Hollywood's biggest party—the Academy Awards—is alternately viewed as shameless self-promotion on the part of the movie industry and as glamour incarnate. Sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy...

The Establishment Judges: Academy Awards for Best Picture The Academy and the Industry Establishment Founded in 1919, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences quickly became a core institution of the Hollywood establishment. While the Academy...

The Envelope, Please The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was formed by Hollywood's silent-film community just as the silent film itself was about to pass from the scene. The announced goals of the Academy were "to develop harmony and adjust...

Quotes from Sunday night's 79th annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles:"I'm just here for the movies, Leo." _ Al Gore to Leonardo DiCaprio, who asked if there was anything he wanted to announce at the ceremony.___"If there weren't blacks, Jews and...

It took 26 years, six directing nominations and two screenplay nominations, but Martin Scorsese finally has his Oscar.Righting one of Hollywood's biggest oversights, the Academy Awards bestowed Martin Scorsese with a best-directing Oscar on Sunday night for "The Departed."Scorsese was received with a rousing standing...

The 79th Annual Academy Awards were announced last night, with The Departed bringing home the top prize for best picture of the year. The film was virtually tied with Little Miss Sunshine for the top pick among movie fans in a survey conducted last week....

There really aren't many television events that you can build a party around. There's the Super Bowl, of course. And a friend of mine once hosted an especially dismal State of the Union gathering which, if nothing else, proved that actual fun should be a...