41 Songs But No End Credits


The Academy has released a list of the 41 songs that they have determined are “eligible” for an Oscar nomination next year.  Considering how this year has gone, I shouldn’t be surprised that the songs that I really liked (like “Kick Ass” from Kick Ass and “End Credits” from Harry Brown) have not been deemed eligible.

Anyway, via Awards Daily, here’s the complete list of the eligible songs:

“Alice” from “Alice in Wonderland”
“Forever One Love” from “Black Tulip”
“Freedom Song” from “Black Tulip”
“Bound to You” from “Burlesque”
“Welcome to Burlesque” from “Burlesque”
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from “Burlesque”
“There’s a Place for Us” from “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”
“Coming Home” from “Country Strong”
“Me and Tennessee” from “Country Strong”
“Despicable Me” from “Despicable Me”
“Prettiest Girls” from “Despicable Me”
“Dear Laughing Doubters” from “Dinner for Schmucks”
“Better Days” from “Eat Pray Love”
“If You Run” from “Going the Distance”
“Darkness before the Dawn” from “Holy Rollers”
“Sticks & Stones” from “How to Train Your Dragon”
“Le Gris” from “Idiots and Angels”
“Chanson Illusionist” from “The Illusionist”
“Never Say Never” from “The Karate Kid”
“To the Sky” from “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”
“What If” from “Letters to Juliet”
“Life during Wartime” from “Life during Wartime”
“Made in Dagenham” from “Made in Dagenham”
“Little One” from “Mother and Child”
“Be the One” from “The Next Three Days”
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours”
“When You See Forever” from “The Perfect Game”
“I Remain” from “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”
“Dream Big” from “Pure Country 2: The Gift”
“How I Love You” from “Ramona and Beezus”
“Darling I Do” from “Shrek Forever After”
“Noka Oi” from “Six Days in Paradise”
“This Is a Low” from “Tamara Drewe”
“I See the Light” from “Tangled”
“Rise” from “3 Billion and Counting”
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″
“Eclipse: All Yours” from “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
“Nothing” from “Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too”
“A Better Life” from “Unbeaten”
“Shine” from “Waiting for ‘Superman’”
“The Reasons Why” from “Wretches & Jabberers”

I saw Burlesque with my friend Evelyn earlier tonight (hi, Evelyn!) and even though the movie was pretty silly, we ended up singing our own version of “Bound to You” for three hours afterward. 

I also thought that “Better Days” from Eat Pray Love and “Dear Laughing Doubters” from Dinner For Schmucks were both perfect examples of good songs written for rather disappointing movies.

Still, I’m sad to see that “Pimps Don’t Cry” won’t be getting a chance to bring The Other Guys some Oscar glory.

“I’ll show you a pair of Golden Globes!”


The Golden Globes nominations were announced today and, as usual, they were a strange combination of the expected nominees and a few that seem to have literally come out of thin air.  (Check out that Best Picture nomination for The Tourist.)  The Golden Globes are awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an organization that seems to be about as shadowy and obscure as an Illumnati splinter group.  That said, I’ve always wanted to be nominated for Golden Globe just so I could get in front of a tv camera, thrust out my boobs, and say, “I’ll show you a pair of Golden Globes!” 

Anyway, as I looked over the nominations earlier today, three things came to mind.

First off, the Walking Dead was nominated for Best Dramatic Television Series.  Yay!

Secondly, I was kinda hoping that Noomi Rapace might be able to sneak in as one of the Best Actress nominees.  There is a small campaign going on to win her an Oscar nomination for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and she was nominated for best actress by yet another shadowy group, the Broadcast Film Critics.  Unfortunately, a Golden Globe nod was not to be. 

Third, I was a little bit surprised to discover that Toy Story 3 was not nominated for Best Picture (Comedy).  In the past, the Hollywood Foreign Press has been far more willing than the Academy to nominate animated films and Toy Story 3 seemed like a far more likely choice than The Tourist.  In fact, not even the film’s theme song picked up a nomination.  Of course, Toy Story 3 did pick up a nomination for best animated film but I still wonder if maybe this could be evidence of a Toy Story 3 backlash.  Up until a week ago, I would have said that Toy Story 3 is guaranteed an Oscar nomination for best picture.  Now, I’m starting to have my doubts.

Anyway, here’s the nominees (taken from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association web site):

  • BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
    1. BLACK SWAN
      Protozoa Pictures & Cross Creek Pictures & Phoenix; Fox Searchlight Pictures
    2. THE FIGHTER
      Paramount Pictures and Relativity Media; Paramount Pictures and Relativity Media
    3. INCEPTION
      Warner Bros. Pictures UK LTD.; Warner Bros. Pictures
    4. THE KING’S SPEECH
      See-Saw Films and Bedlam Productions; The Weinstein Company
    5. THE SOCIAL NETWORK
      Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
    1. HALLE BERRY FRANKIE AND ALICE
    2. NICOLE KIDMAN RABBIT HOLE
    3. JENNIFER LAWRENCE WINTER’S BONE
    4. NATALIE PORTMAN BLACK SWAN
    5. MICHELLE WILLIAMS BLUE VALENTINE
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
    1. JESSE EISENBERG THE SOCIAL NETWORK
    2. COLIN FIRTH THE KING’S SPEECH
    3. JAMES FRANCO 127 HOURS
    4. RYAN GOSLING BLUE VALENTINE
    5. MARK WAHLBERG THE FIGHTER
  • BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. ALICE IN WONDERLAND
      Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
    2. BURLESQUE
      Screen Gems; Sony Pictures Releasing
    3. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
      Antidote Films, Mandalay Vision, Gilbert Films; Focus Features
    4. RED
      di Bonaventura Pictures; Summit Entertainment
    5. THE TOURIST
      GK Films; Sony Pictures Releasing
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. ANNETTE BENING THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
    2. ANNE HATHAWAY LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
    3. ANGELINA JOLIE THE TOURIST
    4. JULIANNE MOORE THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
    5. EMMA STONE EASY A
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. JOHNNY DEPP ALICE IN WONDERLAND
    2. JOHNNY DEPP THE TOURIST
    3. PAUL GIAMATTI BARNEY’S VERSION
    4. JAKE GYLLENHAAL LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
    5. KEVIN SPACEY CASINO JACK
  • BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
    1. DESPICABLE ME
      Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment; Universal Pictures
    2. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
      DreamWorks Animation; Paramount Pictures
    3. THE ILLUSIONIST
      Django Films, Ciné B and France 3 Cinéma; Sony Pictures Classics
    4. TANGLED
      Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
    5. TOY STORY 3
      Disney * Pixar; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
  • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
    1. BIUTIFUL (MEXICO/SPAIN)

      Menageatroz, Focus Features International; Roadside Attractions

    2. THE CONCERT (FRANCE)

      An Oï Oï Oï Productions, Les Productions Du Tresor, France 3 Cinema, Europacorp, Castel Films, Panache Productions, RTBF (Belgian Television), BIM Distrubuzione Co., Canal +, Cinecinema and France 3; The Weinstein Company

    3. THE EDGE (Kpaй) (RUSSIA)

      Teleshow/Rock Films; Central Partnership (Russia)

    4. I AM LOVE (IO SONO L’AMORE) (ITALY)

      First Sun; Magnolia Pictures

    5. IN A BETTER WORLD (Hævnen) (DENMARK)

      Zentropa Entertainment; Sony Pictures Classics

  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
    1. AMY ADAMS THE FIGHTER
    2. HELENA BONHAM CARTER THE KING’S SPEECH
    3. MILA KUNIS BLACK SWAN
    4. MELISSA LEO THE FIGHTER
    5. JACKI WEAVER ANIMAL KINGDOM
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
    1. CHRISTIAN BALE THE FIGHTER
    2. MICHAEL DOUGLAS WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
    3. ANDREW GARFIELD THE SOCIAL NETWORK
    4. JEREMY RENNER THE TOWN
    5. GEOFFREY RUSH THE KING’S SPEECH
  • BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
    1. DARREN ARONOFSKY BLACK SWAN
    2. DAVID FINCHER THE SOCIAL NETWORK
    3. TOM HOOPER THE KING’S SPEECH
    4. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN INCEPTION
    5. DAVID O. RUSSELL THE FIGHTER
  • BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
    1. DANNY BOYLE, SIMON BEAUFOY 127 HOURS
    2. LISA CHOLODENKO, STUART BLUMBERG THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
    3. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN INCEPTION
    4. DAVID SEIDLER THE KING’S SPEECH
    5. AARON SORKIN THE SOCIAL NETWORK
  • BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
    1. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE KING’S SPEECH
    2. DANNY ELFMAN ALICE IN WONDERLAND
    3. A.R. RAHMAN 127 HOURS
    4. TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS THE SOCIAL NETWORK
    5. HANS ZIMMER INCEPTION
  • BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
    1. “BOUND TO YOU” — BURLESQUE
      Music by: Samuel Dixon
      Lyrics by: Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler
    2. “COMING HOME” — COUNTRY STRONG
      Music & Lyrics by: Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges
    3. “I SEE THE LIGHT” — TANGLED
      Music by: Alan Menken
      Lyrics by: Glenn Slater
    4. “THERE’S A PLACE FOR US” — CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER
      Music & Lyrics by: Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey
    5. “YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME” — BURLESQUE
      Music & Lyrics by: Diane Warren
  • BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
    1. OARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
      Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions, HBO Entertainment
    2. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
      Showtime, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company
    3. THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
      CBS Television Studios
    4. MAD MEN (AMC)
      Lionsgate Television
    5. THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)
      AMC
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
    1. JULIANNA MARGULIES THE GOOD WIFE
    2. ELISABETH MOSS MAD MEN
    3. PIPER PERABO COVERT AFFAIRS
    4. KATEY SAGAL SONS OF ANARCHY
    5. KYRA SEDGWICK THE Closer
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
    1. STEVE BUSCEMI BOARDWALK EMPIRE
    2. BRYAN CRANSTON BREAKING BAD
    3. MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER
    4. JON HAMM MAD MEN
    5. HUGH LAURIE HOUSE
  • BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. 30 ROCK (NBC)
      Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
      Stranger Inc.
    2. THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
      Warner Bros. Television
    3. THE BIG C (SHOWTIME)
      Showtime, Sony Pictures Television, Perkins Street Productions, Farm Kid, Original Film
    4. GLEE (FOX)
      Ryan Murphy Television, Twentieth Century Fox Television
    5. MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
      Twentieth Century Fox Television
    6. NURSE JACKIE (SHOWTIME)
      Showtime, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber, Caryn Mandabach Productions
  • EST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. TONI COLLETTE UNITED STATES OF TARA
    2. EDIE FALCO NURSE JACKIE
    3. TINA FEY 30 ROCK
    4. LAURA LINNEY THE BIG C
    5. LEA MICHELE GLEE
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
    1. ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK
    2. STEVE CARELL THE OFFICE
    3. THOMAS JANE HUNG
    4. MATTHEW MORRISON GLEE
    5. JIM PARSONS THE BIG BANG THEORY
  • BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
    1. CARLOS (SUNDANCE CHANNEL)
      Film En Stock and Egoli Tossell Film, Sundance Channel
    2. THE PACIFIC (HBO)
      Playtone and DreamWorks in association with HBO Films
    3. PILLARS OF THE EARTH (STARZ)
      Starz, Tandem Communications, Muse Entertainment Scott Free Films
    4. TEMPLE GRANDIN (HBO)
      A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production, HBO Films
    5. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK (HBO)
      Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions, HBO Films
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
    1. HAYLEY ATWELL PILLARS OF THE EARTH
    2. CLAIRE DANES TEMPLE GRANDIN
    3. JUDI DENCH RETURN TO CRANFORD
    4. ROMOLA GARAI EMMA
    5. JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT THE CLIENT LIST
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
    1. IDRIS ELBA LUTHER
    2. IAN MCSHANE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
    3. AL PACINO YOU DON’T KNOW JACK
    4. DENNIS QUAID THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
    5. EDGAR RAMIREZ CARLOS
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
    1. HOPE DAVIS THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
    2. JANE LYNCH GLEE
    3. KELLY MACDONALD BOARDWALK EMPIRE
    4. JULIA STILES DEXTER
    5. SOFIA VERGARA MODERN FAMILY
  • BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
    1. SCOTT CAAN HAWAII FIVE-O
    2. CHRIS COLFER GLEE
    3. CHRIS NOTH THE GOOD WIFE
    4. ERIC STONESTREET MODERN FAMILY
    5. DAVID STRATHAIRN TEMPLE GRANDIN
  • Who the Hell Are These People?


    With the Golden Globe nominations set to be announced on Tuesday, I figured now would be a good time to recap which films and performances have already been honored by the various critics groups. 

    One thing that I discovered as I researched this is that there are a lot of critics groups out there!   I don’t know who half these people are and most of them probably won’t have any bearing at all on who is actually nominated come Oscar time.  But since I’m a lover of trivia and lists, there you go.

    The following films and performances were honored by either The National Board of Review, the D.C. Film Critics, the Boston Society of Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Online,The Los Angeles Film Critics, The Indiana Film Journalists, The Southeastern Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Circle, or the San Francisco Film Critics.

    Best Picture:

    The Social Network (All.  That’s right, it’s a clean sweep for an above average film.)

    Best Director:

    Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan (S.F)

    Olivier Assayas for Carlos (LAFC)

    David Fincher for The Social Network (BSFC, DC, NBR, NYFCC, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

    Christopher Nolan for Inception (IFJ)

    Best Actor:

    Jesse Eisenberg (BSFC, NBR)

    Colin Firth for The King’s Speech (DC, LAFC, NYFCC, SEFC, S.F.)

    James Franco for 127 Hours (IFJ, NYFCO)

    Best Actress:

    Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

    Kim Hye-ja for Mother (LAFC)

    Jennifer Lawrence for Winter’s Bone (DC)

    Lesley Manville for Another Year (NBR)

    Natalie Portman for Black Swan (BSFC, IFJ, NYFCO, SEFC)

    Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine (S.F.)

    Best Supporting Actor:

    Niels Arestrup for A Prophet (LAFC)

    Christian Bale for The Fighter (BSFC, DC, IFJ, NBR, NYFCO)

    John Hawkes for Winter’s Bone (S.F.)

    Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

    Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech (SEFC)

    Best Supporting Actress:

    Melissa Leo for The Fighter (DC, NYFCC, NYFCO)

    Juliette Lewis for Conviction (BSFC)

    Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit (IFJ, SEFC)

    Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom (LAFC, NBR, S.F.)

    Best Documentary:

    Exit Through The Gift Shop (DC, IFJ, NYFCO)

    The Inside Job (NYFCC, SEFC)

    Last Train Home (LAFC)

    Marwencol (BSFC)

    The Tillman Story (S.F.)

    Waiting For Superman (NBR)

    Best Animated Feature:

    How To Train Your Dragon (IFJ)

    The Illusionist (NYFCC)

    Toy Story 3 (BSFC, DC, LAFC, NBR, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

    Best Adapted Screenplay:

    The Social Network (BSFC, DC, IFJ, LAFC, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

    Best Original Screenplay:

    Inception (DC)

    The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

    The Kings Speech (SEFC, S.F.)

      

    The New York Toadsuckers Have Spoken


    As I mentioned in my last post, the New York Film Critics Circle voted on and announced their picks for the best films of the year today.  Looking over the winners, all I can say is — YAWN!

    Best Film:
    The Social Network

    Best Director:
    David Fincher, The Social Network

    Best Screenplay:
    The Kids Are All Right

    Best Actress:
    Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

    Best Actor:
    Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

    Best Supporting Actress:
    Melissa Leo, The Fighter

    Best Supporting Actor:
    Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

    Best Cinematography:
    Black Swan

    Best Animated Film:
    The Illusionist

    Best Non-fiction Film:
    Inside Job

    Best Foreign Language Film:
    Carlos

    Best First Feature:
    Animal Kingdom

    Over on Awardsdaily.com, the response to the New York Critics was: “NO ONE  wrote a better screenplay than Aaron Sorkin this year.” 

    (And yes, they specifically put that statement in bold print with NO ONE capitalized, just to make sure that the point came through.)

    Really?  NO ONE?  It’s time to admit the truth — The Social Network has gone from being a movie to being a cult.  Apparently, even suggesting that any other movie might deserve an honor or two this year is an act of heresy.  Sorry, New York Film Critics.  Prepare yourself to be eaten by lions while the Sorkinites watch and cheer.

    That said, the screenplay for The Kids Are All Right had all the depth of a sitcom.  And Mark Ruffalo’s supporting performance was good but nothing that couldn’t have been done by just about any other scruffy actor in Hollywood.  And while Annette Bening did a good job with her role, this is the year of Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Noomi Rapace in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Katie Jarvis in Fish Tank, and Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone.  This was a year in which so many actresses gave unique, unexpected performances in roles that redefined the stereotypical cinematic female lead.  Annette Bening was good but so many were great.

    It’s also interesting to note that The Illusionist (which I haven’t seen and know very little about) was named best animated feature as opposed to the presumed favorite, Toy Story 3.  Just a few months ago, the general assumption seemed to be that Toy Story 3 would easily pick up a best picture nod but it seems like that storyline’s been forgotten in all the hype surrounding The Social Network.

    The L.A. Film Critics Have Spoken


    A whole lot of critics’ groups announced their picks for the best films and performances of the year today and the New York Film Critics are voting as I type.  I’m on lunch from work right now so a full list will have to wait until later tonight.  For now, I’m just going to share the choices made by the Los Angeles Film Critics.  The L.A. Critics are one of the big three as far as critics groups are concerned. 

    As I’ve said before, I think professional film critics are overrated but I just love awards.  And, of course, all of these December awards tend to serve as a precursor for who and what will receive Oscar nominations next year.  At their best, these groups can remind Academy voters of films and performances that they might otherwise overlook.  Certainly, if Jacki Weaver receives a deserved nomination for Animal Kingdom, it’ll be largely due to organizations like the National Board of Review and the L.A. Film Critics.

    Anyway, since my time is limited, I’m going to simply post the winners and then add a few comments on my own.

    PICTURE:

    • “The Social Network”
    • Runner-up: “Carlos”

    DIRECTOR:

    • Olivier Assayas, “Carlos,” and David Fincher, “The Social Network” (tie)

    ACTOR:

    • Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
    • Runner-up: Edgar Ramirez, “Carlos”

    ACTRESS:

    • Kim Hye-ja, “Mother”
    • Runner-up:  Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”

    SUPPORTING ACTOR:

    • Niels Arestrup, “A Prophet”
    • Runner-up: Geoffrey Rush, “The King’s Speech”

    SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

    • Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”
    • Runner-up: Olivia Williams, “The Ghost Writer”

    SCREENPLAY:

    • Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network”
    • Runner-up: David Seidler, “The King’s Speech”

     

    FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

    • “Carlos”
    • Runner-up: “Mother”

    ANIMATION:

    • “Toy Story 3″
    • Runner-up: “The Illusionist”

    DOCUMENTARY / NON-FICTION FILM:

    • “Last Train Home”
    • Runner-up: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”

    CINEMATOGRAPHY:

    • Matthew Libatique, “Black Swan”
    • Runner-up: Roger Deakins, “True Grit”

    MUSIC/SCORE:

    • Alexandre Desplat, “The Ghost Writer,” and  Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “The Social Network” (tie)

    PRODUCTION DESIGN:

    • Guy Hendrix Dyas, “Inception”
    • Runner-up: Eve Stewart, “The King’s Speech”

    NEW GENERATION:

    • Lena Dunham, “Tiny Furniture”

    DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM/VIDEO:

    • “Film Socialism”

    LEGACY OF CINEMA AWARDS:

    • Serge Bromberg, “Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno,” and the F.W. Murnau Foundation and Fernando Pena for the restoration of “Metropolis”

    CAREER ACHIEVEMENT:

    • Paul Mazursky

    The main news here, I guess, is just how well foreign language films did in the voting.  I haven’t seen Carlos and seeing as how I’m basically in fly-over country, I doubt I’ll get a chance to see it before the Oscar nominations are announced.  I do have Mother on DVD and I’m going to watch it sometime before the start of the new year.  It’s also nice to see some attention being given to A Prophet.

    Obviously, I’m disappointed not to see more love for Black Swan but I guess it’s to be expected as Black Swan is one of those films that people either love madly or hate with a passion.  I think that’s why The Social Network will win big at the Oscars this year.  It’s well-made and offensive only if you’re 1) female or 2) Mark Zuckerberg.

    The Oscars: The Visual Effects SemiFinalists


    The Visual Branch Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Scienes (yes, you can say it five times fast but can you say it five times fast while eating a pop tart — I think not!) has released a list of the 15 semifinalists for the 2010 Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

    And here they are:

    • Alice in Wonderland
    • The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
    • Clash of the Titans
    • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
    • Hereafter
    • Inception
    • Iron Man 2
    • The Last Airbender
    • Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
    • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
    • Scott Pilgrim vs the World
    • Shutter Island
    • The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
    • TRON: Legacy
    • Unstoppable

    This list will be narrowed down again to 7 semifinalists and then in February, the actual nominees will be announced.

    Looking over this list, there’s a few bright spots.  I don’t think anyone’s surprised that Inception made the cut but it’s still good to see it there.  I’m also happy to see that there’s at least a chance that Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World might get some love.  Same thing with Shutter Island.

    As for the rest of the list — well, it’s pretty much what you would expect to see, isn’t it?  Clash of the Titans?  Really?  I have to admit that I don’t remember the film all that well but didn’t the special effects kinda look like …. well, crap?  I can only assume that the voters were overwhelmed by the raw charisma of Sam Worthington.  Prince of Persia was a little better but still, for the most part, the effects were routine, dull, and predictable.  Hereafter featured an impressive tsunami but otherwise, the visual effects were pretty much limited to making the afterlife resemble a poorly lit office of the DMV.

    As usual, I guess what’s really interesting about this list isn’t what’s listed as much as what’s not.  I would happily replace both Clash of the Titans and Price of Persia with Splice and Skyline, two mediocre films that were distinguished by impressive f/x work.

    For that matter, even the Social Network featured Armie Hammer acting opposite himself.

    I’m also disappointed to see that Black Swan was left off the list.  In typical Darren Aronofsky fashion, they did indeed come close to going over the top.  The fact that they didn’t is exactly why they deserve to be honored.

    (I found this list of semifinalists on AwardsDaily.com but I’m not including a link because the site is run by an elitist dumbfug who apparently thinks that she’s the end-all/be-all of Oscar commentators.  Yes, she’s a commentator and not just some grubby little blogger like the rest of us.  Or, as she once put it — “I know the game.  Hell, I am the game…”  When I call someone a toadsucker, that’s the type of person I’m talking about.)

    The National Board Of Review: I Give Up!


    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.

    The Independent Spirit Awards


    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.

    2010 Oscars: The Search For A Host Or Two


    So, I guess this the type of silly, gossipy stuff that I — and I alone — am a sucker for but anyway … the hosts of the next Academy Awards ceremony have been announced and the winners are Anne Hathaway and James Franco!

    Huh?

    Don’t get me wrong, I love them both.  James Franco was great in 127 Hours and Anne Hathaway starred in the story of my life, Rachel Getting Married.  But what exactly about either one of them screams “Oscar host?”

    To be honest, Oscar Host has always seemed like a thankless job.  Jon Stewart did a pretty good job a few years ago (and it was really cool how he brought Marketa Irglova back out on stage so she could give her speech after winning the award for best original song) but otherwise, is it really a job that anyone wants? 

    (And, even if Stewart was a great Oscar host, he’s been getting progressively more and more smug, annoying, and self-important ever since.)

    Remember when Hugh Jackman hosted and he sang that song that just went on and on and then we all realized that we didn’t really like Hugh Jackman that much in the first place?

    And I guess last year it was Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin and … yeah, that was really memorable.

    Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Oscars and suddenly, she was a judge on American Idol and did that do anyone any good?

    Actually, I think the ideal host would be someone like Jeff Probst, someone who would just smirk after the winner’s announced and ask the other nominees what it felt like to be losers.

    Seriously, I’m worried for Franco and Hathaway.  I think that perhaps in the future, the role of Oscar host should be reserved for people who are already generally acknowledged as being annoying.  That way, at least, nobody will shed any tears when the Oscar Host Curse kicks in. 

    Kara DioGuardi needs the work.

    10 Things To Be Thankful For In 2010


    It’s the Thanksgiving season, that time when bloggers everywhere come up with lists of things that they are thankful for.  Here’s just 10 of the many things that I’ve been thankful for in 2010.

    1) The fifth season of Dexter

    I have to be honest.  I’ve been a fan of Dexter since the show’s 1st season but I wasn’t sure if the show would be able to survive after the fourth season ended with Rita (Julie Benz) dead in a bloody bathtub.  However, season 5 has been a triumph.  Yes, a little too much time has been devoted to the domestic troubles of LaGuerta and Batista (Lauren Velez and the always intriguing David Zayas) but Michael C. Hall (as Dexter) and Jennifer Carpenter (as Deb) have done some of their best work this season.  Even better, this season has featured two brilliant performances from guest stars Peter Weller and, especially, Julia Stiles (who really deserves her own spin-off).  Still, you have to wonder if any murder has ever actually been solved in Miami…

    2) Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander. 

    In three films — The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, Rapace created one of the first truly iconic film characters of the 21st century and that’s an accomplishment that will stand regardless of any attempts by the Hollywood mainstream to steal her accomplishment through any unnecessary remakes. 

    3) Lost

    As more time has passed, the more I’ve come to admit just how dissatisfied I was with how the creators of Lost decided to end their show.  Still, that doesn’t change the fact that, for several years, I scheduled my life around when the next episode of Lost was going to air.  I may not be thankful for a series finale that left way too many questions unanswered (why couldn’t children be born on the island?  What was the sickness?) but even the final season featured some of the show’s best moments.

    4) The Walking Dead

    I’m not a huge fan of Frank Darabont (sorry, but The Shawshank Redemption sucks) but I’m happy to say that he didn’t fuck up The Walking Dead.

    5) Kathryn Bigelow broke the glass ceiling.

    I’m still not a huge fan of The Hurt Locker but I am definitely a fan of Kathryn Bigelow.  As bad as this year’s Oscar ceremony was, it was worth watching just to see Bigelow become the first woman to ever win an Oscar for best director.  In many ways, it almost felt like a fantasy come to life — not only did Bigelow win a historic victory but she did it by beating her ex, James Cameron (who, to judge from his films, has never met a woman to whom he wouldn’t condescend).  The fact that she then gave one of the only genuine acceptance speeches of the entire ceremony was a wonderful bonus.

    6) Blue Valentine was rated NC-17.

    The upcoming film Blue Valentine (which I have yet to see) was reportedly given an NC-17 rating on account of scenes featuring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams having sex.  That the film would feature characters played Gosling and Williams having sex makes sense when you consider that the movie is specifically about their marriage.  However, despite this, Blue Valentine was rated NC-17 while films like The Expendables, A Nightmare on Elm Street, the Saw films — in which thousands of people are graphically killed and tortured on-screen — are given an R rating as a matter of routine.  If Blue Valentine had been about Ryan Gosling murdering Michelle Williams (as opposed to fucking her), the film probably would have an R rating and would be considered appropriate viewing in malls across America.  I’m thankful for this rating because it serves as a reminder that it’s okay to show a woman being humiliated, tortured, or killed just as long as you don’t show her actually enjoying an orgasm.

    7) Exit Through The Gift Shop

    The rest of you mainstreamers can talk about how much you love the Social Network for the rest of eternity, if you want.  Exit Through The Gift Shop is still the best movie of 2010.

    8 ) Lisa Marie finally figured out how to work her DVR.

    Yes, yes, I know.  DVR has been around like forever and it’s all old news and I’m sure there’s something even better than DVR that everyone but me is raving about and using right now but — look, shut up, okay?  Yes, I’ve had DVR forever but I just figured out how to actually make it work a few months ago.  And I love it!  Now, if I want to sit down in the living room at 3 in the morning and watch old episodes of Project Runway, there’s no way anyone can stop me.

    9) Joseph Gordon-Levitt floating through a dream hallway in Inception

    Inception was a film full of excellent set pieces and memorable images but whenever I think about the movie, I will always see Joseph Gordon-Levitt floating through that hallway in a suit and looking rather adorable as he does it.

    10) Cthulhu on South Park

    Well, of course.

    That’s just ten things I’m thankful for and I didn’t even start to talk about Scott Caan on Hawaii 5-0, James Franco in 127 Hours, or movies like Fish Tank, Winter’s Bone, and Never Let Me Go.  What are you thankful for?  Leave a comment, let the world know.  The best comment wins a renewed sense of peace and a happy new year.  (Please note that this is not a legally binding document.)