Oscar Fun Online

The Oscars are ramping up their online presence this year in an attempt to attract more viewers. That means more fun stuff online for movie lovers. First of all, you can watch the Oscars online at the official site, Oscar.com--and building up to the actual event, they have tons of other video available now, including the trailers for all the nominated films. There are also widgets for making predictions. The Oscars YouTube channel has plenty of video as well (we know you've always wanted to see how an Oscars statuette is made!). E! Online will have video live from the red carpet, so you won't miss what anyone's wearing. The Official Academy Facebook page has a large collection of photos and a Livestream channel where you can share your thoughts with other Facebook users watching.

Another aspect of the Academy's social media push is an official iPhone app. The LA Times has released a free app called "The Envelope" that gives users a virtual bank of $10,000 to wager on who they think will win; you can also make predictions with the free Vanity Fair app, "Vanity Fair Hollywood." But if you actually want the chance to win some money for your guesses, buy "The Red Carpet" for $2.99; it's offering a $1 million prize if you predict the winners in all 24 Oscar categories.

But even if you don't get totally into Oscar winner pools, Sunday will be a great night to throw a party. HowStuffWorks has a sample menu--one dish for each movie ("An Education + Deviled Eggs = An Eggducation." Hostess with the Mostess is running an ongoing series on Oscars parties. Twig & Thistle has templates for invitations and even popcorn bags. And Bargainist offers great tips for throwing an Oscars party on a budget.