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Mon, 05 March 2018
Shape of Water wins Oscar for Best Film

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10:25   Four Academy Awards for Guillermo Del Toro's creature feature
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway show up to atone for last year's goof-up to announce Best Picture. And this time the envelope reads right and true to all of rediff.com's predictions, it's The Shape of Water.

It's Guillermo Del Toro day, alright. The exuberant filmmaker remembers the time director Steven Spielberg told him, "If you find yourself on the podium, you're part of the legacy."

He encourages filmmakers wanting to use fantasy to tell stories about all that's real in the world, it can be done.

Bravo, Del Toro.

Well done, Oscars 90. You've truly grown up. 

Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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10:25   Frances McDormand's terrific portrayal in Three Billboards impresses Oscar jury
Frances McDormand's superlative turn as a justice-seeking mom going after the cops of her stifling Southern town in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has impressed both --viewers and Academy jury. 

This is her second Best Actress Oscar since Fargo.

True to form, McDormand's speech is as hardhitting as one would expect and more. 

McDormand requests all the women nominated in every single category to share and stand in solidarity and honour.

The powerhouse signs off with a punch. "I have two words for you tonight: Inclusion. Rider." 

"I really hope Frances McDormand gets an Emmy for that speech. I wish I was a woman," exclaims a genuinely impressed Jimmy Kimmel echoing a million awestruck sentiments.

Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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10:01   Oldman's remarkable transformation into Winston Churchill has paid off!
The Best Actor category looked a fairly predictable one this year. Gary Oldman everyone thought. And Gary Oldman it is.

Previously nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, this is Gary Oldman's first Oscar. The actor, often called a chameleon, for his gift to transform into different characters, is virtually unrecognisable under layers of prothetic make-up to resemble former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. 

Playing Churchill has made him a PRO at speeches, he thanks US for the friendships and loves, his life, his family, and the Oscar it's given him. Of course, he doesn't forget to share his admiration for the man he played on screen --UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill or his 99-year-old mother watching this on their television set at home. 

Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images





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10:01   Monster loving filmmaker wins for his work in The Shape of Water
Tipped as a hot favourite, Guillermo Del Toro wins Best Director at Oscars 2018 for his wondrous love story, The Shape of Water. And with this he joins fellow Mexicans Alfonso Cuarn, Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu in the elite Oscar club.

His speech and appeal to 'erase the lines in the sand' touches a chord. 

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09:50   Oscar honour for India's cinema icons
Great to see India's cinema icons Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi in Oscar's In Memoriam tribute.

Photograph: Kind Courtesy Sridevi/Instagram 
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09:37   Second Oscar for composer Alexandre Desplat
It's raining standing ovations. This one's for 74-year-old Hollywood veteran Christopher Walken. 

Without further ado, he opens the envelope to reveal Best Original Score Oscar recipient -- Alexandre Desplat for his haunting creations in The Shape of Water.

"My mother also turned 90 by the way. She's going to be very happy tonight," smiles Desplat after taking his second Oscar (after The Grand Budapest Hotel) home.

The other important award in the music category --Original Song-- goes to Coco's Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

"Not only are we diverse but we're 50-50 for gender representation," asserts Kristen.

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09:26   Keala Settle wows with her showmanship in This is Me!
What a performance! Give it up for Keala Settle's mind-blowing rendition of This is Me. The Greatest Showman? You bet!
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09:23   14th time's the charm for cinematographer Roger A Deakins
America's Sweetheart Sandra Bullock is the perfect blend of beauty and brains naming the the Best Cinematography Oscar nominees --four men and one trailblazing woman--before handing over the coveted prize to, at last, the masterful Roger A Deakins. 

Blade Runner 2049 is Deakins 14th nomination and first win.

So VERY well-deserved.
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09:16   James Ivory is Oldest Oscar winner!
Salma Hayek, Ashley Judd and Annabella Sciorra demonstrate gender solidarity and declare #TimesUp in a special video reel featuring filmmakers like Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig and Barry Jenkins and actors like Kumail Nanjiani, Geena Davis, Sarah Silverman speak up on a urgent need of inclusively and representation of race, gender, sexual identities in contemporary cinema. 

Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) share screen space to award Best Adapted Screenplay honour to 89-year-old James Ivory (of the legendary Merchant-Ivory) for Call Me By Your Name. 

Moved by the standing ovation response, Ivory says, "We hold on to first love and try to come out as intact as we can." He thanked his friend and the late, longtime collaborator, Ismail Merchant in his brief but heartfelt speech. 

How cool is that illustrated t-shirt he's sporting under that classic blazer by the way?

Jordan Peele for Get Out, announces Nicole Kidman to a super elated crowd. Peele thanks "Everyone who bought a ticket to watch this movie" as well as his mother "who taught me to love even in the face of hate" on winning his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images


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08:55   Live performances regale Oscars
After Sufjan Stevens's lovely rendition of Mystery of Love (Call Me By Your Name), it's Diane Warren to stir the crowd with her rousing performance of the Oscar-nominated Original Song Stand Up For Something from Reginald Hudlin's Marshall.

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08:50   Host Jimmy Kimmel unleashes his bag of jokes and junk food!
Arnie Hammer, Guillermo Del Toro, Margot Robbie, Mark Hamill, Gal Gadot and Kimmel cackle about snack hampers while distributing giant hot dogs to the star-struck crowd. 

Kimmel jokes something about 'strong aroma of marijuana in this thing.' A tad reminiscent of Ellen DeGeneres pizza gag in 2015 who, by the way, messaged this to Kimmel on Twitter. "Tonight's your night! If you get nervous, just picture them all naked. I don't know if that helps, but it sure is fun. #Oscars."

Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph's turn to present. 

This his how they bring the house down:

"We know what you're thinking. Are the Oscars too black now?" 

"Don't worry. There are so many white people to come."

For starters there's Oscar recipients, Frank Stiefel's short documentary, Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 and Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton's short film, The Silent Child.


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08:39   Best Editing for Dunkirk, VFX for Blade Runner 2049
Denis Villeneuve's striking reboot Blade Runner 2049 is a worthy pick for Visual Effects Oscar. And that triumphant look on John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover as they receive their respect statuettes from Tom Holland only confirms it.

Next, Matthew Mcconaughey hands over Best Editing Oscar to Lee Smith for Dunkirk. Smith was previously nominated for The Dark Knight and Master and Commander. 

In his acceptance speech, Smith thanks Dunkirk, now on its third win, director Christopher Nolan. "He's an editor himself. He doesn't handle the actual equipment, I am very thankful for that."

Photograph: Editor Lee Smith (L) accepts Best Film Editing for 'Dunkirk' from actor Matthew McConaughey onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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08:19   Best Animated feature goes to Coco!
The force is strong with Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Mark Hamill and BB-8 tonight. As well with Best Animated Short film winners for Dear Basketball -- Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant.

Hamill is on a roll. "Don't say La La Land," he winks. And Twitter cannot stop gushing. The man's a "national treasure." 'I want to be Mark Hamill when I grow up."

Back to the awards, Disney/Pixar's breathtaking Coco is sitting pretty with its Best Animation Oscar. The speech is no less effective. Disney practically owns this category with a record number of wins.

"Coco would not exist without your (Mexico's) endlessly beautiful culture." 

"Representation matters."



 
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08:15   Allison Janney receives first Oscar for I, Tonya

And it's time for the most predictable and well-deserved win --the brilliant Allison Janney's ruthless mom in I, Tonya is Oscar's Best Supporting Actress of the year. 

"I did it myself," she quips.

The actress who'd watch the ceremony every year in her "sweatpants" appears over the moon while thanking her family, friends and co-stars.

Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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08:07   Up for 13, Shape of Water scores for Production Design
'I am from Pakistan,' says Kumail Nanjiani and 'I am from Kenya,' reminds Lupita Nyong'o and show their support to the dreamers of the world before handing Best Production Design Oscar to The Shape of Water's Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau and Jeffrey A. Melvin.

Up for 13 Oscars, this marks Shape of Water's first win so far.

Time to sit back and enjoy Original Song nominee Remember Me, performance by Natalia Lafourcade, Miguel and Gael Garcia Bernal, also nominated for Best Animation. The set designers have created an impressive replica of the Coco set to go with its lilting tune. 

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07:59   Chile's A Fantastic Woman bags Best Foreign Film

Winner for West Side Story, actress Rita Moreno wears the same gown she wore the night of 1962 in 2018 to present the Best Foreign Film trophy to Chile's A Fantastic Woman, which revolves around a transgender singer's struggle owing to her sexual identity. Sebastin Lelio's film beat the likes of Russia's Loveless and Hungary's On Body and Soul to win Chile its first Oscar. Hollywood reporter has called it a moment of "Transgender Watershed."

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07:41   Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk bags two Oscars for Sound
Alright, Christopher Nolan's ambitious war epic Dunkirk has bagged its first Oscar of the night. Richard King and Alex Gibson are chuffed about their Sound Editing win and thank the Academy in a short, sweet speech.

Double whammy for Dunkirk, it's aced the Sound Mixing category as well. Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo and Mark Weingarten accept the Oscar even as a pleased-as-punch Nolan looks on. 

Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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07:28   Twitter is all about Oscar right now!
Twitter is buzzing with some interesting observations even as Oscar plays out a montage of 90 years of fine, fabulous films.

Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin jeers, O.M.G. I just ripped the loudest fart during this montage. Do you think Meryl Streep just heard it? 

ABC news anchor T Holmes writes, Taraji P. Mary J. #GetOut. #BlackPanther. I'm not saying we've made it to the mountaintop but, in the first 45 minutes...#OscarskindaBlack. #Oscars

Actor Chad Michael Murray of One Tree Hill fame tweets, Favorite thing about the academy awards- celebrating those who came be4 us. The clips of Classic films move me 2 the core. That respect goes 4 all walks of life. Our elders blazed the trails b4 us. So much love 4 them. They traveled unknown roads with bravery. #Respect #Oscars




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07:19   Much applause for Mary J Blige's soulful performance
 Mary J Blige is first person ever nominated for both an acting and song Oscar for the same film, Mudbound.

The 47-year-old's rendering of its song, Mighty River is all kinds of awesome and, no surprise, meets with a thundering applause.

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07:14   Icarus bags Best Documentary Oscar
Black Panther is getting a lot of love from Kimmel. He even suggests the possibility of it receiving Oscar nominations next year. 

On to more serious stuff, the Best Documentary section has Laura Dern and Greta Gerwig doing the honours.

And the Oscar goes to nope not Agnes Varda but Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan for Icarus. New York Times called it "illuminating."


"We dedicate this award to Dr Grigory Rodchenkov, our fearless whistle blower." 
 
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07:07   And the Best Costume Design Oscar goes to Phantom Thread
Hollywood legend and Oscar winner Eva Marie Saint jokes, 'I am older than the Academy' before going on to hand the Best Costume Design trophy to Phantom Thread's Mark Bridges. Bridges was previously nominated for The Artist, for which he won and Inherent Vice, which he did not.

Bridges thanks director Paul Thomas Anderson for the opputunity as well as the cast and crew for working tirelessly on the project. 

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Times critic Justin Chang tweets, "DARKEST HOUR just won a makeup Oscar. And soon, Gary Oldman will win a make-up Oscar."
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06:59   Best Make-Up and Hair Oscar for Darkest Hour
Stunning star presenters Gal Gadot and Arnie Hammer are a sight for sore eyes. Someone cast them together already. 

 They're here to give away the Academy award for achievement in Make-up and hairstyle. And the Oscar goes to, no brainer, Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick for Darkest Hour. Gary Oldman is unrecognisable as Winston Churchill under all that prosthetic. It would take him around three to four hours just to get ready every single day.

"This is a dream come true for everyone of us," says a grateful Tsuji.
 

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06:52   Sam Rockwell wins first Oscar of the night
Star-studded audience, a Swarovski-sparkling stage and applause by the minute, it's Oscars alright. Black lives matter, Times Up, equal rights, equal pay, gender, race, end of supremacy, March for our Lives on March 24, check, check, check -- Oscars are now ready to announce its Best Supporting Actor.

So who's it going to be?

Oscar-winner Viola Davis sashays in a neon pink gown to announce the first award of the evening. And the Best Supporting Actor Oscar goes to: Sam Rockwell for his cruel cop seeking redemption in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 

This is Rockwell's first nomination and win. 

One of the most criminally underrated Hollywood actors, here's what he has to say in his acceptance speech. 

"I would like to thank the Academy. Never thought I'd say those words."  

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06:51   Jimmy Kimmel kickstarts Oscars 90 with wit and wisdom!
And the 90th Academy Awards are underway. 

Host for the second consecutive year, Jimmy Kimmel gets last year's envelope mix-up out of the way with the mandatory jokes, "This year, when you hear your name called, don't get up right away. Give us a minute."

"Oscar is still number one. Oscar is the most respected man. Keeps his hands where you can see them and no p*** at all. He is literally the statue of liberty." 

The Harvey Weinstein digs are quick to follow followed by a nod to Black Panther and Wonder Woman's success underlining this year's gender and race inclusive theme. 

Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
 
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06:33   Glamour, glitz dominates Oscars 90!

What's Oscar without some jaw-dropping glamour?

Sandra Bullock is sleek as hell in her shimmery gold and black number. Her Practical Magic co-star Nicole Kidman opts for a plunging neck sapphire blue gown.

Jennifer Lawrence who just came out with Red Sparrow is va va voom in her metallic Dior. 

Oscar veteran Meryl Streep is irresistible in red.  

Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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06:20   Greta Gerwig, Gary Oldman queue up for Oscar glory!
Competing against Guillermo Del Toro and Christopher Nolan, first-time director Greta Gerwig admits, 'it's a dream come true.' One of her all-time creative inspirations Agnes Varda is also nominated for the documentary, Faces Places.   

Veteran actor Gary Oldman reveals he proposed to his fifth wife Gisele Schmidt on the sets of Darkest Hour while he was in character as Winston Churchill.
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06:14   When Saorsie Ronan took a leaf from Gwyneth Paltrow's book
The red carpet is brimming with young, beautiful energy. 

Call Me By Your Name's breakout star Timothe Chalamet and first-time nominee is clearly overwhelmed by the Oscar experience.

His Lady Bird co-star and fellow Oscar nominee Saorsie Ronan's pastel pink gown is giving us a major Gwyneth Paltrow deja vu. The latter wore a similar hued Ralph Lauren the year she took the trophy home for Shakespeare in Love. Will pink prove lucky for Ronan as well?

Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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06:06   Oscar nominee Margot Robbie is here!

Nominated for her hard-hardhitting turn as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, Margot Robbie keeps it classy in a white Chanel gown. Her date for the big night is her mum. Ain't that sweet? On-screen mommy, Allison Janney is there too wearing a red-hot Reem Acra. Janney is said to be a lock-in for Best Supporting Actress.

Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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06:00   Wakanda fever hits the Oscar red carpet
Wakanda fever hits the Oscars. Black Panther's titular superhero Chadwick Boseman's regal appearance is all anyone is talking about. 

As the fifth woman ever nominated for Best Director, Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig is a vision in a tangerine-hued outfit.

Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd elaborate on their intention to continue their crusade against producer Harvey Weinstein and toxic environment of sexual misconduct. "This movement is not stopping until there is a safe environment for women." 

Oscar winner Matthew Mcconaughey is stuff red carpet dreams are made of.

Comedian and four-time Oscar hostess Whoopi Goldberg's colourful gown is giving us Holi feels all over again.  

Photograph: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

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05:37   Bevy of stars descend on the Oscar red carpet!
Good morning, folks! 

Welcome to Hollywood's biggest party, it's the 90th edition of the Oscars and it's looking more grand, inclusive and diverse than ever. 

Unlike the Golden Globes where stars wore black on the red carpet as part of the protest and participation in #MeToo campaign, the Academy Awards guest list is dazzling in vibrant colours.  

We can spot Oscar nominees Allison Janney, Daniel Kaluuya, Mary J Blige alongside Salma Hayek, Laura Dern and Black Panther sensation Chadwick Boseman making their way in Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre.
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00:05   LIVE! Get ready for the 90th Academy Awards!
Cream of cinema, memorable speeches, live performances, deafening applause, star presenters, elated nominees, glamorous red carpet, shock and surprises -- get ready for the 90th Academy Awards at Hollywoods Dolby Theatre.

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the second time in a row, this years Oscar nominations were described as a cautious, comfort-food list in Trumpian times by film critic Peter Bradshaw.

So will it be a clean sweep for Guillermo Del Toros The Shape of Water leading with a impressive 13 nominations?

Will legend Gary Oldman known for his chameleon-like transformation on screen collect his long-due Oscar after nearly four decades as actor?

Will Frances McDormand pick her second Academy award after Fargo?

Catch all the action LIVE on rediff.com with all the latest updates from what everyone wore and won.

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