For many years now, the ratings for the Academy Awards have been in decline. One major reason attributed: the nominated movies were mostly independent releases.

But this year might be better. Even without a host, the Oscars should pull a larger audience. After all, a lot of people saw the Best Picture nominees, probably more than in many recent years.

For one thing, both “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” have been on Netflix for months. Certainly even a passive subscriber must have been curious to take a look at one of them.

Then there are the box office blockbusters. “1917,” which is favored to win Best Picture, is in theaters now and has made $132 million. It’s at the top of the current box office.

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” has scored $142 million and features two actual movie stars, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.

“Ford v Ferrari,” with two more movie stars– Matt Damon and Christian Bale– brought in over $116 million. Oscar viewers should be curious about that movie’s fate.

“Joker” with the anticipated Best Actor Joaquin Phoenix is the most successful of the bunch with $335 million– a huge number for an Oscar nominated film.

Finally, there’s “Little Women” with $102 million, an astounding box office for a movie based on a literary novel from the past.

Will viewers tune in? There’s also the value added of he musical performances from Elton John, Billie Eilish, and so on. If the show doesn’t score tonight in the ratings, it’s not for a lack of trying.

Fans at the Comedy Club on Sunset Boulevard got a nice treat last night. Chris Rock showed up as a surprise guest early in the evening to try out some new material. He reportedly told the crowd that he’s opening tonight’s Oscars show on ABC with Steven Martin. The crowd ate it up.

It’s unknown whether their routine will send up the nominated movies or the stars in the audience. No doubt it’s funny, whatever it is. Martin, of course, has hosted the Oscars before– by himself, and one year, for some reason, with Alec Baldwin. Chris hosted solo in 2016. I don’t know why they’re not hosting tonight but they’re just opening the show.

The big cliffhanger will be to see whether or not Netflix has won any Oscars after spending a reported $100 million in promotion and marketing. They’re supposedly going to win two: one for Laura Dern in “Marriage Story” and another for the documentary “American Factory.” When each of those categories is called, the producers should play soap opera organ music as the envelopes are opened.

Other highlights of tonight’s show will be all the musical numbers, including Elton John performing his nominated song, “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” and Billie Eilish singing over the In Memoriam segment. Of course, the cliffhanger there is who will be left out. In New York, friends of the late Sylvia Miles are crossing their fingers the twice nominated actress made the final cut.

Oscar celebrating has begun in earnest, although it’s not what it used to be since the main player, Harvey Weinstein, is on trial in New York.

But the beat goes on. On Friday, fashion designer and part time film maker held a fashion show  with a Who’s Who of something,I’m not sure what, at Milk Studios. Ford’s Oscar get was Renee Zellweger, who sat in the front row. The rest of the guest list — and the models– were more like ripped from the pages of Us Magazine with Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, and Kate Hudson leading the pack. The show was very Jennerous, with Kris Jenner clucking over various members of her family, while tabloid subjects such as Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet, Rob Lowe, and Patrick Schwarzenegger roamed the room. Jon Hamm came in a strange silvery suit. Miley Cyrus’s brother, her escort, is tattooed from head to foot and everywhere in between. It was very high and low, with the emphasis on low. No Leo, Brad, Joaquin. No Oscar timed fashion show will ever compete with Armani’s literally all A list runway years ago at Ron Burkle’s mansion. But life goes on…

Also on Friday night, Women in Film threw their annual bast at the Sunset Room in Hollywood, with a nod to Idina Menzel, who will sing from “Frozen II” at the Oscars on Sunday night. She can’t “let it go” and why should she?  I ran into the adorable Beanie Feldstein right away (they should package her for mass consumption, everyone would be happy), and there was a big representation from women in music like Diane Warren (11th nomination for Best Song) and Regina Spektor (who got screwed out of a nomination for her “Bombshell” song because of unfiled paperwork!). Spektor emigrated with her family from Moscow to the Bronx in 1989, she told me. What a success story! Now she’s a proud New Yorker. Even though she’s not in this year’s Oscar mix, my guess is she’ll be back soon enough. She was signed to Sire Records years ago by the great Seymour Stein, the man who made Madonna, the Ramones, Pretenders, and Talking Heads. Seymour’s stars have longevity, that’s for sure!

I also ran into Eímear Noone, the very first female conductor of the Oscars orchestra. She’s from Dublin, has a long, stellar career already but now adds this historic honor. She will also conduct the 42 piece orchestra right from the Kodak Theater. Eimar told me that rehearsals have been terrific, beyond her expectations. She has been particularly impressed with Chrissy Metz, who will sing Diane Warren’s “I’m Standing with You” and stars in “This is Us.” Eimar says: “She’s going to blow away the audience.” Eimar has one foot in her hometown of Dublin, and one in Los Angeles, where she’s married to composer-producer Craig Stuart Garfinkle, brother of Broadway producer David Garfinkle. With that connection, I hope we see her in New York soon conducting a hit show!

One of the weekend’s first get togethers was for Sam Mendes’s “1917” at Universal Pictures’ annual soiree at Spago. Mendes hadn’t gotten to town yet from London, but his star, George Mackay, was there and brought his family. The great Jacqueline Bisset was on hand before taking off for a film shoot in Eastern Europe. All the Universal leaders were here including Ron Meyer and Donna Langley, and of course Wolfgang Puck, who looks like he’s getting younger. It must be the pizza with smoked salmon! Universal had a rollercoaster season with “1917” making more than $100 million and winning awards, and “Cats” clawing its way to the bottom. But that’s how it works in big studios. If they win tomorrow night, it will be no surprise.