Red Carpet Sans Chatter. And Michelle Williams.

So busy online with Oscar speeches, final predictions, and sprucing up the Oscar charts for posterity (ongoing though now you can see results of the reader's polls -- that's you! -- in the big six categories) and so busy offline with [insert non-cinematic things here, mostly involving earning moneys to keep this cinematic blog going] that we never had a chance to talk movie event fashions in the buildup to Oscar.

So herewith, talented beauties at recent premieres, awards nights and festivals we meant to chatter about. ...presented without chatter (though maybe you'll add some).

Marcia Gay Harden, Sandy Powell and Rooney Mara at the CDG Awards. Penelope Ann Miller & Missi Pyle (who we were just monologuing with) at a Hollywood Reporter Pre-Oscar event.

Sibel Kekilli, Léa Seydoux (did you love her in M:I-GP? I totes did), Christina Ricci and Charlotte Gainsbourg at Berlinale.

Malin Akerman and Jennifer Aniston at the LA premiere of Wanderlust and Angelina Jolie and Michelle Williams at different premieres in France.

*

Presented without chatter not in honor of a certain buzzing silent film, just for lack of time. It seemed wasteful to not share the photos after editing.

Presented without chatter but for to say, Christina Ricci!!! Post Pan Am won't someone give that career a solid role again. Also: Michelle Williams and Angelina Jolie both sure surprised with more extravagant (for them) looks. We'll see half of them again at the Oscars. Who is going to wear what? Can't wait.

P.S. Care to guess what color / style Michelle Williams wears on Oscar night? She's already burned through black, pink, blue, red, and an array of champagney off white. Though black and white paired seems to be the preferred fall back. Winner wins bragging rights and... something. She's less predictable with the palette than Rooney & Glenn & Meryl among the non-Viola Best Actress nominees.

Final Oscar Predictions: Oui, It's "The Artist"

We'll talk more this weekend but I want to get this posted. I'll be applauding loudly when The Artist wins. Everyone always complains that Oscar doesn't appreciate comedies and then when they do, everyone always screams "trifle!" with holier than thou disgust; the Academy can't win! But this (presumed) winner is a beauty. All twinkly-eyed, big hearted and (mostly) light on its feet. The only real question seems to be how many Oscars will it win. I'm guessing seven... though three of those guesses are easy to see flopping (Actor, Costumes, Cinematography). I don't see it any scenario where it wins Art Direction, Supporting Actress or Screenplay so I'm guessing seven is the maximum. Since you can make such a viable argument for literally any of the five nominees to win Costume Design, I'm guessing the showiness / baitiness of all of them will tip things ever so slightly into the Artist column, which is also I think what's going in Cinematography. I just can't quite believe that "El Chivo" will finally win the gold he's deserved for so long (the latest chance being with The Tree of Life). I've highlighted the true nailbiter categories in red; if you get them right you win the Office Pool.

Best Picture
Will Win: The Artist
Spoiler: The Descendants and The Help are the only films with spoiler heat but even if you try and talk yourself into them, you think you're lying right?
Should Win: Haters gon' hate but The Artist is a beautiful funny rare gift. 

Best Director
Will Win: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Spoiler: Martin Scorsese started precursor season strong with Hugo but the movie has been cooling so I have to wonder if it isn't Alexander Payne in second position for The Descendants
Should Win: I'll clap loudly for Hazanavicius but if they decide not to give the Artist everything, a surprise career win for Terrence Malick would be delicious

all categories after the jump...

Click to read more ...

2 Days Till Oscar. Speech! Speech! Speech!

If you've been wondering what sent me into such a flashback mode these past two weeks prior to Oscar night, the answer can now be revealed.

I've been in my gold plated Oscar Laboratory crunching a ton of data for this Acceptance Speech Analysis at Slate. It's my first piece for Slate and it's even got fancy interactive infographics courtesy of Natalie Matthews-Ramos. Fun that they found a Natalie to accompany me, yes? 

It’s my firm belief that what comes out in the moment—or doesn’t—is a true reflection of feeling, whether the speech feels rehearsed and polished or immediate and spazzy. And in Hollywood—and what’s more Hollywood than the Oscars?—billing matters.

I'm so proud of it I think somebody should give me a trophy so that I can cry, shake, tremble and forget who I should be thanking on Oscar weekend. Well, all of you reading daily, for sure.

Go read it and share with everyone you'd thank on the big night.

The Girl With the CDG Statue

Awwwww, Clint Eastwood looks so happy at the Costume Design Guild Awards. They were honoring Deborah Hopper (second from left) and the man himself with their "Distinguished Collaborator" Award. (Many of the guilds like to honor directors outside their own profession at their particular ceremonies... but we like this joint award definition since films are such team efforts.) 

This photo is giving me such 2003 flashbacks with Mystic River's Marcia Gay Harden and The Last Samurai's Ken Watanabe all snuggled up with Clint and Deborah.

Strangely Hopper has never been Oscar nominated despite working with such an Oscar magnetized director. Not even those cloche hats from Changeling won her a shortlist spot. She's been working with Clint since Space Cowboys (2000).

This year's winners, more photos, and a fun "Revenge" moment after the jump.

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Complete the (Shocker) Sentence...

"Everyone will be surprised when ____________ wins the ________ Oscar on Sunday except for me. He/she/they'll win because ____________________________."

Pssst
Final Oscar Predictions are coming tonight. I apologize for the delay. I didn't want to leave it till the weekend but it's been a long week. Do you read the site on the weekend or are you more of a weekday at work type? Wait, maybe you shouldn't admit that if your boss also reads.