Feb. 26 was a big triumph for some of the greatest talent in Hollywood as the 84th annual Academy Awards graced television sets all over America. Millions of people tuned in to determine for themselves which celebs looked the best and what movies would take home the most golden statues.

Prior to the opening of the show, ABC and E! News hosted live red carpet shows. In addition to celebrating the spectacular performances of 2012, this special night is known for its great fashion. If attending the Oscars as a nominee with speech in hand isn’t stressful enough, finding the perfect garment to don is half the battle. Stars that glowed on the red carpet this year included Viola Davis, Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams and of course, one of the most handsome men in Hollywood, George Clooney, to name a few.

The formal program commenced at 8:30 p.m. on ABC as Billy Crystal hosted the show for the ninth time. Beginning with a theatrical act, Crystal’s humorous banter to describe each of the nominated movies captivated the audience and moved the lengthy award show along smoothly.

Throughout the night, respected actors and actresses such as Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise presented awards with funny quips and introductions. “Hugo” nabbed several awards in categories ranging from ‘Cinematography’ to ‘Sound editing.’ Many were disappointed to see ‘Bridesmaids’ leave with no awards, however, the cast still managed to have the audience laughing with their drinking game and dirty jokes while presenting awards.

Reviews of the Cirque Du Soleil performance that took place in between announcers were somewhat indifferent. The theme of the acrobatic performance revolved around the five-time winning motion picture, “The Artist.” This modern take on Old Hollywood included men in striped business suits and women in elegant, vintage dresses attending the movies.

“The Artist” was the first silent movie to win an award at the Oscars since the first ceremony in 1928. Not only did it win for ‘Best Motion Picture of the Year’ but also for ‘Best Directing’ and ‘Best Actor,’ awarded singularly to French star Jean Dujardin.

The Oscar for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ went to 82 year-old Christopher Plummer for his role in “Beginners.” Not only did he win, but he is now the oldest actor ever to receive an Academy Award.

Actress Octavia Spencer landed ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for her role in “The Help,” rightfully recognized for her show stopping performance centered on racism and segregation in the south. Nominated 17 times throughout her career, Meryl Streep glowed while receiving her third Oscar for ‘Best Leading Actress.’ She was awarded for her phenomenal performance as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” and her touching acceptance speech garnered a lot of buzz.

The 84th annual Academy Awards were once again a success. The winners were, for the most part, not a surprise and the night was relatively free of drama or Hollywood scandal. As the calendar year for movies and award shows comes to a close, the process will begin again soon and what is known as ‘Oscar buzz’ will begin to circulate once again. Only time will tell what films and actors are to win big next year.