And Down The Stretch They Come: The 87th Academy Awards

Countdown for the big day is less than 24 hours away.

After months of preparations and planning, Oscar Sunday is tomorrow. The red carpet, the bleachers seats, the gold statues – the crews having been working around the clock and everything is ready for the 87th Academy Awards.

First-time host Neil Patrick Harris will be the evening’s emcee at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

He joins the illustrious line that includes Johnny Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal and Bob Hope – who has hosted the most Oscar shows with 19 host appearances.

Craig Zadan (left), Neil Meron (center) and Tim McGraw during rehearsals

87th Oscars Rehearsals ©A.M.P.A.S.

This year’s Best Picture race is one of the most highly contested in recent memory. Will it be frontrunners BIRDMAN or BOYHOOD who take home the gold? Could the voters have checked off one of the other eight nominees as their choice for Best Picture?

Possible upsets. Since AMERICAN SNIPER has made a boatload of cash at the box office (more than the other seven pics combined,) the Academy could reward either the film or Bradley Cooper for Best Actor. Also, it’s his third consecutive year at bat and he really has now been taken much more seriously than just a pretty face. Another possible upset is waiting to happen in the Best Supporting Actress category. While Patricia Arquette has won every precursor award up to now, there is still a quiet support for Emma Stone because she is so well liked in Hollywood, not to mention she turned in a solid performance.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE over REDS, CRASH over BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Juliette Binoche over Lauren Bacall, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE over SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

Stranger things have occurred in Oscar History.

Check out our predictions here.

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Visit oscars.org

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