TCM Delivers 31 Days of Oscar

The 80th annual Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, February 24 on ABC. Here at the Film.com stratospheric flying platform, we're already planning the Oscar party. That means making sure everyone's pizza order arrives (this year, not confusing the vegan-soy-cheese-veggie and the triple-meat Porkopalooza) and stocking up the single-malt Bowmore Islay for the inevitable drinking games (a close-up of Jack Nicholson grinning in the front row, drink; host Jon Stewart makes a joke about pregnancy-themed comedies, two drinks...). The anticipation here is thicker than George Clooney's charisma.

To tide us over until then, Turner Classic Movies is broadcasting their 14th annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival, showing more than 350 Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated movies, all uncut and commercial-free. (Video spot, TCM site schedule, printable schedule PDF.)

From now through March 2, this year's prime-time programming arranges the movies by decade, with Mondays showcasing the 1920s and '30s, Tuesdays the '40s, Wednesday the '50s, and so on through Sundays with the '90s and '00s. Included in the lineup are more than 35 titles making their first appearance on TCM. Among them are the first winner of the Best Picture award, 1927's Wings, as well as cultural touchstones (Easy Rider on Feb. 7, Apocalypse Now on Feb. 8) and box-office blockbusters such as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Feb. 10; Steel Magnolias, Feb. 16; and Maverick, March 2. One of the most nominated of all films, All About Eve, is slated to make its debut on TCM March 1.

In addition, the daytime schedule features themed collections of movies, such as adventure films, comedies, science fiction, coming-of-age movies, mysteries, musicals, John Wayne films, war movies, epics, and Alfred Hitchcock classics.

Avuncular film critic, author and Oscar authority Robert Osborne hosts the month-long festival. Plus, the TCM website includes an article on just about every film, with a video clip, award info, the film's poster and archival materials when available.

So set your TiVos or take some "sick days" off work to catch 80 years worth of great movies. In the meantime, we'll be practicing for the big night (Tim Burton looks like he just rolled out of bed, drink).

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