When Academy Awards officials tapped action-film director Brett Ratner to come on board as a first-time producer of the show his first order of business was to sign up Eddie Murphy (a head-scratcher of a host if ever there was one). But then Ratner made his now infamous anti-gay slur and resigned amidst the controversy that ensued; his intended host, Murphy, quickly followed him out the door. Last week, in an attempt to make amends with the queer community, Ratner announced he's directing a new coming-out video series for GLAAD. (Maybe he'll enlist Murphy's participation, too but don't hold your breath.)

Academy officials quickly announced the return of Billy Crystal, surely the show's most beloved host since Bob Hope, for his ninth appearance. Vilanch—who has provided one-liners and other hilarious bits for 23 of the last 25 shows and has worked with Crystal on some of his most memorable entrances and opening monologues and song parodies—was expected to return as well. However, citing commitments "writing for Broadway" (he's part of the March 5 Broadway Backwards AIDS benefit), Vilanch won't be returning. And though it's not hard to guess (and anticipate with delight) Crystal inserting himself into an opening montage of the nominated pictures followed by an opening-song monologue parody, new producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer haven't confirmed that or much of anything else.

Keeping mum will certainly heighten the mystery, but is more likely an attempt to downplay high expectations from audiences considering the giant goose egg last year's hosts, James Franco and Anne Hathaway, laid. Franco—who was alternately uncomfortable, bored or wooden as the evening progressed—was clearly out of his element, leaving Hathaway to almost tap-dance in her efforts to bring the energy level back up. The entire thing was a dreadful dud, didn't score big ratings with "the kids" and turned off veteran viewers (and was later the cause of a spat between Vilanch and Franco, who have since made up via Twitter postings).

We do know that neither of the nominated songs will be performed—surely an Oscar first. In light of the breezy choices (one from The Muppets, the other from the animated Rio), this isn't necessarily a bad thing (with $5 bucks to anyone who can recall even one of the so-so songs tarted up to extravaganza size in a past show). It's my hope that the evening will include a lot more movie footage and given that two of the Best Picture nominees (The Artist and Hugo) are a direct homage to the early days of cinema, perhaps we'll have a broader overview of the powerful and longstanding impact of movies on the culture. In other words, show more clips please.

Will there be queer representation at this year's show? The answer is "yes," as few prominent examples in the movies themselves—the gender-bending Albert Nobbs, with its nominations for Glenn Close and Janet McTeer (Close is my pick but I doubt she'll get it); Christopher Plummer playing the gay 75-year-old dad in Beginners (a sentimental and honestly earned nomination and my choice as well); Rooney Mara as the bisexual Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (both a Best Picture and Best Actress nominee); and Supporting Actor nominee Kenneth Branagh as rumored bisexual Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn.

Behind the screen there's plenty of LGBT representation as well. Best Picture nods have gone to Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (from out producer Scott Rudin and married gay director Stephen Daldry). The Help, also in the running in just about every major category, was helmed by out director/actor Tate Taylor. Hugo, another Best Picture nominee, has a lot of other nods to its credit, including one for its adapted screenplay by openly gay writer John Logan.

Even though it would've been fun to watch Madonna and Elton John diss each other on the red carpet, as they did at the Golden Globes, anticipate clips of Michael Fassbender's frontal assets in Shame or listen to bisexual singer Sinead O'Connor warble the year's most gorgeous song from a movie ("Lay Down Your Head" from Albert Nobbs), this year's Oscar telecast still offers a lot of memorable moments for armchair wisecrackers—who will have their work cut out for them in the absence of Vilanch.

There's always next year.

Film note:

—The 2012 Peace on Earth Film Festival—which showcases a collection of films focusing on "nonviolence, tolerance and social justice"—takes place Thursday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. All screenings are free and open to the public.

The line-up includes a bevy of shorts and feature-length documentaries including two that will be of particular interest to the queer community, both showing back to back Saturday, Feb. 25. The first of the duo, shown at 6:45 p.m., is director Charlie Gage's 2009 gritty, impassioned Inspired: The Voices Against Prop 8. Featuring a lot of man-on-the-street, handheld footage and one-on-one interviews, Gage's movie takes the viewer into the trenches as the campaign to stop Prop 8 was happening in California. Utilizing many of the tactics that ACT UP started, we see protest organizers in planning sessions and in the streets doing their best to stem the tide of money and influence slowly building in opposition to same-sex marriage. The film also doesn't stint on pointing fingers at larger, well-funded gay groups and their oddly muted response to the coming threat, either. Gage will be present for a post-screening Q&A.

Hollywood to Dollywood, directly following at approximately 8:45 p.m., is the charming on-the-road documentary made by director John Lavin about the quest by gay twins Gary and Larry Larson to snare their idol Dolly Parton to star in their original movie script. The movie also shows the adventures they encounter on their way to hopefully meeting the star at her theme park in Tennessee. The film, which debuted at last fall's Reeling film festival, is slight but charming and features appearances by Leslie Jordan, Chad Allen, Beth Grant and Dustin Lance Black. Filmmakers will be present for a post-screening Q&A. Complete listings at www.peaceonearthfilmfestival.org

Check out my archived reviews at www.windycitymediagroup.com or www.knightatthemovies.com . Readers can leave feedback at the latter website.