Christopher Plummer Delivers One Of The Best Oscar Speeches

Christopher Plummer took home the award for Best Supporting Actor during the Oscars this year.

At 82, Plummer may be the oldest Oscar winner ever, but that didn't stop him from being one of the best dressed men of the entire night,in a blue velvet tuxedo. But it was Plummer's speech that grabbed everyone’s attention. He commenced with a bit of humor that gave Billy Crystal a run for his money, gazing at the Oscar statute and joking: "You’re only two years older than me darling, where have you been all of my life?" In a night of bad, callous old people jokes it was good to hear a genuine laugh out of the audience.

Plummer went on to deliver one of the most congenial and heartfelt speeches of the night, saying that he was born "already rehearsing my Academy acceptance speech, but it was so long ago mercifully for you I’ve forgotten it." He then ran through the customary list of people to thank before giving one of the best tributes in the long history of awards shows. He thanked his wife, saying that she "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for coming to my rescue every day of my life."

AMPAS Scraps Performances of Nominated Songs From 'Muppets' and 'Rio'

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS) has planned to scrap the musical performances for 'Man or Muppet' and 'Real in Rio’ for the 2012 Academy Awards. 

Audiences will probably not witness "Man or Muppet" or "Real in Rio" being performed at the Oscars telecast this February 26. The music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has planned to pass over the musical performances of both Best Original Song nominees.

The decision, still, has yet to be sealed as producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer still have a work in progress. An authoritative source stated that the show is not locked yet.He also added that the decisions about this and other things continue to be evaluated by the team trying to produce the most engaging 3 hours possible.

If the decision to skip the Best Song nominees performance be signed, the audience will not witness Jason Segel having duet with Walter to sing the original soundtrack for "The Muppets" nor Sergio Mendes delivering the original song from "Rio".

"Man or Muppet" and "Real in Rio" are the lone two songs being nominated for this year's Best Original Song category at Oscars.

Irish Short Film "Pentecost" Shortlisted For Oscars

An Irish Short film titled 'Pentecost' has been shortlisted for nomination for the Academy Awards.

Pentecost, a light-hearted film written and directed by Peter McDonald is one of just ten short films from across the globe that has made the shortlist. This will be scaled down to an ultimate five for the real night of the Oscars. The makers of Pentecost will get to know if their film is among the last 5 nominations on 24 January next.A total of 107 films had been initially selected in the category.

Peter McDonald’s nominated short film 'Pentecost' was funded by the Irish Film Board and stars Andrew Bennett, Michael McElhatton and Don Wycherley. It narrates the story of a young altar boy who is compelled  to serve at an important Mass and has to make a hard choice whether conform to the status quo or serve an extended ban from his passion in life… football.

The Academy Awards will be held on 26 February next in Los Angeles.

Electronic Voting To Be Used for The Academy Awards

The annual mailing of the official Oscar ballots, one of the rituals in the annual Academy Awards cycle will soon be a thing of the past. Lately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which presents the Oscars, sent a letter advising its 6,000 voting members that an electronic system for Oscar voting will be implemented at the earliest and will positively be in effect by next year.

The letter, which was signed by Kimberly Roush, the academy’s director of membership asked its members for a personal email address which is different from anything that goes to an assistant or intermediary. Ms Roush stated that at some point, once the system is up and running, mailed ballots will be eliminated.

The much expected shift to electronic voting could have a huge impact for the awards season. By eliminating the lag time that arrives with paper ballots, which were sent through the mail, the academy’s governors could change the awards night from late February to an earlier weekend.