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Issue date: 3/11/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Ben Stiller came to the Academy Awards as an avatar, although "Avatar" didn't win Best Picture award as expected

Sunday marked the 82nd Academy Awards. The ceremony opened with Neil Patrick Harris's rousing musical number. Then co-hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin took the stage. Oscar host alum Martin and new-timer Baldwin were successful in bringing the laughs.

One major change in this year's show was the expansion of the Best Picture category from five shows to ten. Decades before, the category had included ten nominees and then was reduced to five. The decision to once again have more films nominated came in order to include films that ordinarily would not be chosen; such as comedies or animation films. This change seemed to do little to the actual show except that ten shows were introduced for the category throughout the ceremony instead of five.

Another difference was introduction of the category of Original Score was introduced with music from each nominated film being played as a choreographed dance routine took place on stage. The dancing itself was visually stimulating but at times the it did not match up well with the music being played and it made for an odd performance overall.

For the first time in the history of the Oscars a woman won the statue for Best Director. Kathryn Bigelow won for The Hurt Locker, the film that also took Best Picture. Bigelow also directed the films The Weight of Water and K-19: The Widowmaker.

Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for her work in The Blind Side. This was Bullock's first win and first nomination at The Academy Awards. Her acceptance speech was full of gratitude as she shared her newly-won Oscar with the other women in her category (Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe and Meryl Streep) and made light-hearted jokes before succumbing to tears.

This year's blockbuster Avatar did take home some coveted trophies, though Best Director and Best Picture were not among the movie's wins. The movie won for Art Direction, Visual Effects and Cinematography. James Cameron's latest flick seemed to be in the middle of every joke, including when Ben Stiller came onstage dressed and made up as one of the N'avi (with long braids and a tail).

All in all the ceremony went off seemingly without a hitch; the speeches were kept short and there were no terribly embarrassing mishaps. The ceremony seems to be going in the direction of a more serious show incorporating more music and dance instead of the Oscars of old with comedic genius Billy Crystal. Every season brings new movies and new changes to the Oscars and I cannot wait to see what the 83rd Academy Awards have in store.

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