How to throw an Oscar party

Oscar night is the Super Bowl for movie lovers, and we've come up with a plan to throw a party that will win raves from your family and friends. It's themed to the nine movies in the running for this year's best-picture honor, and offers you simple ways to entertain and feed your guests.

DRESS LIKE 'THE ARTIST'
Ask your guests to pay homage to "The Artist" by dressing in black and white for the evening. This doesn't mean black-tie formal, just anything without color. Jokingly tell them they'll win bonus points if they don't say a word throughout the evening, in keeping with the silent-movie theme.

PREDICT THE BIG WINNERS
Have a contest to see who can do the best job guessing the winners. We've made it easy for you: An Oscar ballot with all 24 categories is available for downloading; all you have to do is print out the PDF called "OscarBallot" right here. And the winner gets...

AWARD YOUR OWN OSCAR
Make your version of an Academy Award, shown at left. Just print out our PDF called "OscarStatue," cut out the pieces and glue them together. Ours isn't as tall as the real thing, but then it doesn't weigh 81/2 pounds either. All the instructions you'll need are available on the printable PDF you can download by clicking on the Oscar statue at right.

DECORATE WITH THE OSCAR 'TREE OF LIFE'
Inspired by director Terrence Malick's film, our centerpiece features homemade ornaments that showcase the nine best-picture nominees. Here's how to put it together:

1. Begin by clipping a branch from a tree or bush.

2. Paint the branch with black spray paint.

3. Place the painted branch in a vase. We used a piece from a black-and-white boa to dress up the base.

4. Make the ornaments by downloading three printable PDF pages: Ornaments 1, ornaments 2 and ornaments 3.

5. Trim each piece of film strip, fold each one, add a piece of ribbon or string to the inside and glue it shut.

6. Hang the ornaments on your Tree of Life.

CREATE 'EXTREMELY LOUD' WINE-GLASS CHARMS
The film "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" features a boy who searches post-9/11 New York for a lock that fits a key. Use that idea to make charms for wine glasses. Simply round up some extra keys (it seems that everyone has some) and attach them to the stems of glassware using ribbon or wire.

SERVE 'MIDNIGHT IN PARIS' WINES
Wine columnist Jim Raper offers this take on three classic French wines: Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Nonvintage brut Champagnes from Pommery or Piper-Heidsieck are dry and complex. Look for these bottles at $35-$40.

Margaux is a red Bordeaux. Wine from the Margaux commune can be had for around $40. An example: Chateau La Bastide Dauzac Margaux

Reds made of Pinot Noir in Burgundy can cost up to $500 or more, so look for earthy flavors from less trendy appellations.

TRY 'HUGO'S' MUSHROOM-AND-ONION CROISSANTS
Hugo, the boy in Martin Scorsese's 3-D film, has lost his father and tries fending for himself. Often hungry, he steals food, including croissants, which inspired this dish.

-1/3 cup chopped onion

-1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 tablespoon butter

-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-3 cups mushrooms, diced

-1/4 cup plain yogurt

-1 16-ounce can refrigerated crescent rolls

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Remove from heat.

Add pepper and mushrooms. Mix well.

Gently fold in yogurt until mushrooms are evenly coated.

Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles.

To form croissant, add a teaspoon of mushroom mixture to the large end of the triangle. Roll up. Place on cookie sheet, curving edges to create crescent shape.

Bake 14 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

OFFER 'MONEYBALL' PIGS IN A BLANKET
How better to celebrate a baseball movie than with this version of hot dogs?

-1 16-ounce can refrigerated crescent rolls

-24 cocktail-size smoked link sausages or 24 pieces of hot dogs (split each full-size dog into three pieces)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll the dough from the can. Separate into eight triangles.

Cut each triangle lengthwise into three narrow triangles.

Place sausage on shortest side of each triangle and roll to opposite point. Place rolled sausages on a cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with mustard (shown) or ketchup or both.

BAKE 'THE HELP'S' CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
Make Minny's pie, which features prominently in the plot of "The Help." We've left out her secret ingredient. If you've seen the film, you'll thank us. If you haven't, you should.

-1-1/4 cups sugar

-3-1/2 tablespoons cocoa

-1/4 cup butter, melted

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-5 ounces evaporated milk

-2 eggs

-1 pie crust, uncooked

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, cocoa, butter, vanilla, milk and eggs.

Unroll the pie crust, and place it in a 9-inch pie plate or pan.

Pour filling into crust.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Serve plain, or with ice cream or whipped cream.

DRINK A 'DESCENDANT-INI'
Our pineapple-flavored cocktail evokes Hawaii, the setting for “The Descendants.” 

-2 parts pineapple juice

-1 part vodka

-1 part cognac

-ice

-sugar

-pineapple pieces, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, add pineapple juice, vodka and cognac.

Add ice, and shake vigorously.

Chill martini glass in freezer. Run pineapple piece around the rim of the glass and dip into sugar. Add the liquid from the shaker, and garnish with two pieces of pineapple.

SERVE A 'WAR HORSE' FRUIT TRAY
Inspired by Steven Spielberg's tale of the horse named Joey, serve guests apple slices (one of Joey's favorite foods) and strawberries (grown by his temporary owners in France).

COMING SATURDAY
The Pilot's movie critic, Mal Vincent, makes his annual Oscar picks.

- Recipes adapted from Food.com, Epicurious.com and Foodnetwork.com