Here is a list of the Oscar winners from last night, courtesy of ABC News:

1. Cinematography: “Hugo.”

2. Art Direction: “Hugo.”

3. Costume Design: “The Artist.”

4. Makeup: “The Iron Lady.”

5. Foreign Language Film: “A Separation,” Iran.

6. Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”

7. Film Editing: “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”

8. Sound Editing: “Hugo.”

9. Sound Mixing: “Hugo.”

10. Documentary Feature: “Undefeated.”

11. Animated Feature Film: “Rango.”

12. Visual Effects: “Hugo.”

13. Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”

14. Original Score: “The Artist.”

15. Original Song: “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets.”

16. Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, “The Descendants.”

17. Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”

18. Live Action Short Film: “The Shore.”

19. Documentary (short subject): “Saving Face.”

20. Animated Short Film: “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.”

21. Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist.”

22. Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist.”

23. Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady.”

25. Best Picture: “The Artist”

The 84th annual Academy Awards last night was not a night for the new.  Billy Crystal returned to host the show for the 9th time; Meryl Streep won her third Oscar after seventeen nominations; and Christopher Plummer set a record as the oldest actor to win an Oscar.

In another ode to the old-fashioned, The Artist, a silent film in black and white, won the coveted award for Best Motion Picture, along with three other Oscars.

The Muppets made their big screen comeback this past year and Miss Piggy made her grand appearance at the Oscars introducing the Cirque Du Soleil performance with her long time friend (lover?) Kermit the Frog; they even walked away with an award (or at least the guy that wrote their song did).

Sacha Baron Cohen pulled a crazy stunt at the awards, which is also not new.  The Dictator actor dressed like his character in the movie and spilled what he claimed to be the ashes of Kim Jong Il, the late North Korean dictator, all over Ryan Seacrest. Overall, the night brought back “old Hollywood glamor,” as Tim Gunn kept repeating on the preshow.  The dresses were long, the heels high and the carpet, well, red and ashy.  I guess that was the new development.

It’s 8:29 as I write this. Billy Crystal is rewriting his opening joke for the 643rd time, Jonah Hill is trying really hard to look serious, and Sasha Baron Cohen is silently praying that when he wakes up in the morning it’s 2005 and he’s funny again. And about 80 percent of viewers are turning off the TV now that the most important/fun part has drawn to a close — the red carpet.

Sure, some people get a kick out of listening to Billy Crystal spend 18 minutes singing a song composed of painfully obvious Best Picture Nominee puns to a stone faced Anjelina Jolie. But most of us JUST. WANT. TO. SEE. THE. CLOTHES. So, let’s discuss, shall we?

First, a few trends. I thought gold stood out as the color of the night. It’s not so much that it permeated the red carpet as it just made such a statement on those who did wear it. Stacy Keibler’s Marchesa gown is so stunning that you almost believe Clooney won’t dump her in three months. The 80′s reminiscent rosette on the side is structural genius. Jessica Chastain is rocking gold as well, in a medieval looking strapless gold and black patterned dress by Marchesa. Ellie Kemper’s copper Armani Prive is simply stunning to look at and Meryl Streep is wearing a Grecian gold Lanvin.

White is another popular color tonight, as worn by J. Lo, Gwyneth (who is also donning a long cape) and Rooney Mara. Black gowns are few and far between, but Angelina and Rose Byrne are keeping it classic. Anna Faris, unfortunately, chose a black dress that pays homage to movie The Matrix.

Statement necklaces are a thing of the past, as single strands take center stage. Long sleeves are another trend, one embraced by the old and young alike. Twenty-two year old Shailene Woodley is a perfect column in a vintage Valentino and Streep is wearing long sleeves as well.

Now let’s talk best dressed. Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellie Kemper and Octavia Spencer all topped my list. While I’m finding it hard to pick one woman who really stands out, my best dressed pick ultimately goes to Viola Davis. The custom emerald Vera Wang absolutely sings. Those arms! That hair! Every part of her ensemble underscores her natural beauty. It’s a winner.

Now, for the fun part: Worst dressed! Where do I start? J. Lo’s see-through dress looked trashy, Rooney Mara’s couture just didn’t seem to fit right and Penelope Cruz’s powder blue gown belongs at the prom in 1959. But my number one pick for worst dressed makes me want to cry a little bit. Let me preface this by saying that she isn’t the worst looking actress on the red carpet tonight. It’s just that she could look so insanely beautiful, young and hip. Emma Stone is so gorgeous, so smart and usually so stylish. But tonight, her red Giambatistta Valli dress didn’t make the cut. The high neck and oversized bow aged her while the bright color washed her out. Her hair was boring and her figure was completely lost in the draping. Sigh.

But, we all have our opinions when it comes to fashion on Oscar night. What’s yours?

Nominations for the upcoming 84^th Academy Awards ceremony were announced on Tuesday by Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Leading the ceremony with 11 nominations is “Hugo”, a film directed by Martin Scorsese. The adventurous drama was nominated for Best Picture, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects and Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

Following “Hugo” with 10 nominations was “The Artist”, also running for Best Picture.

Other nominees for Best Picture are “The Descendants”, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”, “The Help”, “Midnight in Paris”, “Moneyball”, “The Tree of Life” and “War Horse”.

The ceremony will take place on February 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

Here is the complete list of 84th Annual Academy Award nominations announced on Tuesday morning:

1. Best Picture: ‘‘The Artist,’’ ‘’The Descendants,’’ ‘’Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,’’ ‘’The Help,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Midnight in Paris,’’ ‘’Moneyball,’’ ‘’The Tree of Life,’’ ‘’War Horse.’’

2. Actor: Demian Bichir, ‘‘A Better Life”; George Clooney, ‘‘The Descendants”; Jean Dujardin, ‘‘The Artist”; Gary Oldman, ‘‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”; Brad Pitt, ‘‘Moneyball.’’

3. Actress: Glenn Close, ‘‘Albert Nobbs”; Viola Davis, ‘‘The Help”; Rooney Mara, ‘‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”; Meryl Streep, ‘‘The Iron Lady”; Michelle Williams, ‘‘My Week With Marilyn.’’

4. Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, ‘‘My Week With Marilyn”; Jonah Hill, ‘‘Moneyball”; Nick Nolte, ‘‘Warrior”; Christopher Plummer, ‘‘Beginners”; Max von Sydow, ‘‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.’’

5. Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, ‘‘The Artist”; Jessica Chastain, ‘‘The Help”; Melissa McCarthy, ‘‘Bridesmaids”; Janet McTeer, ‘‘Albert Nobbs”; Octavia Spencer, ‘‘The Help.’’

6. Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, ‘‘The Artist”; Alexander Payne, ‘‘The Descendants”; Martin Scorsese, ‘‘Hugo”; Woody Allen, ‘‘Midnight in Paris”; Terrence Malick, ‘‘The Tree of Life.’’

7. Foreign Language Film: ‘‘Bullhead,’’ Belgium; ‘‘Footnote,’’ Israel; ‘‘In Darkness,’’ Poland; ‘‘Monsieur Lazhar,’’ Canada; ‘‘A Separation,’’ Iran.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, ‘‘The Descendants”; John Logan, ‘‘Hugo”; George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, ‘‘The Ides of March”; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, ‘‘Moneyball”; Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan, ‘‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’’

9. Original Screenplay: Michel Hazanavicius, ‘‘The Artist”; Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, ‘‘Bridesmaids”; J.C. Chandor, ‘‘Margin Call”; Woody Allen, ‘‘Midnight in Paris”; Asghar Farhadi, ‘‘A Separation.’’

10. Animated Feature Film: ‘‘A Cat in Paris”; ‘‘Chico & Rita”; ‘‘Kung Fu Panda 2”; ‘‘Puss in Boots”; ‘‘Rango.’’

11. Art Direction: ‘‘The Artist,’’ ‘’Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Midnight in Paris,’’ ‘’War Horse.’’

12. Cinematography: ‘‘The Artist,’’ ‘’The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’The Tree of Life,’’ ‘’War Horse.’’

13. Sound Mixing: ‘‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Moneyball,’’ ‘’Transformers: Dark of the Moon,’’ ‘’War Horse.’’

14. Sound Editing: ‘‘Drive,’’ ‘’The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Transformers: Dark of the Moon,’’ ‘’War Horse.’’

15. 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.

16. Original Song: ‘‘Man or Muppet’’ from ‘‘The Muppets,’’ Bret McKenzie; ‘‘Real in Rio’’ from ‘‘Rio,’’ Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett.

17. Costume: ‘‘Anonymous,’’ ‘’The Artist,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Jane Eyre,’’ ‘’W.E.’’

18. Documentary Feature: ‘‘Hell and Back Again,’’ ‘’If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front,’’ ‘’Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,’’ ‘’Pina,’’ ‘’Undefeated.’’

19. Documentary (short subject): ‘‘The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement,’’ ‘’God Is the Bigger Elvis,’’ ‘’Incident in New Baghdad,’’ ‘’Saving Face,’’ ‘’The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom.’’

20. Film Editing: ‘‘The Artist,’’ ‘’The Descendants,’’ ‘’The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Moneyball.’’

21. Makeup: ‘‘Albert Nobbs,’’ ‘’Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,’’ ‘’The Iron Lady.’’

22. Animated Short Film: ‘‘Dimanche/Sunday,’’ ‘’The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,’’ ‘’La Luna,’’ ‘’A Morning Stroll,’’ ‘’Wild Life.’’

23. Live Action Short Film: ‘‘Pentecost,’’ ‘’Raju,’’ ‘’The Shore,’’ ‘’Time Freak,’’ ‘’Tuba Atlantic.’’

24. Visual Effects: ‘‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,’’ ‘’Hugo,’’ ‘’Real Steel,’’ ‘’Rise of the Planet of the Apes,’’ ‘’Transformers: Dark of the Moon.’’

Host Ricky Gervais shrugs after slamming many of his acting peers at the 2012 Golden Globes.

The Golden Globes are often diminished by critics for not having its finger on the pulse. Many films and TV shows that have no business winning awards are honored for being popular and legitimized as part of the zeitgeist. In retrospect, I suppose this assessment is fair. Though often times, they get it right, and the Oscars do not. Why just last year “The Social Network” beat “The King’s Speech” for Best Drama and then the latter usurped the former for the Best Picture Oscar. We could certainly pigeon hole both award shows and dub The Globes a popularity contest and the Oscars the politics of the industry, but that would be unfair to the dedicated performers and artists to devalue these tributes to their talent. Sure, I can lay back on my bed and scorn the voters for their lack of vision, and claim it a blight on the history of storytelling and performance. Host Rickey Gervais did as much with this controversial analogy: “The Golden Globes are to the Oscars what Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton…one’s a little trashier…a little drunker…and a little more easily bought, allegedly.” But in the end, despite the biting wit of the always quotable comedian, these folks will still have more hardware atop their mantles.

If you are unfamiliar, the Globes are unique in that they honor the past year’s exceptional artistic achievements in TV and movies. In the TV categories, “Homeland,” the breakout hit that pits a bipolar renegade CIA operative against a former POW turned terrorist sympathizer (and my favorite new show) nabbed the big award for Best TV Series – Drama. Also capitalizing on the success of Showtime’s critical darling was the magnificent (and totally deserving) Claire Danes who plays that loose cannon federal agent who will push any boundary, whether ethical, social, or legal, to catch the bad guy and prevent another mass tragedy. She graciously accepted the third Golden Globe of her career for Best Actress in a TV drama. In the Best Actor in a TV Drama category, a seasoned TV vet won for a new role and likely shocked the  viewing public and certainly most critics. Kelsey Grammar took home the gold for his role in Starz rookie drama series, “Boss,” as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who is concealing his recently diagnosed neurological disorder that could ruin his political career. After a masterpiece fourth season, Bryan Cranston would have been a superlative choice for his role as a family wrapped up in the evils of the meth trade in “Breaking Bad.” And after him both Steve Buscemi of “Boardwalk Empire,” and Damian Lewis (my personal choice) of “Homeland” both garnered countless praise in the past year for their captivating roles. I have not caught any of “Boss” yet, so Grammar may have been just as noteworthy. Nonetheless, in a year filled with mesmerizing performances, most prognosticators felt the other three mentioned were superior.

Rounding out the acting awards, Peter Dinklage added another Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-series or TV Movie trophy to his collection (he won the Emmy in the same category last fall) for his captivating portrayal in the high-fantasy, HBO epic “Game of Thrones.” Another new cable favorite, FX’s American Horror Story saw one of its stars, Globe Hall-of-Famer (five-time winner), Jessica Lange win Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-series or TV Movie. For yet another starling turn, Kate Winslet of earned herself the Best Actress in a Mini-series or TV Movie award for her part in HBO mini-series, Mildred Pierce  and former “The Wire” great, Idris Elba was justly recognized for his arresting presence on “Luther” with Best Actor in a Mini-series or TV Movie. 

The Hollywood Foreign Press also deemed Matt LeBlanc of “Episodes”  and Laura Dern of “Enlightened.” two of the funniest performers of the past year by bestowing unto them the awards for Best Actor in a TV Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in TV Series-Comedy respectively. Also, in a mildly turn of events, “Modern Family,” was finally honored with the Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy after being stiffed the past two years while winning the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, both years, just seven months later. “Glee” had been the recipient those two previous years, but after what some would consider a creative slump for the series, it really shouldn’t be shocking that the clearly beloved ABC sitcom finally got its due from the Hollywood Foreign Press. PBS’ in-depth examination of class relations at the turn of the century had no trouble snagging the Best TV Mini-series or Motion Picture made for Television statuette.

For the cinephiles, it was a night of high regard for many prestige pictures, but the silent, black-and-white throwback “The Artist,” that shone the brightest among the flashing bulbs, winning 3 awards including Best Motion Picture – Comedy. The film’s score, arranged by Ludovic Bource, nabbed Best Original Score, and the charismatic Frenchman Jean Dujardin accepted the Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. Biting at their heels, however, was the Alexander Payne-directed family drama, “The Descendants,” which received 2 awards including Best Motion Picture – Drama. Its star, or rather superstar George Clooney continued to be adored by fans and critics by accepting Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Familiar female faces earned the remaining major acting awards, perpetual nominee Meryl Streep and starlet Michelle Williams were both lauded for their iconic roles. Streep secured her Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama award for her dead-on transformation into former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, in “The Iron Lady,” and Williams’ immersion in the role of sex symbol Marilyn Monroe had voters swooning and proclaiming her Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

In the supporting categories, The Help’s Octavia Spencer struck gold for her portrayal as a strong-willed maid in what seemed like a given victory in the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. For the men, oldie but a goodie, Christopher Plummer humbly accepted his Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture trophy. Industry favorite Martin Scorsese topped the Best Director in a Motion Picture category, beating out many worthy opponents for his expertly crafted family adventure, Hugo. Another universally beloved director and admired screenwriter, Woody Allen penned the Best Screenplay in a Motion Picture, as well.

And I would be remiss to mention that the astounding, and always commanding Morgan Freeman was the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille, Lifetime Achievement Award. Handed to him by former recipient, Sidney Poitier, Freeman was beaming as he basked in the glory of his many classic roles, while crediting every single one of his former castmates for blessing him with all the fun he has had of the course of his legendary career.

For a complete list of the award winners, click here.

And Blast readers, don’t forget to voice your opinions in the comments section! Share with us your insights on who was robbed, who deserved their accolades, and what performances/shows/films were overlooked and absent on the ballot.

Billy Crystal has officially signed to host the Oscars in 2012. The actor announced the decision on his Twitter, writing “Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show”.

Crystal is replacing Eddie Murphy as the host, who stepped down with producer Brett Ratner after Ratner was publicly derailed for his use of derogatory gay slang.

This will be Crystal’s ninth time hosting the ceremony, weighing in as the oldest solo host since Bob Hope.

The show will be broadcasted on February 26, 2012.

Mila Kunis looked gorgeous in this Elie Saab gown (Media Credit/Mazur, WireImage)

As awards season comes to a close, I was prepared last night with popcorn in one hand and my picks for the office Oscar pool in the other. Next to winning the pool, the best part of the awards show is the red carpet fashion, for better or for worse.

Looks I love

Mila Kunis wore a beautiful light lavender dress with a plunging neckline and lace detailing by the Elie Saab Spring 2011 Collection. Jennifer Lawrence was the first on the red carpet and set everyone up for great fashion choices throughout the evening. Her red, fitted Calvin Klein dress showed off her amazing figure. I was impressed with and am obsessed with Giuliana Rancic’s bold print, dramatic gown that was designed by none other than “Project Runway” winner Christian Siriano. Wearing a maroon, backless, lace Dolce & Gabbana gown, Scarlett Johansson made quite the impression on the red carpet.

Notable looks

These fashion icons are getting mixed fashion reviews around the globe. All of the dresses are fabulous, but their stylists could have done a little more to make these looks really work. Gwyneth Paltrow wore a modern silver metallic Calvin Klein gown. The dress is gorgeous, but the shiny color would have been more age appropriate for a younger starlet. Halle Berry looked amazing, as usual, in a nude, jewel-encrusted Marchesa gown, but this dress would have popped more against her skin if it were a different color. Cate Blanchett wore a unique lilac and mustard colored piece by Givenchy. I appreciate Cate’s choice for something different, but the jury is still out as to whether the front of the dress was a bib made for my four-year-old cousin. Jennifer Hudson’s dress last night was the best PR move Weight Watchers could ever have. She looked absolutely breathtaking (and thinner than ever) in Versace, but she could have used a little more coverage in the cleavage area.

Marisa Tomei's gown was a prom nightmare (Media Credit/A. Rodriguez, WireImage)

They could’ve done better

Nicole Kidman’s Christian Dior gown from the Spring 2009 Collection was too structured, too white, too detailed, too much! Reese Witherspoon always looks beautiful, but her black and white Armani Prive gown and Barbie-inspired high ponytail may not have been her best choice; we all know she can do better. Marisa Tomei’s prom nightmare, a vintage gown by Charles James, should have stayed in the closet. Not only was the dress ill-fitting, but the color was far from flattering and the poofy taffeta bottom was, well, taffeta. After all of the build-up, I found the awards show less than exciting, and some of the fashion followed suit, including Amy Adams’ deep navy gown (again). Even with seven costume changes, Anne Hathaway’s surprise singing was more of a standout than her fashion picks.

Best accessories

I can’t possibly write about the Oscars without noting Natalie Portman. She looked amazing last night  in a Rodarte violet silk chiffon dress. She again chose to wear stunning accessories from Tiffany & Co., which turned out to be quite the good luck charm! Speaking of hot mamas, the hottest accessory for a man to have last night was undoubtedly his mother. Russell Brand opted for the non-traditional dark blue suit with his mother by his side (wife Katy Perry was on her world tour). Mama Timberlake by son Justin’s side has this girl dreaming that Justin’s relationship with Jessica Biel will soon be over. He looked amazing in his Tom Ford tailored tuxedo; so ladies, if you need a date to next year’s Oscars, maybe he’s your ticket — fingers crossed. Until next awards season!

There were few to no surprises in at the 83rd Academy Awards. Christian Bale won. Melissa Leo. Natalie Portman. All heralded from the guild awards and the Globes. Even the favorite, “The King’s Speech,” cleaned up as expected.

The Oscars are usually handed out at the end of February (and a few experiments in March), more than two months after the previous year (and period of eligibility) has ended. In that time, the major guilds (Directors Guild, Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild) all hand out their awards.

This is important; the voters in the Academy Awards categories such as acting, directing, and writing, are made up of that field–writers, actors, directors. So the people that make up the guild awards also vote on the same awards at the Oscars–leading to increasingly similar outcomes at the awards shows.

The Golden Globes is a boost for winners, but they don’t always match up (“Social Network” at the Globes, “The King’s Speech” at the Oscars”). Still, all the actors who won acting awards won the Globe as well.

Part of the thrill of the Oscars is wondering who is going to win–what will the surprises be? We haven’t had that in the last three telecasts. Last year’s Oscars went completely as scripted. Ditto for the year “Slumdog Millionaire” was a slam dunk. Marion Cotillard and Tilda Swinton perhaps surprised the year before — but still very little surprises for several years. THIS YEARS OSCARS WENT ALMOST ENTIRELY AS PREDICTED.

So maybe the Oscars need to be earlier. Or have the nominations earlier, so voting can be done before some of the guild’s lock in the winners. Because a few more years of flat races, OR RACES WHERE INFERIOR FILMS PULL AHEAD TOWARD THE END, that’s going to kill some of the excitement in the Oscars.

The show’s ALREADY DOING PRETTY POOR IN THAT YOUNGER DEMO its trying to attract, and the audience was done 20%. If it loses the element of surprise, what’s left, the fashion?

The 83rd Academy Awards were watched by 33.5 million last night, down nearly 8 million viewers from last year’s 41.5 million. The show drew a 10.6 in the 18-49 demo, down from last year’s preliminary 12.5 in the demo. Numbers are preliminary, and will be adjusted later Monday.

Reviews of the show have been unkind, and the show featured few to no surprise wins, which could have prompted some to tune out. Despite an attempt to attract a younger audience with James Franco and Anne Hathaway (a joke the hosts mentioned), the show dropped in that respect.

“CSI: Miami” posted a series low 2.0 in the demo, as did “Amazing Race.” Most other shows were in repeat.

*repeat

7 pm

Academy Awards Red Carpet: 5.2 demo, 20.5 million viewers

*The Simpsons: 1.7 demo, 4 million viewers

60 Minutes: 1.2 demo, 8.4 million viewers

*Dateline: .8 demo, 4.7 million viewers

7:30 pm

*American Dad: 1.6 demo, 3.4 million viewers

8 pm

Academy Awards Red Carpet: 9.1 demo, 32.4 million viewers

*Simpsons: 2.2 demo, 4.9 million viewers

Amazing Race: 2.1 demo, 7.6 million viewers

*Minute to Win It: .7 demo, 2.5 million viewers

8:30 pm

83rd Academy Awards (8:30-11 pm): 10.6 demo, 33.4 million viewers

*Bob’s Burgers: 1.8 demo, 3.8 million viewers

9 pm

*Family Guy: 2.0, 4.3 million viewers

*Undercover Boss: 1.5 demo, 5.6 million viewers

*Minute to Win It: 1.1 demo, 3.6 million viewers

10 pm

CSI: Miami: 2.0 demo, 8.1 million viewers

*Minute to Win It: .8 demo, 2.4 million vewers

According to Fandango, “The King’s Speech” got a late-run boost in ticket sales, leading Fandango.com Monday with 21 percent of all daily ticket sales, doubling its sales since last Monday.

The film was the big winner during Sunday’s Academy Awards, winning several Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

Fandango users also responded to a few Oscar-related questions.

Oscar’s Most Awkward Moments:

1. James Franco in drag making a Charlie Sheen joke (34 percent of the vote)

2. Kirk Douglas’ “Best Supporting Actress” presentation (33 percent)

3. Melissa Leo’s rambling acceptance speech, complete with “F”-bomb (18 percent)

Oscar’s Biggest Snubs:

1. “Inception’s” Christopher Nolan losing Best Original Screenplay to “The King’s Speech’s” David Seidler (39 percent)

2. “True Grit’s” Hailee Steinfeld losing Best Supporting Actress to “The Fighter’s” Melissa Leo (23 percent)

3. “The Social Network’s” David Fincher losing Best Director to “The King’s Speech’s” Tom Hooper (22 percent)

Fandango moviegoers were also asked to rate James Franco’s performance as an Oscar host last night, and 57 percent of respondents said it was “below average.”

The Oscars are not for kids.

Scratch that. As a child, the Oscars gave me immense joy and pleasure.

But I’m under age 30, and no one my age should be allowed to host the Academy Awards.

The obvious attempt to inject a hip sense of youthfulness into the very mature annual primary movie award gala was a failed experiment that does not need repetition.

Now, Anne Hathaway looked cute as a button, and she was good in “Alice in Wonderland.” And James Franco was utterly amazing in 127 hours, certainly deserving of his nomination. That’s not what this is about.

They both, together and individually, proved to be terrible Oscar hosts.

Franco gave no emotion. His crooked smiles and sleepy line deliveries took away from the show. Hathaway giggled like a schoolgirl every 15 seconds and w00ted every, single person she introduced like some obsessed Twilight fangirl.

Was there also no need for an opening monologue or some humor or banter to start us off? The pair had virtually no chemistry and did not play off each other at all. They looked more like uncomfortable high school students asking each other to dance at a mixer.

The problem is that they’re only a few years removed from that portion of their lives. The hosts need to transcend the show and the stars they are honoring, not get all starry-eyed every time someone like Sandra Bullock (who would be a great host) or Oprah come up on stage.

It was so bad, that Billy Crystal’s cameo was the best bit of dialogue of the night, showing that while age isn’t everything, experience and talent sure help when it comes to hosting a major event live.

Well that’s a wrap. Complete list of winners is below.

By the way, compare the winners to our predictions!

Alice in Wonderland wins Achievement in Art Direction

Inception wins Achievement in Cinematography

Melissa Leo wins Best Supporting Actress.

The Lost Thing wins Best Animated Short.

Toy Story 3 wins Best Animated Picture.

Aaron Sorkin wins Best Adapted Screenplay.

David Seidler wins Best Original Screenplay.

In A Better World (Denmark) Wins Best Foreign Film

Christian Bale wins Best Supporting Actor

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross win Best Original Score for “The Social Network”

Inception wins for Best Sound Mixing

Inception wins for Best Sound Editing

The Wolfman wins for Best Makeup

Alice in Wonderland Wins Best Costume Design

Strangers No More Wins Best Documentary Short

God of Love wins Best Live Action Short Film

Inside Job wins Best Documenary

Inception wins Best Visual F/X

The Social Network wins Best Film Editing

“We Belong Together” Wins Best Original Song for Toy Story 3

Tom Hooper wins Best Director for “The King’s Speech”

Natalie Portman Wins Best Actress

Colin Firth Wins Best Actor

The King’s Speech Wins Best Picture

I’m thinking about ending a very long relationship with the Oscars. “The King’s Speech” looks like a lock to win on Sunday, and after that, I don’t know how much more I can take: the Academy Awards are losing their touch.

I’m an Academy Award enthusiast. I know the trivia, I’ve seen most of the movies. Not just this year; not last year–almost all the years. There have been 81 Best Pictures — I’ve seen 71. I’m intense about this.

But over the last several years, I’ve disagreed with the Oscar choices for Best Picture. The acting awards and the directing awards are great, and are a significant achievement in film history. But people forget who won these, or for what they did; a film is always the remembered for winning best picture, while those that just missed it often fail to carry greater historical significance.

It started in 2005. Even Jack Nicholson couldn’t believe the words as he announced “Crash” had won Best Picture; Jack can be seen mouthing “what happened?” to the others on stage. That was the year “Brokeback Mountain” was destined to win Best Picture; “Crash,” a small film released

nearly a year prior, stole the award. Five five years later, “Crash” fails to hold up.

I’ll give 2006 a pass; I like “The Departed,” and it was a crap shoot between that and “Little Miss Sunshine.”

“No Country for Old Men” won in 2007; a great film to be sure, but the award should have gone to “There Will Be Blood.” In 2008, “Slumdog Millionaire” gained steam astonishingly toward the end of the year. The film was greatly inflated by some strange attraction to its uplifting, but highly fictitious and implausible plot.

Last year, there was some strange bandwagon of “The Hurt Locker.” I didn’t even really enjoy that one; it certainly was not the Best Picture of the year (“Inglorious Bastards,” “A Serious Man” and “Precious” were all ahead).

And now “The King’s Speech.” Another good film to be sure. But the Oscars have a way of just tripping over themselves to award certain films, while locking out others (the critics favorites apparently). This year should have been “The Social Network’s” year. It was a cinematic achievement, and one that has more impact on the year of film, and ultimately, was the superior film for the year in most ways.

The Academy has certainly made mistakes in its more than 80 year history, even some big ones. “How Green Was My Valley” beat “Citizen Kane.” “Gandhi” beat “E.T.” “Shakespeare in Love” beat “Saving Private Ryan.” So stuff happens.

But I don’t know if I can handle such sustained missteps. And it looks like we’re going for another one on Sunday.

Actress Sandra Bullock and then-husband Jesse James divorced after Bullock's Best Actress win at the 2010 Academy Awards (Media Credit/Jordan Strauss, WireImage)

The 2011 Oscars are just around the corner, and the ever-buzzed about “Oscar curse,” which proposes that women who win Best Actress at the Oscars are more likely to get divorced than their nominated counterparts, was recently put to the test by a case study conducted at the University of Toronto.

Amy Lee’s article for the Huffington Post entitled “’Oscar Curse’ Study: Researcher Weighs In” gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of the study’s findings. The study boasts the intriguing conclusion that Oscar-winning women are indeed more likely to get divorced than Oscar-nominated women. In fact, women who win Best Actress have a 63 percent chance of having a shorter marriage than the non-winning nominees. What’s more, the Oscar “curse” does not apply to men who win Best Actor.

The results of the study draw a link between Oscar “cursed” women and those living in the real world. The study’s results suggest that it is not just Best Actress winners who are fated to divorce, but that marriages of successful women across the board are more likely to go stale than those of lesser achievers. What is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this study, however, is not its statistical findings, but the very ground in which it is rooted: the so-called “social norm.”

The Huffington Post interviewed one of the University of Toronto’s researchers, Tiziana Casciaro, and asked her why she thought that a Best Actress win affected women negatively but not men who won Best Actor. Casciaro said that there are “Multiple possibilities. One has to do with the general social norm that kind of requires a man to have higher professional and economic status over the wife. So whenever that social norm is violated, both husband and wife may feel discomfort – could be either one of them.” She suggests that any imbalance of this accepted norm can cause disruption in a marriage that is grounded in these social roles. It goes without saying, however, that not every man and every woman strive to fulfill these gendered roles, and not every relationship is based on a man who brings home the bacon and a woman who “knows her place” in the home.

It seems as though we have started to look at this particular norm as something to be expected, something that we can accept as a standard baseline. With this thinking, if a man is successful in his profession, he can look forward to greater successes in many other aspects of his private life. If a woman is successful in her professional life, she, too, has a number of things to look forward to: a lot of money, loads of success…and the fear of divorce.

But this study’s conclusion also raises questions: Does the same “curse” apply to women in relationships in which they were the breadwinners from the get go? Furthermore, in what way might this “curse” apply to gay couples, both in Hollywood and in the real world? These questions cannot yet be answered, but with the Oscars around the corner, on Feb. 27, we soon may find out the answer to the following: Will the notorious “curse” strike again this year, as it has stricken Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet, Hilary Swank and Sandra Bullock in the past?

Ben Affleck’s “The Town” got a huge boost to it’s Oscar chances today, with the Producer’s Guild of America including it in its list of the Best Picture nominees. ”Inception,” another film believed to be toward the bottom of the Best Picture slotting, was also nominated. The Oscar nominations are compiled by members of the academy. Actors contribute towards the acting category, directors the directing, and so forth. The Best Picture nominations are brought forth by the recipient of the Best Picture award, producers. So this is a great sign. The Guild Awards (Screen Actors, Writing, Directing, and Producing) each year are major portents for Oscar trends.

However, two years ago, “The Dark Knight” was nominated for a PGA and DGA award, only to see the film and Christopher Nolan go unrecognized by the Oscars. So while this is a great step for Affleck, it doesn’t make him a lock. Right now, “The Town” is considered to be one of the films fighting for a last slot in the Best Picture Race. While you’re here, check out Blast! Magazine’s Oscar Preview.

Below find the complete list of nominees:

Best Film

27 Hours
Black Swan
Inception
The Fighter
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit

Animated Film

Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
Toy Story 3

Documentary
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer
Earth Made of Glass
Inside Job
Smash His Camera
The Tillman Story
Waiting for “Superman”

TV Comedy
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

TV Drama
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Lost
Mad Men
True Blood

Long-Form Television
Murder on the Orient Express
Pillars of the Earth
Temple Grandin
The Pacific
You Don’t Know Jack

Non-Fiction TV
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Deadliest Catch
Intervention
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Undercover Boss

Live Entertainment and Competition TV
The Amazing Race
The Colbert Report
Project Runway
Real Time With Bill Maher
Top Chef

“Black Swan” operates within a genre that’s defined less by the kind of movie it is, and more by the kind of directors who make it. Aronofsky, who directed “Requiem for a Dream” and “Pi”, specializes in nightmares- the kind created by Lynch and Kubrick. His nightmares are dirty affairs, full of sex and blood and casual hostility.

If it’s nightmares you want, “Black Swan” delivers them in spades. Aronofsky’s tale of a dancer who may or may not be going insane, is a flawed creation, but also an exhilarating and quietly insidious one.

Natalie Portman plays Nina, a ballerina on the cusp of fame within her company, who dances with precision and technical strength but without passion. She’s stuck emotionally at about 13 years old- she still lives with her overbearing mother (a divine Barbara Hershey) and her pink bedroom is full of stuffed animals and lace. Her life is well-measured and structured, until she’s picked a both the White and Black Swans in her company’s performance of “Swan Lake”. She is suddenly faced with a a rival name Lily (Mila Kunis), and begins to (possibly) lose her mind. To tell you more would both make this review chock-full of spoilers, and, more importantly, make assumptions about what actually does happen in “Black Swan.” Suffice it to say, there will be blood, and a series of icky scenarios involving peeling skin and things growing out of Nina’s back- those who are squeamish would do well to go see “Harry Potter” or something.

A lot of people will go to see the movie for the sex- yes, fellas, there’s a sex scene between Portman and Kunis, and the fantastic Vincent Cassel also gets some play as the lecherous ballet choreographer Thomas. But the erotica involved is less titillating and more vaguely unpleasant, like a wet dream gone wrong. Far more important is Nina’s body itself, both a tool she uses within her work, and a palette on which we see the transformations (real and imagined) she’s going through. Her body is a map of the demands of a ballet career- the normality of anorexia and bulimia, the cracked toenails and jammed joints and nervous tics.

Vincent Cassel can chew the scenery all he wants (and he does), but this movie belongs to the women. Portman is getting a lot of buzz around her role; I don’t know if it’s the best performance of the year, but her focus and control within this role is stunning. Portman’s Nina is a raw nerve, her eyes perpetually full of terror. In a climactic dance sequence she simply owns the camera, and her energy is intoxicating. Kunis is excellent; unlike some of the other plot points Lily is diabolical in a completely realistic way. She throws off her prey with over-friendliness and relaxed energy, hiding ugliness beneath the surface. Winona Ryder is also lovely as an aging ballet star. But it’s Barbara Hershey who steals the show as Nina’s slightly mad and frustrated mother. Hershey’s scenes throw you off-balance in a way that the other admirable performers just can’t compete with.

Despite some terrific performances, “Black Swan” is far from perfect. Aspects of the movie are a little Film Analysis 101; there are broken or fractured mirrors, denoting Nina’s shattered psyche. Nina’s always dressed in white, while Lily dresses in black. A ballerina music box gets thrown across the room, and the little ballerina inside loses her head. The symbolism is a little too on-the-nose, too clever. It looks like Aronofsky is trying too hard, and he doesn’t have to. If he had let the movie fly on its own merits- the acting, the excellent representation of life in a ballet company, the absolutely gorgeous lighting and camerawork- it would come off more polished than it does now.

“Black Swan” is a strange work of art, and I still can’t tell whether it will be the biggest movie of the season, or a total flop. It is cerebral and pessimistic, and God knows such things generally don’t do well at the box office. But I’m pulling for “Black Swan”- it isn’t perfect, but it has power and soul. Everything else are just details.

Actress Anne Hathaway, 28, told People about Oscar producers’ choice of her and James Franco, 32, to be the hosts of the next year’s Academy Awards, “I could not even begin to fathom their thought process.”

Even though she told the magazine that she had no idea why she was chose, she is surely very excited to do that with Franco. She said, “I can’t go into anything about it … just that I’m doing it with him.”

Oscar looks good for 82.

In one of the most fun and breezy Oscar telecasts in years, co-hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin proved to be a terrific duo, keeping the long awards show rolling with consistent laughs. After giving the stage over to Neil Patrick Harris who opened the festivities with a show-stopping song and dance number, the “It’s Complicated” co-stars proved to be a winning combination, poking fun at Hollywood’s biggest stars without any of the awkwardness that exemplified Ricky Gervais’s shot as host of the Golden Globes.

The awards themselves proved fairly predictable.

The acting awards were all taken by the heavy favorites with Monique (“Precious”) and Christoph Waltz (“Inglorious Basterds”) winning supporting honors while Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”) took the lead acting honors. It was the first win for all four, and the first nomination for all but Bridges.

The big winner in the battle for total award dominance belonged to “The Hurt Locker” which beat out box office behemoth “Avatar,” 6-3. The war film won both Best Picture and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow — making her the first woman to take home directing honors. While “Avatar’s” ginormous box office numbers and rave reviews made it the heavy favorite early in the award season, “The Hurt Locker” had dominated the last few weeks of the season and was considered a strong front runner going into tonight’s final leg.

On to the most stacked category of the night…Best Actor. Very cool bringing out some other fine actors to talk about the nominees. And congratulations Vera Farmiga for actually getting a smile out of the surprisingly moody Clooney. Wow these stories have been great, particularly the one where Morgan Freeman didn’t know Tim Robbins’ name the first day of shooting “The Shawshank Redemption.” And who wouldn’t want to go on a trip to Mexico with Colin Farrell and Jeremy Renner — even if you did have to share a pillow. Bet those guys can party.

I am not sure who to root for. This category is so strong top to bottom. I am hoping for Jeremy Renner — the guy was a force of nature in “The Hurt Locker,” but Jeff Bridges has waited so long and his turn as Bad Blake is certainly award-worthy. And presenting is the always luminous Kate Winslet. With a standing ovation, it is Jeff Bridges. Yeah, “The Dude” has an Oscar. Bit of a rambling speech, but the guy deserves it. And acting really is a “groovy” profession. Bridges is one of a kind.

Best Actress has been considered a two-person race for a few months now. Will it be Streep or Bullock? My personal choice would be Carey Mulligan for “An Education.” She was absolutely wonderful as the young and naive Jenny, but my money is on Sandra Bullock. Besides, I expect Mulligan, like Streep, will be back here a lot. I think it is going to be tough to give Streep a third instead of the well-liked Bullock a first. Really love the decision to have actors “present” each actress with a story. Hard to choose who to root for; all the stories were great.

And it’s Sandra Bullock. Who would have ever thought Bullock would ever be nominated, let alone win? But she found a heck of a part and played it well. Her speech should be used as a template by future winners. Just classy top to bottom. And great sentiment to end on, thanking the “moms who take care of the children and babies no matter where they come from.”

We are in the home stretch, people. Here comes Best Director. I think it is Bigelow’s year. It would certainly be a worthy first win for a female director.

And Kathryn Bigelow it is. She made a kick ass action flick and got some got some great performances from her entire cast. Great to see her come out with a win in such a strong year for the category. And in the bigger award battle, that makes it 5 for “The Hurt Locker” to “Avatar”‘s 3.

To end the show, we have the indelible Tom Hanks. And the winner is… “The Hurt Locker,” winning its sixth of the night. Sorry “Avatar,” you will have to live with the $2 Billion plus you have earned world-wide. Gotta love how pumped the whole cast is. Summit is no longer just the studio behind “Twilight.” Now they have an Oscar winner…. wow.

SAN DIEGO – In the early morning hours while most of the nation begins to wake up from their sleep, the award season in Hollywood continues on and this time with 2010′s Academy Award nominations. Leading the ceremony is last year’s nominee for leading actress, Anne Hathaway whose announcement could be viewed live on the internet  via LiveStream.com.     The one major difference this year will be the expansion of the Best Film category which now includes room for ten nominations.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Mo’Nique in Precious

Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air

Pen©lope Cruz in Nine

Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart

Actor in a Supporting Role

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

Christopher Plummer in The Last Station

Matt Damon in Invictus

Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones

Woody Harrelson in The Messengers

Actor in a Leading Role

Morgan Freeman in Invictus

Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart

George Clooney in Up in the Air

Colin Firth in A Single Man

Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker

Actress in a Leading Role

Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia

Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side

Helen Mirren in The Last Station

Gabourey Sidibe in Precious

Carey Mulligan in An Education

Animated Feature Film

Up (Pete Docter and Bob Peterson)

The Princess and the Frog (Ron Clements and John Musker)

Coraline (Henry Selick)

Fantastic Mr Fox (Wes Anderson)

Secret of Kells

Foreign Language Film

Ajami (Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Israel)

A Prophet (Jacques Audiard, France)

The Secret of Her Eyes (Juan Jose Campanella, Argentina)

The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, Germany)

The Milk of Sorrow (Claudia Llosa, Peru)

Directing

Avatar (James Cameron)

The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)

Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)

Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)

Lee Daniels (Precious)

Writing (adapted screenplay)

District 9 (Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell)

An Education (Nick Hornby)

Precious (Geoffrey Fletcher)

Up in the Air (Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner)

In the Loop (Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin and Tony Roche)

Writing (original screenplay)

The Hurt Locker (Mark Boal)

Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)

A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen)

Up (Pete Docter and Bob Petersen)

The Messenger (Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman)

Best Picture

Avatar (James Cameron –  director; Brooke Breton , Laeta Kalogridis, Jon Landau, Josh McLaglen, Janace Tashjian, Peter M Tobyansen, Colin Wilson – producers)

District 9 (Neill Blomkamp – director, Bill Block, Philippa Boyens, Carolynne Cunningham, Elliot Ferwerda, Paul Hanson, Peter Jackson, Ken Kamins, Michael S Murphey – producers)

An Education (Lone Scherfig)

The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)

Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)

Precious (Lee Daniels)

A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen)

Up in the Air (Jason Reitman)

The Blind Side (John Lee Hancock)

Up

Art Direction

Avatar

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (art direction: Dan Hermansen and Denis Schnegg; set decoration: Caroline Smith and Shane Vieau)

Nine (art direction: Peter Findley, Phil Harvey, Simon Lamont; set decoration: Gordon Sim)

Sherlock Holmes (art direction: James Foster, Nick Gottschalk, Matthew Gray, Niall Moroney; set decoration: Katie Spencer)

The Young Victoria

Cinematography

Avatar (Mauro Fiore)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The Hurt Locker (Barry Ackroyd)

Inglourious Basterds (Robert Richardson)

The White Ribbon (Christian Berger)

Costume Design

Bright Star

Coco Before Chanel (Catherine Leterrier)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Monique Prudhomme)

Nine (Colleen Atwood)

The Young Victoria (Sandy Powell)

Documentary (Feature)

Burma VJ

The Cove (Louie Psihoyos)

Food, Inc (Robert Kenner)

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith)

Which Way Home?

Documentary (Short Subject)

China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province

The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner

The Last Track: Closing of a GM Plant

Music by Prudence

Rabbit a la Berlin

Film Editing

Avatar

District 9

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious

Makeup

Il Divo

The Young Victoria

Star Trek

Music (Original Score)

Avatar (James Horner)

Fantastic Mr Fox (Alexandre Desplat)

Up (Michael Giacchino)

The Hurt Locker (Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders)

Sherlock Holmes (Hans Zimmer)

Music (Original Song)

Almost There, from The Princess and the Frog by Randy Newman

Down in New Orleans, from The Princess and the Frog by Randy Newman

Loin de Paname, from Paris 36

Take it All, from Nine by Maury Yeston

The Weary Kind, from Crazy Heart by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be nominating 10 films for the next Academy Awards, said Academy President Sid Ganis in a press conference Wednesday.

The decision marks a return to the first years of the Oscars, when an average of ten nominees were chosen each year for the top prize. The last time the Academy nominated that number was in 1943 (the winner was “Casablanca”).

“We will be casting our net wider,” said Ganis. “And in casting that net wider, who knows what will turn up?”

Ganis said the decision was based on the hope that more nominations will leave room for films that are usually left out of the top honors but are well-regarded in other categories. He demonstrated the new plans using the crop of films nominated for Best Picture in 1939, which are part of a retrospective the Academy is currently running. That year held ten nominations, including masterpieces: “Gone with the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” Ganis said that it would have been virtually impossible to narrow these films down to five contenders in 1939, as would have been the case if they were nominated today.

“I can only bet that each of us would answer that question differently,” said Ganis, “but one thing is obvious: Whichever five movies you selected, you’d be losing five extraordinary films.”

No category of film will be restricted from the Best Picture category. In recent tradition, comedies, documentaries, foreign film and summer blockbusters have been ignored in favor of a specific category of dramatic feature films, deemed “Oscar-bait” by film insiders. Ganis said his hope was that wider category will allow for more genres of film and a more open-minded approach to what is considered Oscar-worthy.

“It may make it more interesting, and less cloistered,” Ganis said. “It will be more open with more possibilities and more potential.”

The changes will go into effect for next year’s 82nd Academy Awards. The nominees will be announced in February 2010.

In the middle of the celeb-fest that is the Academy Awards, among the Meryl Streeps and the Brangelinas of the evening, it’s easy to forget the smaller filmmakers who are also being honored that night. Most people don’t get a chance to see the short film nominees, who tell their varied stories within minutes instead of hours.

“New Boy,” was one such story, and one of the nominated films for Best Live Action Short — the winner on Sunday was “Spielzeugland (Toyland).” Based on a Roddy Doyle short story, “New Boy” is the depiction of Joseph, a boy from Africa, as he starts his first day of school after emigrating to Ireland. The 11-minute film covers Joseph’s less-than-welcome reception by the other boys and the extraordinary circumstances that brought him to this strange new country.

Blast spoke by phone to Tamara Anghie, the producer of “New Boy,” recently. Anghie told us about the joys of short film making, “New Boy,” and why preparing for the Oscars is like getting ready for a wedding.

Emma Rose Johnson: Well, I just want to start by saying congratulations on your nomination. I thought that it’s a really lovely little film.

Tamara Anghie: Thank you so much, thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

EJ: I did, I did, very much. You’ve produced several short films. I know a lot of people aren’t familiar with the form, as it’s not something you usually see in your multiplex. Tell me about producing a short film; what does it look like, how does it work?

TA: Well, really producing a short film in many ways is the same sort of tools and the same sort of skills that you put into any production. And I think a lot of people don’t realize that the amount of work that goes into producing a short is actually close to being what you would do on a much longer film feature as well. I guess why I’m attracted to them is I think short stories in a very short space of time can actually convey so much. I think in the process of story telling, some of the best stories that you hear are conveyed in ten minutes- you don’t sit and listen to somebody talking for an hour and a half. And the mechanics of it- it’s really very much the same producing skills in terms of raising the finance, getting the appropriate people together, and really having a very strong relationship with the writer and director to make sure that the best quality material is put up on the screen.

EJ: How does one finance short film, because these are not films are not exactly blockbusters. Do you work with other producers or with studios to get these up?

TA: Well, we’re very lucky in Ireland to have a film board that is very supportive of emerging film makers, which has put into place programs that finance short films, and has done so for over ten years. And there are also small community organizations that work with the national broadcasters that also provide an opportunity to do short film making for a much smaller amount of money. There tends to be in certain European countries this desire to help emerging film makers and a real desire to support the short film making process; it’s seen as a craft in itself. So I’ve been fortunate that I’ve applied for grants or loans with my short films. I had done a few where I’ve had to raise it through private finance and private equity, which is really going and speaking to organizations and people that have some money who are interested in the project, because they love the story or who’s involved. It’s certainly not a money-making exercise- it’s certainly not something where any of us involved in it make any money from it. We do it for the love of doing it, and really having the opportunity to exercise our craft.

EJ: Absolutely. So it’s just for the love of film, the love of film making.

TA: Definitely. And telling stories. It really comes down to the expression of story-telling, and the wanting to be part of that process. In a visual way.

EJ: I do want to talk about this film in particular- what attracted you to this project?

TA: Very much the story; I have to give credit to my long-time writer/director partner Steph Green, who came across the short story. It’s based on a short story by the well-known Irish writer Roddy Doyle. He had published it in a multi-cultural magazine called Metro Ireland. Metro Eireann, it’s called in Ireland. She came across the story, and immediately knew that she would be able to make a great short film from this. And so we approached Roddy Doyle and asked if we could get the option to make it into a film, which he granted, and it went from there. But I think the qualities of the story that appealed to both of us, was that there’s a universality of being the new person, whatever age you are and whatever your circumstances, there is a quality of feeling alien and having to make those adjustments. And certainly that’s true on a personal level for me: I’m an Australian living in Ireland now, and I originally was born in Sri Lanka and moved to Australia, so I’ve had a lot of new starts. So I think I can really relate to the character of Joseph and what he was going through.

EJ: That’s actually something I wanted to ask you; this is an Irish story, it was filmed in Ireland, but the main character is an African boy. And I know that Ireland has been dealing with having a recent influx of immigrants. Do you consider this an Irish film, or do you think it’s more international in nature?

TA: Well, I think because there’s a universality of the themes that are explored in the story, I think that people can relate to it from all around the world. I think that’s what we’ve seen happen as it’s made it’s first festival run and been received so well in the festivals. But I do think very intrinsically that it is an Irish story, largely because Roddy Doyle’s writing is very specifically Irish. He has an Irish voice. And I think in this story, he is portraying what’s happening in Ireland in a very specific way. I think the answer to that question is it does both, but it is very much reflecting what is going on in Ireland at the moment.

EJ: Did you get to work personally with Roddy Doyle at all? Was he involved in the filming in any way?

TA: Very much so. I didn’t specifically, that was more Steph as the writer and the director. Roddy gave Steph the permission to adapt the story herself, which was very gracious because normally he writes his own screenplays. But Steph had several meetings with him, and went through the first draft of the screenplay with him. Then through the casting process, we sent him clips of the various people that we were casting, as a courtesy as much anything else, in case he had anything insightful in terms of the characters we were casting. And then he also commented right down to the edits. So we kept him involved in the process all along the way. He’s been terrific, just absolutely been terrific with us.

EJ: Oh, wonderful. Has he seen the film yet?

TA: Oh yes, he saw the premiere. He came to the cast and crew screening that we had a couple of years ago now, because we made the film a couple of years ago. And he really loved it. I think we knew we had succeeded when he said his eight-year-old daughter, I think she was eight at the time, just kept playing it over and over and over again. So once we knew we had her seal of approval, we knew we had his too. (laughter)

EJ: That’s got to be very gratifying to know that the original man who created the source material really enjoyed the film.

TA: It was very important to us that that happened. Which is I think why we involved him so much in the process- Steph has such integrity in her film making, and she wanted to be sure that she was representing, as you say, the source material, in a way that was heartening to and accurate for the originator of the material.

EJ: Absolutely. I do want to ask- have you been to the Oscars before?

TA: Never! Never, this is my first experience.

EJ: You must be very excited.

TA: It is extremely exciting. And you know, the thing that I have really taken from this is it’s a wonderful experience, but you don’t realize how much is involved. The whole process. And the planning that goes into getting everything together for it is almost like a wedding planning. It’s the dress, and the fittings, and the shoes, and the accessories, and everything else. And then the people who are coming along. It’s a process, but it’s fabulous, absolutely fabulous.

Who would have thought this time last year that Robert Pattinson would be presenting at the Oscars?

“Twilight”, with the help of millions of screaming girls, has brought Bert a long way. He was in surprising demand to be interviewed considering the superstars present at the event, and one channel even cut away from an interview with the “Slumdog Millionaire” kids to show him posing for pictures along the red carpet. That’s a big deal because those kids were an adorable favorite for the night.

It was a pleasant surprise, no doubt, to thousands of girls out there (and probably his managers as well) to see that his beloved, trademark locks are growing back in quickly for the upcoming filming of New Moon in March. Wearing a classic black tux and skinny bow tie, Rob showed us he really can clean up well. He even shaved off most of the surprisingly sexy hobo beard he had forming.

After walking the red carpet, which was much calmer than I’m sure he’s used to, being free of fangirls, Rob could be seen sitting almost directly behind Mickey Rourke during the show (note: Rob Pattinson had a better seat than Tina Fey who was about two rows behind him. How did that happen?). Rob took the stage with Amanda Seyfried from “Mama Mia!” to introduce a montage of what Romance looked like in film in 2008. After a few lines, and a few chuckles from the audience, it was hard not to wonder what happened to Rob’s accent. Was he channeling Edward Cullen to dazzle the audience? It just might have worked.

At the Vanity Fair after party, Pattinson could be seen chatting with fellow heartthrob Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. What some teens out there wouldn’t give to find those three in one room…

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“Slumdog Millionaire” struck it rich at the 81^st Academy Awards Sunday. The Danny Boyle film about life in the slums of Mumbai garnered eight Oscars, leaving its competition “Milk” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in the dust.

Boyle, upon taking the stage to receive his award for Best Director, jumped up and down furiously. He then said that he’d promised his children that “if this miracle ever happened, that I would receive it in the spirit of Tigger from ‘Winnie the Pooh.’” After presenter Stephen Spielberg announced that “Slumdog” had won, the stage was besieged with cast and crew from the movie, including several children who appeared in the film.

There were few surprises in terms of the winners this year. The only bit of disappointment was that the Academy gave Sean Penn Best Actor for his role in “Milk,” instead of sealing fellow nominee Mickey Rourke’s fabulous comeback in “The Wrestler.” But Penn was gracious towards Rourke in his speech: “Mickey Rourke rises again, and he is my brother!”

To the surprise of no one, Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor for “The Dark Knight.” Ledger’s family took the stage to accept the award on his behalf, giving a simple, eloquent and heartbreaking speech about their lost loved one. “We proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda,” Ledger’s sister Kate said, referring to Ledger’s three-year-old daughter.

The event was cast as a “scaled down” Oscars this year, in view of the recession, but host Hugh Jackman and the evening’s architects made it look far more like the Tonys than the Oscars on a budget. There were several musical numbers, involving Jackman (in a wonderful duet with nominee Anne Hathaway, among other things), Queen Latifah, John Legend, Beyonce, A.R. Rahman (who won best song for “Slumdog”), and a coterie of dancing girls and boys.

The whole show had a scrappy, off-the-cuff feeling that was quite a nice surprise after years of pretentious montages and extended acceptance speeches. When Bill Maher announced that “Man on Wire” had won Best Documentary, Philippe Petit, the subject of the film, ran onstage, gave a shout-out to fellow nominee Werner Herzog, did a magic trick, and then balanced the Oscar statuette on his chin. Steve Martin and Tina Fey had a terrific exchange of scripted banter to introduce the nominees for Best Screenplay. Judd Apatow and actors Seth Rogan and James Franco filmed a skit in which the two actors get high with famed cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and laugh hysterically through “The Reader.”

And so it would seem that this evening, unlike many that had proceeded before it, was truly about artistry, humility and, above all, having one hell of a good time.

Jimmy Kimmel, in perhaps a coming out party for Mel Gibson, pulled a hilarious stunt on his after-Oscar show.

Gibson, who has largely avoided the spotlight since a 2006 drunken anti-Semitic tirade, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel live and showed an “exclusive clip” from what he and Kimmel played up as his latest top-secret film project about a Civil War officer who loses everything.

That actually got us on IMDB for a second.

Instead, the video shows Gibson coming into his bedroom to see his dying wife surrounded by chickens. She’s clutching “the original recipe.” In a fit of vengeance, he vows that “Kentucky shall fry.” Then we see Gibson with shiny black shoes, a white suit and a black southern tie — Colonel Sanders.

Kimmel also did this hilarious promo with Tom Cruise.

You should also remember last year’s after-Oscar hilarity with a cast of Hollywood A-list stars including Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford singing “I’m fucking Ben Affleck.”

There were two questions running through everyone’s mind at the‚  81st Academy Awards: 1. Who will take home the most awards — Slumdog Millionaire or Benjamin Button, and 2. Why is Philip Seymore Hoffman wearing that beanie?

Fashion has always been a huge part of the hype surrounding the Academy Awards and Sunday was no different. With Hollywood’s brightest stars walking the red‚  carpet in their finest, we can always expect to see some characters.

Best of the Evening

Taraji P. Henson

With a white, curve-hugging dress by Alberta Ferretti, Taraji keeps you captivated from head to toe. A stunning, sharp necklace contrasts with the dress as it softly unfolds into a train.
Anne Hathaway

This lucky lady actually got to wear two dresses at the Academy Awards tonight. Her red carpet dress by Armani kept with the neutral tones of the evening, fishtailing at the bottom with bright paillettes throwing light and intrigue into her look. Once on the stage with Hugh, you might have noticed she changed into something a little more danceable, but no less charming.
Angelina Jolie

Less is more. Angelina kept it simple and striking with a black Elie Saab gown, and green Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. There’s really not much to say about how this woman constantly keeps up her track record for being undeniably attractive. Not to mention the arm candy that never goes out of style – Brad Pitt.
Freida Pinto

Despite being part of the stand-out movie of the year, Freida could have been spotted anywhere on the red carpet with her deep blue, one sleeved John Galliano gown. She looked timelessly beautiful, which was fitting considering her diamond ring was 150 years old.

Penelope Cruz

Another neutral color, but by no means plain. Penelope’s dress was vintage, ruched, and brilliantly embellished. It’s hard to believe, but this dress has waited in the shop for Penelope for 8 years. We’re glad she found it again.

Hugh Jackman

He was just too brilliant to look anything but spectacular. It might have been the song and dance that blinded us, but his simple, sharp tux really looked great on a stage worthy of the old glamorous Hollywood.

Robert Pattinson

We can’t help but mention our new favorite Brit. In a classic old-school tux with a skinny bow tie, Rob showed us how well he can clean up. Not only did he shed a bit of his new beard, but also a bit of his British accent for presenting this evening.

Worst of the Evening

Jessica Biel

Although white might have been in this year, Biel missed the target with this shape-contorting block by Prada. With one of the best bodies in Hollywood, it’s a shame she decided to cover those curves up with this tiered mess of extra material.

Tilda Swinton

Why would such a dignified woman and actress dress in something that made her look like a cigarette? The black and grayish-white number by Lanvin left her skin looking even more pale than normal and reduced her figure to one hard line.

Mickey Rourke

It’s hard to say this is one of the worst when he’s donning a necklace in memory of his dear Loki, but alas, it’s true. His white Jean Paul Gaultier number definitely shows the gusto we expect from Rourke, not to mention the random chains and wicked witch of the west shoes that we should have expected, really.

Sarah Jessica Parker

This “barely mint” Dior Haute Couture strapless seems like a shout out to her recurring character Carrie Bradshaw. It definitely makes her cleavage “barely” avoidable, but in conjunction with her overstated makeup, leads us to remember that Carrie often wore some pretty ugly (though supposedly fashion forward) stuff.

Sophia Loren

It’s hard to put into words really – and it seems it must have been hard to put into fabric. A neutral, yellowish, puffy octopus inspired dress oozed around Sophia while sallowing her skin color and clashing with her hair.

Heidi Klum

Think origami inspired ’80s Jetsons and you’ve imagined Heidi Klum’s red Roland Mouret gown. Bold, yes. Tacky? Just maybe. Fashion forward? I guess we’ll see in a century or two.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

We saved the best for last. Sure, the tux was normal, but we kept getting distracted by the beanie. With sweeping locks falling from underneath the hat, we figure that maybe he’s trying out the young look we’ve seen so many of our heart throbs wear out on the towns, but at the Academy Awards? On Philip Seymour Hoffman. It just doesn’t add up.

Now let us know what you think. Were you as equally dazzled by our stars and starlets? Do you think Miley Cyrus deserved to be on this list in one way or another? Think the beanie was hot? Reveal your fashion highs and lows of the night below in the comment box.

What’s happening folks!! This is Emma Rose Johnson here in my glamorous apartment in Boston, observing the Red Carpet. It’s not the Vanity Fair party, but it’ll do.

Blast Entertainment Editor Terri Schwartz is with me, and will be assisting the outpouring of snappy bon mots. Plus we’ve got a whole bottle of wine, so as the evening wears on, I’ll be more and more hilarious.

Ooh, they’re starting! Let’s watch!

8:30 p.m.: Hugh!!!! He’ll be better than Jon Stewart at this, maybe!

8:32: “Next year I’ll be starring in a movie called New Zeland,” – not bad, Hugh, not bad

8:34: Jackman’s made this The Tonys! Which means we may not fall asleep… this is already a thousand times more fun than any other awards show ever made.

8:38: I like that “scaled down” means Oscar’s cut out of paper.

8:41: Montage #1: supporting actresses…and the curtains don’t work. Man this is scaled down.

8:43: And now they’ve hauled them all out for the supporting actress award: Tilda Swinton says that they’re here welcoming another person into group…like a sorority, or a cult.

8:45: “It’s not easy being a nun.”- Whoopie might have one of the best lines of the night.

8:47: The winner is… Penelope Cruz!! Thought Viola Davis had it, but what are ya gonna do?

8:52: haha Jackman just yelled at the band. Teach you to cut people off.

8:53: Steve and Tina! What are you doing here? Excellent intro, and I like how they’re introducing the noms for best screenplay.

8:58: Dustin Lance Black is getting me all feclempt.

9:01: Simon Beafoy wins best adapted screenplay for “Slumdog,” hooray!

9:04: Animation’s next up- they’re getting the big stuff in early this year. I need to know when the technical awards are out so I can go get a pizza or something.

9:08: Wall-E: the only sure winner besides Heath Ledger.

9:10: domo arigato, Mr. Roboto. Sank you.

9:16: The production design stage is very cool- I would love to have my apartment designed like this.

9:17: B.Button won for it’s fussy CGI design, yay.

9:19: Oooh, Sarah Jessica Parker looks like a pretty, pretty princess. And The Duchess won for costume design. It should have won for the giant blue hat with fox fur all over it alone.

9:22: Daniel looks hot, but really uncomfortable. B.Button wins for its admittedly awesome age makeup.

9:25: Pattinson is looking mad vampiric right now, but I think it’s just the lighting. Ooh, romance montage! It makes my heart sing!

9:27: ROBERT!!!!

9:28: To clarify, that outburst was for Downey, Jr., not Pattinson.

9:30: We will be back tomorrow to liveblog the interview with octomom’s lover.

9:32: At first I thought Stiller was supposed to be a rabbi, but he’s apparently having an existential crisis. It’s official- this is the greatest Oscars EVER.

9:34:Slumdog again, for cinematography- First India takes all our jobs, now they’ve taken all our awards. UPDATE: Stiller was being Joaquin Pheonix. Much funnier.

9:35: Jessica Beal is making CGI sound a lot more interesting than it is.

9:44:This short with Franco and Rogan is so much better than any montage they’ve ever done. Am I drunk, or is this actually a pretty good event?

9:48: One of my favorite things during this event is watching the announcers herd the winners off stage, sheepdog-style.

9:52:I wanna see Doubt: The Musical!

9:53: oh, it’s Vanessa Hudgeons wearing a ridiculous hat! This is absolutely The Tony’s with Beyonce. And I LIKE IT.

10:02: Supporting actor awards: I know you’re all sitting on the edge of your seat for this one.

10:04: Walken’s tie is crooked- it’s a direct representation for his state of mind.

10:04: Kevin Kline: a fitting memorial of Ledger…and he won. Of course. And wisely, his family, not Christopher Nolan will be accepting the prize. It is unexpectedly moving to see these lovely people- non-Hollywood people- take the stage for their lost loved one.

10:12: I really, really need Werner Herzog to win. I always need him to win. In everything.

10:14: Oh Bill Maher don’t be an asshole. Just give it to Herzog already.

10:15: Booo, Herzog didn’t win. But Man on Wire did, so it’s all good. But the question remains: Why is Bill Maher such a douche?

10:17: The documentary short winner is wearing a fabulous dress. And she made Maher go away. She is an American hero.

10:22: Post-production!! Editing, sound! The cool stuff! Actually this is code for technical awards, so not really, but they’ve got a car chase montage, so I’m a happy camper.

10:23: Will Smith just called Brad Pitt in B. Button a garden gnome. There’s really nothing else to say.

10:27: And the Garden Gnome creators have it!

10:29: It’s hard to call these, or judge the winners, because how do you judge tech awards if you’re not a techie? I only viciously critique art, thank you very much.

10:31: Let’s take a moment and thank Ms. Terri Schwartz for assisting me, giving the best quips of the evening, and lending me use of her computer. Thanks Terri!! In addition, Terri would like to take a moment to appreciate the Will Smith phrase “bat-like speed.”

10:35: Slumdog won for it’s bat-like editing!! I whole-heartedly support this judgement, as the editing set the whole tone for this movie. Yay Slumdog!

10:41: Can I just mention how wonderful it is to see the Slumdog crowd being chipper and enthused and acting like they’re genuinely happy to be there? I want them to win EVERYTHING.

10:42: Eddie Murphy is really not great at this presenting thing, what with his eyes following the teleprompter and what-not. Ironically, Jerry Lewis, who’s getting the award he’s presenting, would be a lot better at presenting his own award.

10:45: I’m glad Anne Hathaway’s in the front row- I just like looking at her.

10:47: Why is it that Jerry Lewis can mug for the cameras and I don’t find it irritating? All of you have to see “The King of Comedy” the Martin Scorcese film. Lewis is wonderful in it.

10:53: They’ve done the pretty muzak, and now…Slumdog’s won again!! A.R. Rahman is GOD.

10:55: I expected Rahman to be strange and elusive, but he’s actually chubby and adorable.

10:57: And now the stage is filled with Bollywood dancers, and the wine I’ve been drinking is warming me inside, and John Legend is singing the song from Wall-E, and for once I actually wish I was in the Oscar’s audience.

10:59: We’ve decided that the medley they just performed should win Best Song.

11:02: I want A.R. Rahman to be my boyfriend.

11:05: I can’t believe we only have five awards left. And my beloved Freida Pinto is announcing foreign film with my beloved Liam Neesan… And it’s Departures, a Japanese film I’ve not yet had the pleasure of seeing.

11:08: Sometimes people who only speak broken English can say something in it’s most basic form, and it says everything you need to know. The director of “Departures.”- “I am very happy. I am here because of film.”

11:10: Terri says that Queen Latifah looks like a little present.

11:12: I really love Latifah’s song- this actually makes me sad. We had a lot of big deaths this year, a lot of wonderful talent, and a lot of potential lost…Wait no memorial for Heath Ledger? Did they consider his win the memorial? A little awkward to say the least.

11:20: Director awards people, sit up and pay attention! This is basically an early prediction of who will win.

11:20: And it’s Danny Boyle!! I feel bad for Gus Van Sant, but- oh, damn, Boyle just jumped up and down like Tigger!!! It’s because he’s just realized that he’s never going to have to worry about work again.

11:24: All right, babies, we’re near the end of the line. Best actress up next: Will Anne Hathaway snatch the award away from Kate Winslet?

11:28: Sophia Loren: Goddess of Destruction

11:31: And, yes, it’s Kate Winslet. She should win, but not for “The Reader.” Ah well, cest la vie. I have a feeling that her lovely speech is going to be in furture montages. Now on to the lads!

11:37: They’ve got a good line-up for the actor fraternity- De Niro, Adrien Brody, Michael Douglas…Richard Jenkins thought bubble: “You googled me?”

11:41: Wait people, stop: WHERE is Jack Nicholson???? Has someone checked on him?

11:43: OH!!!! And it’s an upset, with Sean Penn taking the award from favorite comeback Mickey Rourke! (Terri just made me go deaf by screaming in joy).

11:45: Penn is quite humble, and gave an awesome shout-out to Rourke. Excellent job, you commie, homo-loving sons of guns.

11:48: It’s a montage of the past genre films that influenced the current nominees- a rather inspired idea, actually.

11:52: All right kids, hold on to your hats: And, to no one’s surprise, it’s Slumdog Millionaire! Part of kinds hoped for an upset, but I love that movie so much, I’m a happy girl. Oh, god, they have adorable children on stage! This whole cast and crew look like just about the nicest people you could ever meet.

Well that was deeply satisfying, wasn’t it? Generally what was expected in terms of winning, though I have to say I was really hoping that Rourke and his chihuahuas would win. I’ll post a longer follow-up tomorrow on my thoughts. And now: bedtime!!

With a little more than 24 hours left until the big ceremony, I decided to throw in my own picks for who should and will win of the six big Oscar categories.

Best Picture:

Will Win: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Should Win: “Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire” is an excellent film and the Oscar favorite, but “Milk” was a solid little film and one of the most hopeful and timely films to be released in 2008.
“Milk” doesn’t deserve to be overshadowed in the “Best Picture” race by “Slumdog,” no matter how good a film the latter may be.

Best Director:

Will Win: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Should Win: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
I’m 100 percent behind “Milk” for the Oscar’s this year — and just as peeved at how badly the Academy will snub it — but Danny Boyle did the best job of any directors this year with “Slumdog.”

Best Actor:

Will Win: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
Should Win: Sean Penn, “Milk”
Rourke was the unexpected star with his role in “The Wrestler” and, like the down-on-his-luck character he played, he deserves the award to truly mark how he turned around his career. If Sean Penn hadn’t won “Best Actor” for “Mystic River” in 2003, though, this could be a completely different picture. It’s not until the final scene of “Milk” where video of the real Harvey Milk was shown that you realize how perfectly Penn captured the man who revolutionized our political system.

Best Actress:

Will Win: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Should Win: Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
It is partly because the Academy forgot that Winslet was performing a supporting role in “The Reader” that makes me say the win should go to Hathaway (the Golden Globes did not make this same mistake). Winslet deserves her long-withheld Oscar — and between “Revolutionary Road” and “The Reader,” 2008 should have been her year — but Hathaway gave a powerful and unexpected performance that deserves more credit than it’s been given.

Best Supporting Actor:

Will Win: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Should Win: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
With or without the tragedy of his death, Ledger’s performance in “The Dark Knight” is the best performance we had the pleasure of seeing from any of the films released in 2008. There will be no question that he won the Oscar for his performance and not out of sympathy.

Best Supporting Actress:

Will Win: Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Should Win: Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Unlike when the Academy awarded Judy Dench the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her 15 minutes in “Shakespeare In Love” to make up for their snub the year before, Viola Davis’ brief two scenes in “Doubt” are powerful enough to make her undoubtedly deserve this win.

NEW YORK — Of the previews and screening at NY Comic-con, one film stood apart and out of place from the rest. Summit Entertainment’s “The Hurt Locker,” is about an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team (EOD) that is stationed in Iraq during the current war.

Comic-con has grown from a convention featuring solely comic books to include video games, movies and television shows, but all have a similar nerdy trend that ties them together.

“The Hurt Locker,” directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“Point Break,” “The Weight of Water”) and starring Jeremy Renner, is a serious, weighty film that already has earned critical acclaim at the 2008 Venice Film Festival.

At Comic-con, Blast had an opportunity to sit down with Renner and talk about the long and difficult filming process the film required, which took place over three months in Jordon.

For the film, Renner spent weeks training with an actual EOD team, and found out they weren’t like he was expecting.

“First I was in shock at how, for lack of other words, nerdy they are,” said Renner when describing them and how they operate.

They weren’t the stereotypical meatheads he expected, but rather interesting people with stories and lives like everyone else.

In the movie, Renner plays Staff Sergeant William James, a hot shot bomb diffuser. Renner said that it took a while for him to fully develop the character. Despite jut being a “cowboy” on the surface, as the movie goes on, James becomes more of a person, and that took some work to develop.

Much like the actual EOD team that they shadowed and trained with, these characters aren’t what they appear on the outside. They are people, with the war as a backdrop, not the same soldiers with different names.

Renner made it clear that this was a war movie, not a critique on a war many have come to despise. It’s about the people in these poor situations, not about any of the politics of war.

That fact might save this movie from damning reviews that other movies set in the Iraq war have received. It isn’t political; it isn’t about why the war happened, but rather about three people getting through their time in the sun soaked desert.

Renner discussed how his roles in “The Hurt Locker” and “SWAT” familiarized him with military knowledge, specifically with gun use.

He seemed a bit tense when this subject came up saying only “Do I love guns? I think they are interesting” and explaining a respect for the tool.

The mood got a lot lighter when the discussion of the movie’s signature bomb suit came up. For everyone who hasn’t seen an EOD bomb suit, picture a cross between the first Russian cosmonaut suits and the old deep sea diver suits. The suit weighs over 100 pounds, and is meant to absorb the impact of a bomb detonated mere feet away.

Renner said the suit was so heavy his “whole body and spirit were crushed under it’s weight.”

Eventually, he said, the suit became an escape for him. Inside its giant bell of a helmet, he watched the world go by while listening to Beethoven. Explaining that the suit was 10 to 15 degrees hotter than the already scorching Jordon, made him feel unbreakable. When he finally would take the suit off, it was felt like taking a dip into a pool, he said.

Renner said the crew behind “The Hurt Locker” was one of the best crews be has ever worked with and they ended up becoming close because they were filming so far away from home.

When questioned about director Bigelow, he said she was the toughest person out there. When the reporters started to laugh at his comment he stopped them, saying that it wasn’t a joke, and he had no idea how she put up with everything, all while under the rays of the hot sun.

Renner said he surprised that Jordon, the United States biggest ally in the Middle East, wasn’t all wind and sand but was actually incredibly westernized. It didn’t have all the amenities the United States is known for, but he was surprised to see that the world was not as far behind as he thought.

Renner is staying in New York after New York Comic-con for some reshoots on “The Unusuals,” a new ABC dramady that follows police detectives who have to solve the unusual cases, hence the name.

He said he also has expressed a lot of interest in the not-yet cast “The Losers,” a film based off the comic of the same name.

Keep an eye on Renner as press for “The Hurt Locker” continues, because he’s going to be huge after it hits theaters and gets the Oscar cred it duly deserves.

February 24th is here. This year, the Academy Awards are celebrating their 80th season of turning a blind eye to the deserving films and, well, awarding the lame-os. And although he’s still considered the barometer for film quality standards, Oscar will surely be back this year with his latest disappointments, when he’ll send those “should-have-beens” to the world of movie mediocrity. So, without further adieu, I present to you my picks – I mean, the rightful winners – as opposed to those of Oscar’s. A hint? Expect “Atonement” to take home Best Picture. Eugh.

OSCAR’S PICKS

Best Picture:

“Atonement”

It’s the kind of sappy, over-the-top, made-for-the-Oscars film that you’d expect from the likes of Clint Eastwood. Plus, I can’t stand that stupid, hyper-emotional shot of Keira Knightley with her arms stretched out in the fog. Dear writers: Don’t bank your film on a pretty girl looking sad. Lame.

Leading Actor:

Daniel Day Lewis, “There Will Be Blood”

Exception. I think even the Academy has enough sense to recognize groundbreaking acting when they see it. The man’s brilliant, but somehow, he’s only got one Oscar under his belt. Now, it’s finally time for another.

Leading Actress

Julie Christie, “Away From Her”

A formerly attractive, married old woman (Julie Christie) comes down with Alzheimer’s, gets committed and somewhere between fraught old folk-emotions, falls in love with another man in the nursing home. Smells like Oscars. And maybe more old folks. Plus, the buzz in Hollywood circles has been traveling almost exclusively around her.

Best Directing

The Coen Bros, “No Country For Old Men”

Joel and Ethan Coen seem to have finally gotten the recognition they’ve deserved for more than 20 years. Their latest film has garnered four nominations this year, more than any of their previous contemporary cult classic films at one time. Once again, there’s been tremendous buzz about this one, and once again, it’s about time, anyway.

Best Cinematography

“No Country For Old Men”

Even ol’ Oscar can’t resist the sweeping shots of the barren, yet somehow beautiful rural Texas landscape the Coen Brothers captured. It’s nothing particularly stunning, but it seems cool enough – without being too sophisticated – for the Academy to stomach.

MY PICKS

Best Picture

“There Will Be Blood”

Simply put, it’s the most ambitious, frightening, deliciously creepy and visually satisfying film in recent memory. Other critics say it’s the “next Great American movie.” I say “good call.”

Leading Actor

Daniel Day Lewis, “There Will Be Blood”

The man is a genius. Somehow, Lewis is able to transcend his own humanity and fully enter into the role of a maniacal oilman. His stare is deathly eerie, and his delivery is superb. I first witnessed his performance about three weeks ago, and haven’t been able to sleep since then.

Leading Actress:

Laura Linney, “The Savages”

Laura Linney is one of those rarely acknowledged indie gems that sparkles with every performance. Her character is likable and accessible, and she’s the only one who could’ve pulled it off. Plus, she hasn’t won an Oscar yet – seriously – and I know that the Academy is into concessions (a la Scorsese), so why not?
Best Directing

Paul Thomas Anderson, “There Will Be Blood”

PTA is one of the up-and-coming young-ish directors who’s on his way to making movie history. So let’s start here – with his epic masterpiece – in which he flawlessly directs the larger-than-life D. D. Lewis, and photographs the lonely, haunting California landscape with enough macabre to make even Edgar Allen Poe lose his lunch.

Best Cinematography

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”

This picture is one of the most magnificently shot films I’ve ever seen. The soft colors and interesting focus-play just makes me feel good. And imagine that in a film that’s about a guy who loses nearly all control over his body, forcing him to live with “locked-in syndrome” for years before he dies. Dreamlike, subtle, yet atmospheric, it captures the delicate beauty of the here-today-gone-tomorrow essence of life.

Stick with Blast Sunday night as Liz Raftery, our features editor, liveblogs Oscar night from the red carpet to the after parties!

We’ll have all the Academy Award winners, their reactions, performances, the fashion and all the magic of the biggest night in Hollywood!

Yet another award season is upon us and the first in the list is the Golden Globe Awards. The award show airs on NBC at 8 p.m., January 13. Usually seen as a prelude to the winners of the Oscars these year’s nominees will make an interesting competition as many are deserving of recognition.

Motion Pictures
Drama – American Gangster, Atonement, Eastern Promises, The Great Debaters, Michael Clayton, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood

Musical or Comedy- Across The Universe, Charlie Wilson’s War, Hairspray, Juno, Sweeney Todd

Animated Film- Bee Movie, Ratatouille, The Simpsons Movie,

Actor in a Leading Role, Drama- George Clooney in Michael Clayton, Daniel Day-Lewis n There Will Be Blood, ames McAvoy in Atonement, Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises, Denzel Washington in American Gangster

Actor in a Leading Role, Musical or Comedy- Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd, Ryan Gosling in Lars and the Real Girl, Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson’s War, Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Savages, John C. Reilly in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Actress in a Leading Role, Drama- Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Julie Christie in Away From Her, Jodie Foster in The Brave One, Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart, Keira Knightley in Atonement

Actress in a Leading Role, Musical or Comedy- Amy Adams in Enchanted, Nikki Blonsky in Hairspray, Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd, arion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose, Ellen Page in Juno

Actor in a Supporting Role- Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James, avier Bardem in No Country For Old Men, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson’s War, John Travolta in Hairspray, Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton

Actress in a Supporting Role- Cate Blanchett in I’m Not There, Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson’s War, Saoirse Ronan in Atonement, Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone, Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton

Director- Tim Burton for Sweeney Todd, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country For Old Men, Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, Ridley Scott for American Gangster, Joe Wright for Atonement

Screenplay- Atonement, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, Juno, No Country For Old Men

Original Score- Atonement, Eastern Promises, Grace Is Gone, Into The Wild, The Kite Runner

Original Song- “Despedida” from Love In The Time Of Cholera, “Grace Is Gone” from Grace Is Gone, “Guaranteed” from Into The Wild, “That’s How You Know” from Enchanted, “Walk Hard” from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Foreign Film- The Diving Bell And The Butterfly from France, The United States Of America 4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days from Romania, The Kite Runner from The United States, Lust, Caution from Taiwan, Persepolis from France

Television Series
Drama- Big Love, Damages, Grey’s Anatomy, House, M. D., Mad Men, The Tudors

Musical Or Comedy- Californication, Entourage, Extras, Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock

Mini-Series or Television Movie- Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, The Company, Five Days, Longford, The State Within

Actor In A Leading Role, Drama Series- Michael C. Hall in Dexter, Hugh Laurie in House, M. D., Bill Paxton in Big Love, Jon Hamm in Mad Men, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in The Tudors

Actor In A Leading Role, Musical or Comedy Series- Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock, Steve Carell in The Office, David Duchovny in Californication, Ricky Gervais in Extras, Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies

Actor In A Leading Role, Mini-Series or Television Movie- Adam Beach in Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, Jim Broadbent in Longford, Ernest Borgnine in A Grandpa For Christmas, Jason Isaacs in The State Within, James Nesbitt in Jekyll

Actress In A Leading Role, Drama Series- Patricia Arquette in Medium, Glenn Close in Damages, Minnie Driver in The Riches, Edie Falco in The Sopranos, Sally Field in Brothers & Sisters, Holly Hunter in Saving Grace, Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer

Actress In A Leading Role, Musical or Comedy Series- Christina Applegate in Samantha Who?, America Ferrera in Ugly Betty, Tina Fey in 30 Rock, Anna Friel in Pushing Daisies, Mary-Louise Parker in Weeds

Actress In A Leading Role, Mini-Series or Television Movie- Bryce Dallas Howard in As You Like It, Queen Latifah in Life Support, Debra Messing in The Starter Wife, Sissy Spacek in Pictures Of Hollis Woods, Ruth Wilson in Jane Eyre

Actor In A Supporting Role, Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie- Ted Danson in Damages, Kevin Dillon in Entourage
Jeremy Piven in Entourage, Andy Serkis in Longford, William Shatner in Boston Legal, Donald Sutherland in Dirty Sexy Money

Actress In A Supporting Role, Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie- Rose Byrne in Damages, Rachel Griffiths in Brothers & Sisters, Katherine Heigl in Grey’s Anatomy, Samantha Morton in Longford, Anna Paquin in Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, Jaime Pressly in My Name Is Earl