BWW's Film Critic Live Blogs the 2016 Academy Awards

While they're no Tonys, THE ACADEMY AWARDS are kind of a big deal for showbiz folks. So, throughout the week, BroadwayWorld has been covering the 2016 Oscars from a decidedly theatre perspective, and tonight will be no different. Beginning at 7:00pm ET, one of the stars of the upcoming Broadway show NERDS THE MUSICAL, Patti Murin, is live-blogging the Oscars' Red Carpet.

Then, starting at 8:00pm ET we will also be collecting all of the best Oscar-related tweets from Broadway's biggest stars, and since I have seen all 32 English language feature films nominated this year, I will be live-blogging the telecast. So, watch the Oscars' Red Carpet and Ceremony on your TV, but keep BroadwayWorld on your tablet, phone, and/or computer.

The 88th Annual Academy Awards will be broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on ABC, beginning at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT. We will also have an on-going list of all of tonight's winners.

To get yourself ready, check out all of the predictions from our panel of experts, and listed to the Oscars episode of our "Some Like It Pop" podcast:

Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles | ABC

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12:04am: Well, that's it for me. Even though it was a smidge too long, this was one of the best produced Oscars in recent memory. This is how smoothly an Oscars broadcast should go. No obvious gaffes, no cringe-inducing moments. Classy performances, respectful acceptance speeches, funny bits. Bravo to all.

So, what did you think? Let me know on Twitter @BWWMatt, and don't forget to subscribe to BroadwayWorld's pop culture podcast, Some Like It Pop (subscribe on iTunes here).

12:01am: Whoa! I did not see that one coming. I thought if THE REVENANT was going to get upset, that it would be by MAD MAX after all of the awards it picked up tonight. However, SPOTLIGHT is an incredibly powerful and deserving film, and I couldn't be happier to see Brian d'Arcy James on that stage!

11:55pm: WHAT? LEO WON? I AM ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED.

11:45pm: ROOM is a terribly jarring film, but it is incredibly well acted, and Brie Larson deserved this award more than any one has in a long time. And, to see how genuine her relationship is with Jacob Tremblay makes her even more of a likeable star.

That being said, Saoirse Ronan is a star! Like Michael B. Jordan, she will win plenty of awards during her career.

11:38pm: Like we expected, despite winning all of the technical awards, it looks like MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is going to get shut out of the major categories. I loved BIRDMAN, didn't love THE REVENANT, but there is no doubt that Iñárritu is an incredible director. I'm excited to see what he does next.

11:29pm: YES! YES! YES! Ali G is presenting an Academy Award Best Picture nominee. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, that might have been on it. And God bless Olivia Wilde for having to stand next to him during that speech and not crack up laughing.

11:28pm: Ok, and with that speech Sam Smith almost made up for his terrible performance earlier tonight.

11:27pm: Wait, seriously? The not Adele James Bond song won?

11:23pm: I think that THE HATEFUL EIGHT deserved many more awards than just Best Score, but to see Ennio Morricone so overcome by his first Oscar win is incredibly satisfying. And, if you told Quentin Tarantino before the movie was released that it could only win one Oscar, I guarantee this would have been the one that he picked. Congratulations Maestro!

11:14pm: Holy crap, are those all sexual assault survivors on stage during this Lady Gaga performance of "'Til it Happens to You?" I've got chills just watching that. What a performance, what a message. Man, the strength of the men and women on stage is unbelievable. This is just one way that the arts can make a difference in individuals' lives and society as a whole. No matter what you think of Gaga's more outrageous stunts, there is no doubt that she is an artist of unusual depth and character.

11:10pm: Vice President Joe Biden delivering a passionate plea for Americans to stand up against sexual assault. Bravo Mr. Vice President. Follow his advice and visit ItsOnUs.org. On a lighter note, Mr. Biden introduced Lady Gaga as his friend. Can you image what those two are like hanging out together?

11:05pm: And with the Short Film (Live Action) award, Jenn and I have officially tied in our predictions wager. We agreed on all of the remaining awards. Does that mean that we both win (and therefore don't have to watch the punishment show), or both lose (and do have to watch the shows)?

11:00pm: I'm sure I missed a few, but a number of artists with Broadway and theatre connections were honored in the very simple and classy In Memoriam. Godspeed Theodore Bikel, Maureen O'Hara, Omar Sharif, Dean Jones, Alan Rickman, David Bowie, and Leonard Nimoy.

10:55pm: Very classy speech by Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. I really hope that they are able to make real, substantive changes in how movies are made.

10:51pm: I'm glad that Chris Rock could tell the difference between Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.

10:50pm: $65, 243, damn that's a lot of cookies. But, if you freeze the Thin Mints, they will last forever, and they are even better.

10:34pm: I've only seen Mark Rylance on stage once; in JERUSALEM. I have absolutely zero idea what was going on in that play, but his performance was mesmerizing. And, because of that, it made the show one of the most exhilarating theatrical experiences I've ever had, even though I have no clue to this day what the heck happened.

10:32pm: And there is the first big upset of the night, three-time Tony winner Mark Rylance takes home his first Academy Award, and while he didn't pull out any bizarre poetry, that was a lovely speech.

10:29pm: PLEASE LET MARK RYLANCE WIN SO THAT HE CAN RECITE SOME BLANK VERSE POETRY!

10:17pm: If you listened to our Grammys episode of Some Like It Pop, you know that I know very little about modern popular music; case and point, I assumed that The Weeknd was a wannabe punk/pop band of white boys. Guess you learn something new every day!

10:12pm: Just like I said with Gosling presenting an award to THE BIG SHORT, I am a little suspicious of Woody and Buzz presenting to a Pixar film. I hope Price Waterhouse Cooper releases a statement after the ceremony to confirm that there was no action figure funny business!

10:06pm: "Ellen, I see your pizza delivery, and I raise you Girl Scout Cookies." Chris Rock

10:00pm: A little corporate synergy having C3P0, R2D2, and BB-8 appear on ABC's Oscars followed by a STAR WARS Chryon. I have a feeling that wouldn't have happened if the Academy Awards were on NBC.

9:57pm: If I was going to jinx it and ruin my perfect streak, I couldn't be happier that EX MACHINA was the movie to do it. A fantastic movie that didn't get the awards recognition that it deserved.

9:52pm: I don't want to jinx it, but I am pulling a Mary Poppins so far on my predictions. #PracticallyPerfect

9:49pm: The dialogue was really random on the screenplay awards, but I'm actually digging this category specific intro packages. I wish the Tonys would come up with a way to properly recognize all of the amazing artists that make major contributions to Broadway shows that we never see on stage.

9:42pm: Hahaha, the Black History Month Minute! Who knew that the "Black" was short for Jack Black? Do you remember him as a young Republican in BOB ROBERTS?

9:41pm: Wow, that's a lot of technical awards for MAD MAX. Do you think that means that it's going to win any of the big ones? I can't see it, but good for the technicians who made a beautiful film.

9:36pm: While I didn't think that Michael B. Jordan deserved an Oscar nomination this year, he did deserve one last year for FRUITVALE STATION. He is undoubtedly one of Hollywood's best young actors, and as long as studios keep allowing young black men to have leading roles, he will have a shelfful of awards when all is said and done.

9:30pm: One hour in, and this has been a pretty darn good Oscars so far! What do you think? Chris Rock has been fantastic, the presentations have actually been enjoyable, and the speeches have been classy. Good on your Hollywood! Let me know on Twitter @BWWMatt.

9:24pm: Now I really want another Steve Carrell and Tina Fey movie!

9:20pm: And with the Costume Oscar, I have taken the early lead in my head-to-head prediction wager with my Some Like It Pop co-host Jennifer McHugh.

9:13pm: I love seeing first-time winners become overwhelmed when their name is announced. It shows just how human they are and that they are as passionate about their work as we hope that they are. Bravo Ms. Vikander!

9:09pm: J.K. Simmons will always be my favorite. He's a Buckeye after all! O-H!

9:08pm: How has Kerry Washington not played a superhero yet? Well, I mean, other than Olivia Pope. Seriously Marvel, get on it!

9:03pm: Unlike Sarah Silverman, I did see SPECTRE (no really, here's my review), but the song sounded much better in the film than it did live at the Oscars? I think Sam Smith is really talented, but that bizarrely not good. Holy flatness, Batman!

9:01pm: HOLY CRAP! I did not expect Stacey Dash to ACTUALLY show up. Did you hear that complete lack of applause for her craziness?

8:59pm: Oh, this black actors in nominated movies is AMAZING! And Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig doing a new bit! Awesome.

8:52pm: I'm not suggesting any funny business, but having Ryan Gosling read an award that a movie he narrated won... Maybe he's not as dumb as the banter lead us to believe.

8:50pm: Well done Ryan and Russell. It's crazy how many professional actors struggle at awards show banter. That was actually funny.

8:49pm: SPOTLIGHT is not the flashiest, or even the most emotional film of the year, but it might be the most important and most powerful. Journalism has never been more important than it is today.

8:44pm: Oh hey, it's Mary Poppins Part 2! Emily Blunt and Charlize Therone are presenting Best Original Screenplay.

8:43pm: Oh no, that Ray Charles joke...

8:41pm: No one could have handled #OscarsSoWhite with as much intelligence and humor as Chris Rock.

8:38pm: Can we have Chris Rock host the Tonys sometime? He has been on Broadway, it makes sense.

8:35pm: "Porno stars don't make movies that fast!" Rock has a point Kevin Hart!

8:34pm: Things about to get real! Chris Rock's on stage!

8:33pm: It's interesting that their opening montage featured a lot of movies aren't actually nominated for anything.

8:28pm: Well, it's time folks. thank you SOOO much to the incredible Patti Murin for the wonderful lead-in. She is the absolute best, so go see her in NERDS starting April 1st!