How I would vote 2011

I absolutely delight in any Oscar tidbit, and it is SO fun to hear about the preparation for the February 27th ceremony. I have heard that there are going to be moments in movie history that are captured on stage. That is a tricky thing to visualize. If done well, it could be like watching Dorothy open the door from black and white and into the color of Oz. In fact, maybe that will be one of the moments that they are going for. I'm so excited to find out!

The article elaborates on the details and includes interviews with the show's producer, Bruce Cohen, and longtime Oscar writer, Bruce Vilanch. Cohen was a producer on American Beauty, Big Fish, Milk and the show Pushing Daisies.
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/15/oscars-anne-hathaway-james-franco/

Also, must applaud the Oscar website (oscar.com is for your nominations and all things this year). oscars.org has great archives of all past winners and nominees. The feature I have been having the most fun with this evening, is http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/83/nominee-features.html Do you ever wonder what art direction or other technical awards really are? Well Academy members in various categories explain each nominee in their field. They're really cool!

Encouraged by the Academy member videos, tonight I filled out a ballot of how I would vote. Now keep in mind, these are not my predictions, these are the films I would vote for in each category. Also keep in mind, no one in the Academy votes for all categories. An actor would vote for the acting categories, director for Best Director, etc and everyone votes for Best Picture (over 6,000 members). Ballots are due at 5pm on the Tuesday before the ceremony, February 22nd. 

I also read Roger Ebert's http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110210/OSCARS/110219999 predictions today. I feel like such an expert, I disagree with him on several categories!! I think when I finalize my predictions, I just may enter his contest. Beat him in accuracy come 2/27 and win $100,000!