Official 85th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars) Thread

[Sausy]

I really love the choice.... Seth is funny as hell, can sing, loves the great musicals,truly respects the best standards of the past and can give it a modern sensibility without looking snarky or forced. He even said he knows hosting the Oscars means he has to adjust some of his most outrageous pop culture humor but he can still add a lot coming from that combination of fresh irreverence and joy and love for the standards of the motion picture industry that are classic and timeless. Can't wait to see how he blends everything but I really think he's going to be a smashing success!

[refujiunderground]

for someone who had his show cancelled from fox when it aired, ended up coming back to tv through the cartoon network, only for fox to take him back nearly a decade later and etc. dude came a long way. i remember how family guy first came on and how it got cancelled with the quickness. the simpsons was all dissing them too but that show is pretty much on it's last limb. reminds me of 50 cent and his music career. even though i don't think he or his shows are funny, you have to admire the man's ambition and drive though. he earned his way to the top, not like bitch ass drake paying his way and using his fame to achieve success. success is better earned than being handed down to you, for real.

[MoufOfKhaos]

So I might actually WATCH the Oscars now. He's funny, crass, can REALLY sing, has an amazing voice for narration, and to me he's easy on the eyes to boot.

Lets just hope he avoids a James Franco moment.

[miaedu]

The Academy Extends Oscar® Nominations Voting Period to January 4

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended the deadline for members to vote for Oscar nominations by one day to Friday, January 4, 2013, 5.p.m. PT. (The original date was Thursday, January 3, 5 p.m. PT). Members may vote online or submit a paper ballot. Any votes received after the deadline will not be counted.

“By extending the voting deadline we are providing every opportunity available to make the transition to online balloting as smooth as possible,” said Ric Robertson, Academy COO. “We’re grateful to our global membership for joining us in this process.”

In order to accommodate the extension and maintain security, the online voting system will be closed for two hours only (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT) on Thursday, January 3. The system will re-open at 7 p.m. PT on January 3 and remain available to members until 5:00 p.m. PT January 4.

This is the first year the Academy is providing its membership the opportunity to vote online. Several voting resources are available to members, including assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, and a 24-hour support call center.

The nominations and final Awards ballots will be tabulated and verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are accurate and secure. In the majority of the categories, PwC will tabulate the ballots using the preferential voting system.

The 85th Academy Awards® nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

http://www.oscars.org/press/pressrel.../20121231.html

[miaedu]

75 Original Songs Tune Up For 2012 Oscar®


BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Seventy-five songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures released in 2012 are in contention for nominations in the Original Song category for the 85th Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film and song title:


"For You" from "Act of Valor"
"Metaphorical Blanket" from "Any Day Now"
"Let It Rain" from "Being Flynn"
"Learn Me Right" from "Brave"
"Touch the Sky" from "Brave"
"Airport" from "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best"
"Come on Girl" from "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best"
"Someday" from "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best"
"Protect the King" from "Brooklyn Castle"
"California Solo" from "California Solo"
"Casa De Mi Padre" from "Casa De Mi Padre"
"Del Cielo" from "Casa De Mi Padre"
"Yo No Se" from "Casa De Mi Padre"
"No Other Plans" from "Celeste and Jesse Forever"
"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"
"By the Light of the Moon" from "Crossroad"
"The Sambola! International Dance Craze" from "Damsels in Distress"
"When You Comin' Home" from "Darling Companion"
"Death by China" from "Death by China"
"Delhi Safari" from "Delhi Safari"
"Ancora Qui" from "Django Unchained"
"Freedom" from "Django Unchained"
"100 Black Coffins" from "Django Unchained"
"Who Did That to You?" from "Django Unchained"
"How Bad Can I Be?" from "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"
"Let It Grow" from "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"
"Thneedville" from "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"
"Ain't No Train" from "Downtown Express"
"You Don't Have to Be a Star" from "Fame High"
"Jose's Martyrdom" from "For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada"
"Strange Love" from "Frankenweenie"
"Voodoo" from "Halloween Party"
"Luna Nascosta" from "Hidden Moon"
"Song of the Lonely Mountain" from "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Abraham's Daughter" from "The Hunger Games"
"Master of the Seas" from "Ice Age Continental Drift"
"We Are" from "Ice Age Continental Drift"
"Looking for a Sign" from "Jeff, Who Lives at Home"
"From Here to the Moon and Back" from "Joyful Noise"
"He's Everything" from "Joyful Noise"
"I'm Yours" from "Joyful Noise"
"Wide Awake" from "Katy Perry: Part of Me"
"Cosmonaut" from "Lawless"
"Beaten Up and Broken Down" from "Least among Saints"
"Suddenly" from "Les Misérables"
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"
"When I Grow Up" from "Losing Control"
"Love Always Comes as a Surprise" from "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"
"Ladies of Tampa" from "Magic Mike"
"The Baddest Man Alive" from "The Man with the Iron Fists"
"This Gift" from "The Odd Life of Timothy Green"
"Still Alive" from "Paul Williams Still Alive"
"Dotted Line" from "People Like Us"
"Snake Eyes" from "Promised Land"
"Razors.Out" from "The Raid: Redemption"
"I'm Not Leaving" from "Re:Generation"
"Still Dream" from "Rise of the Guardians"
"Undercover Love" from "Rock of Ages"
"Big Machine" from "Safety Not Guaranteed"
"I Be Here" from "Saint Dracula"
"I Have Secrets" from "Saint Dracula"
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
"Breath of Life" from "Snow White and the Huntsman"
"Gone" from "Snow White and the Huntsman"
"One Wing" from "Sparkle"
"Not Running Anymore" from "Stand Up Guys"
"Feel Love" from "Struck by Lightning"
"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted"
"Never Had" from "10 Years"
"Dull Tool" from "This Is 40"
"She Won't Let Go" from "Until They Are Home"
"Kiss Me Goodbye" from "Virginia"
"Anything Made of Paper" from "West of Memphis"
"Hashishet Albi" from "Where Do We Go Now?"
"When Can I See You Again?" from "Wreck-It Ralph"

During the nominations process, all voting members of the Music Branch will receive a Reminder List of works submitted in the category and a DVD copy of the song clips. Members will be asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements in the category. The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

http://www.oscars.org/press/pressrel.../20121211.html

[vacancy3]

ben affleck should win for best director...lincoln is all daniel and sally and tommy....besides spielberg and bigelow have already been recognized here....TEAM BEN

[braex27]

I wanna see Jessica Chastain win an award. I love her in everything!

[vacancy3]

I wanna see Jessica Chastain win an award. I love her in everything!

me too....especially the debt and the help

[jazzhands]

Rooting for Life of Pi and Paranorman.

[vacancy3]

be cool to see 007 skyfall nab a best pic nomination

[miaedu]

Watch live on Youtube

[miaedu]

Here are the nominations in the major categories.

BEST PICTURE

Amour

Argo

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Django Unchained

Les Miserables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty


BEST ACTOR

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Denzel Washington, Flight


BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Arkin, Argo

Robert DeNiro, Silver Linings Playbook

Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, The Master

Sally Field, Lincoln

Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook


BEST DIRECTOR

Michael Haneke, Amour

Ang Lee, Life of Pi

David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

Steven Spielberg, Lincoln

Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom

Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty

John Gatins, Flight

Michael Haneke, Amour

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Tony Kushner, Lincoln

David Magee, Life of Pi

David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

Chris Terrio, Argo

[freefall]

Is it just me or this year's list is...more predictable?

[jazzhands]

Yes Life of Pi got 11 noms! Really happy. Plus was a bit worried about Paranorman`s nomination for animated feature and was relieved it was on the list.

[jazzhands]

Is it just me or this year's list is...more predictable?

Director was a really big shocker. Kathryn Bigelow, Ben Affleck, Quentin Tarantino, etc all out. It`s probably going to be Spielberg even though I`m rooting for Ang Lee.

[jazzhands]

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:

Brave (2012): Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Frankenweenie (2012): Tim Burton

ParaNorman (2012): Sam Fell, Chris Butler

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012): Peter Lord

Wreck-It Ralph (2012): Rich Moore



Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:

Amour (2012): Michael Haneke(Austria)

War Witch (2012): Kim Nguyen(Canada)

No (2012/I): Pablo Larraín(Chile)

En kongelig affære (2012): Nikolaj Arcel(Denmark)

Kon-Tiki (2012): Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg(Norway)



Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:

Anna Karenina (2012/I): Seamus McGarvey

Django Unchained (2012): Robert Richardson

Life of Pi (2012): Claudio Miranda

Lincoln (2012): Janusz Kaminski

Skyfall (2012): Roger Deakins



Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:

Argo (2012): William Goldenberg

Life of Pi (2012): Tim Squyres

Lincoln (2012): Michael Kahn

Silver Linings Playbook (2012): Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers

Zero Dark Thirty (2012): William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor



Best Achievement in Production Design
Nominees:

Anna Karenina (2012/I): Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): Dan Hennah, Ra Vincent, Simon Bright

Les Misérables (2012): Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson

Life of Pi (2012): David Gropman, Anna Pinnock

Lincoln (2012): Rick Carter, Jim Erickson



Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:

Anna Karenina (2012/I): Jacqueline Durran

Les Misérables (2012): Paco Delgado

Lincoln (2012): Joanna Johnston

Mirror Mirror (2012/I): Eiko Ishioka

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012): Colleen Atwood



Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Nominees:

Hitchcock (2012): Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, Martin Samuel

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): Peter King, Rick Findlater, Tami Lane

Les Misérables (2012): Lisa Westcott, Julie Dartnell



Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:

Anna Karenina (2012/I): Dario Marianelli

Argo (2012): Alexandre Desplat

Life of Pi (2012): Mychael Danna

Lincoln (2012): John Williams

Skyfall (2012): Thomas Newman


Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:

Chasing Ice (2012): J. Ralph("Before My Time")

Les Misérables (2012): Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer("Suddenly")

Life of Pi (2012): Mychael Danna, Bombay Jayshree("Pi's Lullaby")

Skyfall (2012): Adele, Paul Epworth("Skyfall")

Ted (2012): Walter Murphy, Seth MacFarlane("Everybody Needs a Best Friend")


Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Nominees:

Argo (2012): John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, José Antonio García

Les Misérables (2012): Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Simon Hayes

Life of Pi (2012): Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Drew Kunin

Lincoln (2012): Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, Ron Judkins

Skyfall (2012): Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, Stuart Wilson


Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:

Argo (2012): Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn

Django Unchained (2012): Wylie Stateman

Life of Pi (2012): Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton

Skyfall (2012): Per Hallberg, Karen M. Baker

Zero Dark Thirty (2012): Paul N.J. Ottosson



Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:

The Avengers (2012): Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams, Daniel Sudick

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White

Life of Pi (2012): Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer, Donald Elliott

Prometheus (2012/I): Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley, Martin Hill

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012): Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Phil Brennan, Neil Corbould, Michael Dawson


Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:

5 Broken Cameras (2011): Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi

The Gatekeepers (2012): To Be Determined

How to Survive a Plague (2012): To Be Determined

The Invisible War (2012): To Be Determined

Searching for Sugar Man (2012): To Be Determined


Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:

Inocente (2012): Sean Fine, Andrea Nix

Kings Point (2012): Sari Gilman, Jedd Wider

Mondays at Racine (2012): Cynthia Wade, Robin Honan

Open Heart (2013): Kief Davidson, Cori Shepherd Stern

Redemption (2012/V): Jon Alpert, Matthew O'Neill


Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:

Adam and Dog (2011): Minkyu Lee

Fresh Guacamole (2012): PES

Head Over Heels (2012): Timothy Reckart, Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly

Paperman (2012): John Kahrs

The Simpsons: The Longest Daycare (2012): David Silverman


Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:

Asad (2012): Bryan Buckley, Mino Jarjoura

Buzkashi Boys (2012): Sam French, Ariel Nasr

Curfew (2012/I): Shawn Christensen

Dood van een Schaduw (2012): Tom Van Avermaet, Ellen De Waele

Henry (2011/III): Yan England

[sokker]

HOLY SHIT. A Norwegian film got nominated for an Oscar. I'm in complete shock! Also.. GO SALLY! She's an amazing woman and a very talented actress. She also has a gay son and is outspoken when it comes to LGBT rights. It's about damn time she wins another Oscar, even though I fear Anne will win it instead.

[miaedu]

Nominations by film


Lincoln - 12 nominations
DreamWorks Pictures/20th Century Fox Production (Walt Disney/20th Century Fox)

Daniel Day-Lewis – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Tommy Lee Jones – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Sally Field – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cinematography
Costume design
Directing
Film editing
Original score
Best picture
Production design
Sound mixing
Adapted screenplay

Life of Pi - 11 nominations
Fox 2000 Pictures Production (20th Century Fox)

Cinematography
Directing
Film editing
Original score
Original song – “Pi’s Lullaby”
Best picture
Production design
Sound editing
Sound mixing
Visual effects
Adapted screenplay

Les Misérables - 8 nominations
Universal Pictures and Working Title Production (Universal)

Hugh Jackman – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Anne Hathaway – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Costume design
Makeup and hairstyling
Original song – “Suddenly”
Best picture
Production design
Sound mixing

Silver Linings Playbook - 8 nominations
Weinstein Company Production (The Weinstein Company)

Bradley Cooper – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Robert De Niro – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Jennifer Lawrence – Performance by an actress in a leading role
Jacki Weaver – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Directing
Film editing
Best picture
Adapted screenplay

Argo – 7 nominations
Stage 16 Pictures Production (Warner Bros.)

Alan Arkin – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Film editing
Original score
Best picture
Sound editing
Sound mixing
Adapted screenplay

Zero Dark Thirty - 5 nominations
Columbia Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Jessica Chastain – Performance by an actress in a leading role
Film editing
Best picture
Sound editing
Original screenplay

Amour – 5 nominations
Les Films du Losange/X Filme Creative Pool/Wega Film Production (Sony Pictures Classics)

Emmanuelle Riva – Performance by an actress in a leading role
Directing
Best foreign language film (Austria)
Best picture
Original screenplay

Skyfall – 5 nominations
Eon Productions Ltd./Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing and MGM)

Cinematography
Original score
Original song – “Skyfall”
Sound editing
Sound mixing

Django Unchained - 5 nominations
Weinstein Company and Columbia Pictures Production (The Weinstein Company)

Christoph Waltz – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Cinematography
Best picture
Sound editing
Original screenplay

Anna Karenina – 4 nominations
Working Title Films Production (Focus Features)

Cinematography
Costume design
Original score
Production design

Beasts of the Southern Wild - 4 nominations
Cinereach and Court 13 Production (Fox Searchlight)

Quvenzhané Wallis – Performance by an actress in a leading role
Directing
Best picture
Adapted screenplay

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 3 nominations
New Line and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Production (Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Makeup and hairstyling
Production design
Visual effects

The Master - 3 nominations
Ghoulardi Film Company/Annapurna Pictures Production (The Weinstein Company)

Joaquin Phoenix – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Amy Adams – Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Snow White and the Huntsman – 2 nominations
Universal Pictures Production (Universal)

Costume design
Visual effects

Flight – 2 nominations
Paramount Pictures Production (Paramount)

Denzel Washington – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Original screenplay

5 Broken Cameras - 1 nomination
Guy DVD Films/Burnat Films Palestine Production (Kino Lorber)

Documentary feature

Frankenweenie – 1 nomination
Walt Disney Pictures Production (Walt Disney)

Best animated feature film

The Gatekeepers - 1 nomination
Les Films du Poisson/Dror Moreh/Cinephil Production (Sony Pictures Classics)

Documentary feature

Hitchcock – 1 nomination
Montecito Picture Company/Barnette/Thayer Production (Fox Searchlight)

Makeup and hairstyling

How to Survive a Plague - 1 nomination

How to Survive a Plague Production (Sundance Selects)
Documentary feature

The Impossible – 1 nomination
Apaches Entertainment/Telecinco Cinema in association with La Trini, CANAL +, ICAA, IVAC and Generalitat Valenciana Production (Summit Entertainment and Mediaset España)

Naomi Watts – Performance by an actress in a leading role

The Invisible War – 1 nominationChain Camera Pictures Production (Cinedigm/Docurama Films)

Documentary feature


Kon-Tiki - 1 nomination
Nordisk Film Production (The Weinstein Company)

Best foreign language film (Norway)

Marvel’s The Avengers - 1 nomination
Marvel Studios Production (Walt Disney)

Visual effects

Mirror Mirror - 1 nomination
Goldmann Pictures/Relativity Media/RAT Entertainment/Misher Films Production (Relativity Media)

Costume design

Moonrise Kingdom – 1 nomination
Indian Paintbrush Production (Focus Features)

Original screenplay

No – 1 nomination
Fabula Production (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best foreign language film (Chile)

ParaNorman – 1 nomination
LAIKA Production (Focus Features)

Best animated feature film

The Pirates! Band of Misfits - 1 nomination
Columbia and Sony Pictures Animation Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Best animated feature film

Prometheus – 1 nomination
20th Century Fox Production (20th Century Fox)

Visual effects

Brave – 1 nomination
Pixar Animation Studios Production (Walt Disney)

Best animated feature film

Chasing Ice - 1 nomination
Exposure Production (Submarine Deluxe)

Original song – “Before My Time”

A Royal Affair – 1 nomination
Zentropa Production (Magnolia Pictures)

Best foreign language film (Denmark)

Searching for Sugar Man - 1 nomination
Red Box Films and Passion Pictures in association with Canfield Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Classics)

Documentary feature

The Sessions - 1 nomination
Such Much Films/Rhino Films Production (Fox Searchlight)

Helen Hunt – Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Ted – 1 nomination
Media Rights Capital Production (Universal)

Original song – “Everybody Needs A Best Friend”

War Witch – 1 nomination
Item 7 Production (Tribeca Film)

Best foreign language film (Canada)

Wreck-It Ralph – 1 nomination
Walt Disney Animation Studios Production (Walt Disney)

Best animated feature film

(This list does not include Short Films or Documentary Short Subjects.)

[EvilTwinTwo]

I'm disappointed Moonrise kingdom only received 1 nomination.

[braex27]

be cool to see 007 skyfall nab a best pic nomination

I thought the same thing. Skyfall was a great film!

I wanted Judi Dench to nab a nomination for it as well.

[Telstra]

wow, Seth MacFarlane as host ...

[miaedu]

Adele to Perform 'Skyfall' at the Oscars


Adele will perform her Oscar-nominated theme song from Skyfall at the 85th Academy Awards ceremony, the show's producers said Wednesday. They said that the performance will be the first time she will have performed "Skyfall" anywhere live and her first U.S. TV performance since the Grammys last year.

After a break from the spotlight due to her pregnancy, Adele recently appeared at the Golden Globes and accepted an award for the song there.

Producers previously also announced a tribute to the 50-year-old Bond franchise during the Oscar show and telecast.

The song, "Skyfall," from the James Bond film, is nominated in the best original song category at the Oscars. Written by Adele and Paul Epworth, it is the first Bond theme ever to debut in Billboard's top 10 chart and the first to be nominated for an Oscar since "For Your Eyes Only" in 1981.

"It's an honor to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again," said Adele. "It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!"

"We have enormous respect for Adele's unique artistry as a songwriter and a singer," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of this year's Oscar show. "She is currently one of the most successful recording artists in the world, and we believe that her performance of "Skyfall" will be an exciting Oscar moment for audiences watching at the Dolby Theatre and on television screens around the world."

The Oscars will be handed out on Feb. 24, at the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Seth MacFarlane will host the awards show on ABC.

http://www.billboard.com/news#/news/...08110572.story

[miaedu]

Barbra Streisand will sing at Oscars

The Oscars are beginning to look a lot like the Grammys.

Barbra Streisand is the latest high-profile singer to sign on to this Academy Awards' telecast, marking her second performance on the show. The first time was in 1977, when Streisand sang "Evergreen," the love theme from "A Star Is Born," winning the original song Oscar later that night for the tune.

“In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music, how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand?” the show's producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, said in a statement.

The producers provided no additional details on what Streisand will sing, but her appearance could encompass a medley of her work in movie musicals such as "Funny Girl," "Hello Dolly!" and "The Main Event."

Or she could pay vocal tribute to the late composer Marvin Hamlisch, who composed the score and co-wrote the title song to Streisand's 1973 film, "The Way We Were," as well as Streisand's last Oscar-nominated song, "I've Finally Found Someone," from the 1996 movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces." Hamlisch died at age 68 in August after a brief illness.

Streisand did not perform "I've Finally Found Someone" at the 1997 Oscars, choosing to watch from the audience as Celine Dion sang the number.

Streisand's addition is the latest indication that Zadan and Meron are putting a heavy emphasis on music, befitting their background on Broadway and producing such movies as "Hairspray," "Footloose" and "Chicago."

The 85th edition of the awards will include a celebration of three movie musicals from the last decade: "Dreamgirls," "Chicago" and this year's best picture nominee, "Les Miserables." In addition, English chanteuse Adele will sing "Skyfall," her soulful Top 10 title song from the latest James Bond film, and Norah Jones will perform "Everybody Needs a Best Friend," a song she co-wrote with Oscar host Seth MacFarlane.

The music-heavy lineup stands in stark contrast to last year's ceremony, which featured no musical performances, save for Esperanza Spalding's rendition of "What a Wonderful World" during the "in memorium" segment.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,6657736.story

[BreakTheIce]

I'm not much of a movie person, but sometimes watching these movie ads make me go I don't understand how some of these people get hired

The chick from Twilight makes my head spin. She's so untalented, and I don't get the entire Twilight thing. This girl has time for school in between her busy schedule of vampires, werewolves, and poetry. And I don't understand what smells like to be so irresistible to vampires and werewolves. Does she smell like cake batter and money or what? Regardless, I think she's horrible.



Any actors/actresses you think are horrible?

[vacancy3]

mark wahlberg
kristen stewart
kristen kruek
chris klein
vanessa hudgens
al pacino(over-rated...screams a lot)
sharon stone

[rareboy]

Pretty much my list.

KS is one of the most untalented actors ever.

And she must lose a gallon of blood every time she menstruates in twilight in order to make any vampire or werewolf sniff after her.

[eastofeden]

Melanie Griffith
Mel Gibson
Tom Cruise
Matthew Maconaughey
Eric McCormick
Matt LeBlanc
Tony Danza
Angelina Jolie
Michelle Pfeiffer

[ronboy]

I'll share an observation that my 82-year-old father made...

Today's actors are better trained and more "real" acting than the actors of 50 years ago or more.

Look at some of the "Hollywood legends" in their best films, and the acting was mediocre at best...

John Wayne was crappy in any movie that didn't have a horse for him to ride. (eg. "Brannigan" and "The Quiet Man")

Clark Gable...don't get me started. He couldn't act, and he wasn't good looking by today's standards...

Katherine Hepburn...if she wasn't opposite Spencer Tracy (who was exquisite most of the time)all she could play was the spoiled aristocrat..

Bob Hope was a one joke comedian in most of his movies (exception: The "Road to___" movies with Bing Crosby)
Charlton Heston..he basically played the same character in all of his films (the struggling hero)

However, I have to agree with the posters above and their lists....
many of them were people who hit it lucky on TV and suddenly thought they had talent enough to carry a motion picture...

Who do I think is good (and I know that there will be posters below me who will disagree, so I'll make that disclaimer right now...) ?

Harrison Ford
Tommy Lee Jones
Sandra Bullock (she makes me laugh)
Johnny Depp (he gets weird , and has given some weird performances, but there's a solid actor under all that oddity, besides, he works with Tim Burton, who definitely has some issues...)
Robert Downey, Jr.

[PreTTy PeTe]

I don't give a shit what people say about Kristen Stewart. She Played a fabulous Joan Jett in The Runaways.

[hylas]

Michelle Pfeiffer

whaaa?! i think pfeiffer is an amazing actress who commands the screen whenever she shows up. her part in "batman returns" is iconic.

anyway, stewart is definitely one of those wtf actors. how on earth is she a superstar. she isnt even that beautiful.

also: sam worthington, sienna miller, robert pattinson

[hylas]

@ronboy: i think thats more a question of acting styles that were fashionable at the time rather than "good" or "bad" acting.

[pat grimshaw]

..I don't understand how some of these people get hired ...

They get hired because they suck cock, because they go to the right yeshiva, and because they're part of an agency's package-deal.

[rareboy]

^ What do you mean? I'm not seeing that many of these duds are Jewish. Please explain yourself.

[EvilTwinTwo]

I'm not much of a movie person, but sometimes watching these movie ads make me go I don't understand how some of these people get hired

Any actors/actresses you think are horrible?

[pat grimshaw]

My list of Actors/Actresses in contention on Monday

Horrible—
Bradley Cooper, Jacki Weaver, Sally Field

A god among men—
Daniel Day-Lewis

OK—
Hugh Jackman

I have no opinion at all on these—
Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emmanuelle Riva, Quvenzhané Wallis, Naomi Watts, Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones, Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt

[gsdx]

Of all the names named, I'm surprised that Tom Cruise, Adam Sander, and Will Ferrell are absent. Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseu deserves an honourable mention for destroying the Pink Panther franchise. (I won't mention Sgt. Bilko.)

Did Priscilla Barnes ever do movies? If so, put her on the list.

[joshj50]

Will Ferrell
Jack Black
Steve Carell

[unloadonme]

I'd get rid of them all. It must easily be the most sycophantic, self-congratulatory thing on TV.

[rareboy]

Actor
Supporting Actor
Actress
Supporting Actress
Animated Feature Film
Cinematography
Costume Design
Directing
Documentary Feature
Documentary Short Subject
Film Editing
Foreign Language Film
Makeup and Hairstyling
Music (Original Score)
Music (Original Song)

Best Picture

Production Design
Short Film (Animated)
Short Film (Live Action)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Writing (Original Screenplay)

That ought to just about do it.

[rareboy]

My list of Actors/Actresses in contention on Monday

Horrible—
Bradley Cooper, Jacki Weaver, Sally Field

A god among men—
Daniel Day-Lewis

OK—
Hugh Jackman

I have no opinion at all on these—
Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emmanuelle Riva, Quvenzhané Wallis, Naomi Watts, Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones, Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt

You still haven't explained the semitic reference. Please do. We'd all like to know more.

[EuroSoccer]

Actor
Supporting Actor
Actress
Supporting Actress
Animated Feature Film
Cinematography
Costume Design
Directing
Documentary Feature
Documentary Short Subject
Film Editing
Foreign Language Film
Makeup and Hairstyling
Music (Original Score)
Music (Original Song)

Best Picture

Production Design
Short Film (Animated)
Short Film (Live Action)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Writing (Original Screenplay)

That ought to just about do it.

I would only add directing to that list

[HoodedRat]

All of them.

[eastofeden]

I don't watch it so I don't really care. I might have to make an exception though because I really like Shirley Bassey and I heard she was going to perform as part of a tribute to Bond. I would have a hard time sitting through it so maybe I will catch her performance on You Tube later.

[GrkGuy187]

None.

The Oscars are the best. You're all just pressed you'll never win one.

[Spiff]

I don't think getting rid of any of them are necessary to make the show shorter. It just needs to get rid of the long speeches. They won an Oscar, not the Nobel peace prize, so why do they need to act like it? Some of the other extra crap in between awards is not necessary either.

[EvilTwinTwo]

Just saw Argo and Lincoln.

Hope they win best picture and best actor respectively.

[star-warrior]

I think they should only show the judges, and each had to give a damning critique of why they dismissed all the other nominated films. There should be a winner and a runner up, but these can never be made public.

That'll set the cat amongst the pigeons.

[refujiunderground]

I would remove every single category.

pretty much, man.

[crimsonpaine]

I like George Clooney when he's doing comedy. But when he's doing drama I am bored.

[chrisrobin]

Jim Carey
Eddie Murphy
Mel Gibson