No Country Wins Best Picture

Non-Americans are dominating as increasing revenue comes from overseas

(NEWSER) - For a Hollywood award, Oscar wasn't too fond of Tinseltown last night. The Academy Awards were dominated by a crew of crack European actors—and a pair of maverick brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, operating far from the Hollywood mainstream. It was a record year for the number of Oscars given to people outside Hollywood, with all four winning actors hailing from Europe, writes the Los Angeles Times. More»

The actor shares his Oscar picks ahead of tomorrow's ceremony; tells Time he's never wrong

(NEWSER) - If you’re betting on Oscar results this weekend, Time has an odd piece of advice: Listen to George Clooney. The actor says he's never been wrong about winners, the magazine reports, and he shares this year’s picks: The Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men will sweep, netting the film Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and a Supporting Actor statue for Javier Bardem. More»

Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, 'The Hangover' failed to score today

(NEWSER) - Sure, we all could have predicted Avatar would clean up and Sandra Bullock's ascendance would continue come Oscar nomination time. But who were today's notable snubs? Us offers a list:

• Brad Pitt: Failed to score a Best Actor nomination for his critically acclaimed, SAG-nominated role in Inglourious Basterds.
• Daniel Day-Lewis: Also missing from the Best Actor category, though he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his turn in Nine.

Roger Corman, Gordon Willis, John Calley share the spotlight

(NEWSER) - A mere 65 years after her unforgettable screen debut, Lauren Bacall has won an Academy Award. The honorary Oscar was a high point of a ceremony last night in Los Angeles that also celebrated the careers of filmmaker Roger Corman, cinematographer Gordon Willis, and producer John Calley. "I can't believe it, a man at last!" the 85-year-old Bacall joked as she hoisted her new hardware. More»

Dark Knight , Wall-E would have been in running

(NEWSER) - We should all thank the Academy for its decision to double the number of Best Picture nominees next year, writes Lane Brown in New York. A few reasons why:

• More “crowd-pleasing hits” will be in the running, meaning a ratings jump—which in turn means more exposure for the lesser-known gems.
• Comedies will finally get a chance to take center stage.
• We’ll see more Oscar campaigning, meaning more ad money: “Journalism, consider yourself saved.”