Entertainment, like life, can be pretty confusing. Marketing, whether it be televised commercials, print ads and posters, or viral campaigns, is so pervasive that a movie's basic premise and characters can be overwhelmingly familiar long before you even see the movie in question. Hell, one time I watched thirty minutes of "The Fisher King" thinking it was "Mrs. Doubtfire" before I realized that Robin Williams was playing a crazy drifter, not a cross-dressing divorcee. You can see how that would be an easy mistake to make, right?

This week, we're all excited. "Where the Wild Things Are", the Spike Jonze-directed live-action riff on the beloved children's book by Maurice Sendak, is finally hitting theaters. Finally! Let's not lose our heads though. Let's not let our excitement for "Where the Wild Things Are" lead us into watching other movies that we might easily confuse it with. For example, we must be especially wary of the late '90s mystery/thriller "Wild Things." Here's an easy guide to prevent media-induced dementia from directing you to the wrong movie.

Both movies are about troubled youths.
I know. The tale of a misfit boy taking refuge from the emotional turmoil of life in an elaborate, monster-filled fantasy and a story about two hot teenage girls concocting a massive scheme to get rich off of accusing their teacher of sexual assault are damn near identical on the surface. You could probably watch most of "Wild Things" thinking, "those troubled girls are probably going to escape to a fantasy land of kindly monsters in just a minute." Remember: the main character in "Where the Wild Things Are" is a boy named Max. He is 12 years old and not played by Denise Richards.

Both movies feature hot topless chicks.
Somewhere inside of everyone, whether you're young or old, male of female, lives a 12 year-old boy who's just excited to see a lady with her top off in a movie. This is why people watched "Wild Things" and follow-ups "Wild Things 2" and "Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough." Topless chicks can indeed make you go crazy. Here's the thing: the topless chick in "Where the Wild Things Are" is a ten-foot-tall, fur-covered imaginary monster named Judith, not a dastardly eighteen-year-old bettie in a bikini. Confusing, I know. Just remember, if the topless chick is human, you're not watching "Were the Wild Things Are."

Both movies have totally sweet soundtracks.
Believe it or not, the song "Where the Wild Things Are" is most closely associated with, "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire, isn't even in the movie's soundtrack. That doesn't prevent it from being totally sweet though. Karen O and a rag tag group of guitar slingers have put together a delightful collection of indie rock ditties. A collection of tunes so righteous, it would be easy to mistake for the work of George S. Clinton. No, not George Clinton, legendary funk master of Parliament and the P-Funk All-Stars. I mean George S. Clinton, the funky original soundtrack maestro behind the OSTs for the "Cheech & Chong" movies as well as "Wild Things". This can get tricky, but keep an ear out for excessive riffage. If the guitars are squealing in a manner that borders on 1970s-porn-soundtrack, you're probably not listening to the work of Karen O in "Where the Wild Things Are."

There are awesome fight scenes.
Like topless scenes, cat-fights can also make you lose some much needed perspective whilst watching a movie. Seeing bad rich girl Kelly Lanier Van Ryan and goth-chick-from-the-wrong-side-o'-the-tracks Suzie Toller slap each other and pull each other's hair can definitely seem pretty whimsical at first. But rein that brain in! A sweet catfight is way different than a massive dirt clod fight betwixt imaginary beasts, no matter how much they both share in the whimsy department. Also, the monsters don't start making out at the end of their fights. You should probably use that as your major guideline.

They are tender stories about growing up.
There are certain lessons about life that you just have to learn on your own through painful, formative experience. Like Max in "Where the Wild Things Are", we all had to go through times of pain that we had no control over in order to become the functioning adults and parents we were destined to turn into. Just like how we all had to learn that engaging in massive conspiracies to swindle our rich relatives out of gobs of cash by accusing Matt Dillon of rape will never work out for the best. Yes, we all have to learn these lessons for ourselves. But when watching movies about these lessons, remember, the one with Matt Dillon isn't "Where the Wild Things Are." It's "Wild Things."

Now you know! And knowing is half the… something or other. You know what I'm talking about.

In the wake of the announcement, many accusations surfaced that this move is nothing more than a ratings ploy. For many, the allegations spring from the fact that "The Dark Knight" -- a universally regarded hit and currently the fourth-highest grossing film of all time -- was snubbed for a Best Pic nomination. That got me thinking about all of the other incredible films which have fallen victim to Oscar politics over the years...

2008 -- Is anyone really going to dispute that "The Dark Knight" should have taken home a statue? Or at least gotten a shot at taking home a statue? No? I didn't think so. Moving on...

2007 -- There are plenty to choose from in 2007. Any year that sees a Pixar release is a year that could have seen a Best Picture nomination for an animated film. '07 is no exception with "Ratatouille." There's also the Philip Seymour Hoffman/Ethan Hawke one-two punch in Sidney Lumet's stunning "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," a film which I think may have traded a shot at a Best Picture nod for a gritty, all-too-realistic conclusion.

2006 -- Pixar gets a pass this year for the decent-but-not-the-greatest "Cars." In its stead are three solid contenders: "United 93," "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Children of Men." "Labyrinth" and "Men" were probably a bit too far outside the mainstream for the Academy's tastes, but there's really no excuse for the omission of Paul Greengrass's terrifying 9/11 drama.

2005 -- In 2005, it's hard to ignore the fact that the wrong movie won Best Picture, but let's all try to put that aside for a moment. Peter Jackson's "King Kong" and David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" both deserved a nomination, and for two very different reasons. "Kong" was a capable revival of a golden age classic. It had a few rough spots and could perhaps have benefited from a tighter edit, but it was in many ways the movie of the year. Alternatively, "A History of Violence" was terrifyingly, gloriously good. Cronenberg doesn't win Oscars though.

2004 -- Pixar's back, with "The Incredibles," one of their best works to date. It was joined in this year by "Hotel Rwanda" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Both are powerful and both are disturbing, though in entirely different ways. Regardless, both deserved more than they got in the Best Picture category.

2003 -- "Big Fish" makes me weep like a small child and I'm not afraid to admit it. Tim Burton's magical tale is beautiful, moving and a criminally overlooked contender for Best Picture in 2003. There's also Pixar's "Finding Nemo" (eh) and the much-loved "Cold Mountain." "Big Fish" was the big snub, no question. Props are in order though: the academy actually stepped up and handed a statue to Peter Jackson for concluding his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Even though the second one was a better film.

2002 -- So many greats overlooked in '02. "Adaptation," "Road to Perdition," "Catch Me If You Can," "Punch-Drunk Love"... the list goes on. I could see some of these getting a pity nod in less stacked years. Then again, let's be honest... none of those could usurp "The Pianist," "The Hours" or -- the year's winner -- "Chicago"?

2001 -- There's Pixar's "Monsters Inc." of course. And I'm sorry, but "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is about as perfect a book-to-movie adaptation I've seen. It didn't hit every beat that the book did, but that's not really possible. The casting alone, seemingly pulled straight from the pages of J.K. Rowling's work, is award nomination-worthy.

2000 -- "Best in Show." Sorry. I know it's simple and not terribly message-driven or moving in any way, but there's just something about Christopher Guest's dog show mockumentary that strikes me as uniquely brilliant. There was some other good stuff, particularly "Memento" and the highly underrated sci-fi/thriller "Pitch Black," but the "Best in Show" snub proved that the Oscars are in fact going to the dogs. HA!

1999 -- It's sickening to think how incredible 1999 was for film. The best work did indeed take the prize at the Oscars, as "American Beauty" deserved every bit of praise that it got. Still, where was "The Matrix"? Or "Toy Story 2"? Or "Office Space"? Or "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut"? I'll tell you where. Far, far outside the comfort zone of voters for a Best Picture nomination. And that's just sad.

FROM NEWSROOM.MTV.COM: I've got a pretty bizarre job. I know this, because my friends and family constantly tell me this whenever my Facebook updates casually mention encounters with the likes of Charlize Theron and Stephen Baldwin (in my mind, all celebrities are created equal).

(Check out behind-the-scenes photos from this year's Oscars here!)

Still, the crazy and surreal meter went into overdrive for me last night when I stepped onto my first Academy Awards red carpet. First of all, don't be too jealous; my feet barely touched the carpet before I was relegated to the press area that literally was behind a 4-foot shrub. I can't blame the Hollywood elite. If I were Sean Penn, I'd want a barrier between me and Nancy O'Dell at all times too.

Continue reading our behind-the-scenes Oscar diary at newsroom.mtv.com...

FROM MTVNEWS.COM: Oscar champion "Slumdog Millionaire" is hardly a Bollywood movie. In fact, it bears none of the telltale Bollywood film characteristics. It's dark and gritty. There are no love triangles or exaggerated theatrical monologues. The characters do not escape to the majesty of the Swiss Alps for elaborate, innuendo-filled dance numbers. In fact, the film's sole nod to the Indian film industry remains the dance number in Mumbai's Victoria Station during the closing credits. But for those intrigued, here are five Bollywood films and actors that are well worth checking out.

Continue reading our Bollywood Picks at MTVNews.com.

» Kevin Kline and wife Phoebe Cates strolled onto the red carpet before the show, only to hear the arrivals emcee call out, "Salma Hayek!" Phoebe looked confused, and the presumably embarrassed announcer quickly corrected himself, saying, "Sorry ... Phoebe Cates."

» Legendary directors Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard teamed up backstage to mock funnyman Seth Rogen's chuckle. "We love your laugh, heh heh heh," they told the actor. Seth stood back, visibly overwhelmed by the exchange.

» Vanessa Hudgens nearly had a red-carpet wardrobe malfunction after someone stepped on the massive train of her dress. She grabbed the top and held on for dear life, and continued to fidget with her ensemble as she and beau Zac Efron entered the theater.

» During a touching moment in the press room, Heath Ledger's father Kim remembered what it was like raising a future Academy Award-winner: "[His sister] Kate was the actor originally, but Heath was ever the clown. All my kids watched films for some reason, and Heath was like that. He was always acting the fool and playing around like any kid does … the one thing that stuck out was that he was extremely talented … we didn't know which way he was going to go, but he said he had a huge passion for this."

» Best Actor winner Sean Penn gave us some poignant parting words after the show, addressing anti-gay protesters outside of the Kodak theatre: "I'd tell them to turn in their hate card and find their better selves. These are largely taught limitations and ignorances. It's very sad in a way, because it’s a demonstration of such emotional cowardice."

This isn't all we saw — check out even more behind-the-scenes action!

So which power couple's got the edge? Let's break it down.

Continue reading who we predict to win the Oscar red carpet face-off on NEWSROOM.MTV.COM.

"Intern" as a title doesn't usually get you very far -- maybe down the street to Starbucks for a coffee run. But not so at MTV News; I received the assignment of a lifetime Sunday night when I got to assist with coverage of the 80th Annual Academy Awards.

I couldn't show up in my usual intern attire of jeans and a hoodie, so I resurrected a favorite turquoise dress that I hadn't worn since my sister's birthday party last year. I also took the opportunity to hit Macy's for makeup; my personal rule is that dramatic eyes are best left to professionals, especially for events as major as the Oscars. I rocked my usual hairstyle: straight, blonde, bangs. My look worked well, I think, though I'm relieved that I won't have to endure a verdict from Us Weekly.

My primary responsibility for the show was to record the official feeds of the ceremony and the press room so that MTV could later pull clips from that footage. I lugged equipment onto a shuttle, through security checkpoints, and into the pool feed tent, where I was met with skeptical stares from middle-aged men who, I suspect, doubted my ability to navigate the sea of cables in the room. Hauling that equipment in heels did not reflect well on my judgment.

After setting up the recording devices, I headed over to the red carpet; to my surprise, my
"Press Messenger" credential granted me considerable access. I lurked behind the correspondents planted in front of the red carpet as they beckoned stars to answer questions. MTV's Tim Kash, ET's Cojo, and official pre-show host Regis all vied for stars' attention.

The first famous faces I saw were Heidi Klum and Seal, a stunning pair. The most popular colors for dresses this year seemed to be bold red (Klum, Katherine Heigl, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway) and classic black (Jennifer Garner, Ellen Page, Hilary Swank, Nicole Kidman).

The men stuck with standard tuxes, for the most part -- but I'm not complaining. Foxiest of all? Jason Bateman, Dwayne Johnson and George Clooney. The "Michael Clayton" star took his sweet time working his way down the carpet, spreading his personal pizzazz among the many media outlets. When our own Larry Carroll asked him what the best part about being at the Oscars is, he looked at Larry and said: "You." What a charmer!

I spent the remainder of the show parked in the press room, alternately watching the ceremony, observing the parade of winners who came through to field questions from a gaggle of journalists, and handling small tasks like transcribing and fact checking.

The coolest stuff I saw was behind-the-scenes. Tilda Swinton was in the middle of answering a question when Marion Cotillard's Best Actress upset came over the monitors -- Swinton quipped, "See what I'm saying about Europe?" in reference to earlier praise for her geographic roots. Then there was chatty Javier Bardem, who gamely offered lengthy answers in both English and Spanish. Using my modest grasp of Spanish, I tried to translate his remarks to help Larry, but to little avail. ¡Habla muy rápidamente!

With tapes recorded and roundups written, our business for the night concluded in the wee hours of the evening. Now, I've returned to the normal office tasks with an extra bounce in my step, still reeling from a magical evening as part of Hollywood's most glamorous affair.

But Tim's adventure didn't start or end just when the stars hit the carpet, which is why we gave him a tiny video camera to record his Oscars diary. Watch one piece of it below, and then click here to see our pimped out satellite truck, Wolfgang Puck go down the glitzy food selections, Tim's recap of Hollywood's (and his) big night and more.

- We live-blogged the whole dang thing, from funny accents to Nicholson talking into outer space.

- Sweep P from "Project Runway" took up the fashion crusade for us, grading the winners and losers on the Oscars' ominous red carpet.

- We did a fancy live preshow from the carpet hosted by Tim Kash, chatting up everyone from Alba to The Rock.

- We assembled a beautiful photo flipbook of the beautiful stars on the carpet.

- We discovered, to the surprise of really no one, that Al Roker likes free pants.

"I'm f*&king Ben Affleck" featured Ben Affleck of course, and detailed the heretofore unknown love affair between Kimmel and the Oscar-winning star of "Gigli." And it was brilliant, from start to finish. The start featured Brad Pitt and just when you thought it was winding down, everyone from Don Cheadle and Huey Lewis to Pete Wentz and Joan Jett, appearing in a "We Are the World"-style group ballad.

But really the whole thing kicked into another gear with the appearance of Harrison Ford in a bit of stunt-casting that made me laugh harder than anything in "Six Days, Seven Nights" and "Hollywood Homicide" put together.

Surely this video will be all over the net by the wee hours of Monday morning. Remember who told you about it first!