Though my own hit rate on Oscar predictions was just a bit over fifty percent, I was still smiling at the end credits. Coming off last year’s debacle hosted by zombie-like James Franco and the impossibly chirpy Anne Hathaway, it was gratifying to see the Academy finally pull off a halfway decent telecast. Beyond the return of recurring host Billy … More Details

Thinking ahead to Sunday, what’s my overall impression? Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but this seems like a pretty lean year. Unquestionably, there are a few memorable films in the running, but also a lot of filler — some nominees that simply make you scratch your head in wonderment. For instance, I was stunned to find the oppressive Extremely … More Details

Well, it’s certainly evident the Oscar show organizers wanted to do something really different this time around. In a year when a movie about the past was competing against a movie very much about the present for top prize, the producers were clearly trying to bridge old and young, the traditional with the tweeters, you might say. Problem was, their … More Details