The 2012 Oscars Live Blog

And – we’re done! No clear winner in terms of awards but theres no doubt it was The Artist’s night. Entertaining if unremarkable show but a lot of fun. It’s be great watchign it with you all – same time next year?

See you then…

There’s a dog on stage

The Artist

and the oscar goes to…

it comes down to this

very glad to have walked it with you

Friends – it’s been a long road tonight

It’s pretty obvious though right?

Love for Hugo and The Artist

Place your bets…

BEST PICTURE

War Horse

The Tree of Life

The Artist

Moneyball

The Descendants

Midnight in Paris

The Help

Hugo

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

RIGHT!

She’s pretending to be surprised. And is this really, REALLY, her best performance, worthy to win an Oscar?

Surprised I have to say.

Meryl wins it!

just in case I didn’t post that already

it’s late….

BEST ACTRESS

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

Viola Davis Vs Meryl Streep certainly but I assumed Streep would win it easily but there’s a big push for Davis tonight…

So – is this as obvious as it seems?

Very nice guy to interview and when he steps into a room everyone notices, there is a real tangible change in the air. In a good way.

Aha – it’s Colin Firth – hello Colin.

Ok – so – we have the Best Actress to go – and who will be on stage spouting platitudes to the honoured women?

It was inevitable really. And so will the final award be…

Sorry guys…

Jean Dujardin wins it…

My finger’s are crossed for Gary Oldman, but I think he’s in the wrong town at the wrong time for an easy win this year.

Having Natalie Portman talking about the people who are sitting there in such glowing terms is very, very odd.

Hmmm. not sure I like these eulogies of the contenders for the main acting prizes. I’d rather they showed more clips.

BEST ACTOR

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Demian Bichir – A Better Life

Brad Pitt – Moneyball

George Clooney – The Descendants

Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

OK! Best Actor time!

So, we’re nearly at the end of tonight’s show – and we’ve seen a pretty smooth show – seems far less concerned with being ‘cutting edge’ and all that nonsense. They taken it back to the way it was, or at least as what they want it to be remembered as.

Pretty great I have to say.

You’re not the only one…

The In Memoriam montage is coming up now – Billy Crystal is introducing nicely – that’s the difference- he can control the tone of the show so easily.

This is the final break I think before the final few awards. At the very least it’s not an obvious winner – whoever it is.

Loved JEJ in Field of Dreams…

Hearing James Earl Jones saying Gobsmacked is a highlight

And now Meryl Streep takes the stage to present – she may as well stay up there.

I liked the film, but it didn’t really get under my skin. But it’s obvious to see why the Academy liked it.

Not a huge surprise there at all. With the load of awards it’s won in recent years (and recent days especially) this is getting rather dull

There’s a big win for The Artist.

Michel Hazanavicius

and the winner is….

Has to be Michel Hazanavicius right? Would love to see Malick take it – just to prove the pre-show hype can be very, very wrong….

It’s a big one…

BEST DIRECTOR

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

Alexander Payne – The Descendants

Martin Scorsese – Hugo

Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris

Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

The oddness of RDJ aside the presenters have been pretty great this year – Emma Stone is a highlight…

Now that’s a speech from the heart – and we’re nearly ready for the final awards…

And it has the best name….

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore wins it

Will Pixar’s swing this one…

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Dimanche/Sunday

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

La Luna

A Morning Stroll

Wild Life

Great to see these awards in the main show. Personally I think they should have included the other techincal awards, but hey…

Saving Face wins – to huge applause.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

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

God is the Bigger Elvis

Incident in New Baghdad

Saving Face

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Oscar-worthy mydlac212?

Can’t say I’ve seen any of these this year.

The Shore wins it.

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Pentecost

Raju

The Shore

Time Freak

Tuba Atlantic

the Bridesmaids girls are doing great work – I can’t see a sequel to that film but wouldn’t mind one….

Angelina Jolie’s right leg.

Christopher Plummer’s speech was a highlight certainly. The almost complete lack of dodgy presenting.

It’s been a nice mix tonight, usually it’s very dull when everything goes to plan.

Just a few awards to go – everyone still awake?

Midnight in Paris was such a great script – not the best he’s done, and possibly not the best of the year but the best of this bunch

YEs Woody Allen!

Is it Woodys time:

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius

Bridesmaids – Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig

Margin Call – JC Chandor

Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen

A Separation – Asghar Farhadi

Any Community fans out there will have loved that.

Go Dean!

The Descendants – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash!

This has to be Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’s award right…

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

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 Solider Spy – Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan

Angelina Jolie is on stage – as Jessica Rabbit

I’m just really happy that The Muppets are Oscar Winners this year

Ok – we’re getting closer to the bigger awards – there’s no obvious pattern this year but there’ll be one soon.

Honestly though – only two songs this year?

THE MUPPETS!

Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets. Muppets.

It’s to present this award
BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Man or Muppet from The Muppets – music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie

Real in Rio from Rio – music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown and lyrics by Siedah Garrett

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis are on stage now in white tuxedos, clashing symbols. Of course they are.

Hugo leads at the moment (if you’re following this along…) with 5

So…. This is The Artist’s second award.

The Artist scores one back

Another Hugo Vs. The Artist – surely Hugo won’t top this one? BIg fan of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy…

OK people! Another award –

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Adventures of Tintin

The Artist

Hugo

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

War Horse

Have to agree with Kenji there…

So we’ve got the screenplays coming up soon I think… any favourites?

If you need to keep up with all the awards – Dave’s keeping the winners updated here: http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2012/02/27/the-2012-oscar-winners/

And no-one was playing that man out…

Christopher Plummer!

What does Oscar say?

People are saying Plummer. Others are saying Von Sydow….

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn

Jonah Hill – Moneyball

Nick Nolte – Warrior

Christopher Plummer – Beginners

Max von Sydow – Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Ok – stupid award mistake out of the way
Next award time…

Man – that just shows you how you can dazzle the Academy with false nostalgia

Are you kidding me?

Hugo?

Hugo

Ok…

Potter was impressive in terms of scale but it didn’t overwhelm me.

Have to say I’m with them on that. First VFX in years which I coudn’t believe

Lot of love for ROTPOTA!

Stiller’s miserable was used to great effect in Greenberg…

BEST 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

Love Emma Stone right?

On stage now. Emma Stone (happy!) Ben Stiller (miserable)

And we’re very pleased you’re all here with us – nearing 3am in the UK.. not yet tired.

We’re racing through these awards tonight – take a breath though – more to come. And maybe some more surprises… turns out that it’s a far more interesting night than predicted.

Rango-a-go-go

No Pixar this year – anyone want to hazard a guess?

Ok – BEST ANIMATION

A Cat in Paris

Chico and Rita

Kung Fu Panda 2

Puss in Boots

Rango

And by save us I mean – take up more time that the winners are given

Now Chris Rock is here to save us.

So, the directors dropped the F-Bomb and got played off….nice speech!

Undefeated wins it.

Robert Downey Jr. – not sure what he’s doing. Other than Iron Man 3

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Hell and Back Again

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Pina

Undefeated

This is Senna Should have won award

Ok – there are awards!

Tell me people – are any of you actually fans of these routines? Surely it’s about movies?

Ok – that was short and sweett – there’s a Cirque Du Soleil piece now. I’d describe it but that wouldn’t really convey it.

suffice to say – it’s good dancing…

MUPPETS!

So, that’s four for Hugo… Have to admit to being a little surprised with that.

Another for Hugo!

So who now? Possibly Hugo…. Possibly Dragon Tattoo…

BEST SOUND MIXING

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

Moneyball

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

War Horse

No Drive love Oscar? For Shame!

What’s that? No Shame love either!

Hugo won it..

This could be Michael Bay’s moment…

BEST SOUND EDITING

Drive

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

War Horse

Had Hugo down for that one – not my opinion, just the way I thought they would go…

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo wins it

Another Hugo Vs. The Artist….

BEST FILM EDITING

The Artist

The Descendants

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

Moneyball

Tina Fey and Bradley Cooper are doing the Editing award…

Truth spoken there….

All of these skits are fun and all… but why not let people who get an award speak a little longer rather than proving how funny the actors are?

And a lot of focus on older films – There’s a Wizard of OZ bit now – It’s like Derren Brown’s subliminal shows….

It is. Think of last year’s desperate attempt to draw in the young uns?

It IS very old school though.

Well, it’s cracking along at a fair pace tonight. And it may not be the most predictable awards ceremony…

And wasn’t Berenice Bejo in a leading role anyway?

yes! First tears! And a Standing Ovation

You’ll notice The Artist not getting that one there…

First cry of the night?

She looks proper scared

Octavia Spencer

And the winner is…

Who’s going to walk off with the Golden Guy?

love Bale’s London accent. We all sound like that you know…

Christian Bale walks onstage…

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo – The Artist

Jessica Chastain – The Help

Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer – The Help

A very interesting speech there from the director – playing to the US audience certainly but from the heart.

I know a lot of people called that but it’s really something.

No huge surprises there then…

A Separation wins it!

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Bullhead – Belgium

Footnote – Israel

In Darkness – Poland

Monsieur Lazhar – Canada

A Separation – Iran

Ok!

Well – it seem Thatcher will be trending sooner or later…

The Iron Lady

Oscar time!

unless this is the honourary Potter award…

Has to be Thatcher right?

BEST MAKE-UP

Albert Nobbs

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The Iron Lady

Not the last of course.

First of the night….

The Artist!

And the oscar goes to

On that point – Anonymous is an Oscar nominated film?

BEST COSTUMES

Anonymous

The Artist

Hugo

Jane Eyre

W.E.
any guesses here?

Like two swans taking the stage – Cameron Diaz and J Lo do Costumes

Ok – I love my film but that montage was utterly pointless.

see a throughline here? Cause I don’t…

and Jaws….

The Princess Bride!

Twilight was in there…

Ok – there’s a magic of cinema montage playing now.

and we’re back… those ad breaks really fly by…

Martyn – I have a feeling that The Artist will starting picking a few awards of its own pretty soon. Then the Oscar snowball starts…

And a good use of 3D in Hugo too…

I didn’t like the film overall but Hugo did look stunning.

Ok – Two for Two – although I think that may be getting Hugo’s awards in early so The Artist can triumph in a more civilised manner later.

HUGO!

BEST ART DIRECTION

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

War Horse

Robert Richardson’s hair is worthy of an Oscar of its own

Though The Tree of Life…

Ok – that’s a well deserved award.

Hugo!

any guesses?

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

The Tree of Life

War Horse

Ok… finally Awards time.
Tom hanks is on stage.

Do the BIG rap!

A nice swipe at the cyncism which is rampant at the moment – good for you @mnoo – I wonder if Eddie Murphy would have done the same?

Man…. as if this wasn’t a long enough night.

Blimey – it’s going so old school here tonight. The old music hall montage routine.

Nice joke on Kodak and bankruptcy.

Ok – enough of the yakking – here is it. The Biggest Backslap of the year. Everyone ready?

Crystal has his work cut out now that there are nine Best Picture nominees…

Oh man – Justin Bieber is in it. Not self parodic enough I’m afraid Justin.

It’s the return of the Billy Crystal run infused intro video – it’s great fun so far.

It’s on – Morgan Freeman has walked onstage, pointed to someone in the audience. Doing his inspirational speech.

Ok!

I’ve been doing this for quite a few years now and never have I sen so many people liveblogging or tweeting the ceremony. It’s great to have so many people loving their film.

We’re only a few minutes away from the ceremony. Thanks to all of your for staying with us through the fashion show…

In a brazen display of pimping our own site I’ve been reliably informed that one of the newest members of the HeyUGuys family is here wth us tonight – Say hello to Matt Clough and read his excellent Oscar post for us – http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2012/02/22/how-to-get-nominated-for-a-best-picture-oscar-in-five-easy-steps/

Stole the show – not the dress.

For what it’s worth I though Jessica Chastain stole it.

Everyone is talking up Michelle Williams’ dress.

Ok – tea got (It’s a special blend of Scottish Caramel since you ((didn’t)) ask) and we’re about…um.. what? twenty minutes away from the ceremony. Billy Crystal is back after several panicked attempts to populate the podium. Think he’ll do it proud?

Those asking for biscuits to go with their tea will be pleased to know that Ive got a supply of Custard Creams and half a pack of Party Rings.

Right. I’m getting tea. Anyone wnat one?

Oh, if you missed the only interesting thing to happen on the red carpet tonight – here’s the Seacrest/Dictator ash debacle: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/sacha-baron-cohen-arrives-at-the-oscars-as-the-dictator-dumps-ashes-on-a-very-unhappy-ryan-seacrest/

I’m thinking Hugo may walk that one…

OK. Another category – throw me your thoughts….

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Adventures of Tintin

The Artist

Hugo

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

War Horse

AND THAT IS WHY HE’S UP FOR AN OSCAR.

He does.

Seriously – Nick Nolte just got asked if he owned a pet crow.

Have to go along wit Rise of the Planet of the Apes. WETA work was jaw dropping.

Right! Who’ll win?

BEST 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

There’s OSCAR LOGIC for you!

Good call from Kenji there – The Tree of Life was a problematic film for me – cut out Sean Penn’s moments and stick to the Brad Pitt/Jessica Chastain duo and you’ve got me. Mesmerising film if you’ve not seen it…

While we’re on the subject – where is Drive? Shame? We Need to Talk about Kevin? Any fans of those in here?

While I’m pretty sure The Artist will take Best Film I’m not sure if it will take Best Director – Scorsese won’t take it but there’s bound to be one huge surprise so perhaps this is the category…

I think we took that one for granted…

Ok – we’re still a long way away from the awards it seems – and twitter is abuzz with preshow predictions and premature outrage – give us your picks – any category.

If anyone was thinking of a job as a freelance photographer should listen to the screams of desperation on the carpet tonight.

Writes pretty well too…

Check out Aaron Sorkin with his daughter. What a cool Dad.

Can’t wait to see Ryan Seacrest try to interview Martin Scorsese covering in fake dictator ash

OK. So there are Kim Jong Il’s ashes in an urn. Guess who’s carrying those up the red carpet?

Can’t argue with that…

Look at this. LOGIC!

The Descendants team is ‘carpeting’ now.

Grant Heslov is looking happy and bemused.

Any sign of the Dean?

I, however, am far more cynical about The Dictator’s banning. It surely must have been a publicity stunt, right?

Aha – a fan of SBC, from the HeyUGuys ranks no less…

My favourite comment of the night so far… in response to Gary Oldman’s Best ACtor chances…

The chatroom gave us a stony silence when I asked earlier if there were an fans of Sacha Baron Cohen’s in here tonight.

Well, the time Paramount have waited for is here. The Dictator has arrived.

By the way – if you’re not watching the Red carpet (and why not? – we’ve got a stream here – http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2012/02/26/the-oscars-red-carpet-arrivals-live-video/ ) check out the mighty Cassam Looch’s tumblr – cassamlooch.tumblr.com for all the best pics from the paps.

He’s our pick for Best Actor – anyone here think he’ll take it home?

If there was any justice he’d have an Oscar in the bag at the end of the night.

And onto the carpet steps Gary Oldman…

If there was an emoticon for tumbleweed I’d be writing it here now…

Any fans of SBC in here tonight?

And, of course, Sacha Baron Cohen is still to arrive under the guise of The Dictator…

Glenn Close is taking up space on the red carpet and looking very happy to be there. The paparazzi army is really a tough crowd this year.

Cool has arrived as P. Diddy walks the carpet

If Jonah Hill wins an Oscar tonight do you think we’ll see a hastily produced sequel to The Sitter?

I feel old. My first was 1994 when Pulp Fiction was trounced by Forrest Gump.

While we’re here and waiting – which was the first Oscars ceremony you watched?

Though I can do without In The Bleak Midwinter – ever see that one? All kinds of ghastly.

I love Kenny B by the way.

And there’s Kenneth Branagh putting the ‘dapper’ in ‘Look, it’s that Kenneth Branagh. Doesn’t he look dapper?’

She has ‘Holy crap, I might actually win tonight’ in her eyes.

If you’re interested in the colour of people’s dresses Viola Davis has turned up in a green one.

Update: The Red carpet is still happening…