The 84^th annual Oscar Academy Awards was held at the Hollywood and Highland Center on February 26, 2012 and entertained about 39 million viewers.

   There are 24 categories that films are nominated in. The major categories being: Best Picture, Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Animated Film.

   The nominees for Best Animated Feature Film were; “A Cat In Paris”, “Chico & Rita”, “Kung Fu Panda 2”, “Puss in Boots”, and “Rango”. The winner was “Rango”, a movie about a chameleon who ends up in a town called Dirt that is looking for a new sheriff. For Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, the male nominees were: Kenneth Branagh (“My Week with Marilynn”), Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”), Nick Nolte (“Warrior”), Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”), and Max Von Sydow (“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”). The winner for the Best Supporting Actor was Christopher Plummer for “Beginners” who plays a man’s dead father, who never leaves the son’s mind. The female nominees were: Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”), Jessica Chastain (“The Help”), Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”). Janet Spencer (“The Help”). The winner for the Best Supporting Actress was Octavia Spencer from “The Help”, who plays a black maid, working for a racist white family.

   The nominees for Best Actors in a Leading Role were: Demian (“A Better Life”), George Clooney (“The Descendants”), Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), Gary Oldman (“Tinker Tailor Solider Spy”) and Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”). The winner was Jean Dujardin from “The Artist.” The nominees for Best Actresses in a Leading Role were Glenn Close (‘Albert Nobbs”), Viola Davis (“The Help”), Rooney Mara (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Meryl Streep (“The Iron Lady”), and Michelle Williams (“My Week with Marilynn”). The winner was Meryl Streep from “The Iron Lady”, who plays a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who has to pay a significant price for the power she once held.

   Last but not least, The Best Picture nominees were “Hugo”, “Midnight In Paris”, “Moneyball”, “The Artist”, “The Descendants”, “The Tree of Life”, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, “War House”, and “The Help”. The winner was “The Artist” produced by Thomas Langman, which is a silent film shot in black and white.

   People watch The Academy Awards, not only for the film and acting nominations, but also for the amazing outfits the nominees wear. Spencer showed off her bright personality with a sparkling, short sleeved, floor-length gown designed by Taashi Shoji, Dujardin made an impression wearing Jaeger-Lecoultre tuxedo with a Deep Sea watch, and Streep wowed the viewers with her gorgeous glow and her golden Lanvin floor-length dress. Congratulations are in order for the nominees and winners. If you would like to watch more of the Oscars you can go to www.oscars.go.com.