What’s New About the Oscars This Year? Moms.

The Hollywood Reporter’s report on the inevitable “improvements” to the Oscar ceremonies is mostly pretty mundane.  Except where it’s delightfully intriguing.

For example, it’s going to take place in virtual reality.

The producers abandoned the idea of a traditional set altogether to enter a world of virtual reality via a series of “projections” designed to give the show a constantly-changing look. The virtual end goal is for Franco and Hathaway to take viewers on a trip through Hollywood history with six or seven scenic transitions.

Sounds familiar, but I’m guessing they’ll strive not to put anyone in the hospital.  Here’s hoping they go full George Lucas on the whole thing, and James Franco is actually replace by an uncomfortably ethnic alien.

But right.  Moms.

Producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer told THR that they’ve arranged with the mothers (and one grandmother) of ten nominees to live tweet the Oscars.  So, that’s going to be awesome.  We can’t decided which would be better: if the tweets were all super saccharine and embarrassing things about their childhoods, or if the, er, “mominees” became verbally abusive in the best mothery way when their kids don’t win.  Then again, they could all have ghost tweeters and we’ll be treated to plenty of adservicey hashtags and retweets.

Seriously, though.  The movie industry’s yearly blowout of self-congratulation and retro glamor is coming up.  And as soon as it’s over, we’ll update some Wikipedia articles and then forget all about the details.

(via Best Week Ever.)