Peek at 'Spirit Awards' musical numbers

 

No one can say that Film Independent's Spirit Awards don't dance to the beat of their own drummer.

The annual awards take place beachside in Santa Monica the day before the Academy Awards, with micro-budgeted films ("Ballast," "Secret of the Grain") vying for attention alongside some non-household-name stars (Summer Bishil, Jeremy Renner).

People show up in their own clothes, sometimes with sneaks instead of stilettos. The whole shebang's fueled by copious amounts of adult beverage and freed by cable TV from watching the language.

In other words, it's Oscar's tipsy, foul-mouthed, party-hearty cousin.

And here's another selling point: Unlike the Oscars, which have tried to throw the Cone of Silence over its plans for this year's remodeled telecast, the Spirit Awards are happy to let the cat out of the bag. At least as far as some of the performances go.

This Feb. 21, we'll have Christina Applegate spoofing the bleak immigrant-smuggling drama "Frozen River" with a song-and-dance number. Will a parka be involved? Taraji P. Henson plans to poke fun at the bleak Southern poor folks drama, "Ballast," and Teri Hatcher (?) will do the same for the bleak girl-and-her-dog road trip drama, "Wendy and Lucy." Rainn Wilson, last year's ballsy host, has a song up his sleeve about the bleak grappler-on-the-ropes drama, "The Wrestler." Probably not approved by The Boss.

Can't. Freakin. Wait.

For a full list of nominees, go here.