Live Blogging the 81st Academy Awards

Hello all again. This is my third year blogging the Oscars and I am quite excited about this year's ceremony. Will this be the year that my favourite actress of all-time will win her Oscar? I think this will be Kate Winslet's year but we will see.

And this year is my first time blogging it back on the West Coast!!!!!! Last night, I can say that I have now seen all Best Picture Winners since 1996 (The English Patient) as I finally saw the rest of No Country for Old Men. After seeing this it got me thinking that as a huge movie fan, I've only seen 26 out of the 80 Best Picture winners. I haven't seen Gone with the Wind all the way through or even seen Schindler's List but I have made this vow that whenever a Best Picture winner like Chariots of Fire comes on TV, I'll watch it except for Silence of the Lambs -I can't bring myself to watch a "horror" film.

I just finished watching the East Coast feed of the Barbara Walters Oscar special and I have to say I am looking forward to seeing Hugh Jackman host. I was skeptical but I've seen him do the Tonys and he did a great job for the three years that he did it. Plus he is so damn sexy so I can't argue the eye candy aspect of it.

Speaking of sexy, I am looking forward to seeing Robert Pattinson (of Twilight) present.

Watching ABC's Red Carpet coverage and whatever right now. I am not going to comment as I am not much of a fashionista. All I care about is the awards.

I've made my predictions as did my brother (or he has at least until Hugh Jackman opens his mouth) and we also have this list that appeared on the Internet of the purported winners. We will see if it matches the actual winners (and I won't change any of my predictions because of this list).

Ok, I need to comment on this Red Carpet on ABC. It is so obvious that it has been edited down to 30 minutes. It's so choppy that it is a bit disconcerting.

I have to say that now that I've been to LA and to the Kodak Theatre, I can now envision how the Red Carpet works. It is amazing that they close down the whole road (Hollywood Blvd.) for the Oscars.

It's almost showtime. Just saw my brother's predictions and we have disagreed on some categories so we will see who comes out on top. I have to say this year I really did my research. We will see if it pays off. If I win I get Twilight on DVD. If Justin wins I can't make healthy/vegetarian stuff.

5:30pm PST Here we go...That's quick. Here's Hugh Jackman.

Orchestra on stage. Means a musical number is up. 5:32pm He is singing about Slumdog Millionaire.

Did he say your Craigslist Dancers?

Yeah, my brother just said I don't know what to make of it. And I don't know either. It is kind of a homage to Billy Crystal.

5:36pm: The Anne Hathaway bit was a definite set-up that was planned. Yes lame but funny.

5:37pm Jackman hasn't seen the Reader and he can't even sing that with a straight-face.

5:38pm Don't know what he is going to do now. But it was funny if somewhat lame.

5:39pm The crowd seem to love it. The stuff with Frank Langella was funny. He did this stuff with the Tonys and I did like it then and I like it now.

5:40pm What is going with this. Are we only going to see curtain? This means supporting actress is coming. I guessed Penelope Cruz for Vicky Christina Barcelona and Justin guessed Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which Justin kept on wanting to call it Curious George).

5:42pm Eva Marie Saint, Whoopi Goldberg, Tilda Swinton, Goldie Hawn and Angelica Houston. They are going to announce supporting actress, usually it is last year's best supporting actor winner. Producers did say they were going to do things differently.

5:47pm Finally they are going to announce the winner....Penelope Cruz. Me: 1 for 1. Justin: 0 for 1.
Actually I am glad that she won. I was so close to picking Viola Davis. I've heard her 12 minutes in Doubt was amazing. The woman who played the part on Broadway won the Tony so that was a consideration.

5:52pm This is funny Tina Fey and Steve Martin doing screen directions. Big applause for Tina Fey. Screenplay award now. Steve Martin is so funny. Best Original screenplay. We both guessed Milk. I like how they are presenting this award. The winner is: Milk. I am two for two so far. Justin is batting 50 per cent. A prop 8 shout out of sorts.

5:58pm A Charlotte Bronte shout out. Now screenplay adaption. The Don't fall in love with me statement came of of nowhere. We guessed Slumdog Millionaire. The winner is: Slumdog Millionaire. So far I am three for three and Justin is 2 for three.
I've never seen the screenplay award be presented this early. But they are making this year's ceremony different.

6:03pm Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black are doing Animated Feature. I guess not. First of many montages for the evening. I guess this is a 2008 movie scrapbook. So are we doing Animated Feature? Okay, we are. So we both guessed Wall-E. The winner is: Wall-E. I doing well so far tonight. I want a commercial break so I can make the sauce for dinner. But I have to say Wall-E is a beautiful film. So that's why Hello Dolly is an important part of Wall-E.

6:08pm Aniston and Black are doing Animated Short. I guessed: La Maison en Petits Cubes. Justin: Presto. The winner: La Maison en Petits Cubes. That was a total guess but based on advice from EW. So thanks Entertainment Weekly.

6:15pm What's next...Art direction. I do like how they present this award too. We both guessed Button. Winner is Button. I think this is the category where a Canadian was nominated (and now won). I don't think there is going to be a Marketa Irglova moment if the second person doesn't get to speak.

6:20pm Costume design. We both picked: The Duchess. Winner: The Duchess.
6:22pm Now is Make-up. Both of us picked: Button. The Winner: Button.
6:25 Robert Pattinson and Amanda Seyfried. Hello Robert Pattinson. I think they are introducing love in film for 2008.

6:31pm So they are going through the process of making a film and Stiller is looking like Joaquin Phoenix. They are doing Cinematography. We guessed Slumdog. Stiller was doing something we didn't see. He is just wandering around. Winner: Slumdog. So far I am 100%. Justin has only got one category wrong.

6:39pm Jessica Biel doing the Tech awards. Looking a bit livelier than past people.
Then they cut to another commercial break.

6:42pm Now they are doing comedy in 2008. Seth Rogen and James Franco are laughing as if the Reader was a comedy the same with Doubt. This is funny.

6:45pm It was a Judd Apatow short so no wonder. Short Film now. We both guessed: Toyland. Winner is Toyland.

6:52pm Hugh Jackman is doing another musical number but more like a Broadway style number. Well, it's Beyonce. Maybe she is going to sing all the Best Song nominees too. These songs are from Broadway musicals and not movies. This would work if this was the Tonys. There is Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried. This is lame. Really lame.

7:01pm This is it Best Supporting Actor. We both guessed Heath Ledger for the Dark Knight. There is no doubt that he will win. If he doesn't then that will truly be an upset. Who are they going to get to do this category? Christopher Walken, Kevin Kline, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alan Arkin and Joel Grey that's who. No Javier Bardem...interesting. Arkin just mixed up Philip Seymour Hoffman's name. The guy behind Michael Shannon can't see. I am getting teary-eyed with what Kevin Kline was saying about Heath Ledger. The winner is: Heath Ledger. It is sad that he isn't here to accept the award. I don't think they will cut Heath Ledger's family off. Everyone is crying.

7:10pm That was moving. Now Documentary in 2008. I do like how they are doing this. The filmmakers talking about it than just showing their faces in the audience. Justin just said that this year's Oscars is all about context. I think he's right (as usual). I chose: Man on Wire. Justin: Trouble the Water. Bill Maher is presenting this category. The Betrayal's guy's teeth is distracting. The winner is: Man on Wire. The guy who walked the two twin towers is here. The guy just balanced the Oscar on his chin. Best Doc short. Both picked: The Witness from Balcony Room 306. Winner Smile Pinki. There goes my perfect game. Crap!!!! I was so hoping 24 for 24.

7:23pm I think they are going to post-production stuff. So in this section we will get Visual effects, sound editing, sound mixing, score and song.

7:25pm Will Smith is doing Visual Effects. We both guessed: Button. Winner: Button. So far I have 12 right and Justin has 9 right out of 13 categories announced so far. Sound editing. I guessed Wall-E. Justin guessed Dark Knight. The Winner: The Dark Knight. So I got two wrong so far. Sound Mixing. We both guessed: The Dark Knight. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Wow. Got three wrong. I am stunned.

7:33pm Film editing. We both chose: Slumdog Millionaire. The Winner is Slumdog Millionaire.

The only other category we guessed differently is Foreign Language film. So basically, I win the Oscar bet this year as we agreed on the rest of the category.

7:42pm Jerry Lewis getting the honourary Oscar for his charity work. Presented by Eddie Murphy. That was a short video. They are really trying to get the show done by 8:30pm. They still have Best Song and Score and Foreign Film, Best Actor and Best Actress and Best Director.
I thought he was going ramble but it was nice and short.

7:50pm Best song and Best score category. Wanna let us know what we are listening to? I do love the score category. The score for Defiance sounds emotional but Schinder's List-esque. Most of the music on my iPod are of scores. Milk sounds sombre. I guess Zac Efron and Alicia Keys are going to announce the winner. We picked: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

7:55pm Best Song now. Are they going to perform it? Yes they are. Why are they mixing them together. That doesn't make sense. I really think they should go back to having each song sung individually and not part of a medley. I really like Jai-Ho my choice and Justin's too. The winner: Jai-Ho. The winner AR Rahman wins best score, performs in Best Song then wins for Best Song. I've never seen anything like this before.

8:05pm The performances of the songs could have been better. Frieda Pinto and Liam Neeson. Foreign Language film. Me: Waltz with Bashir Justin: The Class. The winner: Departures. That was one of the three possibilities and I didn't think that would be the winner. So far I got four wrong.

8:09pm Four categories left. They might just finish on time for me to see the Amazing Race.

8:10pm Queen Latifah doing the Dead Person's Montage. Queen Latifah is singing during the dead person montage. I can't see who they are honouring and it hard to tell which person will get the most applause because Queen Latifah is singing but of course Paul Newman got the biggest applause.

8:18 Sid Ganis, the president of the Academy is not going to make a speech YAY!!!!! Reese Witherspoon is doing Best Director. We both guessed: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

We are getting close to Best Actress...If Kate Winslet doesn't win, I am seriously going to be devastated.

8:24pm Now it is Best Actress. Who are they going to get? Sophia Loren, Shirley Maclaine, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cottilard. We both picked Kate Winslet for the Reader. The winner: Kate Winslet. Finally!!!!!!!! Six nominations and finally she gets one. I am very happy. She deserves it. Cute how Kate's Dad just whistled.

8:35pm Best Actor and they are 5 minutes over. So who is going to present? Robert De Niro, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Adrian Brody and Michael Douglas. Our pick: Mickey Rourke for the Wrestler. Robert Pattinson is over Mickey Rourke's shoulder. The winner: Sean Penn. I did debate long and hard on that one but chose Rourke because of the comeback kid type of thing. So I got five wrong so far.

8:47pm They should just get into Best Picture and they are. Our pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Even without showing clips of the film. They are still over. Best Picture montage..... this late in the game.....mixing it with past winners and nominees, not a bad idea. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

Now I can say I've seen every single best picture winner since 1996 as I saw Slumdog Millionaire last weekend.

This is the best showing I've had since Return of the King's year where I got about 22 out of 24 right. So 19 out of 24 isn't so bad. Justin got 17 out 24. So I win. Thanks for Twilight on DVD.

Well the Oscars are over for another year. Hugh Jackman was a charming host but wasn't really present that much. See ya next year.

Movie Review - Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire hits the jackpot

By Vanessa Ho

Slumdog Millionaire is not your typical Oscar-nominated movie. It isn't an epic like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or deals with heavy subjects like those depicted in Doubt and The Reader but it is a feel-good movie in a sense that is clouded in desperate, tragic and depressing circumstances.

The movie opens up as our hero Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is on the cusp of winning it all on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire but questions abound as to how he got here. Did he cheat? Is he a genius? Or is it written? The film explores how Jamal gets to this point by intercutting with his childhood experiences in the slums of India as he and his older brother, Salim, struggle to survive after the death of their mother. Tagging along is Latika, a young girl also orphaned who would pretty much become the love of Jamal's life.

Director Danny Boyle's depiction of the slums of India is heartbreakingly real and the experiences of these three young Indian youths as they struggle to survive are also quite emotional and hard to watch.

At the heart of the film is essentially the love story between Jamal and Latika (played as an adult by the lovely Frieda Pinto). Jamal goes on Millionaire in hopes to be reunited with Latika.

Patel is also winning as Jamal. You can see his desperation in his face as he tries to find Latika and as he tries to defend on why he knows the answers on Millionaire. The three young people that play Jamal, Latika and Salim are adorable and in the scenes depicting life in the slums their cuteness against this backdrop is heartbreaking.

But despite some of the bleakness, as I said, this is a feel-good movie in that you won't leave the theatre feeling sad over some of these characters fate but a sense of hope.