Oscar 2012 – The Live Blog

We’ll be live blogging the 84th Annual Academy Awards starting just before the show, around 8:30PM ET.  Watch Billy Crystal host on your local ABC station.  Keep refreshing this page to see updates.  If you want to see my predictions, check out the prediction post here.

8:30PM show starts – Opening with Morgan Freeman (boy do I love his voice).  Starts with a spoof of The Artist starring none other than our host Billy Crystal.  He’s spoofing all the best pictures.

Justin Bieber and Sammy Davis Jr.!

Not a bad opening number.  I liked the clip montage – interestingly done.  Musical number!  Billy is poking fun at himself – my brand of humor.

Tom Hanks presents first award for Achievement in Cinematography … winner is Hugo.  I had picked The Artist – my first fail of the night.

Achievement in Art Direction – Hugo.
I had also picked The Artist – second fail.

I think I’m in a film montage mood tonight.  I’m totally feeling this interlude in between awards.  Billy is right – there are only certain feelings you can get from seeing a movie in the theatre.

Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez  are presenting the award for Achievement in Costume Design.  Winner is The Artist.
I called that one.  First prediction correct!

Achievement in Makeup – The Iron Lady
I predicted Albert Knobbs – another fail.  I’m pleased with this win though.

Wow – Ben Stiller is really graying.

Sandra Bullock presents the award for Foreign Film – “A Separation” – Iran
Another prediction fail but it’s still nice to see a middle eastern film win.  I also liked Sandra’s German message about movies and their universal themes.  Great acceptance speech.

Christian Bale (Batman!) presents the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Octavia Spencer – The Help
Great win for her.  We’re on track for two African American females winning in one year. Another prediction fail. Great first time acceptance speech too.

Tina Fey and Bradley Cooper present the award for Achievement in Film Editing – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Another prediction fail.  I thought this was another category The Artist would take.  I almost picked this movie too.  Didn’t realize they were the same team who won last year for David Fincher’s other film, The Social Network.

Achievement in Sound Editing – Hugo
Prediction fail – I went with Transformers, ugh.  I liked the “no, Hugo” acceptance speech comment.

Achievement in Sound Mixing – Hugo
Repeat of prediction fail for Sound Editing.

I love the Muppets!!  And there is a Cirque de Soleil performance about going to the movies.  The performance is pretty cool.  The costumes and music are great. Tim Burton helped create it – sweet!

Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. presenting the award for documentaries. Yes, Robert Downey Jr. just Tebowed!!!

Documentary (Feature) – Undefeated [Prediction correct]

Chris Rock is now presenting the award for the easiest job in the world (according to him), Animated Feature Film – Rango.
I just didn’t like Rango that much as a movie so I’m a bit surprised that it won.  Prediction was incorrect.

Ben Stiller and Emma Stone present the award for Achievement in Visual Effects – Hugo
For some reason I picked this right.  I guess I really need to go see Hugo.

Melissa Leo is up to present the award for Actor in a Supporting Role – Christopher Plummer in Beginners
At 82 years old he looks and sounds amazing.  If only I live to be like him when I’m 82. He just made a funny Oscar age joke.  I always find that the seasoned actors always give the most gracious acceptance speeches.

Penelope Cruz and Owen Wilson present the award for Best Original Score - “The Artist” Ludovic Bource
Mark a prediction correct and a The Artist win.  I loved the music to this movie.  As I said in my prediction I felt it was more important than any other score as there was no dialogue in the movie.  I bet he’s happy he beat John Williams who had a 40% chance of winning.

Will Ferrell and Zach Galafanakis are playing cymbals in white tuxedos – weird.  Zach’s beard is looking pretty thin.  They’re presenting the award for Music (Original Song) – The Muppets
Agree.  Hands down this was no contest.  Prediction correct.

Angelina Jolie (the original girl with the dragon tattoo) is up to present the award for Writing (Adapted Screenplay) – The Descendants
This was a tough category to call with such good movies in this category.  I correctly called the winner and I’m glad.  The writing and acting really hit home with me in certain respects.

Writing (Original Screenplay) – Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
Didn’t see that coming … oh well. Prediction fail. I will say that I guess the overall story of Midnight in Paris was better than The Artist.  I was just hoping for a The Artist sweep.

So I’m not really commenting on the commercials but the commercial that just came up for Google Plus was so amazing.  It was a really moving story about baby photos.  I’m just feeling way more emotion than I expected a Google Plus commercial to give me.

Mila Jovovich is out.  I’m wondering why, then she spoke.  She was apparently the presenter of the technical awards.  Now I don’t mean to belittle the technical awards.  These winners are on the cutting edge of technology and they truly make movies great.  We should get excited for them too, even if they don’t make it to the primetime show.

Now the cast of Bridesmaids are up.  They are presenting three awards all for short things.

Short Film (Live Action) - The Shore [Prediction fail]

Documentary (Short Subject) – Saving Face [Prediction fail]

Short Film (Animated) - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore [Prediction correct]

Michael Douglas (who looks great) is now out presenting the award for Directing - Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Yay! [Prediction correct]

Meryl Streep is now up talking about the governor’s awards that were given out in a separate ceremony.  James Earl Jones, Dick Smith and Oprah Winfrey were each given awards.

The “In Memoriam” segment always gets me.  We lose people in our lives every day and most of us don’t even know all these dearly departed.  Some of them had such impacts on our lives either behind the scenes or on the screen.  The whole theme of the show tonight has been about how the impact of movies on our life and I typically think about that the most when I think of the people that have passed.

Natalie Portman (oh yeah) is up to present the award for Actor in a Leading Role – Jean Dujardin in The Artist
Not surprising at all.  He was truly spectacular as George Valentin. [Prediction correct]

Colin Firth is now presenting the award for Actress in a Leading Role – Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady
Unstoppable.  That’s what I’ll just say about Meryl Streep. I really wanted Rooney to win. [Prediction fail] Again, the seasoned actors give such great acceptance speeches.

Last but certainly not least is the award for Best Picture being presented by Tom Cruise.  Aside – I’m not sure he’s the best choice of presenter.  He does look very good though.

Best Picture – The Artist
Agree.  Google Plus 1.  Facebook Like.  Dugg.  Reddit. #WINNING for so many reasons.

So that brings us to the end of the show.  Billy Crystal neither wowed me nor disappointed me.  He went a little overboard on the Kodak bankruptcy jokes.  I also learned that I don’t know how to pick Oscar winners too well.  I only had a 42% accuracy rate with my predictions.  I guess my musings don’t always agree with everyone else’s but hey, they’re my musings.

The Artist and Hugo tied with five awards a piece so there is no clear overall winner.  Congratulations to all of the winners and I look forward to all of the movies on the slate to be nominated for next year.  A breakdown of the winners by movie is below. Good night.