Alright, the first no brainer of the night has come down the pike (Best Animated Feature) as well as the award for Best Makeup.  The boys and I talk the unacceptable (UNACCEPTABLE) "Nortbit" loss (kidding), John's favorite film of the year, "Ratatouille" snagging a win for Best Toon and Amy Adams' "Happy Woking Song" performance.  I was caught in the middle, defending the poor girl and the ages old tradition of performing the tracks on the show.  Check it out.

Also, I'm keeping track of the winners and predictions fallout over at In Contention, for those who care (I.e., me).

Makeup Ve Neill and Martin Samuel
Visual Effects John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier

Makeup Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji

Actress in a Leading Role Marion Cotillard
Costume Design Marit Allen
Makeup Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald

I just noticed a new online marketing scheme for Marion Cotillard's performance in "La Vie en Rose."  There's Marion's beautiful, flawless face, big and bright, and then there are three screenshots of her in full makeup as Edith Piaf in the Picturehouse film -- a totally different person.

That big and bold Stephen Holden quote from the New York Times is pretty helpful as well, to say the least.

With the critics giving Cotillard awards left and right, it's safe to say she's well on her way to an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.  But what these ads might do is give the film a leg up for Best Makeup.

It didn't happen for "Monster" in 2003, but Cotillard's transformation seems even more dramatic than when Charlize Theron was turned into a -- shall we say, unattractive -- Florida serial killer.

Picturehouse honcho Bob Berney first clued me into this earlier in the year during an interview about foreign acting contenders, but it didn't really gel for me at that time.  The more I see the film, however, and the more these ads keep popping up all over the place, the more I think the film could zip past "Hairspray" and "Sweeney Todd" and actually win the makeup award.  After all, it's up against a fat suit and spurting blood.

•  Anne Thompson has a joygasm over Jeffrey Wells' "There Will Be Blood" review (and with due cause). [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  Ryan C. Adams talks Roger Deakins and has an interesting clip of the lenser working in post-production on "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" [Awards Daily]

•  Gerard Kennedy sizes up this year's Best Makeup hopefuls. [In Contention]

•  Todd Martens lays the smack down on "Beowulf" track "A Hero Comes Home."  Good.  It stinks. [Extended Play]

•  Speaking of "Beowulf," Tom O'Neil responds to the film's Oscar eligibility. [Gold Derby]

•  And Jeffrey Wells still can't seem to understand why the film isn't animation. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  David Poland tries to simplify the Oscar year once again...this time it's "The Year of the Man." [Movie City News]

•  Nathaniel Rogers takes the right coast temperature at the New York premiere of "No Country for Old Men." [The Film Experience]

•  "Juno"-phile Scott Feinberg talks to Ellen Page. [And the Winner Is...]

•  Anne Thompson has "Beowulf" reactions.  [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  Jeffrey Wells finall unleashes his "There Will Be Blood" review, smartly acknowledges that it takes a few moments of gathering oneself before fully appreciating the value of the film.  Calls it "diseased greatness." [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  Elizabeth Snead talks to Paul LeBlanc about Bardem's do in "No Country." [The Envelope]

•  The Buzzmeter gets a fresh update. [The Envelope]

•  As do the Gurus, this time taking a stab at the screenplay races.  Good showing for Tony Gilroy. [Movie City News]

•  Noah Forrest makes an awards case for subtle performers. [Movie City News]

•  Scott Feinberg talks to Tabu from "The Namesake," getting an agressive push from Fox Searchlight. [And the Winner Is...]

•  Yet ANOTHER award...this time, Tommy Lee Jones is tapped to win the Santa Barbara Fest's American Riviera Award. [Variety]