HOLLYWOOD

The Revamped Oscars

Organizers dish on new format.

After weeks of speculation, Oscar campaigns, critical praise for breakout movies, backlash against said breakout movies, then backlash against the backlash, Hollywood's finest gather tonight for the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. According to the event's organizers, the show will feature a variety of changes from its recent format, mostly music-related, including a medley of best original song performers rather than complete individual performances, a more prominent role for the orchestra, and an elaborate song and dance number from host Hugh Jackman. Famed Oscar writer Bruce Vilanch gave a lukewarm seal of approval to the moves to the Associated Press: "When [the producers] told me what they were going to do, I said, 'Look, if it works, you're geniuses, and if it doesn't, you're the putzes who sank the show."