Welcome to my Oscar blog!

Welcome to the first (hopefully) annual Oscar blog! I'll be chiming in throughout the night as the hours tick by on the 82nd Oscarcast. I'm skipping the red carpet crap. After all, the Boston Celtics are playing a Sunday night game starting in two minutes and I need to watch at least a little bit of the game.

Keep refreshing the page to read my latest observations and reactions. Go Celtics, I mean, go "Hurt Locker" and "UP"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8:24 pm- disappointed that my friend Randy opted not to do the annual Oscar bet we do. I was hoping to force him to buy me a blu-ray title that would make him cringe. Oh well, six minutes till showtime. Celtics down by a bucket, 17-15 with 3:52 to go in the first quarter. I'll have to DVR the rest of the game.

8:27 pm- An ad for a new J-Lo comedy, "The Back Up Plan". Looks like your typical J-Lo film ("Out of Sight" aside): total crap. This is about as close J-Lo or that movie will get to the Oscars.

8:30 pm- Here we go. This year's actors and actresses have been paraded out on stage, apparently grouped together by chances of winning (Bridges is standing next to Bullock). Carrey Mulligan looks great.

8:32 pm- Doogie Howser is all shiny. The song is pretty lame, but the two girls accompanying Neill are pretty hot. Liked the shot of James Cameron: one where you can't see him.

8:34 pm- Here come Steve and Alec. A bit of joking on their "It's Complicated" star Meryl Streep. Zing! "Last Station" joke a bit stiff, just like 80-year old Christopher Plummer. Vera Farmiga....wow. Another cheap shot at Meryl...that worked, followed by another funny one-liner. A "Precious" videogame. Sounds like something my friend Bryan and I would come up with.

8:39 pm- My God, Suzy Amis looks like the Crypt Keeper. Time for an "Avatar" joke. Zzzzz...just like the movie. Kathryn Bigelow...damn, talented and gorgeous. George Clooney must own stock in Toyota. Not laughing. Lighten up, George.

8:43pm- Is Jeff Bridges playing Colonel Sanders in his next movie. I think George Clooney is in on the joke. I hope.

8:44 pm- The first award of the evening: Best Supporting Actor. I wish I liked "Invictus" better than I did. Would like to see "The Last Station". Can't believe any part of "The Lovely Bones" got a nomination. Sorry Stanley, but that movie was pure shit. You should have been nominated for "Julie & Julia".

And the award goes to...Christoph Waltz! YEAH! An amazing performance. Hope this is the start of a great Hollywood career for Waltz.

8:50 pm- first of the ten Best Picture clips: Thanks, White Lady! I mean, The Blind Side. Ehhh, got to recognize crowd-pleasers as well as the films that deserve it, I guess.

Very funny Jimmy Kimmel/Ben Affleck ad. Poor Jennifer all by her lonesome. Come to SF, baby.

8:56 pm- Animated Film bit. Awesome! Yay! Dug the Dog!

And the award goes to...the Best overall film of 2009, Disney/Pixar's "UP". A beautiful, funny, movie that is going to be remembered the same way "Snow White" and "Pinocchio" are. SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!

9:00 pm- Jailbait time: Miley Cyrus and Amanda Seyfried for Best Original Song. Two from "Princess and the Frog". A decent hand-drawn entry from Disney. I can't believe anything from "Nine" got nominated. Which leaves "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart", which is a really nice song (and this is coming from someone who does not like country music).

And the winner is: The Weary Kind. Deservedly so. Bravo T-Bone and Ryan Bingham. Would have been nice to have heard a live version of this done by Bridges.

9:05 pm- Chris Pine introduces "District 9", a superb sci-fi thriller. If you haven't seen it yet, do so. It's excellent.

9:12pm- Tina Fey and Iron Man delivering Best Original Screenplay. Will it be "Inglourious Basterds" or "The Hurt Locker"?

And the winner is Mark Boal for "The Hurt Locker"! Let the winning begin for the very best live-action film of 2009! Your dad is very proud of you, Mark.

9:17pm- Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick give a tribute to John Hughes. Taken from us far too soon. What the hell, man? Ferris Bueller HD clips look better than the blu-ray! Frig yas, Paramount! And where the hell is my BD of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles"? Heh, Anthony Michael Hall stood Godfather to one of my cousin's kids.

Godspeed, Mr. Hughes. And thanks.

9:22pm- the return of the Brat Pack! Hughes' family in the audience. Very nice tribute.

9:23pm- Samuel Jackson introduces Best Picture clip for "UP". It won't win Best Picture, but could you imagine if it did? A double Best Picture winner? Oh man, that would be awesome. And it couldn't happen to a better film.

9:27 pm- Carrey Mulligan and Zoe Saldana? Oh me, oh my! Beauty times two. Short Film time. Hey, Taylor Hackford, where the hell are you hiding out these days? David Frankel, made two of the best hours of television with "Band of Brothers". "The Devil Wears Prada" was a great film too. John Lassiter...enough said.

And the winner goes to...what does Pixar have up for nomination this year? Just kidding. Logorama looks awesome. Oooh! Wallace and Gromitt. Wow, it went to Logorama. This is the first time a W&G short didn't win. Must be a sign of hte apocalypse. Vive, Nicolas!

And now for Best Documentary Short. These all look great. And the winner goes to "Music By Prudence". Some crazy woman has hijacked the acceptance speech. Time to get the bum's rush, folks. You went over the 45 second time limit.

And now, Best Live-action short. Oh dear, a short film about the Kavi website?! Oh, that is a different Kavi. Whew. And the winner is "The New Tenants". Um, okay. I have no idea who this is.

9:37 pm: Christ! Ben Stiller looks scary as a Na'vi. Funniest he's been in about a decade, maybe more. Best Makeup award. Give something to "Star Trek"! And the winner goes to "Star Trek". Awesome!

9:43pm: The Dude introduces the second worst nominee of the ten: the Coen Brothers' irksome Jewish comedy "A Serious Man". I felt like Jobe, being challenged by having to watch the entire film.

9:48pm- Celtics down by eight. Damnit!

9:48pm- Best Adapted Screenplay. Rachel McAdams...gorgeous as always. Time for "Up in the Air" to win an award. I hope. I really have to see "In the Loop". "An Education"...superb.

And the winner is NOT "Up in the Air". Holy shit, it's "Precious"! Damn, "Up in the Air" will most likely be shut out. Oh well. Congrats to Geoffrey Fletcher. Very moving speech.

9:52pm- The always-cool Queen Latifah presenting the recap of the lifetime achievement award. You have got to be kidding me! They cut this section of the show for what, more shots of those vapid shitheads from "Twilight"? Fuck them! Roger Corman and Lauren Bacall RULE! Get them up on the stage!

9:55pm- Time for Mo'Nique to get her award for "Precious". Cruz should have been up for the Almodovar film, not "Nine". Vera, baby! Bang! Way to show the entire film of "Crazy Heart" in 90 seconds! Anna Kendrick...this girl has a future in acting. She was great. Any other year, she would have waked away with that award. It's Mo's night, plain and simple. Go get 'em, kid!

And the winner is Mo'Nique. Damn, now I REALLY have to see this film. Great speech to boot.

10:01pm- Colin Firth introduces "An Education". It's a terrific little film that you should seek out and treasure when it comes out on March 30th. Carrey....talk about falling in love with an actress at first sight.

10:05pm- Sigourney Weaver, looking a little less blue, is here to present Best Production Design. "Nine" really got three nominations? Doesn't matter, "Avatar" takes the award. First award for the big hit.

Wow, Suzy Amis looks...just awful. This is what being married to James Cameron for more than a year does to a woman.

10:09pm- Best Costume Design. Yawn. Probably go to "Coco Before Chanel". Shit, "Nine" got four nominations? Who did the Weinsteins blow to get those nominations? Doesn't matter, "The Young Victoria" got it. The Academy loves Sandy Powell. Quite the dress, Sandy.

10:12pm- Charlize Theron introduces "Precious". Looks good, but it looks like something I have to prepare for. Oh God, the plastic twits from "Twilight" are up next. Time to go scratch my ass while they're on.

10:16pm- "Paranormal Activity" spoof far better than actual film. God, what a piece of crap that was.

10:18pm- And now, the real horror: the attack of young Hollywood! Man, that bimbo Stewart can't even read off of a teleprompter. "Jaws", "The Shining", "The Exorcist", "Silence of the Lambs", "Halloween", "Psycho", "Rosemary's Baby" and so on, there really are some great horror epics.

10:22pm- Zach Effron and Anna Kendrick present Best Sound. Morgan Freeman narrating the clip. Awesome! An "The Dark Knight" to boot. Yeah, remember that one, Academy? The movie that caused you to expand the playing field to ten this year? Fuckers.

And the award goes to...The Hurt Locker! Take that, Avatar!

And now, Best Sound Mixing. "Transformers"? Screw that noise. It's "Hurt Locker" time, baby! Oh man, this is turning out to be a GREAT Oscar ceremony!

10:28pm- Elizabeth Banks recaps the Academy Nerd Night, which will no doubt be shown on G4 until the end of time.

10:29pm- John Travolta introduces the wonderful "Inglourious Basterds". So brilliantly entertaining.

10:34pm- Sandy takes the stage for the first time tonight. Looks quite elegant. Giving the Best Cinematographer award. Let's hear it for Robert Richardson, a fellow Cape Codder.

And the award goes to..."Avatar"? How the hell is that possible? That film's photography was created in a FUCKING COMPUTER! I cry Bullshit!

10:37pm- Demi Moore, looking like she just came out of a sauna, is here to do the Hollywood memorial. Added bonus, James Taylor...doing "In My Life" by the Beatles. Good choice of song. Always makes me think back to the day John Lennon was murdered. Very well done.

10:43pm- Celts won by three! Whoo!

10:45pm- Ladies and Gentlemen, two of the least talented actors in Hollywood not associated with "Twilight", Jennifer Lopez and Sam Worthington! For Best Original Score, we are subjected to a creative dance presentation. God, bring back Rob Lowe and Snow White! Side note: the scores for "Hurt Locker" and "Sherlock Holmes" are excellent. I can't hear the theme to "UP" without thinking of the marriage montage or the scene where Carl looks at the scrapbook, which gets the waterworks flowing. "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is great, but there is more of an ecclectic songtrack than an actual film score. Why couldn't "Star Trek" take this spot? And "Avatar"? I might have liked it more if James Horner didn't continue to cannibalize his older work. But hey, if Cameron can steal from others and pass it off, why not Horner?

And the Oscar goes to... YES! "UP"!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful score, great speech by Michael Giacchino.

10:54pm- The "Avatar" award. It should go to "District 9".

Big shocker...Avaturd. I guess if it had anything going for it, it is visual effects. NEXT!

10:56pm- Jason Bateman introduces "Up in the Air". Great movie. Look forward to owning the blu-ray this week.

11:01pm- Jason Bourne hans out Best Documentary. "Burma VJ" looks good. I have to watch "The Cove" at some point. Actually, all of the docs up for the award look great. And heartbreaking.

And the award goes to..."The Cove". Nice. Maybe it will get a blu-ray release now. Would be great if Fisher Stevens was gnawing on a Tuna Sandwich while coming up on stage.

11:05pm- Tyler Perry, aka Media aka Starfleet Commander dude, is here to present Best Editing. And the winner is...WHOO! The Hurt Locker!

11:09pm- Neo is up to introduce "The Hurt Locker". Can we get a more deluxe edition of the film on home video, please?

11:14pm- Quentin Tarantino and Pedro Almodovar, when worlds collide. Best Foreign Film. Should be either "A Prophet" or "The White Ribbon", both which I hear are great. "The White Ribbon" might have to be a blind buy.

And the award goes to..."The Secret in Their Eyes". Um, okay?

11:18pm- Kathy Bates appears to present that "blue movie", "Avatar". Awww, that great Cameron dialogue! Yeah, highest-grossing film of all time! Man, the human race sucks ass sometimes.

11:24pm- Time for Best Actor. Oooh! Julianne Moore! God, she is heaven-sent. Oh God, I love Jeff Bridges as much as the next person, but ENOUGH with the cannonizing. I guess I should be grateful that the thespian circle-jerk has been limited to Best Actor and I assume Best Actress. Nice one from Tim Robbins. Thank you for breaking up the pretentiousness with a prime "Shawshank" bit. Colin Farrell is grossing me out with his spooning with Jeremy Renner on the set of "SWAT". Here's Kate Winslet, the Nazi Guard with a rack!

And the least-surprising awad of the night goes to Jeff Bridges. But hey, he deserves it. This should boost those "Tron: Legacy" sales just right! Congrats, Dude. Your dad is beaming from high above right now, as well he should be.

11:39pm- What day are we on with the awards?

Best Actress time. Carrey Mulligan, baby! Michael Sheen kicks ass. Should have been up for Best Supporting Actor for "The Queen", one of the best films of the last decade. He was every bit as crucial to that film as Helen Mirren was. I couldn't agree more with Pete Skarsgard. How cool would it be if Gabourey Sibide won? And Stanley's speech about Meryl Streep was great. These two need to work on every film together.

It appears that Sean Penn posted bail to come out to hand out Best Actress. And it went to...Sandra Bullock. Sigh. Well, at least she'll be sincere.

And she was.

11:52pm- EEEK! My God, it's a freaky muppet! No wait, it's Barbara Streisand. Giving Best Director. Get ready, Kathryn....

And the winner is...Kathie. You soooooooooooo earned it, kid.

11:58pm- Forrest Gump is here to give Best Picture. And the Oscar goes to the film that so deserved it....

The Hurt Locker.

12:09am- And so, another Oscar ceremony is in the books. How nice to see that a $12 million independent film went from obscurity to Best Picture, beating the most expensive -and highest grossing- film in history. When I saw "The Hurt Locker" back in June of 2009, I only had one thing to say to everyone: "You have to see this movie." If you haven't, now you can take the Academy's word for it. See. This. Movie.

Thanks to everyone who logged onto the blogsite to chime in and check on the postings. This was a blast and I will do it again next year without hesitation. Here's hoping you are here as well.

Good night!