James Franco Takes Dig at Oscar Writer on Twitter

It's no secret that James Franco's hosting job wasn't really up to par. Critics slammed his barely there attitude and general awkwardness during the telecast. But when Oscar joke writer Bruce Vilanch opened up to New York magazine's Vulture blog about Franco's flop, the actor took to Twitter to return a dig at Vilanch.

"He has so many balls in the air, he didn't get to town till Thursday before the show on Sunday," Vilanch told Vulture about Franco's busy schedule. "I don't think he realized how big a deal it is to do it until he was actually confronted with it. I think he thought he would kind of ... I don't know what he thought."

Vilanch, along with pretty much everyone else watching the show, thought it was all some kind of act.

Franco apparently didn't take Vilanch's comments too well, and he tweeted a graffiti-covered picture of himself with Vilanch backstage at the Oscars.

"James f**ked up the Oscars. Trust me, I know comedy," Franco scribbled on the photo, in dialogue bubbles coming from Vilanch's mouth. "I mean, come on, I write for Bette Midler!"

Franco has since deleted the tweet and photo, but Vulture was lucky enough to grab it before he took it down.

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Kim Kardashian shone on Elton John Oscar aferparty

Kim Kardashian shone on Elton John Oscar aferparty in a dark blue dress Jaya Mandel, but said that was not too long getting ready. “It took about three hours, but not in continuity. I stopped and eat, done a few calls, it was a lazy three hours,” said the starlet for U.S. Magazine. Unlike many stars that choose to dress, jewelry, Kim says she chosen her dress according to her sapphire earrings. “When you play with the jewelry and then find the right dress, all fit in,” said the star of a reality show.

Although the appearance on Elton’s party a matter of prestige, Kim says that the most important thing for her was that party was held for combat against AIDS. “When I was little, mom of a friend died of AIDS because I am aware from an early age how the disease is difficult. It’s really cool that Elton used his name to something that is so important. Glitter and glamor are OK, but when you arrive at the event which is dedicated to good goal, all the better,” says Kim Kardashian.

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Banksy, Franco's singing among Oscar mysteries (AP)

LOS ANGELES – To the movie industry, the Oscars are an awards ceremony. For the rest of us, they're a show.

So while we couldn't recall last year's best picture on a bet (Cameron's blue-aliens movie? No, wait, it was "Hurt Locker" from his ex!), we savor the memory of Billy Crystal's great opening bits and Jack Palance's one-armed push-ups and brave Christopher Reeve onstage, alone, in a wheelchair.

So, Academy Awards, what are you going to do for us in the three-hour-and-then-some ABC broadcast starting at 8 p.m. EST Sunday?

Nobody's complaining about seeing the likes of nominees Natalie Portman, Amy Adams or Colin Firth in their designer duds and with a potential winner's aura (and, in Portman's case, the unbeatable glow of pregnancy).

But in a year with so many apparent dead-certs — including Portman as best actress for "Black Swan," Firth as best actor for "The King's Speech" and Melissa Leo and Christian Bale of "The Fighter" for the supporting-actor prizes — we need more bells and whistles.

First, there's the all-important theme for the Kodak Theatre event. This year: "You're invited."

OK. We accept.

Moving on, it's going to be cold, at least by L.A. standards, with temperatures dipping into the 40s at showtime. So during the red-carpet parade, look for loyal publicists earnestly guiding starlets out of the chill because why cover a designer gown with a coat?

The show's hosts are a key element and, this year, relatively daring: Anne Hathaway and James Franco, two fine, handsome actors but lacking the standard credentials of their predecessors, whether a seasoned emcee (Johnny Carson), comedian (Chris Rock) or song-and-dance man (Hugh Jackman).

ABC's promotional spots, including one in which Franco puts Hathaway's bathroom-break quickness to the stopwatch test, are a good sign that clever comedy is afoot. So is the approval of Alec Baldwin, who was a hit last year with co-host Steve Martin.

"She's a very smart and talented and gorgeous and funny woman, and he's a very charming and polished leading man," Baldwin said Friday. "They are great symbols of young Hollywood. The show is very well served by having them."

Any hosting advice for Hathaway, who was a best-actress nominee for 2008's "Rachel Getting Married," and Franco, who's up for best-actor honors for "127 Hours"?

"Just go with your instincts, because your instincts are what got you there in the first place," Baldwin counseled.

Hathaway, at 28 the youngest host ever, and Franco, 32, are expected to make a little music together. Hathaway sparkled in a 2008 Oscar duet with Jackman, while Franco practically demanded the chance to sing Sunday, said producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer.

More tunes are on tap with the return of the best-song showcases. The four nominated numbers will be performed by Gwyneth Paltrow ("Coming Home" from the film "Country Strong"); Randy Newman (his "Toy Story 3" song, "We Belong Together"); Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and composer Alan Menken ("I See the Light" from "Tangled") and Florence Welch and composer A.R. Rahman ("If I Rise" from "127 Hours").

The producers have secrets in store, including something they've termed "scenic transitions," with music and images that will take viewers to different points in film history for presentation of the more technical awards.

The best surprises, of course, are the unplanned emotional peaks. One could come courtesy of Annette Bening, 52, nominated three times before without winning, finally earning her trophy for "The Kids Are All Right." Or it could be provided by 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld emerging as the underdog winner for her film debut in "True Grit."

Then there's presenter Sandra Bullock, returning to the stage where she triumphantly claimed her best-actress trophy last year for "The Blind Side" and then, within days, saw cheating allegations surface against her now-ex-husband, Jesse James.

Suspense over winners and losers is obviously a staple of the night. But there's a twist this year thanks to Banksy, the elusive British bad-boy street artist and nominee for best documentary feature for his directing debut, "Exit Through the Gift Shop."

Will the artist who prefers to hide his face from public view suddenly turn ham and appear in front of a half-billion viewers? As the movie academy would put it, you're invited to find out.

___

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http://www.oscars.org

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Oscar stars come to Kodak a day early to rehearse (omg!)

Oprah Winfrey rehearses at the Kodak Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011. The 83rd Academy Awards airs Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Hilary Swank was feeling a little height-challenged at Oscar rehearsals.

She'll be presenting the best director award alongside last year's winner, Kathryn Bigelow, who stands a statuesque six feet, so Swank looked to her shoes for help.

"I need 10-mile-high shoes so I can remotely come close," she said, toting a Gucci shoe box onto the Kodak Theatre stage on Saturday.

She traded her flat boots for spiky stilettos before stepping out to rehearse her lines. Meanwhile, Bigelow swapped the sneakers she arrived in for some strappy gold heels.

"Oh my God, we're wearing the same shoes!" she said to Swank.

"I am going to be standing with the best posture ever," the actress said.

Swank was tickled that her bedazzled shoes seemed to match the crystals embedded in the Oscar stage, so she set a lone stiletto down and had her boyfriend, Jon Campisi, snap a quick photo. Then she went back to flats.

Like most of the A-listers at Academy Awards rehearsals, Swank and Bigelow dressed down — with the exception of their feet, of course. They were part of a parade of stars who came through the Kodak Theatre to run through their lines for the big show, presenting awards with fake envelopes, fake winners and even fake Oscars.

But many women opt for their real show-day shoes.

Oprah Winfrey arrived in black flats and carried her dress shoes on stage in a red cloth bag. By the time the media mogul made her entrance, she'd switched to the towering silver heels.

"Boy, that's a long walk," she said as she strode to the microphone at center stage.

Amy Adams allayed her footwear fears by practicing walking down the staircase she'll use to make her entrance Sunday. Cate Blanchett also wore a pair of super-tall heels.

With the theater empty save for a few dozen stand-ins and show workers, stars can relax, and even goof around, as they prepare for Hollywood's grandest pageant.

Tom Hanks announced the winners in his category by saying, "And the fake Saturday morning Oscar goes to..." When stand-ins approached the stage to accept the trophy, he said, "Here come the fake winners now!"

Helen Mirren had a little fun with Russell Brand as they practiced their presentation. When a pop-up microphone emerged from beneath the stage, she warned playfully, "Don't stand over that, Russell."

Jennifer Hudson brought her baby boy along, who called out, "Mama!" when he saw her on stage.

Nicole Kidman, decked out in a red lace dress and matching pumps, spotted her front-row seat in the audience from her position on stage. But she had a little trouble when it came time to announce the winner of the category she was presenting: She looked to her partner for the envelope, then realized she was holding it.

"I'm going to get this down," she said. "Don't worry."

Other stars rehearsing Saturday included Justin Timberlake, Sandra Bullock, Javier Bardem, Mila Kunis, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman and Reese Witherspoon.

Even co-host Anne Hathaway got into the casual rehearsal vibe. In jeans and boots, with no makeup and her hair loose, she breezed onto the stage holding her boyfriend's hand — then bumped right into Witherspoon.

"This is so much fun," Hathaway said. "We are so excited."

Then she bounded down the stairs and disappeared into the theater.

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Oscar stars come to Kodak a day early to rehearse (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Hilary Swank was feeling a little height-challenged at Oscar rehearsals.

She'll be presenting the best director award alongside last year's winner, Kathryn Bigelow, who stands a statuesque six feet, so Swank looked to her shoes for help.

"I need 10-mile-high shoes so I can remotely come close," she said, toting a Gucci shoe box onto the Kodak Theatre stage on Saturday.

She traded her flat boots for spiky stilettos before stepping out to rehearse her lines. Meanwhile, Bigelow swapped the sneakers she arrived in for some strappy gold heels.

"Oh my God, we're wearing the same shoes!" she said to Swank.

"I am going to be standing with the best posture ever," the actress said.

Swank was tickled that her bedazzled shoes seemed to match the crystals embedded in the Oscar stage, so she set a lone stiletto down and had her boyfriend, Jon Campisi, snap a quick photo. Then she went back to flats.

Like most of the A-listers at Academy Awards rehearsals, Swank and Bigelow dressed down — with the exception of their feet, of course. They were part of a parade of stars who came through the Kodak Theatre to run through their lines for the big show, presenting awards with fake envelopes, fake winners and even fake Oscars.

But many women opt for their real show-day shoes.

Oprah Winfrey arrived in black flats and carried her dress shoes on stage in a red cloth bag. By the time the media mogul made her entrance, she'd switched to the towering silver heels.

"Boy, that's a long walk," she said as she strode to the microphone at center stage.

Amy Adams allayed her footwear fears by practicing walking down the staircase she'll use to make her entrance Sunday. Cate Blanchett also wore a pair of super-tall heels.

With the theater empty save for a few dozen stand-ins and show workers, stars can relax, and even goof around, as they prepare for Hollywood's grandest pageant.

Tom Hanks announced the winners in his category by saying, "And the fake Saturday morning Oscar goes to..." When stand-ins approached the stage to accept the trophy, he said, "Here come the fake winners now!"

Helen Mirren had a little fun with Russell Brand as they practiced their presentation. When a pop-up microphone emerged from beneath the stage, she warned playfully, "Don't stand over that, Russell."

Jennifer Hudson brought her baby boy along, who called out, "Mama!" when he saw her on stage.

Nicole Kidman, decked out in a red lace dress and matching pumps, spotted her front-row seat in the audience from her position on stage. But she had a little trouble when it came time to announce the winner of the category she was presenting: She looked to her partner for the envelope, then realized she was holding it.

"I'm going to get this down," she said. "Don't worry."

Other stars rehearsing Saturday included Justin Timberlake, Sandra Bullock, Javier Bardem, Mila Kunis, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman and Reese Witherspoon.

Even co-host Anne Hathaway got into the casual rehearsal vibe. In jeans and boots, with no makeup and her hair loose, she breezed onto the stage holding her boyfriend's hand — then bumped right into Witherspoon.

"This is so much fun," Hathaway said. "We are so excited."

Then she bounded down the stairs and disappeared into the theater.

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Oscar foreign directors talk financing their films (AP)

By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang, Ap Entertainment Writer – 2 hrs 17 mins ago

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – "Biutiful," the haunting tale of a cancer-stricken father and one of this year's five foreign language Academy Award nominees, would never have been made today, the film's director, Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu, said Saturday during a panel at the Academy's headquarters.

He said he doesn't think he would be able to find funding.

"I started shooting literally one month before the economic collapse in 2008," Gonzalez-Inarritu said. "This film would never be financed again. The fact that he's dying? It would just be impossible to make a film like that again. I was really privileged with the resources that I had. The budget I had was like $20 million, so it was expensive for a film like this."

That figure seems meager when compared to such Oscar contenders as "Inception" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," whose budgets were in the $200 million range. But Gonzalez-Inarritu said finding distribution for the Mexican film, which stars best-actor nominee Javier Bardem, was difficult in the United States because of the film's dark tone.

The other nominated foreign-language filmmakers were envious of the "Biutiful" budget. Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek director of the overprotective family drama "Dogtooth," said the debt crisis in his country, which funds the production of approved Greek films, made it tougher to shoot his next film. He said "Dogtooth" originally cost about $250,000 to make.

"It's really difficult to raise the money," said Lanthimos. "I did my next film with even less than that. I don't know how much it will cost me in the end. It's really difficult when the Greek Film Center doesn't have money. We know the situation with Greece. My next film was approved to be funded by the Greek Film Center, but they don't have any money."

Rachid Bouchareb, the Algerian director of "Outside the Law," said he didn't have to battle a budget to make his film about three Algerian siblings in France during Algeria's struggle for independence, but he did have to fend off controversy in France where "Outside the Law" was intensely criticized for its depiction of Algeria's fight for liberation.

Susanne Bier, the Danish director of "In a Better World," insisted that any financial limitations spurred creativity while making her film about a pair of separated parents and their bullied son.

Denis Villeneuve, the Canadian director of the Middle East drama "Incendies," said he only filmed scenes that would end up in the film in order not to waste money.

"What you see on the screen," said Villeneuve, "is what we shot."

___

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http://www.oscars.org

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Oscar stars come to Kodak a day early to rehearse (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Hilary Swank was feeling a little height-challenged at Oscar rehearsals.

She'll be presenting the best director award alongside last year's winner, Kathryn Bigelow, who stands a statuesque six feet, so Swank looked to her shoes for help.

"I need 10-mile-high shoes so I can remotely come close," she said, toting a Gucci shoe box onto the Kodak Theatre stage on Saturday.

She traded her flat boots for spiky stilettos before stepping out to rehearse her lines. Meanwhile, Bigelow swapped the sneakers she arrived in for some strappy gold heels.

"Oh my God, we're wearing the same shoes!" she said to Swank.

"I am going to be standing with the best posture ever," the actress said.

Swank was tickled that her bedazzled shoes seemed to match the crystals embedded in the Oscar stage, so she set a lone stiletto down and had her boyfriend, Jon Campisi, snap a quick photo. Then she went back to flats.

Like most of the A-listers at Academy Awards rehearsals, Swank and Bigelow dressed down — with the exception of their feet, of course. They were part of a parade of stars who came through the Kodak Theatre to run through their lines for the big show, presenting awards with fake envelopes, fake winners and even fake Oscars.

But many women opt for their real show-day shoes.

Oprah Winfrey arrived in black flats and carried her dress shoes on stage in a red cloth bag. By the time the media mogul made her entrance, she'd switched to the towering silver heels.

"Boy, that's a long walk," she said as she strode to the microphone at center stage.

Amy Adams allayed her footwear fears by practicing walking down the staircase she'll use to make her entrance Sunday. Cate Blanchett also wore a pair of super-tall heels.

With the theater empty save for a few dozen stand-ins and show workers, stars can relax, and even goof around, as they prepare for Hollywood's grandest pageant.

Tom Hanks announced the winners in his category by saying, "And the fake Saturday morning Oscar goes to..." When stand-ins approached the stage to accept the trophy, he said, "Here come the fake winners now!"

Helen Mirren had a little fun with Russell Brand as they practiced their presentation. When a pop-up microphone emerged from beneath the stage, she warned playfully, "Don't stand over that, Russell."

Jennifer Hudson brought her baby boy along, who called out, "Mama!" when he saw her on stage.

Nicole Kidman, decked out in a red lace dress and matching pumps, spotted her front-row seat in the audience from her position on stage. But she had a little trouble when it came time to announce the winner of the category she was presenting: She looked to her partner for the envelope, then realized she was holding it.

"I'm going to get this down," she said. "Don't worry."

Other stars rehearsing Saturday included Justin Timberlake, Sandra Bullock, Javier Bardem, Mila Kunis, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman and Reese Witherspoon.

Even co-host Anne Hathaway got into the casual rehearsal vibe. In jeans and boots, with no makeup and her hair loose, she breezed onto the stage holding her boyfriend's hand — then bumped right into Witherspoon.

"This is so much fun," Hathaway said. "We are so excited."

Then she bounded down the stairs and disappeared into the theater.

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Oscar hopeful

25 February 2011 Last updated at 09:15 GMT The King's Speech is nominated in twelve categories Danny Cohen has received an Oscar and a Bafta nomination for his cinematography on The King's Speech.

The London-based film-maker previously worked with King's Speech director Tom Hooper on the Emmy-nominated HBO TV series John Adams, and Channel 4's Longford.

Cohen's other film credits include The Boat That Rocked, Glorious 39, and This Is England.

But what is a cinematographer - and how do you become one?

What does a cinematographer do?

My job is to help the director realise what's in his head.

The cinematographer creates a consistent look for the film and makes images that help tell the story. It's what's in the frame, the lighting, getting the mood right - getting images that push the story along and keeps the audience inside, not outside, the film.

What's the relationship with the director?

There's a dialogue that constantly goes on between the director and the cinematographer [also known as the director of photography, or DP]. You've both got to be there for every single shot. A lot of other work - like production design, costume and hair - has to be nailed before you start filming.

Once you get the trust of a director, they know they can rely on you to do something very interesting. It's a very complicated relationship.

What were the challenges of working on The King's Speech?

We shot the film in November - January. If you make a film in the UK in winter, one of the biggest things you confront is that it gets dark at 4.30pm.

So it's about being able to control the light: Lionel Logue's consulting room was a biggish room with a skylight, so we put a lighting rig outside the skylight and a blackout tent above the lighting rig. So whether it was day or night, we could light the scene however we wanted.

Danny Cohen's work on The King's Speech brought him both a Bafta and Oscar nomination

A big interior set-up was Ely Cathedral [which doubles for Westminster Abbey]. Controlling the light was a major challenge because of the size of the location. We used massive lighting balloons which give ambient daylight - hopefully it looks natural on screen. If you looked slightly wider than the frame you'd see the chaos of a film set, lots of lights, lots of people and equipment.

Is there a particular shot in the film which was hard to achieve?

There is a walking and talking scene between Logue and King George in Regents Park, where we used lots of smoke machines to give it atmosphere. There was low winter sun which always looks fantastic because you get long shadows.

We worked out where the sun would be and had Geoffrey and Colin walking towards us to have them backlit and so we could play the sun into the lens.

That's an example where we were all lucky - it could have been windy or raining.

Some reviews have noted how you abandon traditional framing techniques in The King's Speech. How did you approach that?

You want images that unsettle the audience, so if you put an actor in the wrong position in the frame it's going to feel uncomfortable. In a weird way, doing the things you shouldn't in this case benefited the story.

Normally you shoot faces with longer lens to get big close-ups with out-of-focus background. What we did to a certain extent was use very wide lenses, but very close to the actors. In the consulting room, the camera is right in Colin's face but you still see the walls and never lose the context of where he is. That's not the traditional way of shooting historical drama.

Continue reading the main story Johnny English Reborn (2010)The King's Speech (2009)Glorious 39 (2008)The Boat That Rocked (2008)This Is England (2006)Pierrepoint (2005)Festival (2004)Creep (2003)Dead Man's Shoes (2003)Dead Babies (1999)

TV includes: This Is England 1986, Dive, Poppy Shakespeare, John Adams, Capturing Mary, Joe's Palace, Longford, Nathan Barley

How did you get started in cinematography?

There's no right or wrong way. You can go to film school, but everybody's different. My first degree was a social science and nothing to do with film. I'd always done a lot of stills photography. I ended up as a photographic technician at Middlesex Poly and then became a camera assistant on small documentaries and pop promos and commercials.

It's all about chance meetings. I ended up as a camera assistant and clapper loader for eight years working with lots of cameramen with different styles, so that was my film school.

I worked with the French cameraman who shot Betty Blue. Going to work was like going to a master-class every day.

How well do you know your fellow nominees?

I've never met any of them. Until the Baftas, Roger Deakins [who beat Cohen for his work on True Grit] was my favourite cinematographer! I'm a huge fan of all his films - one of the first he did was Defence of the Realm, a small UK thriller and it looks amazing. The Big Lebowski is a big favourite of mine.

What difference does an Oscar nomination make?

It's recognition, it shows people think you vaguely know what you're doing.

The phone hasn't stopped ringing, I've been doing a lot of interviews for American magazines. People, bizarrely, find it really interesting.

What's your next big movie?

We just finished Johnny English Reborn in December. Essentially it's a Bond film. Having thought I'd never get asked to do a Bond film, I thought it was a fantastic opportunity because it's about spies, gadgets and car chases. Working with Rowan Atkinson was exciting. We did some fun stuff.

Danny Cohen was talking to Tim Masters in London and Los Angeles.

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Video: Richard Lewis' Hilarious Oscar Nominee Predictions

If Richard Lewis is an authority on anything, it's high quality film. The comedian and actor sat down with Funny Or Die to give his opinions on this year's most celebrated works of art -- the Oscar nominees for Best Picture.

'Inception': Lewis opted out of viewing this flick due to his short term memory loss. The trailer alone gave Lewis a panic attack, rosacea and ... a few diseases.

'127 Hours': Lewis compares the real-life dramatic premise of this excruciatingly raw film to clipping his toe nails.

'The Fighter': "'The Fighter' should win because of the crap," Lewis postulates.

Get more of Lewis's predictions after the jump!

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Oscar Preview: Can 'King's Speech' Be Dethroned?

If the 83rd Academy Awards had been held a month ago, shortly after the critics groups had doled out their prizes and the final glasses of champagne had been drained at the Golden Globes, "The Social Network" would almost certainly have nabbed Oscar's Best Picture statue. After all, David Fincher's film about the salacious founding of Facebook hardly encountered a critics group it didn't woo and win over, before going on to earn four Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Drama. What could possibly stand between "Social Network" and the Academy's top honor?

As it turns out, another month. And another biopic, this one telling a story that begins some 80 years ago and resembling a far more traditional Oscar film than Fincher's exploration of youth and digital beauty. "The King's Speech" bounced back from its Globe defeats (it nabbed just one of seven nominations, with Colin Firth taking top dramatic actor) and secured important wins from the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.

So much for creating a big tent with the inclusion of 10 Best Picture nominees. Like last year, we find ourselves watching a two-horse race that, at this point, might not be all that close. Kudos to "Toy Story 3," "Winter's Bone" and "Inception," but their nominations are kind of the equivalent of pity invites to a kid's birthday party: Sure, the birthday boy was forced to request the pleasure of your company, but he's not going to pretend you're anything more than a seat-filler. Our man Oscar holds the most exclusive birthday party in Hollywood, and its voters like it that way.

What's interesting this year is the nature of the two-horse race. In 2010, it came down to a decision between a populist fave in "Avatar" that made a gazillion dollars at the box office and a critics' darling in "The Hurt Locker" that maybe six people saw in the theater. Both "Social Network" and "King's Speech," meanwhile, have almost identical box-office grosses and high-90s ratings at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator. The difference between the two is that "King's Speech" is the kind of film that could have been an Oscar nominee a decade ago — or a half-century ago — whereas "Social Network," in everything from story line to subtext to soundtrack, is directly plugged into 2011.

That's not to suggest "King's Speech" is some musty relic of yesteryear, nor that contemporary relevancy is a requirement for Oscar glory. The key, rather, is that the best film should win. And if you ask us, the finest film of the year is "Social Network." But as in so many years past — from how "Gladiator" bested "Traffic" to the way "Shakespeare in Love" beat out, well, geez, take your pick! — the best film of the year doesn't always receive that Oscar honor.

We can talk about momentum, we can indentify vital precursor wins, we can cite all manner of historical facts and we can lament fuddy-duddy voters. None of it seems to matter. On Sunday night, it appears, a very good film but hardly the year's best will win Best Picture. Let's offer our early congratulations to "The King's Speech."

Which Oscar contender should take Best Picture? Share your pick in the comments!

Will it be a regal evening for "The King's Speech"? Can "The Social Network" dial up Oscar gold? Don't miss MTV News' "2011 Oscars Live" at 6 p.m. Sunday, February 27, when we'll be chatting with your favorite Hollywood stars live from the red carpet on MTVNews.com, and stick with us all Oscar night for winners, interviews, photos and more!

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Elton John's Oscar Party: What the Stars Will Drink

Can't make to Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards gala this year? Don't fret. You can still get a taste of the party.

While John will welcome a who's who of A-listers, including David and Victoria Beckham, who are acting as chairs of the event, alongside Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman and Miley Cyrus.

The event will go down at the Pacific Design Center on Sunday and will feature food by Chef Ludo Lefebvre. As for the drinks, well, Food Network personality Sandra Lee has dreamed up several cocktails for the soiree – and now you can make them yourself at your own home Oscar bash.

Want to make the drinks? Check out the recipes below:

• 4 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 oz. Ciroc vodka
• ½ oz. Godiva chocolate raspberry vodka
• ice cubes
• cranberries

In a glass, combine juice, vodka, and chocolate raspberry vodka. Add ice. Garnish with cranberries.

Lee also created another fruit-based cocktail.

• 1 oz. Ciroc vodka
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. white cranberry juice
• ice cubes
• raspberries

In a glass, combine juice and vodka. Add ice. Garnish with raspberries.

Please note: Comments have been suspended temporarily as we explore better ways to serve you. Your opinion is important to us; you can find current discussions at facebook.com/peoplemag.

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If TSJ Picked this Year’s Oscar Hosts…

Posted 2/25/2011 at 9:00 am by Brenan Sharp

At last, two worlds collide to give us peace in our time. It took the sheer vanity and talent of two super villains to bridge the gap between the world of Detective Comics and the Marvel universe. Of all things, the despicable duo are to co-host the Academy Awards. We gotta think the Oscars just got ten times better! AND, we got a peek at the set list. Here’s what you can look forward to…

Catwoman Costume Changes

Rest assured fan boys, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Or, in this case, get a cat to show skin. Sure, you’ll have to endure this kitty howling on a fence for a few numbers in order to see just how scantily clad she’ll become, but you’ve had to do it with Britney Spears for more than a decade, so what’s new here? Just hit mute and crank Cat Power.

Make-out Movie Montage

If there’s one thing most Oscar-goers and watchers dread, it’s the movie montage. We’re not sure if it’s truly a heartfelt homage or merely filler. This year will prove to be quite the diversion from the norm as the montage will include all the greatest female make-out scenes in cinematic history, and we have Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman to thank for bringing this subgenre to light. Never have the careers of no-name actresses been coupled with the likes of Marissa Tomei, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johannsen, Angelina Jolie or Kate Winslet… until now!

The Green Goblin Heckle Hour

Thanks to Ricky Jervais, not even major celebrities are safe from harsh criticism. In order to one-up the Golden Globes this year, Hollywood’s favorite green meanie will hover about the stage hurling pumpkins at the performing Oscar talent.

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Oscar Preview: Will Natalie Portman Fly High? Can Colin Firth Be Stopped?

Last year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences coalesced around two ideas in the lead acting categories: for Best Actor, it was time to anoint a man whose time had come; for Best Actress, a populist favorite deserved the career thumbs-up that only a small golden statue can deliver.

And so five-time nominee Jeff Bridges finally triumphed for his unfettered turn in "Crazy Heart" and Sandra Bullock, long an American sweetheart but hardly an enduring critical fave, took home the win for her uplifting and cheesiness-eluding performance in "The Blind Side." Oscar, of course, is as fickle a gentleman as you'll find in Hollywood.

So this year, we find in Annette Bening ("The Kids Are All Right") a four-time nominee who's never managed to create a voting-community consensus that, shoot, this is my year, dammit! Thus, she finds herself trailing Natalie Portman ("The Black Swan") for Best Actress, though the winner in that category is hardly clear-cut at this point. The same cannot be said for Best Actor, in which Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") staked out an early lead that he hasn't relinquished all awards season.

As MTV News continues its week-long Oscar preview -- ahead of the big show Sunday, February 27, when MTV News will be live-streaming from the red carpet at 6 p.m. ET -- let's take a closer look at the two lead acting categories.

Best Actress
It's not Bening's fault. No one can take away anything from what she accomplished onscreen in a warts-and-all portrait of a lesbian couple struggling to keep their family together; 2011 just isn't her year. But hey, Al Pacino lost six times -- including for the first two "Godfather" films and "Dog Day Afternoon" -- before nabbing Oscar glory for "Scent of a Woman." Bening will eventually get her Academy win.

The trouble for the 52-year-old actress is that she's facing off against Portman, who trained as a ballerina for 10 months, displayed a ripped physique onscreen and delivered a gutting portrayal of one woman's psychological disintegration in "Black Swan." It's a far showier performance than Bening's, and the fact of the matter is that subtlety doesn't often pay off when it comes to awards.

That's not to say it never does, and several influential Oscar prognosticators are picking Bening to pull off one of the evening's biggest upsets. Either woman would be deserving. And don't even get us started about why Michelle Williams isn't at least in the running after a "Blue Valentine" performance so depressingly unnerving she should be standing outside theaters giving out free hugs. That's just not the way the world works, and we're going to go ahead and say a very pregnant Natalie Portman will be up onstage Sunday accepting the Best Actress win.

Best Actor
Bridges is back again, and you could even say his "True Grit" performance is finer and tighter than his turn in "Crazy Heart." But Tom Hanks, he ain't (Hanks is one of only two actors to take the category in consecutive years, following wins for "Philadelphia" and "Forrest Gump"), especially not in a year when Firth learned to stutter and went on to dominate awards season.

Seriously, the guy has barely lost even an obscure critics association award, winning at the Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards and, oh, six dozen other ceremonies. Like Portman's performance, Firth as the eventual King George VI is a flashier performance than any other in the category, save perhaps for James Franco's (who, hey, didn't actually lop off his arm for "127 Hours" and nixed any miniscule chance he had at an upset when he accepted a job as Oscar co-host).

While we welcome Jesse Eisenberg to the ranks of the critically lauded -- he's been on our radar since a pitch-perfect debut as an anxious teen in 2002's "Roger Dodger" -- the 27-year-old actor never really had a shot to unseat Firth once the Brit's awards-season supremacy became clear early on. What's more, "The Social Network" peaked too early and now doesn't have the momentum to pick up Eisenberg's turn as Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and carry it toward victory.

Best Actor, then, is an easy pick -- perhaps the easiest of the major categories. Say hello to Colin Firth, your Best Actor in these 83rd Academy Awards.

Will it be a regal evening for "The King's Speech"? Can "The Social Network" dial up Oscar gold? Don't miss MTV News' "2011 Oscars Live" at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, February 27, when we'll be chatting with your favorite Hollywood stars live from the red carpet on MTVNews.com, and stick with us all Oscar night for winners, interviews, photos and more!

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Does James Franco Have Anne Hathaway's Oscar Vote?

Franco (left) and Hathaway

AP(2)

James Franco will be pulling double duty at this year's Academy Awards, as both a host and a nominee.

So will fellow emcee Anne Hathaway show him some love by throwing her vote his way for Best Actor in 127 Hours?

Unfortunately for Franco, she's not saying.

"Actually, the ballot says on the front: 'Important, do not tell anyone, especially The Hollywood Reporter," she laughs during an interview with magazine, the pair's first together, before adding diplomatically, "I'm a big fan of James's performance."

As for what viewers can expect come Sunday night, THR reports that organizers will stage the Oscars as a visual journey through movie history, with Franco and Hathaway travelling back in time in an opening montage. They'll end up inside a digitally-enhanced "virtual" set.

One thing we won't see: The actors ribbing their fellow thespians, a la Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes.

"I can guarantee that if you're looking for someone to call people out, we're not your hosts," Hathaway, 28, says. "I think that humor is really difficult to pull off, and I'm not particularly adept at it. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. Also, I don't mean to sound overly serious, but I am the youngest host in history and I have no business being cynical or calling anyone out. I certainly haven't earned the right to do that."

Asked whether Aron Ralston, whom Franco, 32, played in 127 Hours, might show up on stage at some point, the actor says, "Who knows? Aron is full of surprises. I'm sure he'll find his way into the show."

Franco – who says he's just learning how to use Twitter and "it might be fun" to try Tweeting during the show – also says he's managed to reduce some of the pressure of being a nominee.

"Well, nobody is shy about saying Colin Firth is going to win [for The King's Speech]," he says. "I've accepted that. By hosting, it makes it easier to go to the events and not feel like a total schmo."

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Camille Grammer: 'I'm Pumped' to be CNN's Oscar Correspondent

Camille Grammer

Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Camille Grammer has had a rough time lately, but some good news has come her way – she'll be front and center at this year's Academy Awards as CNN's fashion and celebrity commentator.

"I'm pumped, I'm psyched," she said when the gig was announced. "Everything about the Oscars is amazing."

The job will be the "thrill of a lifetime for me," added the Real Housewives star without a trace of nerves about taking on the tough job of commentating on live television.

There's also anther arduous task ahead of her – choosing the all-important Oscar dress.

"I just started the process so we're working on it," she said.

Grammer, 42, will join Showbiz Tonight hosts A.J. Hammer and Brooke Anderson for the special Showbiz Tonight: Road to Gold, which will air on CNN and HLN.

"We can't wait to get Camille's unabashed take on Hollywood's biggest night," said Dave Levine, senior executive producer of CNN entertainment and Showbiz Tonight, reports E! Online.

Grammer's divorce from ex-husband Kelsey Grammer was finalized earlier this month.

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Scarlett Johansson, Russell Brand Added to Oscar Lineup

Scarlett Johansson and Russell Brand

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic, Fame

The roster of A-Listers already set to present at this year's Academy Awards just got a little sexier.

Upping the va-va-voom factor is Scarlett Johansson, it was announced Monday. And Russell Brand will be bringing his delightful comedic talents and no-holds-barred cheekiness. This will be his first Oscar appearance.

The 83rd annual Academy Awards will air live Sunday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

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Oscar nominee's diary

15 February 2011 Last updated at 14:57 GMT This is Paul Franklin's second Oscar nomination Paul Franklin has been nominated for an Oscar for his work on the mind-bending visual effects of Inception.

Among the film's most memorable sequences are the city of Paris folding in on itself, and the creation and destruction of "Limbo City".

Paul's London-based FX company Double Negative also worked on Christopher Nolan's films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The latter film earned Franklin a visual effects Oscar nomination in 2009.

Here Paul tells us about his experiences in the run-up to Hollywood's biggest night of the year.

Finally, after two days, my Bafta hangover has gone. Free champagne all night - quality, mind you, none of your cheap stuff - it would have been rude to refuse!

I have been nominated for a Bafta twice before, but this time felt completely different.

My first two nods had been great honours, but there'd been no real prospect of a win in either case.

With Inception it looked like we were in with a real chance and my nerves had been steadily building all week.

After getting ready at home (the offers of free hair styling, make-up and jewellery being wasted on a fortysomething bloke who's thinning on top), we wound our way through south London, across the Thames to the Royal Opera House and stepped onto the red carpet.

A huge crowd, undeterred by the inevitable drizzling rain, pressed against the crush barriers, eager for a glimpse of celebrity.

It was a case of third time lucky for Paul at the Baftas

The paparazzi flashed their cameras as the car doors opened - no doubt hoping to grab a knicker shot of someone famous failing to exit gracefully.

Clearly that wasn't us, and within seconds all eyes and cameras had turned to the next limo in the line.

We walked up the red carpet, sandwiched between Danny Boyle and Gemma Arterton, and once inside joined a swish cocktail reception where I relaxed to the point that I almost forgot why I was there.

But soon enough the master of ceremonies in full regalia ordered us to our places and the show began.

Bafta is a celebration of all aspects of filmmaking, but glamour counts.

Whilst all the nominees were seated in the same part of the auditorium, those in the technical categories are put at the edges at the back, safely hidden from the TV cameras.

At least it meant we didn't have to affect rictus grins the whole evening.

Unlike some other awards shows Bafta doesn't hang about, and within moments of Jonathan Ross's arrival on stage the gongs started coming thick and fast.

It was pretty clear that the evening would belong to The King's Speech, but Inception picked up best sound and production design along the way and I dared to believe that we might really have a serious chance.

Suddenly our category was up: clips of the five movies, representing cumulative centuries of staff hours from the various SFX and VFX teams rolled past in seconds. And then Jesse Eisenberg was tearing open the envelope and reading out... Inception.

Instant elation!

After fighting our way out of our row and a quick handshake with director Chris Nolan we bowled down the aisle and stepped up onto the stage.

At the end of my speech, as I thanked my beautiful wife, the camera cut to a shot of her for the teary-eyed reaction. Only they got the wrong wife.

Paul (far right) was honoured alongside (from left) Peter Bebb, Chris Corbould and Andrew Lockley

But at least the wrong wife is married to Pete, my co-winner, who hopefully will see the funny side.

One quick backstage interview later we returned - via a very, very long route - to our seats clutching our surprisingly heavy prizes and we happily watched Tom Hooper's King's Speech clean up the rest of the awards.

At the winners' group photo I got to say hello to JK Rowling. As a veteran of three Harry Potter films that was a real thrill.

Then onto a lavish dinner (and more champagne) at the Grosvenor, with Squeeze blasting out their greatest hits at the after party.

Then it was all over and I was back home, very tired but very, very happy.

Bertie, as the children have christened the gong, will be residing on our mantlepiece. (I know you're supposed to keep them in the loo, but we don't have a shelf.)

The buzz even lasted through the 7am school run a few hours later. But now I really do need a sleep.

Today we had the first major Oscar-related event, the nominees' luncheon. The key thing about the lunch is that there's minimal press and no TV cameras in the event itself - it's about celebrating all of the film-makers rather than just the stars (or "above the line" as they say here in Hollywood).

Everyone is that bit more relaxed than at the actual awards and you have a chance to mingle with the great and the good of Tinsel Town. Two years ago I was lucky enough to be nominated for my work on The Dark Knight, but I couldn't make it to the lunch as I was tied up on another movie.

Paul Franklin was also nominated in 2009 for The Dark Knight

My producer Mike Chambers was my lunch guest and as we entered the grand ballroom of the Beverly Hilton we were greeted with a milling throng of smartly-dressed people. It was so tightly packed that, initially, it was impossible to recognise anyone.

However, after a short while I began to spot familiar faces from the visual effects community (which is quite small and always up for a free drink) and said hello to friends from Pixar and some of the other nominated VFX teams.

Eventually I took my place for lunch to find I was seated next to Mark Ruffalo, nominated as best supporting actor for his tremendous performance in The Kids Are All Right.

I always get star struck, regardless of how many celebrities I meet and generally am at a loss for what to say. Fortunately, I remembered that Mark had just been cast as Bruce Banner/the Hulk in the Avengers movie and we talked about motion capture (used to create the animation for creatures such as the Hulk). We also discussed the perils of the unflattering spandex leotards that the actors have to wear.

It's safe territory for a tech geek like me.

Once the starter was over all the nominees shuffled up onto the podium for a group photograph and I found myself jammed in between Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth. One by one we were called out and given a certificate (as well as a massively outsized nominee's sweatshirt). Everyone got a round of applause but I'm sure that when my name came up most people were saying to themselves, "who he"?

Afterwards we were shown a short film of tips on dos and don'ts for the big night itself presented by Tom Hanks - the basic message was keep it short and don't be boring. You get 45 seconds to thank everyone for 18 months of work and anyone who goes over gets a giant Oscar dropped on top of them.

I could have stayed all afternoon - and I think quite a few did - but my boss, Chris Nolan, was giving us all pointed looks so it was in the car and back to the studio to continue pre-production on our next project. After all, someone's got to keep making movies.

Paul Franklin was Inception's VFX supervisor and is a founding member of FX company Double Negative (DNeg). He is nominated along with SFX supervisor Chris Corbould and DNeg's VFX supervisors Peter Bebb and Andrew Lockley.

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