> Well, for all my distress about predicting Picture and Director, I guessed right. I also guessed right on two other key toss-up awards, Supporting Actress and Score. My total for the night was 19 out of 24 -- good for a tough year. This is also the first year I've correctly guessed all of the top eight categories.

Yeah, and you were really annoying in chat. You were all "Oh, I'm so not sure about this one... Oh look I win again!". hehe. ;-)

> Despite the fact that few of the wins were locks (or maybe because of that), there weren't really any surprises. The biggest was The Incredibles for Sound Effects Editing, which I assumed would go to Spiderman 2. Perhaps we've gotten to a point where the media can analyze the Oscars so thoroughly that there isn't much room for surprises anymore.

I'm guessing that you don't think it'd be good for them to be complete surprises for the sake of keeping it interesting. But really I think it's not that there couldn't be surprises but more that there was less chance of a bad pick being chosen because the categories were pretty much all full of great candidates.

> As for the ceremony itself, I know a lot of people thought Chris Rock made a great host, and the ratings were up this year which means we'll probably be stuck with him again in the future, but I thought he was the worst Oscar host imaginable. I did laugh at, if memory serves, three of his jokes. But I laughed more at Robin Williams during his one minute on the stage. I wish he'd just host the whole show.

You already know I thought Rock did fine, and I even enjoyed the Jude Law jokes. Sean Penn did nothing more than look like a drunk guy trying to defend him. If I was Law I'd call up Penn and tell him I don't need his drunk butt defending me.

> As for the presentation of technical awards in the audience or having the nominees stand around like Miss America contestants, I can only hope that goes away next year. One of the good Chris Rock jokes: the quip about handing out the Oscars in the parking lot next year.

I agree, but I also agree with commie_bat's idea about them trying to get them on and off stage quicker.

And now for my additional ideas on the Oscars:

Fashion: Halle Berry looked great in her dress. One of the few women who didn't have the mermaid style dress and looked all the better for it. Oh, and Penelope Cruz's butt bow - 2 feet long, 1 foot high, and bright yellow. Absolutely hideous.

Music: What was the deal with Beyonce Knowles singing 3 of the songs? Could they not find anyone else? I'm sure her dad (manager) did something to get her there, but my god.. it was too much.

Oh and I never knew that Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz were twins until I saw them standing next to each other.

- famous