Monthly Archives: December 2010

My abandoned comic book idea: 1st script

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum

I used professional scripts posted by writers like Warren Ellis, Brian K. Vaughan, and Christos Gage (mainly his format) as guides when I first attempted to put my ideas on paper.  Unfortunately, my muse never returned after I wrote the first 4 scripts. I know the ideas of derivative (in the Quentin Tarantino vein of mashing every loved source idea into a blend), I thought Zero Moniker had potential. Enough of my rambling, here is the script.

 

No Name Anthologies: Issue #1

“Man versus Machine 2.0”

1st draft 11/16/06

By “Senor Geekus)

REFERENCE

MAIN CHARACTER

Zero Moniker: African American, mid 20’s. He’s average height around 5’8. His eyes are golden and have glint of nobility. He is the technological analogue to a medieval magician/alchemist/shaman. He is slim and lanky similar to the thin magicians that populate RPG’s and D&D. He lacks the build of a fighter/ athlete. He is “cursed” with Phantom, scientifically advanced helmet (along the lines of Fourth World/new gods technology). Phantom resembles a cross between Dr. Fate’s Helm and a Vizard-style Hollow Mask. It has a pair of golden eyes similar to the Guyver’s secondary eyes.  It generates perpetual energy that he manipulates offensively and defensively.  He wears a suit in a disheveled manner similar to Spike Spiegel but suit is white, the tie is black and the shirt is red.  He wears black stylized Getas instead of shoes.

VILLAIN

The Misanthrope: A brilliant yet eccentric engineer/inventor/zealot; he favors machines over humanity. His mind is a viral consciousness; he can inhabit any electronic device. He possesses the XS Reaper, an experimental Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle.  He is armed with Joint Direct Attack Munitions.  It has an ethereal appearance; its body is jet black and sleek like the classical Grim Reaper’s robe.  A fleet of six MH-53 Pave Lows are also under his control.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTER

United States Special Operations Command Representative: She is dressed like Catherine Bell’s character in Jag. Facially, she resembles Rachel Bilson.

PAGE 1:

PANEL ONE: The XS Reaper soaring through a clear sky.

PANEL TWO: There are six MH-53 Pave Lows in front of the Reaper in a V formation.

PANEL THREE: A close-up view of their armaments. 2 .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns mounted on left and right sides and one on the nose.

PAGE 2:

PANEL ONE: A coastline view of an iconic metropolitan city.

PANEL TWO: A scanning view of the city with technological analysis similar to the T-800/T-850 analyzing its target. The city is essential devoid of life, except a solitary life signal on a nearby roof

PANEL THREE: An aerial view of the target building. It is a modern skyscraper with a dash of gothic style with gargoyles adorning it

PANEL FOUR: Zooms in on a human figure standing on a building’s roof.

PAGE 3:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Zero Moniker is standing on a gargoyle with his arms crossed. There is a displeased/irritated look in his eyes. His suit jacket is flapping in the wind.

Zero Moniker: Things like this always happens on a Monday.

PAGE 4:

PANEL ONE: The two Lows at the edge of the formation leave to confront Moniker.

PANEL TWO: A cockpit view of Moniker. The Low’s target screen is also seen

PANEL THREE: The Lows unleash a barrage of bullets. Moniker’s stance has no changed.

PANEL FOUR: A third person view of Zero. The bullets are held in place a few feet in front of him. The bullets give off an electrical glow.

PAGE 5:

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero’s eyes. They convey a mixture of indifference and annoyance.

Zero Moniker: This bores me…

PANEL TWO: The bullets change direction. They give off a stronger glow.

PANEL THREE: The bullets are fired back at the Lows.

PANEL FOUR: The Lows explode as the barrage penetrates their fuel tanks.

PAGE 6:

PANEL ONE: The remaining Lows assume an attack formation.

PANEL TWO: The smoking wreckage of the Lows is held in place by the same electrical glow.

PANEL THREE: The wreckage is sent crashing in the two leading Lows.

PANEL FOUR: There is an enormous fireball. The flying debris damages the remaining copters.

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero, there is a hint of amusement in his eyes. A bright celestial aura is emitted from him.

Zero Moniker: These toys are not challenge.

PAGE 7:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Zero Moniker is almost in pseudo meditation stance. The aura around him is more intense and two tendrils of light are forming from it. The tendrils are jagged

Zero Moniker: And then there was one…

PAGE 8:

PANEL ONE: The tendrils impale the remaining Lows.

PANEL TWO: They explode and debris comes towards Reaper.

PANEL THREE: The Reaper is glowing white hot.

PANEL FOUR: The debris bounces harmlessly off the field

PANEL FIVE: A close-up of Zero’s eye. There is a look of disappointment in his eyes.

PAGE 9:

PANEL ONE: The XS and Zero are face-to-“face”. The Reaper’s face in view and Zero’s back is in view.

PANEL TWO: A close up of the Reaper’s launchers.

PANEL THREE: Nova missiles being launched.

PANEL FOUR: A bird’s eye view of 8 missiles heading towards Moniker. Moniker is looking up at the missiles.

Zero Moniker: The things that I do for a couple of million dollars.

PAGE 10:

PANEL ONE: A third person view of Moniker, mainly his shoulder and everything above it. A fiery aura is emanating from him.

PANEL TWO: Eight fiery pillars emerge from his head and destroy the Nova Missiles.

PANEL THREE: 2 of the pillars destroy the Reaper’s launchers.

The Misanthrope: You wretched hairless ape! You destroyed my vassals! Now you dare attack me!

PANEL FOUR: A close-up of Zero’s face: his eyes convey his curiosity.

Zero Moniker: This day just gets stranger and stranger….

PANEL FIVE: The XS begins to glow blue. Smoke is being emitting from its damaged underside.

The Misanthrope: Flesh Bag, you attempt to mock me as well?!

PAGE 11:

PANEL ONE: It vanishes from sight. Zero’s body conveys his shock. His arms are no longer crossed. His secondary eyes are moving independently searching. His stance is looser.

Zero: There is no salvaging this day…

PANEL TWO: An aerial view of the XS about 100 feet above Moniker.

The Misanthrope: I will make an example of you, meat thing.

PANEL THREE: A third person view of the XS. Its “head” is glowing white hot and electrical energy is surging through it.

PANEL FOUR: Zero is looking up at the Misanthrope. His arms are once again crossed. A white aura is coming off his head. There is a look of disdain in his eyes.

Zero Moniker: Time to end this now.

PANEL FIVE: A massive energy beam is coming towards Zero.

PANEL SIX: An aerial view of the roof exploding. It should resemble a smaller version of the Hiroshima explosion.

The Misanthrope: Fool, this will be the fate of mankind!

PAGE 12:

PANEL ONE: A billow of smoke and ember are rising from the charred roof.

PANEL TWO: The smoke is clearing up and there are glimpses of a blue translucent dome within.

PANEL THREE: Full view of Zero behind his protective field. His stance has not changed. The area around the field is gone.

Zero Moniker: You shouldn’t judge others by your preconceptions.

PANEL FOUR: Zero’s entire body emits a bright almost blinding light.

PANEL FIVE: His body is radiant and showing hints of size condensing.

PANEL SIX: His body is taking on a more spherical shape.

PAGE 13:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Moniker is now a miniature blue star hovering above the ruins of the roof. It is approximately the size of a basket ball.

Zero Moniker: Now you will suffer for your mistake.

PAGE 14:

PANEL ONE: The Zero Star is now above the Reaper. The Reaper is exuding the same aura.

PANEL TWO: An intense electrical glow encases the Reaper.

Misanthrope: Filthy fleshy being, what are you doing to me?!

PANEL THREE: A close-up of the Zero Star.

Zero Moniker: I am awakening you to enlightenment.

PANEL FOUR: A massive surge of electricity flows through the Reaper.

PANEL FIVE: The Zero Star descends to the street with the Reaper in tow. The Reaper is encased in the electrical glow.

PAGE 15:

PANEL ONE: Zero Moniker is in human form again and the radiance is fading. He is sitting on the Reaper’s roof.

PANEL TWO: A clean-up team arrives. They clad in the suits that are a cross between HAZMAT suits and Solid Snake’s sneaking suit.  There are 2 cranes and a heavy transport truck.

PANEL THREE: The cranes load the Raptor into the truck.

PANEL FOUR: The clean-up team leaves.

PAGE 16:

PANEL ONE: A UH-60 Black Hawk descends from the sky.

PANEL TWO: It lands in front of Zero.

PANEL THREE: An attractive young woman in a military uniform exits and approaches Zero.

The Representative: Mr. Moniker, SOCOM would like to thank you for a job well done.

PANEL FOUR: They are within arm’s length and they shake hands.

Zero Moniker: It was a pleasure to doing business with Uncle Sam again.

PAGE 17:

PANEL ONE: Zero is walking back to the Black Hawk with the rep.

PANEL TWO: The rep boards the Black Hawk.

PANEL THREE: The Black Hawk takes off. The sky has more clouds and the sun is setting.

PANEL FOUR: A close-up of the rep’s face. She is gazing deeply at Zero. Her eyes convey admiration.

PAGE 18:

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero’s head.

Zero Moniker: Phantom, what is the status?

Phantom: The Misanthrope’s essence has been assimilated.

Zero Moniker: The mission is indeed a success.

Phantom: Yes, I have learned that misguided fool’s techniques

PANEL TWO: Full body view of Zero. His body is radiating again,

PANEL THREE: The Zero Star is flies off.

 

FIN

Found on Youtube: Way to Go, Newy!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I recently discovered that Dallas’s own Newy Scruggs has become something of a Youtube cult figure as a result of a report he filed from San Francisco shortly before the start of the World Series.

I think Newy is the sports reporter for one of the local stations down here.  I’m not sure which station because, to be honest, I make it a point not to watch the news.  (I rely on rumor and street innuendo for my knowledge of current events…)  However, I do know about Newy because when there’s somebody living in your city with a name like Newy Scruggs, you better know about it.

Anyway, here’s Newy Scruggs visiting Arleigh’s hometown….

So, now the question is this — what lies in the future for Newy Scruggs?  Will he become a famous, legendary Youtube messiah like the Garbage Day Guy from Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2?

Or will Newy Scruggs suffer the same tragic fate as past Youtube stars?

One thing is for sure.  I will always enjoy randomly saying “Newy Scruggs.”

Battle: Los Angeles (International Teaser Trailer)

Posted on by Arleigh

Funny how certain films in the US get a change in how they’re titled for the overseas market.

A couple weeks ago the first trailer for Jonathan Liebesman’s alien invasion film, Battle: Los Angeles, was posted and it certainly looked a tad better than this year’s big alien invasion flick, Skyline. They share not just the type of film it wants to be but the location as well. Both are set in Los Angeles and both seem to be CGI-heavy affairs. Where the Brother Strause’s film was so bad that it was good this film from Liebesman looks to marry alien invasion with Black Hawk Down for a much more down in the ground action.

This new teaser trailer is the international version and it shows a bit more of the action we’ll be seeing in this film. There is one little change which I find more than just a tad bit amusing. When the teaser finally ends we don’t see the title as Battle: Los Angeles, but instead we get the more international sounding World Invasion: Los Angeles. I guess the studio thinks the film will do better overseas by making it sound like the invasion is global instead of local the way the original title has it.

Fret not fellow Americans! The voiceover does say, after listing cities both in the US and around the globe, that we cannot lose Los Angeles thus….USA! USA! USA!

A Quickie With Lisa Marie: The Host of Seraphim (performed by Dead Can Dance)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hi, out there!

Okay, for those of you who haven’t been following along, on Monday, Arleigh posted an entry about Frank Darabont firing the Walking Dead’s writing staff and how this might indicate that Darabont is planning on being the show’s sole writer.

So, of course, me being the little contrarian that I am, I had to stick my big Italian nose into it all and comment about how much I hate The Shawshank Redemption and about how Stephen King is an insecure whore.  And this, of course, led to all of the boys fighting over whether or not The Mist had a good ending.

(I’m joking a little here — it’s actually been a pretty interesting discussion.)

Anyway, I’ve already taken my side in the argument, which is that The Mist had a terrible ending but that terrible ending was scored with a really good and haunting song.

And here that song is : The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance.

The Daily Grindhouse: Cannibal Ferox aka Make Them Die Slowly (dir. by Umberto Lenzi)

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s time we got back to another edition of “The Daily Grindhouse” and this time we go into the lovely and wholesome fun that was the European cannibal subgenre which became popular from the mid-1970’s right up to the early 1980’s. The granddaddy and best of this subgenre will forever be Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust. That film help bring about the flood of cheap copies and knock-offs with each one trying to one-up Deodato’s masterpiece by amping up the violence and gore to try and get banned in as many countries as possible. One of these knock-off’s is Umberto Lenzi’s Cannibal Ferox aka Make Them Die Slowly.

It stars one of the heavyweights of Italian exploitation and grindhouse in Giovanni Lombardo Radice. It pretty much borrows part of the plot of Cannibal Holocaust then adds in a liberal helping of drug-dealers, mobsters and emeralds. Lenzi’s flick dumps the “found footage” style Deodato used for his film and instead goes a more traditional style. This lessens the impact of Lenzi’s film and definitely adds to fuel from critics and detractors who saw nothing of value in this film.

I wouldn’t say that Cannibal Ferox has no redeeming value whatsoever for it is an interesting flick. Gorehounds and lovers of this particular brand of grindhouse cinema have a special place in their heart for this flick with special mention going to the several kill sequences that occur throughout the film. Lead actor Radice gets the most elaborate and gruesome fate in this flick and I would say in most in the subgenre. No wonder in an interview years later he would regret ever filming this flick.

Oh yeah, Lenzi one up’s Deodato’s on-screen killing of a live turtle by doing a pig instead.

Like I said earlier, lovely and wholesome fun for the whole family.

The National Board Of Review: I Give Up!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The rather enigmatic National Board of Review announced their selections for the best films of 2010 today.  The NBR is traditionally considered to be the first precursor to how the actual Oscar race will shape up.  Typically, those honored by the NBR are, at the very least, nominated by the Academy.  Strangely, nobody seems to be sure just who exactly makes up the membership of the NBR.  As far as I can tell, it appears to be a collection of film professors and cable tv executives.  It wouldn’t surprise me to discover that the NBR is actually some sort of Illuminati conspiracy or MK-Ultra experiment designed to keep American filmgoers from thinking for themselves.

Anyway, as I look over this year’s award winners, all I can say is that I give up.  If my reaction to Avatar indicated to me that I’m totally out-of-step with mainstream opinion, then the current Pavlovian acclaim of the Social Network proves it.  I will never be a part of the mainstream and it’s not by choice.  It’s just I am apparently thoroughly incapable of understanding how the mainstream brain works. 

So, that’s what the National Board of Review taught me today.  I am destined to always be alone, railing against the dying of the light.  Thank you for the insight, assholes.

Anyway, here’s this year’s award winners:

Best Picture: The Social Network (Don’t get me wrong, the Social Network is a good movie.  It’s just not that good.) 

Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network

Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network (I am so sick of hearing that this is Jesse’s “breakthrough” role.  Jesse’s breakthrough was in Adventureland, long before the mainstream ever decided to embrace him.)

Best Actress: Lesley Manville, Another Year (Haven’t seen it yet)

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter (Another movie that I will see when it opens later this month.  Still, Bale should have been nominated for American Psycho back in the day.)

Best Supporting Actress: Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom (Yay!  This award gives me hope.)

Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3 (yay!)

Best Documentary: Waiting For Superman (Yes, my favorite movie of the year —Exit Through The Gift Shop — was totally ignored.)

Best Ensemble Cast: The Town (Bleh.  So I guess that would include Jon Hamm, who gave such an amazingly bad performance in this film?)

Breakthrough Performance: Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone (Another yay but you know all the mainstream is going to offer her is a role in a Twilight rip-off and maybe a Maxim cover shoot.)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network (Fuck Aaron Sorkin and his elitist, sexist, technophobic script.)

Best Original Screenplay: Chris Sparling for Buried (which I didn’t see, mostly because I’m claustrophobic and the movie is called Buried.)

Ten Best Films Of The Year (in alphabetical order):

Another Year

The Fighter

Hereafter (which sucked!)

Inception (yay!)

The King’s Speech (I’m actually really looking forward to seeing this)

Shutter Island (kinda bleh but enjoyable)

The Town

Toy Story 3

True Grit (another one I can’t wait to see)

Winter’s Bone (yay!)

Yep, you read that right.  No awards for such presumed favorites as James Franco and 127 Hours, Black Swan, or The Kids Are All Right.  But you better believe they found room to honor a shallow, pandering film like Hereafter.

Finally, here are the Top Ten Independent Films of 2010, according to the toadsuckers at the National Board of Review:

Animal Kingdom (yay!)

Buried (Now I guess I have to see it)

Fish Tank (yay!)

The Ghost Writer (yay — kinda)

Greenberg (bleh)

Let Me In (another kinda yay)

Monsters (shrug)

Please Give (yay!)

Somewhere (going to see it when it opens down here, Sofia Coppola is my role model)

Youth in Revolt (shrug, it’s neither bleh nor yay)

You can read the full list of winners at The Wrap.

Anyway, in order to show just how exactly I feel when confronted with mainstream thought and opinion, here’s an old picture of me with a tampon stuck up my nose.

Film Review: Welcome To The Rileys (dir. by Jake Scott)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Last weekend, I went down to one of my favorite movie theaters, the wonderful Plano Angelika, and I saw one of the best — if unheralded — independent films of 2010, Welcome To The Rileys.

Kristen Stewart plays Alison, a 16 year-old runaway who, as the movie opens, is working as a stripper and prostitute in New Orleans.  One day, while at work, she meets a middle-aged businessman named Doug Riley (James Gandolfini).  Doug is in New Orleans attending a convention and he reluctantly accepts Alison’s offer of a private dance.  As soon as they’re alone together, Alison immediately offers to have sex with Doug for money.  Doug turns her down, Alison angrily accuses him of being an undercover cop, and a flustered Doug leaves the club.  Later that night, Doug happens to run into Alison again and, looking to make amends with her, he gives her a ride back to her “home,” which turns out to be an apparently abandoned and condemned row house.  Doug ends up sleeping over at the house (though again, he refuses to have sex with Alison).  The next day, Doug offers to pay Alison a hundred dollars a day if he can stay in her house while he’s in New Orleans.  Alison, who is always on the look out for extra money, agrees.  After a rough start, Doug and Alison settle into a bizarre sort of domesticity with the paternalistic Doug teaching Alison how to make a bed and Alison calling on Doug when one of her clients refuses to pay her for her services.

What Alison doesn’t know is that Doug has a wife in Indiana.  Lois Riley (played by Melissa Leo) hasn’t stepped outside of their suburban home in years.  Ever since the tragic death of their 16 year-old daughter, Lois has cut herself off from the world and her husband (even to the extent of tolerating Doug’s affair with a local waitress).  However, when Doug calls her from New Orleans and announces that he won’t be coming home for a while, Lois forces herself to leave the house.  While Doug is busy trying to escape from reality, Lois is driving down to New Orleans to try to bring him back.

When Lois reaches New Orleans, Doug introduces her to Alison and, to his surprise, the two of them almost immediately start to bond.  Lois tells Alison about how their daughter and Alison responds by telling the story (which, the film hints, might not be true) of how her own mother also died in a car accident.  Soon, both Doug and Lois have — for all intents and purposes — adopted Lois as their own daughter.  However, what neither has considered is that Alison might not want to a part of the Riley family…

Welcome To The Rileys is ultimately a touching and low-key exploration of grief, guilt, and the struggle to accept the occasionally unpleasant realities of life.  It’s also a portrait of three lost souls struggling to connect with the existence around them.  Jake (son of Ridley) Scott’s direction is properly low-key and manages to be affecting without indulging in any of the obvious tricks that one might expect to see in a film like this.  However, what makes this film ultimately work is a strong trio of lead performances from Gandolfini, Leo, and Stewart.

Playing Doug (a character that both I and the film had mixed feelings about), James Gandolfini gives a performance that’s so good that I never once found myself tempted to make any “Soproano”-related asides under my breath.  Though his Southern accent comes and goes, Gandolfini brings the perfect combination of warmth, concern, self-pity, and stubbornness to his role and he makes Doug an understandable and sympathetic — if not always likable — character.  A part of me feels that the film’s screenplay is a bit too quick to let Doug off the hook for some of his actions but, as an actor, Gandolfini never makes the same mistake.

Playing Alison, Kristen Stewart proves that it’s time to forgive her for starring in Twilight.  Her performances in Into The Wild and The Runaways provided hints that she’s actually a very talented actress but her performance here proves it.  She not only captures Alison’s sadness but, even more importantly, she doesn’t shy away from the anger that feeds off that sadness.  She never sentimentalizes her performance, there’s no moment where she pauses to let the audience know that she’s a good girl at heart.  Instead, she dares us to reject her while revealing just enough of her inner pain to make it impossible for us to do so.

However, for me, the film really belongs to Melissa Leo.  Whether she’s struggling to figure out how to drive her husband’s car or primly introducing herself to Alison (who, at the time, is dressed for work), Leo is simply amazing.  When Lois first appeared in the film, I was worried because it felt as if the filmmakers were using her agorophobia to justify Doug’s adultery.  However, Melissa Leo subtly and surely starts to peel away the layers of Lois’ outward repression until, by the end of the movie, Lois is the most vibrant character in the film.  Just check out the scene where Lois responds to a flirtatious man in a truck stop with a combination of pride, amusement, and surprise and you’ll see what great acting is all about. 

When Lois finally ends up in New Orleans, she seems to bring a whole new life to the movie.  What previously seemed to simply be a meditation on loss and sadness is instead revealed to be a celebration of life and love.  For a film that originally seemed to be about an errant husband and an angry runaway, Welcome To The Rileys eventually turns out to be a tribute to one woman who turns out to be far stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

With all the current Oscar hype surrounding films like The Social Network and The Kids Are All Right, Welcome To The Rileys is the type of low-key, subtle movie that will probably be forgotten in the rush to jump on all the more obvious bandwagons.  That’s a shame because it’s one of the best films of 2010 and one that deserves to be seen over the years to come.

 

The Brave One

Posted on by Arleigh

This is definitely stretching the definition of entertainment but one just has to watch the brave little Akita as it confronts the sinister bowl of evil. Watch how it falls back on it’s ninja and samurai training (Akita’s are originally from Japan and were used as guard dogs during the Feudal Era of Japan when samurai and warlords ruled the land) and begins to sneak towards it hoping to catch it by surprise.

It even tries to confuse it by pretending it’s about to attack with one of it’s deadly paws only to pull said paw of destruction back.

Yeah, this is one brave pup who is probably huge by now and can probably destroy his enameled nemesis by his bark alone.

The Independent Spirit Awards

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

This year’s Independent Spirit Award nominations were announced yesterday.  The Spirit Awards are basically the Oscars for independent films.  By independent, of course, we means films that were not directed by David Fincher, written by Aaron Sorkin, and embraced by mainstream toadsuckers who should know better.

Anyway, you can find a complete list of the nominees at the IFC web site but that site — at least on my hard-working little laptop  — had been taking forever to load.  You can also find a nearly complete list over at AwardsDaily.com but just be careful not to actually read any of Sasha Stone’s opinions while visiting the site.  Because seriously, she’ll turn you into a Roger Ebert-obsessed Stepford Wife.

Anyway, here’s the main nominees:

BEST FEATURE

  • 127 HOURS
  • BLACK SWAN
  • GREENBERG
  • THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
  • WINTER’S BONE

BEST DIRECTOR

  • DARREN ARONOFSKY – Black Swan
  • DANNY BOYLE – 127 Hours
  • LISA CHOLODENKO – The Kids Are All Right
  • DEBRA GRANIK – Winter’s Bone
  • JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL – Rabbit Hole

 

BEST SCREENPLAY

  • STUART BLUMBERG & LISA CHOLODENKO – The Kids Are All Right
  • DEBRA GRANIK & ANNE ROSELLINI – Winter’s Bone
  • NICOLE HOLOFCENER – Please Give
  • DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE – Rabbit Hole
  • TODD SOLONDZ – Life During Wartime

BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer)

  • EVERYTHING STRANGE AND NEW
  • GET LOW
  • NIGHT CATCHES US
  • THE LAST EXORCISM
  • TINY FURNITURE

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

  • DIANE BELL – Obselidia
  • LENA DUNHAM – Tiny Furniture
  • NIK FACKLER – Lovely, Still
  • BOB GLAUDINI – Jack Goes Boating
  • DANA ADAM SHAPIRO & EVAN M. WIENER – Monogamy

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000;
award given to the writer, director, and producer)

  • DADDY LONGLEGS
  • LOVERS OF HATE
  • OBSELIDIA
  • THE EXPLODING GIRL

BEST FEMALE LEAD

  • ANNETTE BENING – The Kids Are All Right
  • GRETA GERWIG – Greenberg
  • NICOLE KIDMAN – Rabbit Hole
  • JENNIFER LAWRENCE – Winter’s Bone
  • NATALIE PORTMAN – Black Swan
  • MICHELLE WILLIAMS – Blue Valentine

BEST MALE LEAD

  • RONALD BRONSTEIN – Daddy Longlegs
  • AARON ECKHART – Rabbit Hole
  • JAMES FRANCO – 127 Hours
  • JOHN C. REILLY – Cyrus
  • BEN STILLER – Greenberg

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

  • ASHLEY BELL – The Last Exorcism
  • DALE DICKEY – Winter’s Bone
  • ALLISON JANNEY – Life During Wartime
  • DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA – Jack Goes Boating
  • NAOMI WATTS – Mother and Child

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

  • JOHN HAWKES – Winter’s Bone
  • SAMUEL L. JACKSON – Mother and Child
  • BILL MURRAY – Get Low
  • JOHN ORTIZ – Jack Goes Boating
  • MARK RUFFALO – The Kids Are All Right

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • ADAM KIMMEL – Never Let Me Go
  • MATTHEW LIBATIQUE – Black Swan
  • JODY LEE LIPES – Tiny Furniture
  • MICHAEL McDONOUGH – Winter’s Bone
  • HARRIS SAVIDES – Greenberg

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Award given to the director)

  • EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
  • MARWENCOL
  • SWEETGRASS
  • RESTREPO
  • THUNDER SOUL

BEST FOREIGN FILM
(Award given to the director)

  • KISSES (Ireland)
  • MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON (France)
  • OF GODS AND MEN (Morocco)
  • THE KING’S SPEECH (United Kingdom)
  • UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (Thailand)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its
ensemble cast)

  • PLEASE GIVE (DIRECTOR: Nicole Holofcener)

To be honest, the only thing that really surprises me on this list is that Greenberg was 1) remembered and 2) an independent film.  Still, Greta Gerwig was wonderful in the film and it’s good to see here getting some recognition along with Dale Dickey, John Hawkes, Ashley Bell, and the cast of one of the year’s most underrated films, Please Give.

To be honest, it’s kind of nice — in these Social Network dominated times — to see that the majority of the films nominated here deal with, feature, or were made by strong women.  (Not to mention that 127 Hours is about a man who eventually has to chop off his arm because he wasn’t properly in touch with his feminine side.)

One last note — yay! for that Last Exorcism nomination though it would have been nice to see a nomination for Patrick Fabian as well.  Still, the Spirit Awards are as close as a deserving but out-of-the-mainstream film like this one can hope to get to the Oscars.