like that … methinks the couple may have indulged a bit too much of the bubbly in the limo ride to the awards before they hit the red carpet. Tsk Tsk. I don’t even know what to say about Goldie Hawn … she looked frightfully bad. I mean, yeesh! Penélope Cruz looked beautiful as did Freida Pinto … for the most part, the folks on the red carpet looked stunning … well, except for Goldie. Again, I say, yeesh! After the jump, check out a bunch of photos from the BAFTA press room and find out who won what at last night’s award show …

“Slumdog Millionaire,” about a Mumbai quiz contestant accused of cheating, won seven British Academy Film Awards, or Baftas, including for best film and best director, boosting its frontrunner status at the Academy Awards this month. The movie was a multiple winner at last month’s Golden Globes, where it bagged the award for best drama, and its maker Danny Boyle won for best director. “Slumdog Millionaire” is now vying for 10 Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 22. Another 2009 Oscar nominee to take a Bafta home last night was Mickey Rourke. For his role as the comeback fighter in “The Wrestler,” he garnered the best-actor prize, extending a winning streak that began at the Venice Film Festival in September and continued at the Golden Globes last month. “It’s such a pleasure to be back here, out of the darkness,” said Rourke, wearing shades and a velvety black jacket, as strands of streaked hair fell across his face. True to form, he used a four-letter word to describe the damage he had done to his career for 15 years. In a backstage confession after winning, Rourke said he had taken a tranquillizer to lessen the stress. “I get really nervous in front of strangers,” he said. “By nature, I’m kind of shy.” At this month’s Oscars, Rourke faces competition from actors Sean Penn, Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella and Brad Pitt. Rourke said Penn was a close friend who had given him much career advice in recent months, and if Penn wins, “it’s okay with me.” Kate Winslet was the evening’s other big winner. Nominated twice in the best-actress category, she won for her role in “The Reader” as a woman who beds a young German boy and has him read out loud. Winslet, who wore a long black mermaid dress with straps around her neck, thanked her British parents, seated next to her, as she stepped up to take the award. The evening’s big losers were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, beaten in the best-actor and best-actress categories. Yet outside the Royal Opera House, where the ceremony was held, their popularity on the red carpet was unmatched. As Jolie, in an asymmetrical black-and-yellow dress, walked up arm-in-arm with her moustachioed partner, pandemonium broke out. Autograph seekers shrieked for their attention, forcing the couple to part and sign the notebooks separately. Heath Ledger posthumously won the best supporting actor award for “The Dark Knight.” Penelope Cruz’s performance as the hysterically jealous ex- wife in Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” won her the best supporting-actress award. She told reporters backstage, after winning, that it was a “very fast experience” as Allen did three or four scenes each day. “He doesn’t like to rehearse,” said Cruz. “I think it’s a strategy to keep his actors very much in the present.”

Yeah, last night’s BAFTAs sounds pretty standard … I am thrilled that Heath Ledger won his Best Supporting Actor award again. Next up, the Oscars. Penélope Cruz‘s win is PROOF that I have to see Vicki Christina Barcelona very soon … I’ve been meaning to for a few weeks now … I’ve just gotta see it. It is very lovely to see Kylie Minogue lookin’ so hawt at the BAFTAs … the whole affair sounds like it was a great time for everyone — except for Brangelina. OY! I am starting to feel bad for them … having to show up at the Academy Awards in a couple of weeks to feign happiness for the cameras when they know they are going to lose again — does not sound fun to me. Ah well, they’ve got a lot of kids to keep them occupied. Congrats to all the winners — click HERE for a full list of this year’s BAFTA winners.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]