An Academy Award Party that Plays Everywhere

In some circles the Academy Awards party is the best party of the year. It is a fun way to get your friends together in a month when no major holidays give you a reason to celebrate.

If your friends aren't big movie fans, don't worry. With a little preparation even your most film-illiterate friend will have a blast. We have complied a list of the most memorable moments from parties past.

The Red Carpet Moment:
The red carpet is oh so important; it should be spread just outside your door. Don't have a red carpet? Any red fabric will do, even a folded sheet. The important thing is that your guests are recognized and announced. Ask guests to bring cameras and snap a lot of pictures. Polaroid pictures and digital prints of the arrival will be fodder for conversation for hours. One year we received a Christmas card in which the "Red Carpet Moment" from the previous year's party was the holiday photo for the front of the card!

Predictions:
Part of the fun of the Academy Awards is predicting who will win in each category. Give each of your guests a scorecard (after they have disposed of their coats) in which they will make their predictions. (At the end of the party you can give awards for Best-Guessed and Worst Guessed!)

Choose the categories most suited to your circle of friends or use them all. They are:

BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST FOREIGN FILM
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
BEST CINEMATOGRAPY
BEST FILM EDITING
BEST ART DIRECTION
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST SCORE
BEST SONG
BEST SOUND
BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST MAKE-UP

Faux Movie Awards:
A few days before the party, write five short fantasy movie descriptions that some of your friends could star in. If you have a friend who loves shoes, write a description of a movie called "Stiletto Summer". A friend who loves his car more than life would rate a movie called "License to Love" etc.
During commercials "nominate" them for the award for the movie. The prize awarded later in the evening by popular choice could be a trophy, (we purchased used bowling trophies one year for laughs) a certificate or just a decorated cupcake. The fun is in the announcement. On the movie prediction sheets include a voting space for the faux movies you will announce. Ask guests not to vote until all nominations have been announced.

Evening Awards:
Throughout the evening announce little awards for things that happen. For instance if one of your friends spills beer, that person could win the "Best Use of an Intoxicant as a Floor Cleaner Award". If one of your friends always sits in the corner watching others they would win the "Best Observer Award". The awards will get funnier as the evening progresses. It's easy to overdo this so be careful to let your guests play along too.

Hors d'oeuvres:
Food is easy for this party. A round cake shaped like a roll of film is easy to make or request from your grocer. A cheese-ball with crackers is a pre-requisite (after all the cheese-ball movies that came out this year) and ham is important. After all, actors are nothing if not highly paid "Hams". Shoestring potatoes are appropriate if several Indy films are nominated after all they are purported to be made on a "shoestring budget". Of course it is appropriate to include Champaign to toast your friend's awards at the end.

The Academy Awards, party a tradition in Los Angeles and New York, is fun anywhere you are, as long as there are people who watch movies and friends with which to celebrate.