After a blustery few days of torrential downpours, Hollywood appears ready for smooth sailing at the Academy Awards. But things got off to a soggy start on Sunday morning when a residual shower dampening portions of the red carpet that had been uncovered in anticipation of clearing skies.
The 86th annual Oscars will begin with late-afternoon arrivals at the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard before the three and a half-hour ceremony begins at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Unlike the stormy hosting of Seth MacFarlane last year, this Oscar show with host Ellen DeGeneres has a deliberately safe vibe of cheery song-and-dance.
The nimble and amiable DeGeneres is expected to return the broadcast to more traditional territory. Many of the night's biggest categories, too, seem to hold little chance for surprise.
The well-established favorites include Matthew McConaughey, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong'o and Jared Leto. Each comes into Oscar Sunday having won a parade of awards over the last few months, including honors at Saturday's Spirit Awards.
The night's biggest question mark won't come until the very end. The historical drama "12 Years a Slave," the 3-D space spectacle "Gravity" and the con-artist caper "American Hustle" are vying for best picture in the night's closest contest.
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