CLICK & DOUBLE CLICK: LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES; INTERNET IS YOUR TICKET TO OSCARS (COLUMN 80)

Cybertip: One week remains in our online Movie Madness contest. Pick your choice for the top five Academy Award winners, and take a chance on winning movie tickets from Wehrenberg. We'll announce entrants' predictions this weekend. Enter at www.semissourian.com

Next Monday is the big night for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It's Oscar night.

The Internet offers lots of sites both from the movie industry and individuals who love movies.

Joni: I've actually seen one of the Best Picture nominees, "Titanic."

Peggy: I, however, haven't seen a single nominated movies. This makes two years in a row. As a parent of four, I don't see many movies except on videotape. But we can learn more about them on the Internet. First stop is

www.oscar.com

Joni: This site is brought to you by ABC, which will televise the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Monday. Here we can find the nominees by category.

Peggy: You can click on each person's name and learn what they were nominated for, their role and their Oscar history. Jack Nicholson has been nominated for lots. It also tells the filmography and other credits.

Joni: Did you know that in the late 1950s and 1960s he appeared on the "Andy Griffith Show" and "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"?

Peggy: I didn't. You can also read a synopsis of the film. That's what I need. At least then I'll have a clue what everyone else is talking about.

Joni: They also have an award history database. You can search the award nominations and winners from 1927 to 1996 by keyword. You can show all nominees or just the winners.

Peggy: We were too late to enter the trivia contest. But we can take the "Style Stumper" quiz about fashions the stars wore to the awards ceremony last year. For example, Woody Harrelson wore a tuxedo made of hemp. You can look to see what everyone wore last year in their fashion flashback, in case you were curious. Apparently clothes are as important as the awards.

Joni: Come on, lots of us watch the Academy Awards to see what outrageous outfits people will wear. Let's take a look at another Oscar site brought to us by Mr. Showbiz.

mrshowbiz.com/features/oscars/

Peggy: This site offers more of the same. You can pick winners and read about the nominees, but here's a twist, their astrologer takes a look at the nominees' stars to predict their chances.

Joni: This is the unpredictable age of Aquarius, according to their astrologer. She says to watch for surprises. She predicts Jack Nicholson, a Taurus, as a winner. She only predicts the people, not the movies. Their stars are all on the payroll, not in the sky.

Peggy: Mr. Showbiz also predicts the best picture. "Duh," he says, it's "Titanic." Mr. Showbiz predicts both who will win and who should win in the top categories. Nicholson will win, he predicts, but Robert Duvall should win.

Joni: Here's something a little different: The Plastic Surgery lab. Throw on your scrubs and meet the nominees for Best Actress. You can change their appearance.

Peggy: Slice and dice together parts of your favorite actresses to make a whole new look. Yuck! This person belongs back in the lab not on the big screen. You can find the official site of the academy at

www.ampas.org

Joni: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives you all you want about the awards. But you can also learn about other programs and activities of the academy.

Peggy: I thought the Academy Awards WAS the activity of the academy. Here is a little history, though, in the artifacts section. It's a picture of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford making movies in 1929.

Joni: They also have information on the scientific and technical awards given. There are a lot more awards presented than we will see on television. They mail the first ballots Jan. 9 and vote until Jan. 30. Did you get yours, Peggy?

Peggy: No. Academy members vote again March 3 through 17 just before the ceremony. You can also read all the press releases written by the academy.

Joni: The Internet also provides more specific information on each of the top movies. Most have their own web site. Let's take a look at the Titanic page.

www.titanicmovie.com

Peggy: We will book passage on a virtual tour of the Titanic.

Joni: I took the test to captain the Titanic. I didn't qualify, but I'm not really upset. Instead, let's tour the ship. You can find information for the captain's test throughout the web site.

Peggy: Also on the site, you can click on the photos and pan through the scenes. You need QuickTime to view the photos. You can read the Titanic's history and learn about 10 main characters. You can send your own Marconi-gram, via e-mail, which is stamped from the R.M.S. Titanic.

Joni: You can also read the transcript of a 90-minute chat in January with James Cameron, the director, who has also been nominated. It provides much insight into the movie and the director.

Peggy: What's your favorite movie site on the Internet? E-mail us at click@semissourian.com

See you in Cyberspace.

Joni Adams and Peggy Scott are members of the Southeast Missourian online staff.