OSCARS® NOMINATIONS VOTING ENDS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, and published blog comments

Nominations voting for the Oscars will close on Wednesday, January 8, at 5 p.m. PT. The votes are being tabulated and verified by the international accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The 86th Oscars Nominations Announcement will be Thursday, January 16, 2014, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Wilshire Boulevard, 5:30 a.m. PT. 

Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The presentation, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Some comments about this blog that have been published, read: Comments





 

ACADEMY MEMBERS SELECTING NOMINEES FOR OSCAR®

Nominations voting for the 85th Academy Awards® opened at 8 a.m. PT, Monday, December 17, for the 5,856 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Members will have until 5 p.m. PT, Thursday, January 3, 2013, to vote electronically. Paper ballots must be received at the Academy prior to the above deadline. Any paper ballots received after the deadline will not be counted. Nominations and final Awards ballots will be tabulated and verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are accurate and secure.

This will be the first year the Academy is providing its membership the opportunity to vote electronically. Several voting resources will be available to members, including assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, and a 24-hour support call center during voting periods.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT, in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Comedian, writer, producer Seth MacFarlane is this year’s host of the 85th Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012. Awards will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Nine Movies Nominated for Oscar, Only Five Directors? With Criticism.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence

Nominations for the 84th Academy Awards were announced yesterday (Tuesday, January 24) by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and 2010 Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence.

Martin Scorsese's Hugo in 3-D received the most nominations, 11, and Scorsese received a director nod. The Artist, a black and white silent movie about movies, scored 10. However, Hugo received no best actor or actress nominations, and that could hamper it's chances for best picture because the Screen Actors Guild is the largest voting block in the Academy.


The Artist's Jean Dujardin was nominated for best actor, and Bérénice Bejo for best supporting actress. Director Michel Hazanavicius joined Scorsese with an achievement in directing nomination.

J. Edger did not receive a best motion picture nod, nor did Leonardo DiCaprio who portrayed the former FBI Director. Now, that qualifies as a snub.

On the other hand, actress Meryl Streep, who portrays former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, received her 17th Oscar nomination, keeping her lead as the actress who has received the most Oscar nominations to date, but The Iron Lady received only one other nomination, achievement in makeup.

The closest rival for Streep is probably Glenn Close lead actress in Albert Nobbs, who is also nominated for best actress.
 
The award for best achievement in makeup also may come down to a dual between the makeup artists for The Iron Lady: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, and the makeup artists for Albert Nobbs: Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle.

In the weeks between now and the Oscar telecast, I shall have more to say about each category nominations. But, for now, here are all the nominees:

  Best motion picture of the year with director, if nominated: ** 

    The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
    The Descendants, Alexander Payne
     Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
     The Help
     Hugo, Martin Scorsese
     Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
     Moneyball 
     The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
     War Horse

     ** It seems unfair to me that nine motion pictures were nominated for best motion picture and only five directors were nominated for achievement in directing. I think they should have been even, because it has been my experience after tabulating this for many years, that if the director is not nominated the motion picture does not win the category. We shall see how it goes this year. I could be wrong, but I think that here is the list from which the winner will come: The Artist, The Descendants, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life. It pains me that the other movies nominated in the category may not win because the directors could not be nominated.

Performance by an actor in a leading role:
    Demián Bichir,  A Better Life
        George Clooney,  The Descendants
    Jean Dujardin, The Artist
    Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    Brad Pitt, Moneyball
 
Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
    Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
    Jonah Hill, Moneyball
    Nick Nolte, Warrior
    Christopher Plummer, Beginners
    Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
 
Performance by an actress in a leading role:
    Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
    Viola Davis, The Help
    Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
    Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
 
Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
    Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
    Jessica Chastain, The Help
    Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
    Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
    Octavia Spencer, The Help
 
Achievement in directing:
    The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
    The Descendants, Alexander Payne
    Hugo, Martin Scorsese
    Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
    The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
 
Achievement in cinematography:
    The Artist,  Guillaume Schiffman
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Jeff Cronenweth
    Hugo,  Robert Richardson
    The Tree of Life, Emmanuel Lubezki
    War Horse, Janusz Kaminski
 
Achievement in film editing:
    The Artist,  Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius;
    The Descendants, Kevin Tent;
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall;
    Hugo, Thelma Schoonmaker;
    Moneyball, Christopher Tellefsen.
 
Achievement in visual effects:
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
    Hugo
    Real Steel
    Rise of the Planet of the Apes
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon 
 
Adapted screenplay with credited writers:
    The Descendants, Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash;
    Hugo, John Logan;
    The Ides of March,  George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon;
    Moneyball, Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin;
    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan.
 
Original screenplay with credited writer(s):
    The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius;
    Bridesmaids, Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig;
    Margin Call,  J.C. Chandor;
    Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen;
    A Separation, Asghar Farhadi.
Best animated feature film of the year:
      A Cat in Paris (Une vie de chat), Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli, France;
     Chico and Rita, Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal and Tono Errando, Spain;
     Kung Fu Panda 2, Jennifer Yuh;
     Puss in Boots, Chris Miller;
    Rango, Gore Verbinski.
 
Best foreign language film of the year with (original title), country, director, W=writer, (also, known for):
 
    Bullhead (Rundskop), Belgium, Michael R. Roskam, W;
    Footnote (Hearat Shulayim), Israel, Joseph Cedar, W, (Beaufort, 07);

    In Darkness, Poland, Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, 90, and Three Colors: Blue, 93);

    Monsieur Lazhar, Canada, Philippe Falardeau, W;
    A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin ), Iran, Asghar Farhadi, W, (About Elly, 09). 

 
Best documentary feature with director(s):
    Hell and Back Again, Danfung Dennis;
    If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Marshall Curry, Sam Cullman;

    Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky;
    Pina (Sundance Selects), Wim Wenders, a "Sundance Select";
    Undefeated, Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) with composer:
    The Adventures of Tintin, John Williams
    The Artist, Ludovic Bource
    Hugo, Howard Shore
    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alberto Iglesias
    War Horse, John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song): ****
    “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie;
    “Real in Rio” from Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett.

     **** There were 39 original songs submitted to the Academy this year for Oscar consideration, and they only nominated two?

See the submissions and listen to some here. I shall soon have a link on the right sidebar for these Oscar-worthy submissions.

Achievement in art direction:
    The Artist, Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould;
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan;
    Hugo, Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo;
    Midnight in Paris, Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil;
    War Horse. Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Achievement in costume design:
    Anonymous, Lisy Christl
    The Artist, Mark Bridges
    Hugo, Sandy Powell
    Jane Eyre, Michael O'Connor
    W.E., Arianne Phillips

Achievement in makeup:
    Albert Nobbs, Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle;
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin;
    The Iron Lady, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland.

Achievement in sound editing:
    Drive, Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Ren Klyce
    Hugo, Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon,  Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
    War Horse, Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Achievement in sound mixing:
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson;
    Hugo, Tom Fleischman and John Midgley;
    Moneyball, Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick;
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin;
    War Horse, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson.

Best live action short film with director(s) and country, if known:
    Pentecost, Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane, Ireland;
    Raju, Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren, Germany;    The Shore, Terry George and Oorlagh George;
    Time Freak, Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey, USA;
    Tuba Atlantic,  Hallvar Witzø, Norway.

Best animated short film:
    Dimanche/Sunday (National Film Board of Canada);
    The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (Moonbot Studios);
    La Luna (Walt Disney / Pixar Animation);
    A Morning Stroll (Studio AKA);
    Wild Life (National Film Board of Canada).

Best documentary short subject with director(s):
    The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement, Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin;
    God Is the Bigger Elvis, Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson;
    Incident in New Baghdad, James Spione;
    Saving Face, Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy; ***
    The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen.

    *** Junge is Dutch. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is Pakisrani. She and I are members of the Facebook Group, "Pakistani Feminist Group."

Jennifer Lawrence, who was nominated last year for an Academy Award for her lead performance in Winter’s Bone, announced with Sherak the nominees in 10 of the 24 Award categories at a 5:38 a.m. PT, live news conference attended by more than 400 international media representatives. Lists of nominations in all categories were then distributed to the media in attendance and online via the official Academy Awards website, www.oscar.com.

Academy members from each of the guild branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. However, in the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories, nominations are selected by vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Nominations ballots were mailed to the 5,783 voting members in late December and were returned directly to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the international accounting firm, for tabulation.

Official screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for members this weekend at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Members may vote in all the nominated categories, although in five of them – Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject and Foreign Language Film – members may vote only if they have seen all of the nominated films in those categories.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 4 p.m. PT, and 7 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Oscar Nominations for Best Foreign Language and Short Docs

Spain submits Agusti Villaronga's Black Bread for Oscar Consideration

1. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 84th Academy Awards has been narrowed to eight films, of which three to five will earn Oscar nominations.

Voters from the Academy’s Documentary Branch viewed this year’s 35 eligible entries and submitted their ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for tabulation. The eight films are listed below in alphabetical order by title:

        The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement;

        God Is the Bigger Elvis;

        In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt's Unfinished Revolution;

        Incident in New Baghdad;

        Pipe Dreams;

        Saving Face;

        The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom;

        Witness.

2. Sixty-three countries, including first-time entrant New Zealand, have submitted feature films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards. More will be written about some of the submissions, but here's the list in alphabetical order by country with director:

Albania, Amnesty, Bujar Alimani;

Argentina, Aballay, Fernando Spiner;

Austria, Breathing, Karl Markovics;

Belgium, Bullhead, Michael R. Roskam;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belvedere, Ahmed Imamovic;

Brazil, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, José Padilha;

Bulgaria, Tilt, Viktor Chouchkov, Jr;

Canada, Monsieur Lazhar, Philippe Falardeau;

Chile, Violeta Went to Heaven, Andrés Wood;

*China, The Flowers of War, Zhang Yimou;

Colombia, The Colors of the Mountain, Carlos César Arbeláez;

Croatia, 72 Days, Danilo Serbedzija;

Cuba, Havanastation, Ian Padrón;

Czech Republic, Alois Nebel, Tomás Lunák;

Denmark, Superclásico, Ole Christian Madsen;

Dominican Republic, Love Child, Leticia Tonos;

Egypt, Lust, Khaled el Hagar;

Estonia, Letters to Angel, Sulev Keedus;

Finland, Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki;

France, Declaration of War, Valérie Donzelli;

Georgia, Chantrapas, Otar Iosseliani;

*Germany, Pina, Wim Wenders;

Greece, Attenberg, Athina Rachel Tsangari;

Hong Kong, A Simple Life, Ann Hui;

Hungary, The Turin Horse, Béela Tarr;

Iceland, Volcano, Rúnar Rúnarsson;

India, Abu, Son of Adam, Salim Ahamed;

Indonesia, Under the Protection of Ka'Bah, Hanny R. Saputra;

*Iran, A Separation, Asghar Farhadi;

Ireland, As If I Am Not There, Juanita Wilson;

Israel, Footnote, Joseph Cedar;

Italy, Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese;

Japan, Postcard, Kaneto Shindo;

Kazakhstan, Returning to the ‘A’, Egor Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky;

*Lebanon, Where Do We Go Now? Nadine Labaki;

Lithuania, Back to Your Arms, Kristijonas Vildziunas;

Macedonia, Punk Is Not Dead, Vladimir Blazevski;

Mexico, Miss Bala, Gerardo Naranjo;

Morocco, Omar Killed Me, Roschdy Zem;

Netherlands, Sonny Boy, Maria Peters;

New Zealand, The Orator, Tusi Tamasese;

Norway, Happy, Happy, Anne Sewitsky;

Peru, October, Diego Vega and Daniel Vega;

Philippines, The Woman in the Septic Tank, Marlon N. Rivera;

Poland, In Darkness, Agnieszka Holland;

Portugal, José and Pilar, Miguel Gonçalves Mendes;

Romania, Morgen, Marian Crisan;

Russia, Burnt by the Sun 2: The Citadel, Nikita Mikhalkov***;

Serbia, Montevideo: Taste of a Dream, Dragan Bjelogrlić;

Singapore, Tatsumi, Eric Khoo;

Slovak Republic, Gypsy, Martin Sulík;

South Africa, Beauty, Oliver Hermanus;

South Korea, The Front Line, Jang Hun;

Spain, Black Bread, Agusti Villaronga*;

Sweden, Beyond, Pernilla August;

Switzerland, Summer Games, Rolando Colla;

*Taiwan, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, Wei Te-sheng;

Thailand, Kon Khon, Sarunyu Wongkrachang;

*Turkey, Once upon a Time in Anatolia, Nuri Bilge Ceylan;

United Kingdom, Patagonia, Marc Evans;

Uruguay, The Silent House, Gustavo Hernández;

Venezuela, Rumble of the Stones, Alejandro Bellame Palacios;

Vietnam, The Prince and the Pagoda Boy, Luu Trong Ninh.

* Directors Mimi follows.

*** According to the IMBd there is a controversy in Russia about this movie being selected by Russia as the official entry:  "A move is underway in Russia to overhaul the committee that nominates the film to represent the country in the best foreign language competition at the annual Oscar race. It follows widespread controversy over the selection of Nikita Mikhalkov’s Burnt by the Sun: The Citadel, as this year’s entry despite the fact that the film received a drubbing from critics and flopped at the box office. Daily Variety reported today (Monday) that a new union of filmmakers, Kino Soyuz, is lobbying for a transparent nomination process from a committee drawn from the ranks of previous Oscar nominees or winners. Several Russian critics have noted that Mikhalkov has close ties to the country’s power elite and is a close friend of Vladimir Putin. Russia’s Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper described the selection of Citadel for the Oscar competition as a triumph of 'cronyism' over,'common sense'.”

There is a link with this list on the right sidebar of this blog and it will remain there until about October next year. The nomination ballots are now at PwC to be tabulated. The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Actress Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone) will assist the Academy President.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

See previous post below for other happenings at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

What Happens to the Academy Awards If Kodak Files Bankruptcy?

Rumors are flying that the Eastman Kodak Company, founded by the late George Eastman (July 12, 1854 – March 14, 1932) may file for bankruptcy. If the company does, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could lose it's Oscar home over the last 10 years in the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the company based in Rochester, N.Y., agreed to pay $75 million over 20 years for their name on the theater, owned by the CIM Group. With that agreement, Kodak, aligned its company identity each year with the biggest motion picture event in Hollywood.

However, according to sources, if an Academy move does happen, it's not likely until after the 2013 broadcast. Apparently, there are certain clauses in the contract that representatives for Kodak and the Academy are now studying. My former colleagues employed in the accounting offices at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), will probably stay busy at the Academy after this year's awards.

Believe it or not, but the Academy may have outgrown the Kodak Theatre (seats 3,332), and other larger venues have opened in downtown Los Angeles, such as the Nokia Theatre (seats 7,100). On Wall Street, Kodak shares are no longer offered in dollars. At today's close, the price per share was 47 cents. Consequently, Kodak has apparently been warned by the New York Stock Exchange that its stock will be delisted if the price remains below $1 per share for the next six months.

Eastman Kodak has played a vital role in the development of motion pictures in America, helping to set the standard of 35 mm film, and introducing the 16 mm film format for home movies use and low-budget commercial films. Anyone remember Kodacolor, Kodachrome, and Technicolor in three colors?

But their biggest achievement was when the company introduced its first motion picture film designed especially for making sound motion pictures. If anyone knows anything much about American movies, they know that it was cooperation between George Eastman and Harry Warner of Warner Brothers Studios, that made the first synchronized sound, or "talkie," possible.  Eastman Kodak's first sound system for motion pictures was known as Vitaphone.

The movie wasn't a total talkie, but consisted of synchronized sound sequences dispersed within the 1927 black and white movie, The Jazz Singer, which had about 15 minutes of Al Jolsen singing. For more on Eastman Kodak's contribution, for which they have been awarded a number of Academy Awards, click.

Here is an appeal: If you are a investor, i.e., gambler, on Wall Street, please take a gamble on Eastman Kodak. Let's get those share prices up to at least $l.00!

Oscar Nomination Ballots for 2012 in the Mail

 How many feature motion pictures will be nominated this year?

Nomination ballots for the 84th Academy Awards on February 26th of next year, were mailed yesterday to the 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc) by Friday, January 13, 2012, and by 5 p.m., PT, that day. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted. I can personally attest to that.

Meanwhile, my readers are asking, "How many feature films will be nominated for best picture this year?" A very good question.

Last year, there were 10 feature motion pictures and many of my readers, as well as myself, feel that was too many. Because of the extra five movies, the Academy had to cut some of the more enjoyable features of previous broadcasts. In exchange we got, in essence, five more movie commercials, which we had already seen multiple times. The Academy did not see a spike in viewership because of the additional nominations, either.

So how many this year? It's up in the air. As I understand it, PwC will tabulate the results as usuL, but they will have a bit more work to do this year.

Each Academy voter will number their preferences for the nominations for the best feature motion picture from one to five, and the PWC tabulation will determine the results by determining the movies that have the most votes. They will choose the top five, perhaps the top seven, ten? Who knows?

The rules state that no more than ten motion pictures, and no less than five, shall be nominated for the Best Picture of 2011. So, wait for the surprise Tuesday, January 24th, when the 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater at 5:30 a.m. PT. Check your local national network television stations for broadcast times in your area. ABC's "Good Morning America" on that date is the best bet.

Nominations and final-awards ballots are tabulated by PwC to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy. Prior to mailing any ballots, the PwC staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure that there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, the ballots are numbered to guarantee that each one is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.

The final Oscar ballots, by which the winners will be determined, will be mailed Wednesday, February 2nd. The best motion picture of 2011 winner will be determined by the nominated feature picture that has the most Academy members marking that motion picture as number one on their final ballot. There are no runner-ups in this contest.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Final Oscar® Ballot Return Deadline Looms

Completed final ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards^® must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) by 5 p.m., Tuesday, February 22. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Awards categories. Separate ballots for five categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film) are also due.

Following the tabulation of the votes at PwC, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened at the awards gala, Sunday, February 28, 2011.

The Academy's new interactive Web site is now fully open, and those who subscribe to special Oscar access will be able to view the gala on their PC, and do more with their smart phones. This is not limited to Academy members only. It is available to everyone who subscribes. Click the title of this post to access the site and learn more.

The gala will be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Final Oscar® Ballots are in the Mail.

I remember that I wrote my next post would be: "Oscar® Acting Nominations Compared to Screen Actors Guild Awards." Of course, the order of posts depend upon what communications I get from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Today I received one.

But first, I want to report that I have now seen all but one of the movies nominated for Best Motion Picture of 2010, that one being '127 Hours.' After seeing 'The Kings Speech', I can unequivocally say that, of all the movies I have seen this past year, 'The King's Speech' comes the closest to being the most perfect film of them all - - acting, directing, writing and technical.

I wish I could now hear the score by Alexandre Desplat because I was hardly aware of the music while viewing the film, and that is how a perfect film score should be. I was in awe of how Colin Firth seemed to actually have a speech defect. Talk about perfection. But, more about the acting in, hopefully the next post.

Final ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards® were mailed today (February 2nd) to the 5,755 voting members of the Academy. Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) by 5 p.m., PT, Tuesday, February 22nd.  Ballots received at PwC after the deadline will not be counted. Trust me, they mean it.

I remember when I was at PwC, actor Richard Crenna called me in a panic. He claimed his secretary had failed to send the ballot to arrive the day before, and he wanted to messenger his ballot over to me at once. My answer was, of course, "Sorry, Dick. Not possible." He was a fellow Trojan, and I often thought about calling him to see if he fired his secretary, but I didn't.

Listed on the final Oscar ballots mailed today are nominees in 19 Awards categories. Separate ballots for five categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Following the tabulation of the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Night®, Sunday, February 27th. On that night, Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Oscar® Nomination Ballots Due January 14

Voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences must return their completed Oscar® nominations ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) no later than 5 p.m. Friday, January 14. Ballots received after that deadline will not be counted.

 Mo'Nique

The 83rd Academy Awards^® nominations will be announced live Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak, and Oscar-winning actress and Academy member, Mo’Nique.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented Sunday, February 27, 2011, in the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Vine Highland Center^®. The gala will be televised live by the ABC Television Network, and also televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.