Tag Archives: the Oscars

By Michael Russnow
In the aftermath of my review of the Oscars and that of many others who seemed to agree Seth MacFarlane’s humor was often wanting, I thought I’d offer a postscript as to why for most people the John Wilkes Booth joke didn’t work.
It had nothing to do with Lincoln being a sacred cow and, no, paraphrasing MacFarlane, who defensively rejoindered sarcastically when his joke bombed, it wasn’t a case of it being too soon since Lincoln’s death.
Simply put, along with a host of national critics I found Seth MacFarlane sophomoric, appealing to the basest form of humor, rather than seeking what many might prefer as a cleverer approach, finding unexpected irony while satirizing a situation. And before you point out that the ABC ratings were higher than last year’s, it had little or nothing to do with MacFarlane. The host’s popularity or lack thereof has only a small degree of audience pull. It’s been proven that the highest ratings usually accompany the popularity of the year’s nominees, and most of the 2012 best picture nominees grossed more than $100 million.
Nonetheless, in a discussion with a young actor Monday night, he said he found the Oscar host quite funny, including the John Wilkes Booth remark. I tried to explain my point of view, which was that, rather than cutting edge, to me it was cheap, sort of like banana peel humor. He responded that there were many fans of MacFarlane and that there should be room for that sort of humor on the Oscar show, in order to appeal to all segments of society. I should add that, during all this, he was most respectful and accepting of my point of view, as opposed to the personally insulting comments my review engendered from mostly anonymous readers.
I don’t mind the sort of argument my friend put forth, but still believe the Oscar show should elevate itself above playground or frat party humor. A lot of tween types find gross situations very humorous, and this extends into the teen years and for some even into their third decade. However, it is also true that life among school-age kids can be hell for those who are dissimilar, with cliques abounding, separating the in-crowd from those it deems wanting.
If you’re different, maybe not athletic or pretty or, God forbid gay (yes, even in today’s more tolerant age) life can be pretty horrid. Fortunately, [...]

If the numbers hold true, look for the wealth to be spread around at the Oscars® this year.
I have created a statistical model to predict the Oscars®, using numerical data from critic scores, other awards shows, and guild awards over the past 15 years. This method is entirely mathematical: no personal hunches are taken into account. Last year, my model correctly predicted all eight of the major categories.
This year’s final tallies show that six movies will take home multiple awards this Sunday. On the flip side, no movie will win more than three for the first time since 2005.
The “big winner,” if any movie even deserves that title, will most likely be Argo, claiming Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
In a very tight Best Director race, Ang Lee (Life of Pi) is the slight favorite. However, Life of Pi is only expected to win two other awards – Best Original Score and Best Visual Effects – despite its 11 nominations.
The acting awards are not as close, mathematically speaking. Check off Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln), and Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) on your Oscar ballots without too much worry.
The biggest lock goes to an often overlooked category. Searching for Sugarman is expected to win Best Documentary with 80%, the best odds for any nominee this year.
Other races will be a lot closer. Skyfall, at 30%, leads Best Cinematography over Lincoln (29%) and Life of Pi (27%) by the slimmest of margins. Don’t get up for more popcorn during that award. And Anna Karenina, expected to win for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design, is similarly unsafe in both of those categories.
For the full list of predictions, please see oscarforecast.wordpress.com
Where exactly do these numbers come from? I explain the methodology at oscarforecast.wordpress.com
Photo by Oscars.com
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Emmy® and Tony® award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth, Entertainment Weekly Managing Editor Jess Cagle and “Good Morning America” anchor Lara Spencer today announced they will be hosting the official Oscar® pre-show, ”The Oscars Red Carpet Live.”
The show is executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, producers of the Oscar telecast, and produced by Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare for Don Mischer Productions.
The announcement was made via a series of tweets that included the news that “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts will be making a special appearance, http://oscar.go.com/blogs/oscar-news/oscar-pre-show-hosts-revealed
“The Oscars Red Carpet Live” will take place on Oscar Sunday, February 24, in front of the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and be televised live on the ABC Television Network beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The red carpet show will also be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.

Photos By AMPAS
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Academy Award® winner’s Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones will join their “Chicago” cast mates Richard Gere and Queen Latifah to present together on-stage at the Oscars®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
“We are very excited to reunite the stars of ‘Chicago’ to present on the Oscars, on the 10th anniversary of the movie’s win for Best Picture,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.
Zellweger, Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah received nominations for their performances in the film. Jones and Queen Latifah were nominated for their supporting roles, Jones took home the Oscar that year. Zellweger, who was nominated for her lead performance in the film, has been nominated three times, and won in 2003 for her supporting role in “Cold Mountain.”
Gere, Queen Latifah, Zellweger and Zeta-Jones join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Mark Wahlberg, Ted, and “The Avengers” cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
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Dame Shirley Bassey will make a special appearance on the Oscars®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
“We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey to our Oscar show,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “Her association with film music is world renowned and we are proud that she will be making her first Oscar appearance on our telecast.
Bassey is this year celebrating her very own “Diamond Jubilee” with a career spanning over six decades. She has recorded over 44 albums, sold over 135 million records and has sold out concert halls across the world. In June 2012, she was one of a number of esteemed artists, including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Annie Lennox, who performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert. In the United States, Bassey is best known for recording the theme songs for the James Bond films “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Moonraker.”
Bassey joins a stellar list of previously announced Oscar performers including Adele, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand; and presenters including “The Avengers” cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; co-stars Mark Wahlberg and Ted; and, special guest appearances including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.
Photo by Sky.com
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The iconic landmark restaurant Daniel will be rolling out the red carpet for New York-based members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, entertainment industry executives, and several hometown luminaries to celebrate the 85th Oscars with an exclusive viewing party, the only East Coast event officially hosted by the Academy. This year’s show is of special significance to New Yorkers, as its producers are the Gotham-based motion picture, television and theater producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who have executive produced such acclaimed feature films as “Chicago” and “Hairspray,” as well as the current NBC musical series “Smash.”
World-renowned chef Daniel Boulud is preparing a special menu of cocktails and canapés with a nod to this year’s nominated films, to be served along with his seasonally inspired, award-winning contemporary French cuisine. Now celebrating its 20th year, Daniel is one of the very few restaurants to have received the New York Times four-star rating as well as three Michelin stars. Chef Boulud, who hails from Lyon, France, is considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities and one of the most revered chefs in New York City, which he has called home since 1982.
“Oscar® Sunday is a day to celebrate the best in film with family and friends,” notes Patrick Harrison, the Academy’s New York program director. “We are thrilled that Daniel Boulud has opened his doors to welcome Academy members and the New York film community on the occasion of the Oscars.”
“New York has been my home for over 30 years, and to be able to host the esteemed Academy’s official East Coast event is a huge honor,” said Boulud. “I hope this fete will mark the beginning of a long-running tradition.”
Three 7.5-foot versions of the 13.5-inch, 8.5-pound Oscar statuette, one of world’s most recognized symbols, will greet the New York partygoers as they enter the restaurant on Oscar Night. These golden sentinels are identical to the larger-than-life Oscars that will greet the ceremony’s attendees on the Hollywood red carpet. Numerous large screens will ensure that guests don’t miss a moment of the show’s excitement.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The Oscar presentation will be televised live on the ABC Television Network and in more than 225 [...]

Two-time Academy Award® winner Barbra Streisand, who has sung on the Oscars only once before, will perform on the upcoming Oscar® telecast on February 24. Streisand last sang the love theme from “A Star Is Born” on the March 28, 1977 show, winning the Best Original Song Oscar for “Evergreen” that same night.
“In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, “how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand? We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year’s Oscars, her first time singing on the show in 36 years.”
Streisand won her first Oscar for Best Actress in “Funny Girl” (1968), and was nominated again in 1973 for her lead performance in “The Way We Were.” She was also nominated for producing the Best Picture nominee “The Prince of Tides” (1991), which she also directed, and for co-writing the original song “I Finally Found Someone” from “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996).
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions. Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.” For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” “Life with Judy Garland,” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.” They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”
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ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards–in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners-the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and [...]

The Producers Branch Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has determined the individual nominees for “Amour” in the Best Picture category for the Oscars. They are producers Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz.
The Documentary Branch Executive Committee also has determined the individual nominees for four of the contending films in the Documentary Feature category:
“The Gatekeepers”
Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon
“How to Survive a Plague”
David France and Howard Gertler
“The Invisible War”
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
“Searching for Sugar Man”
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn
The nominees for the fifth film in this category, “5 Broken Cameras,” were previously announced.
Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
# # #
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards–in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners-the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.
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The Oscars will include a special celebration of movie musicals of the last ten years, the telecast’s producers announced today.
“The musical as a motion picture genre has had a remarkable renaissance in the last decade,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “We are excited to showcase three musical films—‘Chicago,’ ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Les Misérables’— on our Oscar® show.”
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24 at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions. Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.” For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” “Life with Judy Garland,” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.” They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

For Oscar fans that just can’t seem to win their Oscar ballot pool because of that one craft category, Oscar.com today launched “Behind The Ballot,” a six-part video series that explores how Academy members view and ultimately determine who’ll win Oscars for Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design.
Hosted by Entertainment Weekly’s Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary, each episode, shot in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library, features a panel of experts discussing what it takes to be a strong contender in each category.
A new video will debut each week for the next five weeks on www.oscar.com, as well as on the official Oscars app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire devices. Link to embeddable video file: http://oscar.go.com/video/PL55161146/_m_VD55266156
Expert participants include:
Production Design:
Scott Chambliss, “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III”
Alex McDowell, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Minority Report,” “Fight Club”
Jeannine Oppewall, “Catch Me If You Can,” “Pleasantville,” “L.A. Confidential”
Bo Welch, “Men in Black,” “Batman Returns,” “Edward Scissorhands”
Makeup and Hairstyling:
Cydney Cornell, “The Artist,” “The Aviator,” “American Beauty”
Mike Elizalde, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” “Fantastic Four,” “Men in Black”
Beth Miller, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “The Nutty Professor,” “Dances With Wolves,”
Christien Tinsley, “No Country for Old Men,” “The Passion of the Christ,” “Ocean’s Eleven”
Film Editing:
Mark Goldblatt, “X-Men The Last Stand,” “Armageddon,” “The Terminator”
Virginia Katz, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” “Dreamgirls,” “Kinsey”
Lynzee Klingman, “Man on the Moon,” “City of Angels,” “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
Pamela Martin, “Hitchcock,” “The Fighter,” “Little Miss Sunshine”
Cinematography:
Daryn Okada, “American Reunion,” “Baby Mama,” “Mean Girls”
Theo van de Sande, “Cruel Intentions,” “Blade,” “Wayne’s World”
Mandy Walker, “Red Riding Hood,” “Australia,” “Shattered Glass”
Costume Design:
Jeffrey Kurland, “Inception,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Erin Brockovich”
Isis Mussenden, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “Shrek 2,” “American Psycho”
Arianne Phillips, “W.E.,” “3:10 to Yuma,” “Walk the Line”
Mary Zophres, “True Grit,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Big Lebowski”
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing:
Willie D. Burton, “Dreamgirls,” “Panic Room,” “The Shawshank Redemption”
Steve Cantamessa, “Tropic Thunder,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Ray”
Aaron Glascock, “The Town,” “Good Night, and Good Luck.,” “Ocean’s Eleven”
Mark Mangini, “Warrior,” “The Fifth Element,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance”
Dean Zupancic, “Tangled,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Pulp Fiction”
Developed by The Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media Team, Oscar.com and the official Oscars app provide unparalleled access to the Oscars before, during [...]