OSCAR WATCH: Class Photos For Nominees, Speech Guidelines

The annual Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon was held Monday in Los Angeles, and its always notable for the “class of” photo where everyone in attendance gets together for one massive group shot. Click on the smaller version to get a look at 120 standouts, 2009′s crème de la crème:

Head to Alt Film Guide’s coverage of the luncheon, including the great photos of each nominee group.

A bit of notable news coming out of the luncheon: nominees are being asked to prepare two speeches to speed along the ceremony. The first, shorter speech is supposed to be what winning the Oscar means to them; then, a longer, free-form speech can be written for the “thank-you” cam producers will have offstage, and all of the “thanks to my third-grade drama teacher, and my cat Sparkles” speeches will be made available online. (Of course, we know better. We know that you can’t script the best acceptance speech moments, and orchestra conductor Marc Shaiman will be chastised for playing people off too soon.)

You’ve still got a chance to purchase VIP tickets for the 2010 Dallas Big Gold Statue Watching Party, Sunday March 7 at the Lakewood Theater, and you can judge the winners’ speeches for yourself live.