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Film Notes: Oscar ceremony will close on musical note, not best picture
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Oscar show producers Neil Meron, left, and Craig Zadan discuss preparations for Sunday's live broadcast of the Academy Awards ceremony.
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Is this the Oscars or the Tonys?
Well, the producers promise it will be a special moment as host Seth MacFarlane and actress Kristin Chenoweth participate in a show-closing musical performance.
"After the best picture award has been given, Seth and Kristin will perform a special number, and we think it will be a 'can't miss' moment," producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a press release Thursday.
Of course it might be more can't miss on the West Coast than the East Coast, where viewers may want to get to bed before midnight.
Ms. Chenoweth, also scheduled to be part of ABC's red-carpet team, joins a long list of previously announced performers. Latest names added as presenters: Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas, Jamie Foxx and Paul Rudd.
Oscars will be handed out Sunday in a ceremony starting at 8:30 p.m. and televised live on ABC.
Action all the way
The top movies of 2012 -- "Marvel's The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises" -- bear this out. A new survey of moviegoers finds that action/adventure tops the list of genres they like to see in the theaters.
Nielsen NRG's 2012 American Moviegoing report ranks "favorite genres to see in the theater" this way: Action/adventure, 61 percent; comedy, 50 percent; sci-fi/fantasy, 42 percent; suspense, 39 percent; based on comic books, 36 percent; animated and horror, each 33 percent; drama, 32 percent.
Also: romantic comedy, 31 percent; kids and family, 30 percent; romance, 22 percent; re-releases and musicals, each 12 percent; and arthouse/indie, 9 percent.
Goodies up for grabs
The Pittsburgh Film Office party is Sunday at Heinz Field, but, for the first time, you can bid on the silent auction items from your smartphone or computer without going to the party.
A long list of primo prizes are up for grabs, including a poster from "The Dark Knight Rises" autographed by director Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon Levitt. Starting bid is $500.
The nearly 200 items include a Bruce Springsteen autographed guitar; framed autographed jersey from Pittsburgh Pirate Andrew McCutchen; "Magic Mike" poster inked by Channing Tatum; "The Avengers" DVD and framed photo of The Hulk, each autographed by Mark Ruffalo; Pink Floyd autographed album; "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" novel signed by writer Stephen Chbosky and key cast; Steelers tickets; two Mellon Arena seats signed by Mario Lemieux; a scholarship at Abby Lee Miller's dance studio; hotel stays; hair salon services or products; and other practical items.
Go to http://myab.co/events/20/i/silent for the auction or www.pghfilm.org for party details.
More Oscar events
• Carnegie Screenwriters are holding a networking party from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at BZ's Bar and Grill on the North Shore. No cover charge.
Organizers invite anyone involved in film, theater, music, photography or art to attend. The venue, across from PNC Park at 140 Federal St., will offer food and drink specials.
• The Strand Theater in Zelienople will roll out the red carpet, award prizes for best dressed and others, and present the Academy Awards on its 25-foot screen in HD and with surround sound on Sunday.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 and will include complimentary appetizers and desserts along with access to a cash bar and Chinese auction. For details or tickets, www.thestrandtheater.org or 724-742-0400.
• The Hollywood Theater in Dormont is staging an Oscar party, too, with prizes. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, and $10 gets you theater seating and small popcorn or beverage, while $25 provides VIP seating in balcony, large popcorn and beverage. Details, www.thehollywooddormont.org.
'NOLD' to rise again
The Heinz History Center will commemorate the 45th anniversary of "Night of the Living Dead" with a best zombie contest tonight and other events.
Free with regular admission are docent-led tours of the new exhibition, "1968: The Year That Rocked America," from 5 to 7 p.m. today, the zombie competition at 7 p.m. and a showing of the George A. Romero movie about ghouls (he didn't call them zombies in his landmark film) at 7:15 p.m.
The winning zombie king and queen each will receive crowns and a prize package, including passes to The ScareHouse 2013 and merchandise from House of the Dead in Lawrenceville.
For more information on the center, at 12th and Smallman streets in the Strip District: www.heinzhistorycenter.org.
CMU fest preview
"Danube Hospital" will be shown at 7 tonight at Carnegie Mellon University's McConomy Auditorium as a preview for this spring's CMU International Film Festival. A reception will start at 6:30 p.m. and include light, healthy refreshments, and the movie will be preceded by a short, Dr. Paul Goodman's "Nurse."
"Danube Hospital" or "Donauspital," directed by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, is a portrait of one of Europe's largest hospitals. It shows how it deals with health and illness, life and death by observing operating and patient rooms, conference areas, the disinfection and pathology departments, kitchen and other spaces not typically open to the public.
Admission is $5 for seniors and students, $8 for others. The 75-minute movie will be followed by a moderated discussion. Go to www.cmu.edu/faces to learn more about the festival or to buy tickets.
In brief
• A free screening of 1948's "The Red Shoes" will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Point Park University's George R. White Theater, 414 Wood St., Downtown.
It's part of the In-Motion Film Series presenting movies complementing the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's season. Registration is required. Email education@pittsburghballet.org or call 412-454-9109.
• Tickets are on sale for JFilm's "Eddie Rosenstein: An Evening of Film" at Pittsburgh Filmmakers' Melwood Screening Room in Oakland at 7:30 p.m. March 2. A question-and-answer session with the filmmaker, along with a reception, will follow the short films.
A Pittsburgh native, Mr. Rosenstein is the founder and president of New York-based Eyepop Productions. It makes documentaries, children's and reality TV programming for networks such as HBO, AMC, A&E, PBS, Nickelodeon and the History Channel.
Seating is limited, and $10 tickets, if they remain, will be available at the door. To order or for more information: JFilmPgh.org.
First Published February 22, 2013 12:00 am
