• Miley Ray Cyrus enters the coliseum. We are one incremental step closer to the end.
• Jon Stewart, witty stuff, good job. Classy move giving the Once singer/songwriter Marketa Irglova a chance to say her piece after being rudely ushered offstage by the music cue cut-off.
• Diablo Cody wins “Best Original Screenplay.” Where does her fairy tale career go from here?
• No memoriam dedication to actors Brad Renfro and Roy Scheider. I don’t care about the dates covered. Bad taste!
• Bardem takes the Supporting Actor award for playing “some expressionless guy who goes around blowing shit up.” More>
• Plainview drinks the Academy’s milkshake. Now we can all officially stop referencing “that” scene.
• Introduced by Marty, the Coen Brothers take home a couple of little golden men in their usual aloof demeanor.

Overall analysis: yawn.

Related: What’s really going down at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Update: Finally!

Warning! The following post will be stating the obvious like so many before me.

I don’t want to say it’s about time but we all know it is. This time around The Departed is up for five awards tonight including Best Film and Director. Now we know the odds are always in Clint’s favor and we know The Queen is getting tons of adoration but…look who is presenting the Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing.

Best Quote About Scorsese Winning An Oscar Ever goes to Christopher Campbell [Cinematical]:

“Personally, though, I think if Scorsese is a definite lock for the award, then Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Barry Levinson and Roman Polanski should be the ones presenting it.”

I mean, how many directors could you make a film like this about?