Posts Tagged ‘Angelina Jolie’

On picturesque West London shopping street, tucked neatly between Kensington High Street and the now famous Notting Hill is Manguette, a not so well-kept secret. Opened over 30 years ago by Belgian designer Michelle Manguette, this independent jewelry boutique is unique in its attention to detail, compilation and presentation of jewellery. As well as making a new collection each season in her ‘petit atelier’ in the back of the shop, Michelle travels the world keen to find new and interesting designers and the right stones for her exclusive creations.

For years Michelle was too timid to admit it was her who had made these beautiful combinations of semi precious stone, gold beads, pearls and amber. Even as they were selling out and people were begging for the name of the designer so they could order more she was too shy to say it was she! Over the years her collections have grown to include earrings and bracelets. Michelle is also curator, hand-picking an eclectic mix of young and established designers to show their work in her shop.

I am clearly not alone in thinking that this gem of a store, full of charm and most of all beautiful jewelled treasures deserves to be recognized. Not only is it a favorite of journalists, stylists, mothers, daughters, power women and very good (read well trained) husbands and boyfriends, I have spotted royalty (complete with lady in waiting) and many a well heeled celebrity (both Tamara Mellon and Lulu love to pile on the Phillipe Audibert cuffs) exchanging their gold coins for golden treasures but Manguette has recently been nominated for the Telegragh Magazine Best Small Shop in Britain Awards. You can vote for Manguette, 40 Gordon Place, in the women’s fashion category here.

Manguette was one of the first to be seduced by the distinctive style of Turkish award winning designer Gurhan. His work is favored by a host of A-list names including Angelina Jolie (above) Jennifer Lopez and Queen Rania of Jordan who has been photographed wearing several different gold designs. Always championing his exclusive designs, Manguette is delighted that Gurhan has recently launched a new line combining white silver, and oxidized dark silver with small amounts of gold. The collection is far more affordable but no less beautiful made using the same skilled craftsmanship.

Manguette is holding an event to celebrate the launch of Gurhan’s Silver collection this comingThanksgiving, on November 24 from 4pm to 8pm. Guests will receive 10% off Gurhan Gold, Silver and all other designers in store all day.

Manguette is the exclusive UK retailer of a few high profile American designers including Margo Morrison and Steven Vaubel, Brooklyn based founder of Vaubel Designs. MARGO MORRISON NEW YORK jewelry not only appeals to women of all ages, it appeals to celebrities of all ages as well! Blake Lively (below), Debra Messing, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sharon Stone, Brooke Shields, Karen Allen and Blythe Danner are all part of Margo Morrison’s growing celebrity clientele, wearing her jewelry on camera and off.

I definitely recommend a visit to Manguette if you find yourself in London Town.  There you will find an exceptional blend of jewelry for all budgets from the romantic mélange of semi-precious stones and 22kt gold in earrings by Adeline, the prolific Parisienne designer to gold or silver plates hoops by Italian designer Anticoa. Coralia Leets’ ‘mother and daughter’ pendant below would make a great gift for any woman this holiday.

If you cannot get to the shop, Manguette also does mail order and the girls in the shop have started doing what they call “Manguette Monday”. They choose an item of jewelry to post on the blog each Monday and for that M.M. day all orders will be processed FREE of postage and packing INTERNATIONALLY! Perfect if you can’t get down to the store personally! I also discovered that the Facebook account has more updated photos than the website and for a peek into the constantly evolving treasure box check out Manguette’s naughty little sister blog miss manguette and @missmanguette on twitter.

Please come back soon for more ‘International Specials’ from me, Coralie Rose, your Positively Celebrity London girl! Don’t forget to follow my pleasure hunt @tropical_rose on twitter.

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With the recent announcement by Apple that Verizon will start carrying the iPhone in February, a large chunk of the population will be privy to the amazing little smartphone that has taken the world by storm. From its high resolution screen to its easy to use interface, the iPhone is a do-it-all wonder perfect for work or play (or both!).

The best feature of the iPhone though has to be the many applications that are available to users through Apple’s App Store. These applications are what makes the iPhone not just a phone, but rather a lightning fast computer in the palm of your hand that just happens to be able to make phone calls. Here at Positively Celebrity we love the iPhone, so check out our 10 best apps below, which are ranked in order from must have to really, really must have!

#10: Twitter – being able to tweet and see what your favorite celebrity is tweeting, all while you’re on the go makes this app a total necessity! Our personal favorites here at Positively Celebrity are Kim Kardashian (kimkardashian), Adam Lambert (adamlambert), Britney Spears (britneyspears) and Ashton Kutcher (aplusk).

#9: Alarm Clock Pro – one of the only drawbacks to the iPhone is that you can’t set your alarm to wake you up to your favorite song; well, not only does Alarm Clock Pro fix this, but it also has a positively gorgeous interface. No more waking up to a ringing bell for me!  From now on, it’s nothing but Ke$ha serenading me with “Tik Tok.”

#8: Netflix – Netflix came along a few years back and revolutionized the way we rent DVDs. There was no more standing around at Blockbuster, hoping the movie we want to see is still in stock; the DVDs we want to see were mailed out to us in bright red envelopes, waiting for us in our mailboxes after a long day at work. I don’t have to explain more – you guys know what I’m talking about! Last year, Netflix released an app for users that allows them to stream all available video directly to their iPhones! A must have for anyone who loves movies and/or television — how else can you say that you have the world’s favorite serial killer Dexter in your pocket?

#7: Downcast – Podcasts have totally changed entertainment as we know it. People from Adam Carolla to Suze Orman and Joel Osteen all have podcasts that are hilarious, informative and more. Downcast is the best way to organize and play your podcasts, with the app automatically downloading your podcasts via WiFi, 3G or Edge as they are released. Handy skip forward or backwards buttons are only icing on the cake!

#6: Yelp – Have you ever found yourself wondering if that trendy little restaurant or bar was really worth their high prices? Or if that spa has massages worth your time? Well Yelp is just for you! This app is chock full of information, with reviews on everything from clubs to jewelry shops to automotive services!

#5: Fandango – It’s Friday night and you’re on your way from dinner to see a movie with your special someone. You know the queue in front of the theater is going to be packed with people just waiting to see the new Angelina Jolie or Johnny Depp movie (or the one with them both). With a quick touch of your iPhone, you can order your movie tickets on the way over to the theater, and simply walk up to the automated machines with your confirmation code in hand and your tickets will pop right out! Fandango also lets you purchase tickets before the movie is even released, making sure that you aren’t stuck missing out on the big premiere.

#4: Skype – When I heard that Apple was going to start to allow Skype to be used on the iPhone, I didn’t believe it. Skype is an amazing program that allows for free calling over the internet, including video chat, and it is an absolute godsend to world travelers such as the grouchy Anthony Bourdain and the gorgeous Samantha Brown, helping to keep them in touch with those at home. The Skype app lets you utilize all the features of the program right on your iPhone!

My favorite feature is the unlimited nationwide calling (just a few dollars a month through Skype), which allows me to chat away via the app without having to worry about going over my minutes! Plus in areas with no service but with wifi (like my house which is nestled in the hills), using Skype allows me to talk to friends and family without the worry of a dropped call!

#3: MyFitnessPal – This amazing free app is a must have for anyone and everyone! With an integrated calorie counter (just search for your food and the nutritional information is right there!), weight tracker, workout planner and more, MyFitnessPal is one of the best apps available today!

#2: Hipstamatic/Adope Photoshop Express – Though these are two separate apps, I am listing them together because they work so amazingly well as a pair. Hipstamatic is a camera program that allows you to take photos that appear to have been shot using old style cameras, and with special filters that can make an ordinary shot of a street sign look like vintage photographic art! With this app I never use the standard iPhone camera app anymore (though it is excellent); Hipstamatic lets me channel my inner Ansel Adams (and at times, my inner paparazzo)!

Adobe Photoshop Express is the yin to my Hipstamatic yang, as the app allows me to quickly edit any photo I take and crop, adjust levels and a whole lot more. It also allows me to upload my edited photo directly to multiple social networking sites, including Facebook.

#1: Pandora – This app is the best music program I have ever seen. Using advanced logarithms, Pandora is radio at it’s best, using the songs you have said you like to provide a mix of similar music for all your listening pleasure. Free, easy to use, amazingly accurate and incredibly clear, Pandora has effectively rendered my radio obsolete! From the gym to the beach to the subway, Pandora keeps my feet tapping and my soul aglow with the rich sounds of The Beatles, indie star Lissie, OneRepublic and Interpol! A definite must, must, MUST have for every iPhone user!

Honorable Mentions:

iPogs! - Remember back in the 1990s when pogs were all the rage? This app by Oxygen Entertainment helps to bring back all the nostalgia of the little cardboard circles that could be found in lockers, back pockets and back packs throughout the country, and before you know it you will be hooked all over again.

HeyTell - This handy app allows you to send short voice messages to other users anywhere in the world. A great alternative to text messaging, HeyTell is very easy to use and can save you some money on your wireless bill.

Angry Birds - this app has taken the world by storm, consistently ranking as one of the top free apps and paid apps since it emerged on the marketplace. It is popular for a reason: it’s fun and addictive!

Positively Celebrity - yep, you heard it here first! Positively Celebrity is getting an iPhone app, launching in mid-March.  The app will feature not only celebrity news just like our website, but will also have daily vlogs that give tips and tricks on make-up techniques, fashion ideas, diets (that really work), red carpet intervews and more.

Be sure to check back for more great stories from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity! See you on FaceTime!

It seems as if every week, a new story on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is being told on tabloids and being reported on television. From the pair splitting, to adopting new children to jet-setting all over the world to fight for causes, news on the couple comes hard and fast, from the most salacious to the most mundane.

One story that seems to have slipped under the radar though, is perhaps the most incredible of all: Brad Pitt’s work with helping rebuild New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina touched down on the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005. Ultimately it would be one of the most devastating hurricanes of all time, leaving a death toll of nearly 2,000 and causing roughly $80 billion worth of property damage.

Over 80% of New Orleans and the surrounding regions were ultimately flooded by Katrina, with the Lower Ninth Ward (one of the poorest areas of the city, and the largest of the wards) being one of the hardest hit. Over 4,000 homes in the Lower Ninth alone were demolished by the storm, displacing countless families.

In 2007, Brad Pitt was touring New Orleans when he was shown the Lower Ninth Ward. Shocked by the lack of repairs and rebuilding of homes a full two years after Katrina, the actor decided to take things into his own hands to help the people of the devastated region.

With advice from former President Bill Clinton and with backing by the local government, Pitt established the Make It Right Foundation, an organization dedicated to rebuilding the homes of the Lower Ninth Ward and helping bring residents back to the area.

The Make It Right Foundation has been an absolute godsend to the people of the Lower Ninth Ward. Since it’s inception in 2007, Make It Right has built over 50 homes in the area, and has pledged to build at least another 100 more.

The homes that Pitt’s foundation have built are not just utilitarian in their design, but incorporate the ideas of some of the best and brightest in architecture today. As a result, the Lower Ninth, used to simple “shotgun” style homes as seen before Katrina, is now dotted with modern, green housing that is stylish, affordable and eco-friendly (some of the features in Pitt’s homes include rainwater collection systems, geothermal wells and solar panels).

Pitt himself is extremely proud of the fact that his housing has been able to give people a home that is good for them, and the environment. “ the most high-performing clean neighborhood in the world, according to the Green Building council,” he said.

Pitt isn’t just raising money for the area, he also has moved with his family to NOLA (as the locals call the city), and absolutely loves it. “In New Orleans, the people are great,” the actor recently told the Times-Picayune. “We can just live and breathe and ride bikes. We can take our kids on bike rides, and local people just give us a shout out—and let us move on. It’s very free for us in New Orleans, very nice for us. It’s like Venice or Rome; an essential world city. So we feel honored to be involved with the community. Everybody treats us like neighbors.”

In total, the Make It Right Foundation has astoundingly raised over $40 million (including $5 million of Pitt’s own money) to help rebuild and repopulate the Lower Ninth Ward. It is clear that the organization is doing all they can to ensure that their mission statement, which states “our primary goal is to provide high-quality, energy-efficient housing to families in need, and to improve the development of communities in which they live,” is being followed.

Slowly but surely, the locals are returning to the Lower Ninth, and are happily trying to regain a normal semblance of life as they had it before the levees broke. “It’s a dream come true, seeing all this come back,” Kermit Ruffins, the famous New Orleans local singer and trumpet player, says of the rebuilding. “To see people back home, enjoying the neighborhood again. It’s a beautiful thing.”

All of us here at Positively Celebrity are extremely proud of Mr. Pitt and all that he has done for NOLA, and are looking forward to seeing the Lower Ninth being rebuilt bigger, better and greener than ever! For more information on the Make It Right Foundation, and to donate to the organization’s cause please visit www.makeitrightNOLA.org

Be sure to check back for more great inspirational stories from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Ever wonder how stars like Jessica Alba, Blake Lively, Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron always manage to look so gorgeous on and off the red carpet? Natural beauty, boatloads of money, and a professional make-up artist on constant call are all things that might come to mind.

But now you too can look and feel just like a celebrity, and it all starts with your makeup mirror! Introducing OttLite’s newest line of adorable and affordable natural day light makeup mirrors (did I mention adorable?!)

Their secret?  A precise blend of OttLite illumination that presents your colors as true and vibrant, along with incredible detail so you can achieve that fresh, beautiful look every time.

According to professional Make-Up Artist Tracey Berg, “As a Make-Up artist, the right lighting makes all the difference.  The OttLite Makeup Mirror is the only mirror that provides the best indoor light possible to attain a beautiful, world class look.” So now you can finally get that Cameron Diaz glow you always wanted!

With a perfect reflection that defies age, gravity and imperfections and turns them into flawless beauty, this makeup mirror also provides just the right magnification so you can see – and cover – anything you might see as less-than-perfect. That means no more surprises when you venture outside! Young ladies, beauticians, celebrities, makeup artists, and sophisticated women are all flocking to this product to get that expert touch.

Not only are these mirrors extremely functional, but they’re fun too!  With several stylish designs to choose from, they’ll be sure to fit any fashionista’s taste — and budget.  Check out some of their delicious designs below!

“I am so proud of our makeup mirrors as they are fun, flirty and stylish for young ladies that are beginning to apply makeup, to sophisticated women who are wanting a sleek and functional mirror for all of their beauty regime needs,” said Ottlite’s Beauty Brand Manager Christina DiGiacomo. “It truly is perfect for anyone wanting to look their best and be beautiful.”

Speaking of perfect…the OttLite Natural Day Light Makeup Mirror will make a great Holiday gift for a best friend, sister or mom.  Once you see these mirrors though, you’ll have to treat yourself too — they are just to cool to pass up!  You can purchase them online at Target, starting today!  Just hurry to put in your order, because these beauties will definitely sell out fast!

With OttLite, you can finally apply your makeup under natural lighting, blend foundation, eye shadows and blush with ease, see true skins tones and hair color, match clothing and accessories perfectly, as well as tweeze with ease!  When you illuminate your life with OttLite, just imagine all the things you can see and enjoy. Check out OttLite.com for more information.

Happy Shopping, ladies!

A bevy of Hollywood A-listers like Samuel L. Jackson, Angelina Jolie, Harrison Ford, Blake Lively, Liv Tyler, Natalie Portman and Tina Fey attended this year’s annual Comic Con International convention in San Diego July 22-25.

Stars spiced up the red carpet for the premiere of Angelina Jolie’s new film “Salt” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on July 19.

Comic-Con 2010 is in full swing, and not only is the San Diego Convention Center full of the freakiest and geekiest comic book fans, but some of Hollywood’s hottest A-listers have joined the hoopla.

Fans waited in anticipation to see if Brangelina would show up to support their new movies. Brad Pitt lends his voice, along with Will Ferrell and Tina Fey for the new animated movie, Megamind, and Angelina Jolie is pimpin’ her spy-action thriller in theaters now, Salt. While Brad only showed up in the form of a cardboard cutout – yes, you read that correctly – Angelina actually showed up…in person!!

Fans went crazy as Angie walked the press line and told her fans how she was “scarred” by Salt. The actress recounted an on-set injury as the result of doing her own stunts. Jolie was tumbling into a doorway with a gun, when she sliced open a part of her face just above her nose. Angie said at first she thought she had suffered a concussion because she couldn’t hear anything, but she later realized she was wearing earplugs!

Some other stars representing at Comic-Con are Seth Rogen for The Green Hornet, Sylvester Stallone for The Expendables, Bruce Willis for Red, and Anna Kendrick for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World…just to name a few…

Comic-Con and all its craziness will continue through Sunday.

The newly awarded Oscar statuettes have found homes on mantels and bookshelves, the gorgeous gowns and jewelry have been returned, and our favorite movie stars have all gone back to work. But don’t fret. There’ll be plenty more movies with “Slumdog Millionaire” stars, Mickey Rourke, and Anne Hathaway. Plus, even one more from Heath Ledger.

So what’s next for the winners and nominees? Here’s a Positively sneak peek: 

The once obscure stars from Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire” are now household names and aren’t going anywhere. Dev Patel takes over Jesse McCartney’s role in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender” based on the popular Nickelodeon kids’ show.

His onscreen love, Freida Pinto, wins her version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” by co-starring in Woody Allen’s next untitled project alongside “Milk’s” Oscar nominee Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts.

Best Director of “Slumdog Millionaire” Danny Boyle has no upcoming projects, but he did tell Variety that he’s thinking of making a movie from a girl’s perspective after all the guys’ movies he’s done. He also may return to his “28 Days Later” horror movie series.

Best Actor Winner Sean Penn just finished “The Tree of Life” alongside fellow Best Actor nominee Brad Pitt. Penn is also in talks to play Valerie Plame’s husband in the biopic about the outed CIA agent.

Best Actress Kate Winslet has not announced any upcoming projects. When we do see her again, however, leave it to the proclaimed “Actress of our Generation” to come back strong.

Best Supporting Actor winner Heath Ledger still has one more movie credit despite his death in January of 2008. His role in “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” will be completed by Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell who will each play his character as he passes into different worlds.

Best Supporting Actress winner Penelope Cruz will star with past Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren in the musical “Nine” directed by Rob Marshall.

As for our other favorite nominees…  

Best Actor nominees: Richard Jenkins will star in the adaptation of Nicolas Spark’s “Dear John” novel… Frank Langella co-stars with James Marsden and Cameron Diaz in the horror film “The Box”… Brad Pitt goes from fable to war starring in Quentin Taratino’s WWII movie “Inglorious Bastards” … Mickey Rourke’s comeback wasn’t just a fluke. He’s here to stay starring in “The Informers” with Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton, which is scheduled to be released in April. He’s also currently filming “13,” and he is in talks to play a Russian bad guy in the “Iron Man” sequel.

Best Actress nominees: Anne Hathaway will play the White Queen in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” adaptation… Angelina Jolie is preparing for her upcoming role as Catherine the Great… Melissa Leo is co-staring with Hilary Duff in “Greta” and with Sarah Michelle Gellar in “Veronika Decides to Die”… Meryl Streep will once again reunite with her “Doubt” co-star and fellow nominee Amy Adams in “Julie and Julia,” a movie about chef Julia Child and the wannabe who recreates her recipes.

Best Supporting Actor nominees: Besides that Woody Allen movie with Pinto, Josh Brolin will also star in the comic-book movie “Jonah Hex”… Before the much anticipated “Iron Man” sequel, Robert Downey  Jr. stars with Jamie Foxx in this spring’s “The Soloist” and then as Sherlock Holmes this fall in Guy Ritchie’s movie about the classic detective… Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s voice stars in the animated “Mary and Max,” and you can see him – and his “crazy” hair, which is reportedly to blame for the ski cap he wore to the Oscars – in “Jack Goes Boating,” which he’s also directing…

Rourke’s not the only nominee in “13”; Michael Shannon will be appearing in it as well.

Best Supporting Actress nominees: Before Amy Adams pairs with Streep in “Julie and Julia,” she’ll play Amelia Earhart in “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” this May…

You can currently see Viola Davis in Tyler Perry’s “Madea Goes to Jail,” and she’ll also soon be seen in “State of Play” alongside Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams… Taraji P. Henson will co-star with former Oscar winner Forest Whitaker in “Hurricane Season,” a movie about the ramifications of Hurricane Katrina on a basketball team… Marisa Tomei will trade the heaviness of “The Wrestler” with the silly as-yet-untitled comedy with Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly about a single mother whose son doesn’t like the new guy she’s dating.

Best surprise: With song/dance man Hugh Jackman as host, surprise presenters, and funny gag bits, the Oscar’s was one of the most entertaining it’s been in a long time. (Ratings were even up 6 percent from last year’s telecast.)

Worst surprise: Chances are you won your office pool because just about no surprise winners threw off our ballots. “Slumdog Millionaire” cleaned up winning 8 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay as predicted, and Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger, and Penélope Cruz won as expected. The biggest upset was Sean Penn winning Best Actor over Mickey Rourke, but really we all knew it was between the two anyway.

Worst use of presenting the Best Pictures:  Up until the last ten minutes of the show, you wouldn’t even know which films were nominated for Best Picture, and isn’t this what the night was really all about? Instead of showcasing clips throughout the night like usual, the clips were only shown right before the award was handed out. Even worse, they were intermingled with previous films that have similar themes making the clips confusing and taking attention away from the nominees.

Best presentation of movies: The montages of film genres recapping the best of 2008 were done so in great pop culture fashion. Coldplay’s “Lovers in Japan” played to the great romance flicks, Wall-E the adorable robot found a tape of the best animation movies, and the hilarious James Franco and Seth Rogen reprised their “Pineapple Express” roles as they watched DVDs of the funniest comedies.

Worst use of presenting the Best Songs: The song nominees, which are usually played in their entirety throughout the night, also weren’t given their full due. The two “Slumdog Millionaire” songs and “Wall-E” song were shortened and played one after the other. We all knew “Jai Ho” was going to win, but “Wall-E” should have been given it’s own set piece rather than making John Legend sing with “Slumdog’s” Indian back-up dancers and drummers.

Best use of presenting awards: Rather than randomly presenting awards, the telecast walked the audience through the making of a movie starting with the screenwriting process to art direction to editing. Stars associated with the category was also a nice touch like action hero Will Smith presenting Best Visual Effects and Sound Mixing and “Religious” filmmaker Bill Maher presenting Best Documentary.

Best presenters: Steve Martin and Tina Fey presented the screenplay awards humorously (“Don’t fall in love with me” Martin stoically told a googly eyed Fey) and controversially (poking fun at Hollywood-favorite Scientology). And don’t forget about Ben Stiller who delivered a dead-on impression of Joaquin Phoenix’s bizarre appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman” while presenting with Natalie Portman. It would have been even funnier though if it wasn’t just parodied at the previous night’s Independent Spirit Awards.

Best use of presenters: Keeping most of the identities of the presenters top-secret beforehand made for a more exciting show because you never knew who was going to come out next. Hello Will Smith, hello Reese Witherspoon!

Worst use of presenters: While it was fun seeing past winners like Nicole Kidman, Robert De Niro, and Christopher Walken, presenting the nominees, it came off too self-congratulatory. Instead of comments like “You really nailed it” and Marion Cotillard clasping her hands together cooing “Thank you” to Winslet, let’s see some clips instead. Most viewers at home haven’t seen all the movies, so it’d be more interesting to see the performances for which they’re nominated. 

Best acceptance speech: Instead of the director or co-stars accepting on his behalf, the acceptance of Heath Ledger’s Oscar by his family was much more touching. “Tonight we are choosing to be happy and celebrate what he has achieved,” his mother, Sally Bell, said.

Funniest acceptance speeches: Where to begin? First there’s Phillipe Petit, the subject of the documentary, “Man on Wire,” who not only balanced the Oscar on his chin, he also made a coin disappear.  Then the Japanese director of the Best Animated Short, “Kunio Kato thanked Mr. Roboto.” Finally, Best Director, Danny Boyle, bounced up and down in homage of Tigger for his children.  

Worst camera shots: Awkward alert… Not only did Jennifer Aniston have to present an award mere feet away from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the camera cut away to Brangelina twice! At least Jolie and Pitt made nice and weren’t giving dirty looks.

Best use of teeny boppers: While baby faced stars like Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Robert Pattinson, and Amanda Seyfried presented and performed on stage to most likely draw in the younger audience, their presence was downplayed and didn’t make the Oscars feel like the Teen Choice Awards.

Best secret talent: Anne Hathaway showed off her really good voice in her pretend-impromptu song and dance number with Jackman. Look out Beyoncé. Maybe you won’t be needed next year.

Here are the winners of the major categories:

Best Picture: “Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Actor: Sean Penn, “Milk”

Best Actress: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Oscar night is fast approaching – this Sunday – to be exact. Will it be a victory for “Slumdog” or “Benjamin Button?” Which tough guy will win: Mickey or Sean? Which of our best actresses of today is it going to be: Kate or Meryl?

If you don’t have your scorecards filled out yet, here’s Positively Celebrity’s guide to help you out because we’re predicting who’s going to walk away a winner and who we think should really be one.

Best Picture

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Milk”

“The Reader”

“Slumdog Millionaire”

Should and will win: With its nearly unstoppable wins at the Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA and guild awards, look for “Slumdog Millionaire” to take home the biggest prize come Oscar night and deservedly so. This vibrant, inspirational, romantic, and energetic film will leave you feeling like a millionaire long after you leave the theater.

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”

Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn, “Milk”

Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Should Win:  Langella has already won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Richard Nixon, and he deserves an Oscar too. He pulls off the enormous task of encapsulating the former president’s mannerisms and voice without coming off as a caricature. Just as challenging, he also makes the audience feel empathy for a man who went down in history cast off as a crook.

Will Win: This is close. It very well could be Penn, but I’ll give the edge to Rourke. Academy members love a comeback story and both Rourke and his character are the comeback kids of the year. He also showed us he’s got what it takes physically and emotionally by playing an emotionally complex wrestler with a heart.

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”

Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”

Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”

Meryl Streep, “Doubt”

Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Should and will win: Winslet for her intricate, dark turn as a tram conductor-turned-Nazi prison guard. She gave heart and emotion to a remorseless woman who was involved in Nazi war crimes and seduced a teenager. It doesn’t hurt either that she’s been racking up awards left and right this season, has five previous Oscar nominations, and stars in a film with the Academy-favorite topic of the Holocaust.

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, “Milk”

Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”

Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”

Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”

Should and will win: Ledger for his dynamic, groundbreaking, and humorously creepy performance as the Joker. He stole the show from Batman by keeping our eyes glued to him whenever his chaos-loving sociopath came on screen. Unlike Jack Nicholson’s previous mediocre Joker, Ledger, with his smeared clown make-up, truly made for one darkly twisted clown.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, “Doubt”

Penélope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Viola Davis, “Doubt”

Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”

Should win: Even though she was only in two scenes, Davis managed to bring a whole movie’s worth of character backstory, emotions, and desires into those few precious moments on screen. Plus, she more than held her own against heavyweight Meryl Streep, which is alone no easy task.

Will win: Now with Winslet out of the running (the Academy chose to nominate her in the leading category instead), Cruz will most likely win for her domineering, vivacious turn as an emotionally unstable, eccentric ex-wife. She also won a BAFTA Award last week, which is a good sign she might win at the Oscars.

Best Director

Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”

David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”

Gus Van Sant, “Milk”

Should and will win: Boyle for delivering the beautifully crafted “Slumdog Millionaire.” He delivered intricate chase scenes, oversaw soaring camera shots over Mumbai, and brought out emotional performances from his young – and even younger, untrained – actors.