Live Blog: The Oscars

“And the winner is”. With those words there will be at least 5 people holding their collective breath, while a finely coiffed and swathed celebrity tears open a sealed envelop with the closely guarded secret. Welcome to the Live Blog of the 83rd Academy Awards from fabulous downtown Hollywood or, in my case, on the couch in the family room with my lap top, a pitcher of martinis and Parmesan popcorn, Oh, and lots of napkins.

I used to chuckle at the introduction of the tuxedoed men carrying the brief case with those envelops and the silly ritual of reading of the “Rules” on how the votes were cast and who voted on what. Do they even do that any more?

The first Oscars were presented on May 19. 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood at a private brunch for 270 people. My how far they have come. Now it is the “hottest” ticket in town and the parties after for winners and losers are elaborate affairs that would keep food pantries in business for a year. I shouldn’t be too critical many of the industry’s actors, directors and producers do wonderful humanitarian work for causes that would be easily forgotten.

So have you all placed your bets on the winner? if you haven’t you’re out of the loop, since the Oscars are the most gambled on non-sporting event in the US. Even Nate Silver has gotten in on the action with four tips to win your Oscar pool but the kicker this year that even Nate admits are throwing off the odds is that there are now 10 films in the Best Picture Category. Yes, dear hearts, 10, in case you hadn’t noticed. In 2009, the Academy decided to return to its roots. When the award for Best Picture was presented in 1934 and 1935 there were 12 nominees, and from 1935 to 1943 there were 10. So adjust your pools accordingly, there are more “fish in the pond”

Here’s some more answers to those questions about the award you never thought to ask:

Bored? You haven’t seen the production or heard the speeches yet.

I will be your fashion and performance critic as we watch the parade down the red carpet and the main event. I can’t wait to see what get up Helena Bonham Carter wears. BTW, I always cry at the memorial tribute. Below the fold is the list and links for all the nominees. Bring on the show.

Cast your votes

Best Picture:

   * Black Swan

   * The Fighter

   * Inception

   * The Kids Are All Right

   * The King’s Speech

   * 127 Hours

   * The Social Network

   * Toy Story 3

   * True Grit

   * Winter’s Bone

Director

   * Darren Aronofsky Black Swan

   * Joel Coen and Ethan Coen True Grit

   * David Fincher The Social Network

   * Tom Hooper The King’s Speech

   * David O. Russell The Fighter

Actor in a Leading Role

   * Javier Bardem Biutiful

   * Jeff Bridges True Grit

   * Jesse Eisenberg The Social Network

   * Colin Firth The King’s Speech

   * James Franco 127 Hours

Actress in a Leading Role

   * Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right

   * Nicole Kidman Rabbit Hole

   * Jennifer Lawrence Winter’s Bone

   * Natalie Portman Black Swan

   * Michelle Williams Blue Valentine

Actor in a Supporting Role

   * Christian Bale The Fighter

   * John Hawkes Winter’s Bone

   * Jeremy Renner The Town

   * Mark Ruffalo The Kids Are All Right

   * Geoffrey Rush The King’s Speech

Actress in a Supporting Role

   * Amy Adams The Fighter

   * Helena Bonham Carter The King’s Speech

   * Melissa Leo The Fighter

   * Hailee Steinfeld True Grit

   * Jacki Weaver Animal Kingdom

Original Screenplay

   * Another Year Mike Leigh

   * Inception Christopher Nolan

   * The Fighter Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson

   * The Kids Are All Right Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg

   * The King’s Speech David Seidler

Adapted Screenplay

   * 127 Hours Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy

   * The Social Network Aaron Sorkin

   * Toy Story 3 Michael Arndt

   * True Grit Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

   * Winter’s Bone Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

Foreign Language Film

   * Biutiful Mexico

   * Dogtooth Greece

   * In a Better World Denmark

   * Incendies Canada

   * Outside the Law Algeria

Animated Feature

   * How to Train Your Dragon

   * The Illusionist

   * Toy Story 3

Original Score

   * 127 Hours

   * How to Train Your Dragon

   * Inception

   * The King’s Speech

   * The Social Network

Original Song

   * Coming Home Country Strong

   * I See the Light Tangled

   * If I Rise 127 Hours

   * We Belong Together Toy Story 3

Art Direction

   * Alice in Wonderland

   * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

   * Inception

   * The King’s Speech

   * True Grit

Cinematography

   * Black Swan

   * Inception

   * The King’s Speech

   * The Social Network

   * True Grit

Costume Design

   * Alice in Wonderland

   * I Am Love

   * The King’s Speech

   * The Tempest

   * True Grit

Makeup

   * Barney’s Version

   * The Way Back

   * The Wolfman

Documentary Feature

   * Exit Through the Gift Shop

   * Gasland

   * Inside Job

   * Restrepo

   * Waste Land

Sound Mixing

   * Inception

   * Salt

   * The King’s Speech

   * The Social Network

   * True Grit

Sound Editing

   * Inception

   * Toy Story 3

   * Tron: Legacy

   * True Grit

   * Unstoppable

Visual Effects

   * Alice in Wonderland

   * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

   * Hereafter

   * Inception

   * Iron Man 2

Film Editing

   * 127 Hours

   * Black Swan

   * The Fighter

   * The King’s Speech

   * The Social Network

Short Film, Animated



   * Day & Night Teddy Newton

   * Let’s Pollute Geefwee Boedoe

   * Madagascar, a Journey Diary Bastien Dubois

   * The Gruffalo Jakob Schuh and Max Lang

   * The Lost Thing Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann

Short Film, Live Action

   * God of Love Luke Matheny

   * Na Wewe Ivan Goldschmidt

   * The Confession Tanel Toom

   * The Crush Michael Creagh

   * Wish 143 Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

Documentary Short Subject

   * Killing in the Name

   * Poster Girl

   * Strangers No More

   * Sun Come Up

   * The Warriors of Qiugang