Well. What a week, huh? If there’s a perspective the events of the last few days can be put into, I’m not completely sure what it is, but I think Steve Pond makes a valiant attempt in a lengthy take on the exit of Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy from this year’s Oscarcast. He marks it as a signal — along with a few other recent events — of the end of an era. The list of Oscar emcees since Billy Crystal last hosted (which was itself a bit of a return after an uncharacteristically lengthy absence of three years) is interesting: Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres, Hugh Jackman, tandems. They were all attempts to shake it up. And everything else has been boiling down to a craven desire to appeal to a broader, younger audience. Maybe it’s time to re-center. [The Odds]

Ricky Gervais makes Hollywood a 2 for 1 offer: “I’ll host the Globes and the Oscars.” [Access Hollywood]

No surprise: Twitards, er, TwiHARDS are already lining up for the Monday premiere of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” [Deadline]

Kenneth Turan on the “euphoric effect” Michel Hazanavicius’s “The Artist” has on people. (Okay.) [Los Angeles Times]

Sasha Stone is on the record, says the film “can’t lose” Best Picture. [Awards Daily]

Pauline Kael biographer Brian Kellow says the late critic would have loved “Bridesmaids” but hated “The Help.” [The Wrap]

Bill Nighy talks “Arthur Christmas” across the pond. [Guardian]

Using “The Dark Knight” to defend Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. [Badass Digest]

Werner Herzog talks “Into the Abyss” with the Andrew Goldman… [New York Times Magazine]

…and with David Poland. [Movie City News]