Yeah, I think trite body language is definitely overdone. I've read some books where every character is constantly doing these things, and it gets old. Faces and heads are not like dashboards on a car that indicate emotions or reactions.
furrowing their brow (concerned)
mouth fell open (surprised)
biting or chewing lip (worried) [sometimes they talk at the same time! I always act that out when I come to it!]
lump in throat/it in stomach (upset)
shrugging (showing that they still exist or sometimes showing that something isn't important)
grinning (often to indicate approval or pleasure, but really, people don't grin every time they are satisfied or pleased. It would really be creepy if everybody grinned as often as they do in some books. That's another one I act out)
eyebrows raised or arched (surprise)
edit: I don't have a problem with scowling or frowning, but as somebody else said, if I was worried about finding a different word for it I might be concerned that there was too much of it.
Great question! And I realize that I'm just some schmuck whose opinions are just that.