What tonight's Oscars might look like after a flub-filled awards season

The path to the Oscars has been an unusual, unpredictable andflub-filledroller-coaster ride this season perhaps providing the best reason to tune in Sunday night to an Academy Awards broadcast thatremains one of the most-watched TV events of the year.

We're in for something we haven't seen in decades since there'll be no host. But how different will it truly be after organizers reversed major decisions aimed at trimming the monstrously long program?

Earlierbest picture predictions have fallen by the wayside, some amid controversies for major contenders. Pre-Oscar awardgalas have crowned different films, including Roma, Black Panther, Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Here's a quick catch-up on what you need to know.

Academy's rocky road to the Oscars

After 2018 marked the lowest-rated Oscars ever (and the longest ceremony in more than a decade), theAcademy of Motion PictureArtsand Sciences aimed to overhaul this year's edition into a livelier, trimmer celebration. But the group's decisions sparked one backlash after another.

The academy's biggest fiascobegan with its choice of comedian and actor Kevin Hartas Oscars emcee, which quickly drew with criticism when many brought up homophobic tweets and comedy bitshe's delivered in stand-up sets.The result: the Academy Awardswill be without a host for the first time in 30 years(the fifth time in its 91-year history).

The academy also raised an instant outcry with its proposal for a "popular film" category, but Oscar organizers subsequentlyshelved the idea.

Fresh criticism came after producers' decision to move four of the craft categories to commercial breaks, with the edited footage added to the broadcast later. This planwas alsoscrapped.

Oscar producers also reportedly wantedto feature just two musical performances (Shallow, performed byA Star is Bornleads Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, andAll the StarsfromBlack Panther, performed by Grammy-winner Kendrick Lamar and SZA) out of the five original-song nominees.This decision also riled, got the axe and now the latter trackwon't even be performed at all,according to VarietyandDeadline.

Audiences will, however,get a live performance from Queen andAdam Lambert, though Bohemian Rhapsody is neither nominated for its songs nor its soundtrack. And newly minted Grammy-winner Kacey Musgraveshas also been added to the show.

Meanwhile, the films themselves haven't been immune to controversies that could threaten their Oscar chances, from opposition to Hollywood disruptor Netflix'sbest-picture entryRoma totroubling allegations againstBohemian Rhapsodydirector Bryan Singer and objectionable acts byGreen Book'sdirector Peter Farrelly,co-writer Nick Vallelonga and co-star Viggo Mortensen.

The main contenders

Is the academy itself undergoing a major overhaul getting better at reflecting what regular folks are loving at the movies?Unlike recent years, this awards season has included several box office hits.

Vyingfor best picture are:

• A Star Is Born.
• Roma.
• Green Book.
• The Favourite.
• Black Panther.
• BlacKkKlansman.
• Bohemian Rhapsody.
• Vice.

For those counting, twofilmsRomaandThe Favourite that somemightconsider the traditional, arty sort of films the Oscars typically crown are heading into the ceremony in the lead,with 10nods each.

However, this awards season, no single filmhas emerged as a clearfrontrunner.The various critics' and industry groups have spread the love, presenting their top prizes to different titles.

Who's expected onstage

More than threedozennotable figures areslatedto appear Oscarnight,including:

• pastwinnerslikeBarbraStreisand,BrieLarson, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren and Javier Bardem.
• faces fromthisyear'smovies, such as Amandla Stenberg, Chadwick Boseman, StephanJames, Jennifer Lopez,MichelleYeoh, Constance Wu, JasonMomoaand Melissa McCarthy.
• notablefigures fromothersphereslikeSerenaWilliams,chefJoseAndres, U.S.Congressman JohnLewis,QueenLatifahandPharrellWilliams.

Fingers crossed for some delightful banter, meme-worthy bits and chatter-inducing, must-see moments.

Canadians in the spotlight

The two short film categories are packed with Canadian contenders this year.

Filmmakers vying for best animated short includeToronto-raiseddirector Domee Shi (Bao), Vancouver's David Fine and Alison Snowden(AnimalBehaviour) and Canadian-born Trevor Jimenez (Weekends). Meanwhile, two Quebec directors are up forbest live action short:Jrmy Comte forFauveand Marianne Farley forMarguerite.

Canadiansare also contenders for soundmixingandproductiondesign.

How to watch

The Oscars take place at the Hollywood and Highland Center's Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.CBC News will be on thered carpetfortheevent.

The91stannual Academy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC and CTV on Sunday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. ET.It will be televised livein more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.