NOTE: I’ll be at my computer all day, so I will be craving some interaction with readers! Feel free to leave a comment or write on my Facebook fan page and I will happily respond to anything you might want to know!
11:36 P.M. Uggie! Uggie! Uggie! That’s a tie with five trophies for “The Artist” and “Hugo,” and “The Iron Lady” clocks in with two awards. Everything else only won one award. My ballot went 19/24 tonight, which is probably one of my better ones in years! So by all accounts, it was a VERY good night. Thanks for reading, everyone! And I guess thanks to Billy Wilder, as Michel Hazanavicius insists!
11:35 P.M. BEST PICTURE: “THE ARTIST“
11:34 P.M. Just one big montage of all the Best Picture nominees… I guess this will do.
11:31 P.M. Just to be clear, Meryl Streep is NOT winning her third Oscar for “The Iron Lady.” She’s winning it for every movie between “Sophie’s Choice” and “The Iron Lady.” That was bold of her to be so honest as to say, “Half of America went ‘Ohhhh no, not her again!’” Hats off to the greatest actress of our generation.
11:29 P.M. BEST ACTRESS: MERYL STREEP, “THE IRON LADY“
11:25 P.M. Even if Viola Davis doesn’t win, it’s an empowering moment for women everywhere to see the actress with her natural hair.
11:19 P.M. Jean Dujardin gave such a fun, energetic speech … but Harvey Weinstein is going to have his @$$ for not thanking the man who basically made his win possible.
11:18 P.M. BEST ACTOR: JEAN DUJARDIN, “THE ARTIST“
11:14 P.M. Wait, why did they get rid of all the amazing Best Picture tributes during the ceremony? It help cut down on time, but I still really liked those!
11:04 P.M. And the best way to get people to cry is to cue up “What a Wonderful World” when they think about dead people…
10:54 P.M. ”I’m the happiest director in the world” beats “I’m king of the world!” any day. Michel, we love your humility … and the fact that you thanked Uggie!
10:53 P.M. BEST DIRECTOR: MICHAEL HAZANAVICIUS, “THE ARTIST“
10:45 P.M. Wow, I got all three short films right! That’s never happened before!
10:45 P.M. BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: “THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE”
10:42 P.M. BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM: “SAVING FACE”
10:41 P.M. And the SAG “Scorsese” drinking game continues…
10:40 P.M. BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM: “THE SHORE”
10:39 P.M. Oh, the “Bridesmaids” cast with their phallic jokes…
10:35 P.M. In case you missed it early, this happened…
10:32 P.M. Ok, what is with these random musicians in the boxes?
10:31 P.M. Woohoo!!!! That’s the one Oscar I really wanted to see! I don’t even need an acceptance speech to top it off!
10:30 P.M. BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: “MIDNIGHT IN PARIS“
10:28 P.M. Gotta love the writer who made fun of Angelina Jolie’s sexy stance.
10:27 P.M. BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: “THE DESCENDANTS”
10:20 P.M. Stewardesses handing out popcorn in the aisle? Bordering on overkill…
10:18 P.M. BEST ORIGINAL SONG: MAN OR MUPPET, “THE MUPPETS”
10:16 P.M. “Please accept me because I have so much love to give.” – Ludovic Bource. Awwww, yes, we accept you!
10:14 P.M. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: “THE ARTIST“
10:12 P.M. I mean, it’s not like I screamed when I saw Uggie or anything.
10:09 P.M. AHHHHHHHHHHHH UGGIE SIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10:02 P.M. “You’re only two years older than me, where have you been all my life, darling?!” – Christopher Plummer. What a wonderfully charming speech. I’ll remember this one for a long time!
10:01 P.M. The oldest actor EVER to win an Oscar! Congratulations, Christopher Plummer! A much-deserved standing ovation!
10:00 P.M. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, “BEGINNERS“
9:57 P.M. That’s five for “Hugo” now…
9:56 P.M. BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: “HUGO“
9:56 P.M. Dear Michael Bay, you are not allowed to talk about artistry.
9:54 P.M. I’m really enjoying the Emma Stone-Ben Stiller meta-presentation.
9:52 P.M. Melissa McCarthy’s legs are one way to introduce Ben Stiller and Emma Stone…
9:50 P.M. Random ad for “Brave?” I still trust Pixar … even after “Cars 2.”
9:47 P.M. BEST ANIMATED FILM: “RANGO“
9:46 P.M. ”And then they give me a million dollars!” – Chris Rock. I think a million unemployed Americans just found their calling.
9:46 P.M. I’m sure every animator in the world wants to kill Chris Rock right now…
9:43 P.M. BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM: “UNDEFEATED”
9:41 P.M. Hey Gwenyth, what happened to the cape?!
9:40 P.M. ”Next year, this will be called the Flomax Theater.” – Billy Crystal
9:37 P.M. Random to have Cirque du Soleil performing at the Oscars … and awkward that someone fell.
9:34 P.M. And now the Muppets talking about their first movie theater experience … WE GET IT ALREADY! Sorry if I’m going to have to watch “We Need to Talk About Kevin” on my phone because it isn’t going to come to me!
9:33 P.M. I do love a good Oscars ad for “Modern Family.”
9:28 P.M. BEST SOUND MIXING: “HUGO“
9:26 P.M. Hu-go, you-go … very punny.
9:25 P.M. BEST SOUND EDITING: “HUGO“
9:25 P.M. Did NOT see that one coming! Two in a row for Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall – much deserved, I must say!
9:24 P.M. BEST FILM EDITING: “THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO“
9:20 P.M. Gotta love Christopher Guest comedy!
9:15 P.M. Throwback Octavia Spencer.
9:14 P.M. What beautiful tears … they should NOT have made her wrap it up!
9:13 P.M. She’s so overcome with emotion that she can barely walk, and a very fitting STANDING OVATION!!!
9:12 P.M. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: OCTAVIA SPENCER, “THE HELP“
9:10 P.M. A very classy and timely speech by Iranian director Asgar Faghadi.
9:08 P.M. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “A SEPARATION”
9:06 P.M. Is Sandra Bullock capable of smiling beneath that plastic facade?
9:00 P.M. And another tribute to going to see the movies from your favorite movie stars, including 11-time Razzie nominee (just from 2011 alone) Adam Sandler!
8:58 P.M. Ok, are Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez drunk?
8:57 P.M. BEST MAKEUP: “THE IRON LADY“
8:54 P.M. BEST COSTUME DESIGN: “THE ARTIST“
8:52 P.M. They are really pushing the big screen with a direct call-out to people who watch movies on their phones.
8:51 P.M. I’m enjoying all these shout-outs to Kodak’s bankruptcy … “Chapter 11 Theater” and “Your Name Here Theater,” hopefully this is just the beginning.
8:46 P.M. That’s 2 trophies for “Hugo” already … this could be a BIG technical sweep.
8:45 P.M. BEST ART DIRECTION: “HUGO“
8:44 P.M. Short speech … there goes my ballot.
8:44 P.M. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “HUGO“
8:42 P.M. Aww, Tom Hanks’ shout-out to the seat-filler was very nice.
8:37 P.M. ”Nothing can take your mind off the economic woes quite like watching millionaires give each other golden statues.” – Billy Crystal
8:36 P.M. I like the set. Reminiscent of the 2006 set when “Crash” won Best Picture…
8:35 P.M. Billy Crystal as Tintin … love it.
8:33 P.M. This calls for…
8:32 P.M. Appreciate the meta-joke about netting my generation, but get Justin Bieber the heck out of here.
8:31 P.M. Who was the lucky person that Morgan Freeman winked at?
8:30 P.M. Morgan Freeman?
8:26 P.M. TIME TO START THE SHOW!
8:21 P.M. One year later, still in love with Natalie Portman…
8:15 P.M. What will be the Best Picture of 2011, according to the Oscars? If you’ve been paying a smidgen of attentionduring the season, you should pretty much know.
Best Picture
Will win: The Artist
Could win: Hugo
Should win: Midnight in Paris
Should be nominated: Win Win
It’s the year of nostalgia, the year where Hollywood and the moviegoing public scorned the dramas that probed the depth of our souls and our problems. ”The Artist” is a reminder of the 1930s when people needed the magic of the movies to make them happy in the face of dark economic despair, and it really is a great signpost of the 2011 zeitgeist. Nothing else has a chance because nothing else has the momentum. Forget Frank Bruni’s column in The New York Times this morning, it’s not Mitt Romney from a pundit’s point of view. It’s a winner in every sense of the word, and everyone should be happy.
8:03 P.M. Bradley Cooper with a moustache? And saying that they are doing “The Hangover 3″ … not so sure that’s a good idea.
7:55 P.M. Best Actor wound up being quite the horserace this year … and we all thought Clooney had it in the bag after the Golden Globes.
Best Actor
Will win: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Could win: George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Should win: George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Should be nominated: Michael Fassbender, “Shame”
I don’t think the case to give Clooney a second Oscar was made strongly enough to overpower the steamroller that is “The Artist.” Dujardin was funny and charming when he gave acceptance speeches at the Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs. It’s also a unique role, and the novelty of the performance is probably a lot stronger than George Clooney doing something barely outside George Clooney’s comfort zone.
7:35 P.M. Best Actress is purportedly the last award before Best Picture tonight.
Best Actress
Will win: Viola Davis, “The Help”
Could win: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Should win: Rooney Mara, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Should be nominated: Charlize Theron, “Young Adult”
I think when push comes to shove, they won’t give a third Oscar to Meryl Streep for a mediocre movie. Viola Davis is in the better loved movie, she has never won before, and her victory would be historic. That’s why I think she pulls out the win in a very tight race.
7:24 P.M. While I would put Best Director right behind Best Picture in importance, everyone seems to be devaluing it. So I’ll put my prediction according to their order.
Best Director
Will win: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Could win: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Should win: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”
Should be nominated: Steve McQueen, “Shame”
Despite Hazanavicius being a relative no-name, his movie has unstoppable momentum. They might love Scorsese, but their favorite movie of the year didn’t direct itself now, did it?
7:16 P.M. Oh goodness … Sacha Baron Cohen on the red carpet as “The Dictator.” Socks from K-Mart, holding a vase of Kim Jong-Il’s ashes … HOLY MOLY he poured them on Ryan Seacrest! Being escorted away by securtity – was it planned?
7:05 P.M. Time for the big categories … we’re getting close now!!!
Best Supporting Actor
Will win: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Could win: Max Von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Should win: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Should be nominated: Uggie, “The Artist”
Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Could win: Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Should win: Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Should be nominated: Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants”
These two categories are basically no-brainers, as they have been since November. No one has really mounted a serious challenge to them, and if someone takes them down, my jaw will hit the floor at a frightening speed.
6:54 P.M. The red carpet desperately needs an infusion of Uggie. Save Rooney and Jessica Chastain, no one is really worth a second look…
6:45 P.M. Best Adapted Screenplay … it still could surprise us. Remember that everyone thought Jason Reitman was a lock in 2009 for “Up in the Air,” and then it lost to “Precious.”
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will win: The Descendants
Could win: Moneyball
Should win: The Descendants
Should be nominated: The Help
I think since Clooney is not looking as good for Best Actor anymore, this is where “The Descendants” will win its trophy. ”Hugo” will get its due in the technical categories, and I’m afraid “Moneyball” will probably go home empty-handed. Bummer.
6:43 P.M. ROONEY MARA! This calls for…
6:33 P.M. George Clooney on the red carpet. Did you catch his profile in Tiger Beat from the ’80s? It’s priceless.
6:30 P.M. Even though it probably won’t win, here’s a great scene from “Bridesmaids.”
Hopefully it will win, so here’s a great scene from “Midnight in Paris.”
So what will win the coveted Best Original Screenplay prize? Here is my prediction:
Best Original Screenplay
Will win: Midnight in Paris
Could win: The Artist
Should win: Midnight in Paris
Should be nominated: Win Win
While this category could just be another win for “The Artist” if it manages to orchestrate a major sweep, I’m thinking most voters saved this trophy for Woody Allen … even though he won’t come to get it.
6:15 P.M. Here are some more technical category predictions, likely to be dominated by two movies – “Hugo” and “The Artist” with the occasional trophy going to another movie.
Best Art Direction
Will win: Hugo
Could win: The Artist
Should win: Hugo
Should be nominated: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Cinematography
Will win: The Tree of Life
Could win: Hugo
Should win: The Tree of Life
Should be nominated: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Costume Design
Will win: The Artist
Could win: Jane Eyre
Should win: Hugo
Should be nominated: The Help
6:00 P.M. Will the technical dominance of “Hugo” allow it to take two categories in which it’s currently considered the underdog? That’s the question facing us all when we fill out our ballots.
Best Film Editing
Will win: The Artist
Could win: Hugo
Should win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Should be nominated: Martha Marcy May Marlene
Best Visual Effects
Will win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Could win: Hugo
Should win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Should be nominated: The Tree of Life
And here’s one category that “Hugo” definitely won’t win … because it isn’t nominated.
Best Makeup
Will win: The Iron Lady
Could win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Should win: The Iron Lady
Should be nominated: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
5:45 P.M. The sound categories, always a conundrum. Do you pick the same movie for both, or predict a split and risk getting both of them wrong? Here’s some background on the art of crafting a movie’s soundtrack courtesy of SoundWorks.
“Drive“
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo“
“Hugo“
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon“
Best Sound Editing
Will win: Hugo
Could win: War Horse
Should win: War Horse
Should be nominated: Super 8
Best Sound Mixing
Will win: Hugo
Could win: War Horse
Should win: War Horse
Should be nominated: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
5:42 P.M. Miss Piggy and Kermit on the red carpet? This deserves …
5:40 P.M. Best Animated Film is (sadly) the biggest lock of the night; Best Documentary Film is probably the most wide open race of the night.
Best Animated Film
Will win: Rango
Could win: A Cat in Paris
Should win: Puss in Boots
Should be nominated: The Adventures of Tintin
Best Documentary Film
Will win: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Could win: Pina
Should win: Pina
Should be nominated: Life in a Day
5:33 P.M. Sorry for being MIA – technology stinks sometimes. The music categories are always fun. Here is a sampling of the nominees selected by the curious branch.
Best Original Score
“The Adventures of Tintin,” John Williams
“The Artist,” Ludovic Bource
“Hugo,” Howard Shore
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” Alberto Iglesias
“War Horse,” John Williams
Will win: The Artist
Could win: Hugo
Should win: The Artist
Should be nominated: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Original Song
Man or Muppet from “The Muppets,” music/lyrics by Bret McKenzie
Real in Rio from “Rio,” music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, lyrics by Siedah Garrett
Will win: Man or Muppet, “The Muppets”
Could win: Real in Rio, “Rio”
Should win: Man or Muppet, “The Muppets”
Should be nominated: Life’s a Happy Song, “The Muppets”
4:00 P.M. I guess it’s about time to start rolling out some predictions. Here are some of the categories that most people fill out blindly on their ballot. Don’t worry, I haven’t seen any of these nominees either, so it’s not just you. (I do intend to catch up with most of the foreign films at some point, though.)
Best Short Film (Animated)
Will win: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Could win: La Luna
Best Short Film (Live Action)
Will win: The Shore
Could win: Tuba Atlantic
Best Short Film (Documentary)
Will win: Saving Face
Could win: Incident in New Baghdad
Best Foreign Language Film
Will win: A Separation
Could win: In Darkness
3:45 P.M. Oh, Billy Crystal, how I’ve missed you.
3:30 P.M. Kees van Dijkhuizen always has the best year-end film montages. If you haven’t seen his videos, check it out. It’s a good six minutes.
3:15 P.M. “Not so fast, Bridesmaids … NONE OF YOU GETS A BOUQUET!”
3:00 P.M. Looking for some light reading this afternoon? How about my post for LAMBs Devour the Oscars about “The Help?” Click the image below to be taken to the article!
Have you read enough about “The Artist” yet? If you haven’t, I highly recommend you check out Maureen Dowd’s column from The New York Times entitled “Silence is Golden.” It’s by far one of the best pieces I read all season, if not the best. Here’s just a sampling of what she had to say:
It turns out that all the skeptics were wrong, and it was clever to do a silent movie in 2011, as an antidote to our modern plague of pointless chatter. It’s a weird paradox that the essential feature of technology is talkativeness, but usually without the sound of human voices attached.
In the case of “The Artist,” silence is not only golden, it’s a reminder of how much you can articulate without words. If you take away the language, green screens and 3-D glasses, the feelings — pride, vanity, envy, fear, love — can be more primary and fascinating.
2:45 P.M. Here are some other Oscar funnies worth a look. “Don’t Call Me Oscar” is a Tumblr featuring the Best Picture nominees being lived out by a toddler.
Best Picture nominees with dogs are pretty funny, too. (From NextMovie.)
2:30 P.M. If you haven’t caught onto the latest greatest meme, Jean Dujardin Sleeping on People, I highly recommend you find out what you’re missing. For a little bit of background, it was all born out this picture of Dujardin resting his head on George Clooney’s shoulder during the nominees luncheon.
And now, it has become this and more…
2:15 P.M. Before I start my predictions, I’d like to let Uggie, the scene-stealing wonder dog from “The Artist,” make his.
Best Actor:
Best Actress:
Best Picture:
2:00 P.M. So I guess “The Artist” is influential … those who claim its a movie of little consequence can take this. If “Ice Age” imitates it despite the fact that their audiences are totally dissimilar, it must have really struck a chord!
1:45 P.M. Maybe you’d like to know the honest, no-BS truth about these movies. Thanks to these truthful posters, maybe you’ll see what the Best Picture nominees are really about, courtesy of the Shiznit.
1:30 P.M. IT’S OSCAR DAY!!! Everyone breathe … and then go back to rejoicing! It’s Hollywood’s biggest day. To begin, let’s take a look at the nine nominated films for Best Picture, in case you aren’t familiar with them all by now.
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“The Help“
“Hugo“
