83rd Annual Academy Awards is Hit and Miss with James Franco and Anne Hathaway Hosting

Most of the predictions I made prior to the Oscar telecast of February 27, 2011 came out to be true. I did not miss a single major category, and scored +75% out of 24 categories.

NATALIE PORTMAN

Natalie Portman gave a lovely acceptance speech in which she said, "Thank you so much. This is insane. I'm so grateful to be among you. I want to thank my parents who gave me life and demonstrated to me how to be a good human being by example. " Portman also thanked Benjamin, who "choreographed the film and has now given me the most important role of my life," referencing her pregnancy by the young ballet dancer. Lastly, in accepting her win as Best Actress of 2010, she thanked "my family, my friends and my love" (Benjamin).

Sandra Bullock was tapped to introduce and announce the Best Actor performance and said, "Jeff, Dude, how much is enough?" referencing Jeff Bridges' win last year for Best Actor. Of Jesse Eisenberg, she said, "He captured the spirit of the young generation." When Colin Firth was finally announced as winner of 2010's Best Actor award, he said, "I have a feeling m career has just peaked."

BEGINNING

At the beginning of the program, co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway took part in skits where lines like "This might be even more confusing than 'Inception' " were bandied about, and, in a take-off on "The King's Speech," Anne announced, "I have good news from the future. Microphones get smaller." Alec Baldwin put in an appearance at the Twin Pines Mall and said, "You just got Inception-ed."

It was interesting that "Inception" got this much attention, when neither its Director, Christopher Nolan, nor its stars, including Leonardo DeCaprio were given Oscar nods. Still, by night's end, it had tied with the night's big favorite, "The King's Speech," in winning 4 gold men.

MELISSA LEO

When 51-year-old Melissa Leo was announced as the winner of the Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Fighter," she said, "I know there's a lot of nice people who said a lot of nice things to me for a lot of months now. Yeah...I am kind of speechless. When I watched Cate earlier up here, it looked so f****** easy. " She proceeded to comment on the number of spectators in the balcony, say, "Really, truly, wow!" and thank everyone in the Academy.

GOOD SPEECHES

"My father always said to me I would be a late bloomer. On behalf of all the stutterers through the world, I accept this Oscar."

CHRISTIAN BALE

Best Supporting Actor, the well-deserved Best Supporting Actor for "The Fighter," seemed to forget his wife's name while accepting his award.

It was announced that the Oscar ceremony will be carried "live" on ABC at least through 2020.

The winner of a Sound Editing Oscar for "Inception" announced, "I owe this 1,000% to Christopher Nolan (the Director of "Inception," who was not even nominated as Best Director.)

Cate Blanchett, in announcing the Best Make-Up Oscar for Rick Baker and Dave Elsey for "The Wolfman" with Benicio DelToro and Anthony Hopkins said, "That's gross!"

Randy Newman sang and played his "Toy Story" song, his 20^th nomination, with only 2 wins in all those years. When Newman finally was announced as the winner for Best Song of 2010 for "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3," he said: "I'm very grateful and surprised. My percentages aren't great. I've been nominated 20 times and won 2 times. At the Oscar luncheon, they have a Randy Newman chicken dishby now. I've been on here many times, and I've slowed it down every time. Why not 5 nominated songs? They couldn't find 5 songs?"

DECEASED ACTORS OF 2010

While Celine Dion did a touching rendition of "Smile," names of deceased Academy members were flashed onscreen, including John Barry, Tony Curtis, Gloria Stuart, Ronnie Chasen, Leslie Nielsen, Claude Chabrol, Pete Postlethwaite, Dennis Hopper, Kevin McCarthy, Patricia Neal, Robert Culp, Lynn Redgrave, Anne Francis, Arthur Penn, Susannah York, Jill Clayburgh, Irvin Kershner, Blake Edwards and Lena Horne. Lena Horne was singled out in a moving tribute by Halle Berry for her trail-blazing role as the first black actress to be signed to a long-term contract in 1943. Her saying: "It's not the load that breaks you down; it's the way you carry it."

The entire evening had an anti-climactic feeling to it. There were no Big Production Numbers. The hosts were just barely competent. The winners were 100% as I had predicted in a piece written days before the event.

I'm not sure this year inspired many younger viewers to begin watching, but it was my 55^th consecutive viewing without a miss.

BIGGEST GAFFE OF THE NIGHT

While it is nice to recognize grizzled veteran actors and actresses, the appearance of Kirk Douglas, post-stroke, can only be compared to trotting out the stroke-impaired Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Not the Academy's finest hour.

It was nice to see Francis Ford Coppola, the 90-something Eli Wallach and another old-timer toddle out and address the crowd. Coppola looked as though he still had a film or two in him, and the crowd agreed and applauded.