In recent years, there have been some really good Oscar hosts like Hugh Jackman, some acceptable hosts like John Stewart, some disappointing hosts like Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin, and some flat-out horrendous hosts like James Franco & Anne Hathaway. Despite the best efforts of some, none have come close to capturing the same wit, timing, and showmanship of reoccurring hosts like Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, or Billy Crystal. At the 85th Annual Academy Awards ceremony however, Seth MacFarlane of “Ted” and “Family Guy” emerged as the single most entertaining first-time Oscar host of the 21st century.

If you had told me a month ago that my Oscar predictions would look anything like this, I probably would have advised you to go do a little more research. “Argo” poised for the Best Picture win sans a Best Director nod? Unthinkable. Emmanuelle Riva and Naomi Watts as viable Best Actress contenders against youthful powerhouses like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain? You’re pulling my leg.

Created by Arizona native Timothy Reckart, “Head Over Heels” puts an imaginative, whimsical twist on the tale of a married couple grown apart – he lives on the floor while she lives on the ceiling.

Complete list of 85th Annual Academy Award nominations announced today:

In the eight years I’ve taken on the regular duty of reviewing movies, 2012 just might have been the best.

Tucked away inside a Tempe strip mall, The Crêpe Bar sizzles with a familiar yet unexpected ambiance.

‘Frankenweenie’

Tim Burton reminds us of why we love Tim Burton with "Frankenweenie," a feature-length version of the 1984 short that revealed early glimmers of the veteran director's darkly humorous style.

One can’t help but assume that Tim Burton lost a beloved canine friend as a child and has never quite gotten over the death. From “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to “Corpse Bride,” deceased dogs have been a reoccurring archetype in the animated features attached to Burton. His fascination with departed animals can be traced back to “Frankenweenie,” a 1984 short film he directed for Disney. The thirty-minute short was equal parts a homage and satire of the “Frankenstein” tale in which a little boy brought his Bull Terrier back to life.

LOS ANGELES — As far as Tim Burton's concerned, you can't keep a good dog down. And you can't keep a good, old-fashioned form of animation down, either.

On June 1, “Snow White and the Huntsman” was known as the second Snow White movie in as many months, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were still married, and it seemed as if “The Dark Knight Rises” would give “Marvel’s The Avengers” a run for its money.

The B-list rules Hollywood’s fall and holiday movie season: Bond, Bella and Bilbo.

SAN DIEGO - Back in the day, Tim Burton remembers critics finding his take on Batman rather gloomy.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Comic-Con International, the four-day pop-culture celebration that takes over the San Diego Convention Center each summer, runs Thursday to Sunday. Here's a look at some of the hottest films, TV shows and video games expected at the sold-out 43rd annual convention:

LOS ANGELES — There was a time when Tim Burton was considered an exciting filmmaker, when his aesthetic seemed daring, inventive and unmistakably his own. But that seems like a while ago after seeing "Dark Shadows," his eighth collaboration with Johnny Depp and their weakest yet.