New Jersey’s legislature is attempting to pass same-sex legislation that would replace the state’s insufficient civil unions for its gay and lesbian citizens. The governor, Chris Christie, announced he would veto the legislation and called for a voter referendum to settle the issue.
Thankfully, Christie has gotten flack from many politicians in the state, and this is just one of the best examples, from Newark, NJ, mayor Cory Booker:
Via Towleroad.
From NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies comes a visual reminder that should silence every global warming denier out there.
Alas, it won’t.
Via Towleroad.
Here’s an artist rendering of the majestic dunes that NASA’s Cassini probe found:
That’s one beautiful image. Here’s more from the article:
Nasa's Cassini probe has found that the dunes on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan vary in shape just like dunes on Earth - and even look similar to deserts on our planet.
The similarities end there, of course - not only are the dunes on Titan 300 feet high and up to a mile wide, they're made of frozen hydrocarbons - chemicals found in crude oil - rather than sand.
There are four million square miles of dunes on Titan, an area the size of the United States. Their formations could be key to understanding the clouded moon's mysterious weather patterns.
The Sumatran elephant might be extinct in as little as 30 years:
The Sumatran elephant could be extinct in the wild within three decades unless immediate steps are taken to slow the breakneck pace of deforestation, environmentalists warned Tuesday.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently listed the animals as "critically endangered" after their numbers dropped to between 2,400 and 2,800 from an estimated 5,000 in 1985.
The decline is largely because of destruction of their habitat, with forests all across the Indonesian island of Sumatra being clear-cut for timber, palm oil and pulp and paper plantations.
So sad. More here.
A great article from Yahoo News that made me walk a little taller:
[…] In fact, in some ways, gay parents may bring talents to the table that straight parents don't.
Gay parents "tend to be more motivated, more committed than heterosexual parents on average, because they chose to be parents," said Abbie Goldberg, a psychologist at Clark University in Massachusetts who researches gay and lesbian parenting. Gays and lesbians rarely become parents by accident, compared with an almost 50 percent accidental pregnancy rate among heterosexuals, Goldberg said. "That translates to greater commitment on average and more involvement."
And while research indicates that kids of gay parents show few differences in achievement, mental health, social functioning and other measures, these kids may have the advantage of open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships, according to some research. Not only that, but gays and lesbians are likely to provide homes for difficult-to-place children in the foster system, studies show. (Of course, this isn't to say that heterosexual parents can't bring these same qualities to the parenting table.)
[…] Catholic opposition aside, research suggests that gay and lesbian parents are actually a powerful resource for kids in need of adoption. According to a 2007 report by the Williams Institute and the Urban Institute, 65,000 kids were living with adoptive gay parents between 2000 and 2002, with another 14,000 in foster homes headed by gays and lesbians. (There are currently more than 100,000 kids in foster care in the U.S.)
An October 2011 report by Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute found that, of gay and lesbian adoptions at more than 300 agencies, 10 percent of the kids placed were older than 6 — typically a very difficult age to adopt out. About 25 percent were older than 3. Sixty percent of gay and lesbian couples adopted across races, which is important given that minority children in the foster system tend to linger. More than half of the kids adopted by gays and lesbians had special needs.
[…] Research has shown that the kids of same-sex couples — both adopted and biological kids — fare no worse than the kids of straight couples on mental health, social functioning, school performance and a variety of other life-success measures.
[…] There is very little research on the children of gay men, so Stacey and Biblarz couldn't draw conclusions on those families. But Stacey suspects that gay men "will be the best parents on average," she said.
That's a speculation, she said, but if lesbian parents have to really plan to have a child, it's even harder for gay men. Those who decide to do it are thus likely to be extremely committed, Stacey said. Gay men may also experience fewer parenting conflicts, she added. Most lesbians use donor sperm to have a child, so one mother is biological and the other is not, which could create conflict because one mother may feel closer to the kid.
"With gay men, you don't have that factor," she said. "Neither of them gets pregnant, neither of them breast-feeds, so you don't have that asymmetry built into the relationship."
[…] In fact, the only consistent places you find differences between how kids of gay parents and kids of straight parents turn out are in issues of tolerance and open-mindedness, according to Goldberg. […]
Children of gay parents also reported feeling less stymied by gender stereotypes than they would have been if raised in straight households. That's likely because gays and lesbians tend to have more egalitarian relationships than straight couples, Goldberg said. They're also less wedded to rigid gender stereotypes themselves.
"Men and women felt like they were free to pursue a wide range of interests," Goldberg said. "Nobody was telling them, 'Oh, you can't do that, that's a boy thing,' or 'That's a girl thing.'"
There’s a lot more in the full article.
I had never posted about this prize, awarded on January 12th, but I’ve now come to realize that it’s actually one of the earliest and most influential of the entire awards season (likely because it encompasses all the most influential industry critics, unlike the smaller circles of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc…)
As we see from the list of winners, many have carried on to win Golden Globes, SAGs, DGAs, and PGAs already.
Of note to me are 3 categories:
Best Picture
The Artist (2011)
- The Descendants (2011)
- Drive (2011)
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
- The Help (2011)
- Hugo (2011/II)
- Midnight in Paris (2011)
- Moneyball (2011)
- The Tree of Life (2011)
- War Horse (2011)
Best Actor
George Clooney for The Descendants (2011)
- Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar (2011)
- Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011)
- Michael Fassbender for Shame (2011)
- Ryan Gosling for Drive (2011)
- Brad Pitt for Moneyball (2011)
Best Actress
Viola Davis for The Help (2011)
- Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
- Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011)
- Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
- Charlize Theron for Young Adult (2011)
- Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010)
- Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn (2011)
- Albert Brooks for Drive (2011)
- Nick Nolte for Warrior (2011)
- Patton Oswalt for Young Adult (2011)
- Andy Serkis for Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011)
- Bérénice Bejo for The Artist (2011)
- Jessica Chastain for The Help (2011)
- Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids (2011)
- Carey Mulligan for Shame (2011)
- Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)
Best Acting Ensemble
The Help (2011)
- The Artist (2011)
- Bridesmaids (2011)
- The Descendants (2011)
- The Ides of March (2011)
Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011)
- Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
- Alexander Payne for The Descendants (2011)
- Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive (2011)
- Martin Scorsese for Hugo (2011/II)
- Steven Spielberg for War Horse (2011)
Best Original Screenplay
Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody Allen
- The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius
- 50/50 (2011): Will Reiser
- Win Win (2011): Thomas McCarthy, Joe Tiboni
- Young Adult (2011): Diablo Cody
Best Adapted Screenplay
Moneyball (2011): Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin
- The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011): Eric Roth
- The Help (2011): Tate Taylor
- Hugo (2011/II): John Logan
Best Animated Feature
Rango (2011)
- The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
- Arthur Christmas (2011)
- Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
- Puss in Boots (2011)
Best Young Actor/Actress
Thomas Horn for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
- Asa Butterfield for Hugo (2011/II)
- Elle Fanning for Super 8 (2011)
- Ezra Miller for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
- Saoirse Ronan for Hanna (2011)
- Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)
Best Action Movie
Drive (2011)
- Fast Five (2011)
- Hanna (2011)
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Super 8 (2011)
Best Comedy Movie
Bridesmaids (2011)
- Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
- Horrible Bosses (2011)
- Midnight in Paris (2011)
- The Muppets (2011)
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation (2011)
- In Darkness (2011)
- Le Havre (2011)
- The Skin I Live In (2011)
- Where Do We Go Now? (2011)
Best Documentary Feature
George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011)
- Buck (2011)
- Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)
- Page One: Inside the New York Times (2011)
- Project Nim (2011)
- Undefeated (2011)
Best Song
The Muppets (2011): Bret McKenzie("Life's a Happy Song")
- Gnomeo & Juliet (2011): Elton John, Bernie Taupin("Hello Hello")
- The Help (2011): Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr.("The Living Proof")
- The Muppets (2011): Bret McKenzie("Man or Muppet")
- The Muppets (2011): Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis, Chen Neeman("Pictures in My Head")
Best Score
The Artist (2011): Ludovic Bource
- Drive (2011): Cliff Martinez
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
- Hugo (2011/II): Howard Shore
- War Horse (2011): John Williams
Best Cinematography
The Tree of Life (2011): Emmanuel Lubezki
War Horse (2011): Janusz Kaminski
- The Artist (2011): Guillaume Schiffman
- Drive (2011): Newton Thomas Sigel
- Hugo (2011/II): Robert Richardson
Best Art Direction
Hugo (2011/II): Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
- The Artist (2011): Laurence Bennett, Gregory S. Hooper
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011): Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
- The Tree of Life (2011): Jack Fisk, David Crank
- War Horse (2011): Rick Carter, Lee Sandales
Best Editing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
- The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius, Anne-Sophie Bion
- Drive (2011): Matthew Newman
- Hugo (2011/II): Thelma Schoonmaker
- War Horse (2011): Michael Kahn
Best Costume Design
The Artist (2011): Mark Bridges
- The Help (2011): Sharen Davis
- Hugo (2011/II): Sandy Powell
- Jane Eyre (2011): Michael O'Connor
- My Week with Marilyn (2011): Jill Taylor
Best Makeup
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- Albert Nobbs (2011)
- The Iron Lady (2011)
- J. Edgar (2011)
- My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Best Visual Effects
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- Hugo (2011/II)
- Super 8 (2011)
- The Tree of Life (2011)
Best Sound
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- Hugo (2011/II)
- Super 8 (2011)
- The Tree of Life (2011)
- War Horse (2011)
Following Etta James’ death a couple weeks ago, I saw two renditions of her famous song At Last, one by Christina Aguilera and one by Cyndi Lauper. As much as I like Christina and her voice, her performance was way over the top and too self indulgent, while I found Cyndi’s version so classy, heartfelt, and perfect that it merits its own post:
The DGAs were handed out last Saturday, and posited The Artist for a possible sweep of the top two prizes, Picture and Director, at next month’s Oscars.
Unless of course, the calculation is to use the DGA as a be-happy-you-got-this token only to give the Oscar to Scorsese, but at this point I wouldn’t be so sure.
Here are the winners, from IMDb:
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
- The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): David Fincher
Hugo (2011/II): Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody AllenOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
- Project Nim (2011): James Marsh
Bill Cunningham New York (2010): Richard Press
George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011): Martin Scorsese
The Interrupters (2011): Steve James
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011): Joe Berlinger, Bruce SinofskyOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television
- "The Kennedys" (2011): Jon Cassar
Five (2011) (TV): Jennifer Aniston, Patty Jenkins, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, Penelope Spheeris
Girl Fight (2011) (TV): Stephen Gyllenhaal
Beyond the Blackboard (2011) (TV): Jeff Bleckner
Thurgood (2011) (TV): Michael StevensOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
- "The Killing" (2011): Patty Jenkins ("Pilot")
"Breaking Bad" (2008): Vince Gilligan ("Face Off")
"Friday Night Lights" (2006): Michael Waxman ("Always")
"Game of Thrones" (2011): Timothy Van Patten ("Winter is Coming")
"Homeland" (2011): Michael Cuesta ("Pilot")Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
- "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000): Robert B. Weide ("Palestinian Chicken")
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000): David Steinberg ("The Divorce")
"Modern Family" (2009): Fred Savage ("After the Fire")
"Modern Family" (2009): Michael Spiller ("Express Christmas")
"30 Rock" (2006): Don Scardino ("Double-Edged Sword")Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety
- The 65th Annual Tony Awards (2011) (TV): Glenn Weiss
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (1996): Chuck O'Neil
The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (2011) (TV): Don Mischer
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (2010) (TV): Louis J. Horvitz
"Saturday Night Live" (1975): Don Roy King
The show was last night and went by smoothly but with a couple surprises:
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
JEAN DUJARDIN as George - "The Artist"
This was the biggest surprise of the night. Clooney was the front runner and has been for the entire awards season, so Dujardin’s win could mean one of two things: Clooney’s not the favorite to win the Oscar anymore, or people decided to recognize Dujardin here in order to feel OK about handing Clooney a second Oscar next month.DiCaprio was the only one not in attendance. Unfortunate, since this is the last big award he would have been in the running for.
DEMIÁN BICHIR as Carlos Galindo - "A Better Life"
GEORGE CLOONEY as Matt King - "The Descendants"
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO as J. Edgar Hoover - "J. Edgar"
BRAD PITT as Billy Beane - "Moneyball"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role
VIOLA DAVIS as Aibileen Clark - "The Help"
Davis takes this prize, bringing her tally to 2 (Critics’ Choice and SAG) versus Streep’s 1 (Golden Globe) as far as the biggest awards go. The same reasoning laid out above applies: the Guild might have wanted to recognize Davis’ craft with the Actor because Streep will likely take home the Oscar this year, or Davis has simply overtaken Streep and will be unstoppable.Meryl Streep really likes dresses with pockets, doesn’t she…?
GLENN CLOSE as Albert Nobbs - "Albert Nobbs"
MERYL STREEP as Margaret Thatcher - "The Iron Lady"
TILDA SWINTON as Eva - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
MICHELLE WILLIAMS as Marilyn Monroe - "My Week With Marilyn"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER as Hal - "Beginners"
This win was totally forecast and well deserved.Rather, having now watched Moneyball, I don’t understand how Hill got showered with so many accolades…
KENNETH BRANAGH as Sir Laurence Olivier - "MY WEEK WITH MARILYN"
ARMIE HAMMER as Clyde Tolson - "J. Edgar"
JONAH HILL as Peter Brand - "Moneyball"
NICK NOLTE as Paddy Conlon - "Warrior"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role
OCTAVIA SPENCER as Minny Jackson - "The Help"
Another win forecast in advance, she looked genuinely surprised and touched. She doesn’t have to. She’s won everything on the awards circuit and will conclude the sweep with the Oscar next month.
How cool would it have been to see McCarthy win though??! Scorsese…
BÉRÉNICE BEJO as Peppy - "The Artist"
JESSICA CHASTAIN as Celia Foote - "The Help"
MELISSA McCARTHY as Megan - "Bridesmaids"
JANET McTEER as Hubert Page - "Albert Nobbs"
Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
"The Help"
While at first I was shocked that The Artist didn’t win (again, after winning everything up to now pretty much), I then realized that that movie was really shouldered by two actors at most (Dujardin and Bejo), so The Help’s win is actually quite justified.Furthermore, it undermined The Descendants chances to win the Best Picture Oscar even more, if they couldn’t even win here and had a fantastic cast as well as The Help.
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"The Descendants"
"Midnight in Paris"
TELEVISION
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series
STEVE BUSCEMI as Enoch "Nucky" Thomson - "Boardwalk Empire"
Totally deserved. He was great the past season.Holy crap Patrick J. Adams!!!!
PATRICK J. ADAMS as Mike Ross - "Suits"
KYLE CHANDLER as Eric Taylor - "Friday Night Lights"
BRYAN CRANSTON as Walter White - "Breaking Bad"
MICHAEL C. HALL as Dexter Morgan - "Dexter"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series
JESSICA LANGE as Constance - "American Horror Story"
Another totally deserved award. Too bad she won’t be back for the second season of the show (at least at the time of this writing…)This category actually looked as packed with great performances as the lead female actor in a motion picture, which isn’t so surprising when one considers that 3 of the 5 nominees are actually legends of the silver screen.
KATHY BATES as Harriet Korn - "Harry's Law"
GLENN CLOSE as Patty Hewes - "Damages"
JULIANNA MARGULIES as Alicia Florrick - "The Good Wife"
KYRA SEDGWICK as Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - "The Closer"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series
ALEC BALDWIN as Jack Donaghy - "30 Rock"
Baldwin, with his great acting chops and fantastic comedic timing, is a perennial favorite in this category. The voiceover said this was his sixth win in a row!!Congratulations, but would it be so bad to endorse some other talent now? Then again, advocating not to award the best simply because they’ve won “too much” in order to spread the wealth is a recipe for disaster and heartbreak…
TY BURRELL as Phil Dunphy - "Modern Family"
STEVE CARELL as Michael Scott - "The Office"
JON CRYER as Alan Harper - "Two and a Half Men"
ERIC STONESTREET as Cameron Tucker - "Modern Family"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series
BETTY WHITE as Elka Ostrovsky - "Hot in Cleveland"
Great as she might be on the show, how many of these vote were cast as sympathy votes? Oh well, she’s great, and her speech was totally funny.
JULIE BOWEN as Claire Dunphy - "Modern Family"
EDIE FALCO as Jackie Peyton - "Nurse Jackie"
TINA FEY as Liz Lemon - "30 Rock"
SOFIA VERGARA as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - "Modern Family"
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series
"Boardwalk Empire"
Totally deserved. Season 2 was such an improvement for the show, which came into its own and became a must-see!
"Breaking Bad"
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series
"Modern Family"
Another greatly deserved win. This show is always top notch, even when an episode isn’t memorable.
"30 Rock"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Glee"
"The Office"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries
PAUL GIAMATTI as Ben Bernanke - "Too Big to Fail"
I didn’t see him, but he’s always very good.
LAURENCE FISHBURNE as Thurgood Marshall - "Thurgood"
GREG KINNEAR as Jack Kennedy - "The Kennedys"
GUY PEARCE as Monty Beragon - "Mildred Pierce"
JAMES WOODS as Richard Fuld - "Too Big to Fail"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or Miniseries
KATE WINSLET as Mildred Pierce - "Mildred Pierce"
What can be said about Winslet that hasn’t been said before? She’s one of the great and if you’re up against her, don’t bother writing a speech…
DIANE LANE as Pat Loud - "Cinema Verite"
MAGGIE SMITH as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham - "Downton Abbey"
EMILY WATSON as Janet Leach - "Appropriate Adult"
BETTY WHITE as Caroline Thomas - "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine"
Here’s the SAG official site.
This video gave me the willies. It’s almost like watching a video shot from a rollercoaster, but here there’s no safety gear holding you strapped in the seat!!
This morning the Oscar nominations were announced and Martin Scorsese’s Hugo led the field with 11 nominations, followed by The Artist with 10. Lower down, we find Moneyball and War Horse with 6 and The Descendants and Midnight in Paris with 5.
Only 2 songs were nominated for Best Song (that will make for a shorter telecast right there!!), while Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, and Ryan Gosling, three names widely circulated (especially the last two, both with multiple highly praised performances last year) were totally shut out.
Here’s the full list, from IMDb:
Best Motion Picture of the YearThe Artist (2011): Thomas Langmann The Descendants (2011): Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011): Scott Rudin The Help (2011): Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan Hugo (2011/II): Graham King, Martin Scorsese Midnight in Paris (2011): Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum Moneyball (2011): Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt The Tree of Life (2011): Nominees to be determined War Horse (2011): Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir for A Better Life (2011) George Clooney for The Descendants (2011) Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011) Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Brad Pitt for Moneyball (2011) Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs (2011) Viola Davis for The Help (2011) Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011) Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011) Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn (2011) Jonah Hill for Moneyball (2011) Nick Nolte for Warrior (2011) Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010) Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011) Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo for The Artist (2011) Jessica Chastain for The Help (2011) Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids (2011) Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs (2011) Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011) Best Achievement in Directing
Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris (2011) Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011) Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life (2011) Alexander Payne for The Descendants (2011) Martin Scorsese for Hugo (2011/II) Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius Bridesmaids (2011): Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo Margin Call (2011): J.C. Chandor Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody Allen A Separation (2011): Asghar Farhadi Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash Hugo (2011/II): John Logan The Ides of March (2011): George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon Moneyball (2011): Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011): Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
A Cat in Paris (2010) Chico & Rita (2010) Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) Puss in Boots (2011) Rango (2011) Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Bullhead (2011): Michael R. Roskam(Belgium) Footnote (2011): Joseph Cedar(Israel) In Darkness (2011): Agnieszka Holland(Poland) Monsieur Lazhar (2011): Philippe Falardeau(Canada) A Separation (2011): Asghar Farhadi(Iran) Best Achievement in Cinematography
The Artist (2011): Guillaume Schiffman The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Jeff Cronenweth Hugo (2011/II): Robert Richardson The Tree of Life (2011): Emmanuel Lubezki War Horse (2011): Janusz Kaminski Best Achievement in Editing
The Artist (2011): Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius The Descendants (2011): Kevin Tent The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter Hugo (2011/II): Thelma Schoonmaker Moneyball (2011): Christopher Tellefsen Best Achievement in Art Direction
The Artist (2011): Laurence Bennett, Gregory S. Hooper Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011): Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan Hugo (2011/II): Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo Midnight in Paris (2011): Anne Seibel, Hélène Dubreuil War Horse (2011): Rick Carter, Lee Sandales Best Achievement in Costume Design
Anonymous (2011/I): Lisy Christl The Artist (2011): Mark Bridges Hugo (2011/II): Sandy Powell Jane Eyre (2011): Michael O'Connor W.E. (2011): Arianne Phillips Best Achievement in Makeup
Albert Nobbs (2011) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) The Iron Lady (2011) Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
The Adventures of Tintin (2011): John Williams The Artist (2011): Ludovic Bource Hugo (2011/II): Howard Shore Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011): Alberto Iglesias War Horse (2011): John Williams Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
The Muppets (2011): Bret McKenzie("Man or Muppet") Rio (2011): Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, Siedah Garrett("Real in Rio") Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Hugo (2011/II) Moneyball (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) War Horse (2011) Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Drive (2011) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Hugo (2011/II) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) War Horse (2011) Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Hugo (2011/II) Real Steel (2011) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) Best Documentary, Features
Hell and Back Again (2011) If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011) Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011) Pina (2011) Undefeated (2011) Best Documentary, Short Subjects
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement (2011) God Is the Bigger Elvis Incident in New Baghdad (2011) Saving Face (2011/II) The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom (2011) Best Short Film, Animated
Dimanche (2011): Patrick Doyon The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011): William Joyce, Brandon Oldenburg La Luna (2011): Enrico Casarosa A Morning Stroll (2011): Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe Wild Life (2011): Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby Best Short Film, Live Action
Pentecost (2011): Peter McDonald Raju (2011): Max Zähle, Stefan Gieren The Shore: Terry George Time Freak (2011): Andrew Bowler, Gigi Causey Tuba Atlantic (2010): Hallvar Witzø
The winners will be announced on Sunday, February 26th.
Being a big fan of both sci-fi and Christian Bale, I had added this movie to my list. A couple weeks before watching it, I ran into an article on Entertainment Weekly listing big stars’ most glaring failures on the big screen and this was listed as the lousiest movie Bale had ever made.
Naturally, my interest was even more piqued now, so I watched it anyway. Boy, oh boy, was EW correct, this movie is crap!!
Synopsis: in a futuristic society, the government has determined that emotions are what drive humans to harm each other. In order to protect the human race from certain annihilation, emotions are outlawed and anything culpable of stirring emotions, like books, music, or art, is destroyed. Those who rebel are summarily executed. Will the cycle ever be broken?
On paper the story doesn’t sound so bad, even though it reminds one of dystopian futuristic societies we’ve all seen before (Fahrenheit 451 and Blade Runner come to mind). And the EW article also noted how Equilibrium looks like a bad rip-off of the fabulous The Matrix, but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to witness.
The sets look are cheap. The action sequences are not just bad rip-offs of The Matrix, they’re just bad, period. The screenplay is poorly written and there’s no amount of acting from the likes of Bale, Emily Watson, Sean Bean, William Fichtner, and Taye Diggs that can save it.
The Bottom Line: I really cannot think of one good thing to say about this movie (ok, Bale does show some skin, but c’mon, he’d have to go full frontal to make it worth it…). The intention was clearly to cash in on the Matrix-craze, but not even the two poor Matrix sequels sink to this level. Bale must have been promised by his agent that this would be the next Matrix and he’d be a fool to pass on it, so I hope he fired his ass once he saw the finished product!! If you haven’t seen Equilibrium yet, count your blessings and stay away. What a turd!!!!
Grade: 2
As expected, The Artist took home this award as well. This movie, which I’ve finally seen (the post is upcoming), seems more and more destined to take home the Best Picture Oscar at next month’s ceremony as well.
Here are the winners in the different categories:
The theatrical motion picture nominees and winners are:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
- THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann
- BRIDESMAIDS
Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend
- THE DESCENDANTS
Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
- THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Scott Rudin
- THE HELP
Producers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Brunson Green
- HUGO
Producers: Graham King, Martin Scorsese
- THE IDES OF MARCH
Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver
- MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum
- MONEYBALL
Producers: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt
- WAR HORSE
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
- THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Producers: Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg- CARS 2
Producer: Denise Ream- KUNG FU PANDA 2
Producer: Melissa Cobb- PUSS IN BOOTS
Producers: Joe M. Aguilar, Latifa Ouaou- RANGO
Producers: John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski
The television nominees and winners are:The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
- "Cinema Verite” (HBO)
Producers: Zanne Devine, Karyn McCarthy- "Downton Abbey” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Producers: Julian Fellowes, Nigel Marchant, Gareth Neame- "The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
Producers: Jon Cassar, Jonathan Koch, Stephen Kronish, Steve Michaels, Michael Prupas, Jamie Paul Rock, Joel Surnow- "Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
Producers: Todd Haynes, Pamela Koffler, Ilene S. Landress, Christine Vachon- "Too Big To Fail” (HBO)
Producers: Carol Fenelon, Jeffrey Levine, Paula Weinstein*The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
- BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Producers: Debra Koffler, Frank Mele, Edward Parks, Michael Rapaport- BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
Producer: Philip Gefter- PROJECT NIM
Producer: Simon Chinn- SENNA
Producer: James Gay-Rees- THE UNION
Producers: Cameron Crowe, Michelle PanekThe Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
- "30 Rock” (NBC)
Producers: Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Marci Klein, Jerry Kupfer, Lorne Michaels, David Miner, Jeff Richmond, John Riggi, Don Scardino- "The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
Producers: Chuck Lorre, Steve Molaro, Faye Oshima, Bill Prady- "Glee” (FOX)
Producers: Ian Brennan, Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy, Kenneth Silverstein- "Modern Family” (ABC)
Producers: Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Morton, Jeffrey Richman, Dan O’Shannon, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker- "Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
Producers: Greg Daniels, Dan Goor, Howard Klein, Amy Poehler, Morgan Sackett, Michael SchurThe Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
- "Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Producers: Eugene Kelly, Howard Korder, Stephen Levinson, Martin Scorsese, Rudd Simmons, Tim Van Patten, Terence Winter- "Dexter” (Showtime)
Producers: Sara Colleton, John Goldwyn, Chip Johannessen, Robert Lloyd Lewis- "Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Producers: David Benioff, Frank Doelger, Mark Huffam, Carolyn Strauss, D.B. Weiss- "The Good Wife” (CBS)
Producers: Brooke Kennedy, Michelle King, Robert King, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, David W. Zucker- "Mad Men” (AMC)
Producers: Jonathan Abrahams, Scott Hornbacher, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Blake McCormick, Dwayne Shattuck, Dahvi Waller, Matthew WeinerThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:
- "The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen T. Colbert, Richard Dahm, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart (*additional producers eligibility pending arbitration completion)- "The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (Syndicated)
Producers: Mary Connelly, Ellen DeGeneres, Melissa Geiger Schrift, Ed Glavin, Andy Lassner, Kevin A. Leman II, Jonathan Norman, Derek Westervelt- "Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO)
Producers: Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz, Dean Johnsen, Bill Maher, Billy Martin- "Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Producers: Ken Aymong, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney- "The 64th Annual Tony Awards” (CBS)
Producers: Ricky Kirshner, Glenn WeissThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:
- "The Amazing Race” (CBS)
Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark Vertullo- "American Idol” (FOX)
Producers: Charles Boyd, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Simon Fuller, Patrick Lynn, Nigel Lythgoe, Megan Michaels, Ken Warwick- "Dancing with the Stars” (ABC)
Producers: Ashley Edens Shaffer, Conrad Green, Joe Sungkur, Rob Wade- "Project Runway” (Lifetime)
Producers: Jane Cha Cutler, Desiree Gruber, Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Jonathan Murray, Sara Rea, Colleen Sands- "Top Chef” (Bravo)
Producers: Daniel Cutforth, Casey Kriley, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Murphy, Nan StraitThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
- "30 for 30” (ESPN)
Producers: John Dahl, Connor Schell, Bill Simmons- "American Masters” (PBS)
Producers: Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks- "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
Producers: Christopher Collins, Julie Lei, Lydia Tenaglia, Tom Vitale- "Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)
Producers: Thom Beers, Jeff Conroy, John Gray, Sheila McCormack, Ethan Prochnik, Bill Pruitt, Matt Renner- "Undercover Boss” (CBS)
Producers: Chris Carlson, Susan Hoenig, Eli Holzman, Sandi Johnson, Stephen Lambert, Allison Schermerhorn
I realized I never posted the 2012 SAG Awards nominations that will be awarded soon (on January 29th). Via the Los Angeles Times:
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
DEMIÁN BICHIR as Carlos Galindo - "A Better Life"
GEORGE CLOONEY as Matt King - "The Descendants"
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO as J. Edgar Hoover - "J. Edgar"
JEAN DUJARDIN as George - "The Artist"
BRAD PITT as Billy Beane - "Moneyball"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role
GLENN CLOSE as Albert Nobbs - "Albert Nobbs"
VIOLA DAVIS as Aibileen Clark - "The Help"
MERYL STREEP as Margaret Thatcher - "The Iron Lady"
TILDA SWINTON as Eva - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
MICHELLE WILLIAMS as Marilyn Monroe - "My Week With Marilyn"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role
KENNETH BRANAGH as Sir Laurence Olivier - "MY WEEK WITH MARILYN"
ARMIE HAMMER as Clyde Tolson - "J. Edgar"
JONAH HILL as Peter Brand - "Moneyball"
NICK NOLTE as Paddy Conlon - "Warrior"
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER as Hal - "Beginners"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role
BÉRÉNICE BEJO as Peppy - "The Artist"
JESSICA CHASTAIN as Celia Foote - "The Help"
MELISSA McCARTHY as Megan - "Bridesmaids"
JANET McTEER as Hubert Page - "Albert Nobbs"
OCTAVIA SPENCER as Minny Jackson - "The Help"
Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"The Descendants"
"The Help"
"Midnight in Paris"
TELEVISION
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series
PATRICK J. ADAMS as Mike Ross - "Suits"
STEVE BUSCEMI as Enoch "Nucky" Thomson - "Boardwalk Empire"
KYLE CHANDLER as Eric Taylor - "Friday Night Lights"
BRYAN CRANSTON as Walter White - "Breaking Bad"
MICHAEL C. HALL as Dexter Morgan - "Dexter"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series
KATHY BATES as Harriet Korn - "Harry's Law"
GLENN CLOSE as Patty Hewes - "Damages"
JESSICA LANGE as Constance - "American Horror Story"
JULIANNA MARGULIES as Alicia Florrick - "The Good Wife"
KYRA SEDGWICK as Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - "The Closer"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series
ALEC BALDWIN as Jack Donaghy - "30 Rock"
TY BURRELL as Phil Dunphy - "Modern Family"
STEVE CARELL as Michael Scott - "The Office"
JON CRYER as Alan Harper - "Two and a Half Men"
ERIC STONESTREET as Cameron Tucker - "Modern Family"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series
JULIE BOWEN as Claire Dunphy - "Modern Family"
EDIE FALCO as Jackie Peyton - "Nurse Jackie"
TINA FEY as Liz Lemon - "30 Rock"
SOFIA VERGARA as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - "Modern Family"
BETTY WHITE as Elka Ostrovsky - "Hot in Cleveland"
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Breaking Bad"
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series
"30 Rock"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries
LAURENCE FISHBURNE as Thurgood Marshall - "Thurgood"
PAUL GIAMATTI as Ben Bernanke - "Too Big to Fail"
GREG KINNEAR as Jack Kennedy - "The Kennedys"
GUY PEARCE as Monty Beragon - "Mildred Pierce"
JAMES WOODS as Richard Fuld - "Too Big to Fail"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or Miniseries
DIANE LANE as Pat Loud - "Cinema Verite"
MAGGIE SMITH as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham - "Downton Abbey"
EMILY WATSON as Janet Leach - "Appropriate Adult"
BETTY WHITE as Caroline Thomas - "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine"
KATE WINSLET as Mildred Pierce - "Mildred Pierce"
HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
"The Adjustment Bureau"
"Cowboys & Aliens"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"X-Men: First Class"
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"Southland"
"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena"
"True Blood"
48TH LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
MARY TYLER MOORE
Here’s the SAG official site.
Etta James (1938- 2012)
One of the greatest American singers of all time, whose powerful, versatile, and emotionally direct voice could enliven the raunchiest blues as well as the subtlest love songs, left us today, just short of her 74th birthday.
Her style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in the mid 1950s, she gained fame with hits such as “Dance With Me, Henry,” “At Last,” “Tell Mama,” and “I'd Rather Go Blind.” She faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s.
Here she is with her signature hit, “At Last”
Via my friend Vittorio’s blog, a trailer for the upcoming Oscars that hopefully presages a very entertaining ceremony:
The BAFTA nominations were announced this week and, since I regard them more highly then the Golden Globes (in terms of really awarding achievement, as opposed to positioning for access), here’s the full list:
BEST FILM
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
DIRECTOR
DOCUMENTARY
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ANIMATED FILM
LEADING ACTOR
LEADING ACTRESS
SUPPORTING ACTOR
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ORIGINAL MUSIC
CINEMATOGRAPHY
EDITING
PRODUCTION DESIGN
COSTUME DESIGN
SOUND
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
MAKE UP & HAIR
SHORT ANIMATION
SHORT FILM
ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD
The awards will be presented on Sunday February 12 at London's Royal Opera House. I watched the ceremony last year and liked it, so maybe I’ll do the same this year.
Here’s the official site.
Ryan James Yezak is making a new documentary about the gay rights movement in America. This initial clip about it is stirring to say the least:
I just finished watching this year’s Golden Globe ceremony, once again connected via Skype with my best friend Vittorio in Italy, who soldiered on through the entire show in spite of the 6 hours of delay that sent him to bed in the wee hours of the morning.
Watching these shows with him is always a vastly more enjoyable experience. It is truly the next best thing to being in the room together, which at this point looks like it will hardly ever happen.
Anyhow, the show itself was quite good, had a few surprises (at least for me, since I hadn’t been checking the favorites to win for any category at all), and waltzed along nicely towards an on-time ending, something the Academy Awards always get blasted for not being able to achieve. I didn’t find the ceremony to be boring or too long, but I have to say that I still prefer the extras the Oscars usually broadcast, like clips and performances.
Ricky Gervais, back in the host seat after a scorching (and well deserved and excellently delivered) public bashing of several industry players last year, was in great shape, and killed it. They should have him present everything in my opinion. What’s the worst that could happen? That people would actually want to tune in and watch the show? I’d say to the Academy, take a page from the Foreign Press (for this only perhaps) and add some spice to your broadcast and people will flock to it. Just look at the ratings for the Globes!!
Ok, so given that it’s pretty late for me too now, here are the night’s winners (underlined) with some comments (in italics):
Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Descendants (2011)
The Help (2011)
Hugo (2011/II)
The Ides of March (2011)
Moneyball (2011)
War Horse (2011)
Hard to say because I have only seen The Descendants and The Help, but given how good the winner was, I’m glad it won.
Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
The Artist (2011)
Bridesmaids (2011)
50/50 (2011)
Midnight in Paris (2011)
My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Here too I only saw 2 movies, Bridesmaids and Midnight in Paris, but from what I’ve heard of The Artist, I’m glad it won. I can’t wait to see that movie, really. The producer’s acceptance speech was touching and the little dog was adorable!!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney for The Descendants (2011)
Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar (2011)
Michael Fassbender for Shame (2011)
Ryan Gosling for The Ides of March (2011)
Brad Pitt for Moneyball (2011)
Clooney’s performance was the only one I saw, and I loved it. I think he was the favorite here because of the comedy/drama split. Dujardin’s competition might prove harder at the Oscars, but I have the feeling that Clooney will go home with his second Oscar this year. His acceptance speech here was funny and simple. Well done!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011)
Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs (2011)
Viola Davis for The Help (2011)
Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Blessed be the Gods that allowed for this small miracle to happen. The best living actress finally won a big award for a role she was born to play, which will hopefully position her as the front runner at the Oscars. If she wins there, it would only be her third time ever, which is a travesty when one considers the breadth of her work. Viola was stunning in The Help, but whenever there’s Meryl, it’s Meryl. Period. And her speech here was funny, nice, and gracious as always. I love her!!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011)
Brendan Gleeson for The Guard (2011)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for 50/50 (2011)
Ryan Gosling for Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
Owen Wilson for Midnight in Paris (2011)
Dujardin was the odds on favorite and rightfully (from what I’ve heard) won. Wilson’s work was the only one I saw, but even so, I can safely say that the right performer was awarded here. Also, he’s easy on the eyes…
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Jodie Foster for Carnage (2011)
Charlize Theron for Young Adult (2011)
Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids (2011)
Kate Winslet for Carnage (2011)
Williams didn’t have much competition in this category, since I’ve read that her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe is uncanny. Hopefully she won’t spoil it for Meryl at the Oscars…
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010)
Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Albert Brooks for Drive (2011)
Jonah Hill for Moneyball (2011)
Viggo Mortensen for A Dangerous Method (2011)
One of the least contended races this year, for the Oscar as well, ever since Beginners came out. Having loved both the movie and Plummer, I was rooting for him and loved to see him win. By the way, the guy recently turned 82 and he seems in better shape than I am!!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011)
Bérénice Bejo for The Artist (2011)
Jessica Chastain for The Help (2011)
Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs (2011)
Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)
Another barely contested race, Spencer has had this award (and likely the Oscar) in the purse since this past summer. She looked so cute and adorable on stage!
Best Director - Motion Picture
Martin Scorsese for Hugo (2011/II)
Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris (2011)
George Clooney for The Ides of March (2011)
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011)
Alexander Payne for The Descendants (2011)
Here’s one that while definitely deserved (I mean, it’s Martin Scorsese!!) left me wondering if they were using it to spread the wealth and make everyone happy, since the Foreign Press split the Best Pictures and Director awards. They awarded 2 movie, but neither director won here. Hmm, smells fishy to me… Anyway, happy for Scorsese. His work is always top notch.
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody Allen
The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
The Ides of March (2011): George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
Moneyball (2011): Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin
No complaints here. Allen made one of the best movies of the year and of his career. A win here is a vindication and some well deserved recognition for one of our greatest maestros.
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
W.E. (2011): Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry("Masterpiece")
Albert Nobbs (2011): Brian Byrne, Glenn Close("Lay Your Head Down")
Gnomeo & Juliet (2011): Elton John, Bernie Taupin("Hello Hello")
The Help (2011): Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas("The Living Proof")
Machine Gun Preacher (2011): Chris Cornell("The Keeper")
I haven’t even heard this song but my friend said it was good. I don’t really care, and I like Madonna, but again I smell favoritisms here, since Madonna is a perennial favorite of the FPA. Whatever. Her speech, however, felt rambling and uncentered, and her dress was pretty but not well tailored at all (it was way too tight at the chest).
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
The Artist (2011): Ludovic Bource
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Hugo (2011/II): Howard Shore
War Horse (2011): John Williams
W.E. (2011): Abel Korzeniowski
Given that we’re dealing with a silent movie here, the score must be pretty amazing, since it’s the movie’s only aural guide. Well deserved I’d say. A little puzzling, however, the recognition here for Madonna’s widely panned (and even derided) W.E. Its score was really one of the 5 best of 2011? Really?
Best Animated Film
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Arthur Christmas (2011)
Cars 2 (2011)
Puss in Boots (2011)
Rango (2011)
I smell fish again. The favorite and the one that received the best reviews was definitely Rango, but Tintin was directed by Spielberg, another favorite of the FPA, which likely didn’t want to send him home empty handed given that they weren’t going to award his War Horse. Oh well, it’s the Golden Globes after all, they don’t have a reputation for being trampy for nothing.
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation (2011)(Iran)
The Flowers of War (2011)(China)
In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011)(USA)
The Kid with a Bike (2011)(Belgium)
The Skin I Live In (2011)(Spain)
The only comment I have here is once again for how odd it is to see Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut when it’s been widely panned by critics everywhere. How can the FPA find it so compelling? Could it be because they L-O-V-E both Angelina and her beau Brad Pitt? Hmm, there goes that smell again…
Best Television Series - Drama
"Homeland" (2011)
"American Horror Story" (2011)
"Boardwalk Empire" (2010)
"Boss" (2011)
"Game of Thrones" (2011)
So conflicted here, since I’ve loved 4 out of the 5 nominees. Homeland’s victory is well earned though. Such a compelling show.
Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
"Modern Family" (2009)
"Enlightened" (2011)
"Episodes" (2011)
"Glee" (2009)
"New Girl" (2011)
I had 3 horses in this race, but the best one definitely won. Modern Family is often hysterically funny and always totally charming.
Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
"Downton Abbey" (2010)
”Cinema Verite” (2011) (TV)
"The Hour" (2011)
"Mildred Pierce" (2011)
”Too Big to Fail” (2011) (TV)
No comment, I saw none of the contenders.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Kelsey Grammer for "Boss" (2011)
Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire" (2010)
Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" (2008)
Jeremy Irons for "The Borgias" (2011)
Damian Lewis for "Homeland" (2011)
I don’t watch Boss but I love Grammer, so I’m glad he won, however, Buscemi was great in Boardwalk Empire, Irons is magnetic in The Borgias, and Lewis was hypnotic in Homeland.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Claire Danes for "Homeland" (2011)
Mireille Enos for "The Killing" (2011)
Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)
Madeleine Stowe for "Revenge" (2011)
Callie Thorne for "Necessary Roughness" (2011)
So glad she won!! Danes is off the charts good in Homeland. Loved her dress too.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Matt LeBlanc for "Episodes" (2011)
Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)
David Duchovny for "Californication" (2007)
Johnny Galecki for "The Big Bang Theory" (2007)
Thomas Jane for "Hung" (2009)
I was surprised here (and LeBlanc seemed as well) but pleased. He was quite good and a revelation for me.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern for "Enlightened" (2011)
Zooey Deschanel for "New Girl" (2011)
Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006)
Laura Linney for "The Big C" (2010)
Amy Poehler for "Parks and Recreation" (2009)
So, so, so happy Dern won. Both Poehler and Linney are fantastic in their shows, but Dern was a revelation in Enlightened, a show so sweet and relaxing to watch, it’s almost cathartic.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Idris Elba for "Luther" (2010)
Hugh Bonneville for "Downton Abbey" (2010)
William Hurt for "Too Big to Fail" (2011) (TV)
Bill Nighy for "Page Eight" (2011) (TV)
Dominic West for "The Hour" (2011)
Once again, no comment for lack of knowledge.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Kate Winslet for "Mildred Pierce" (2011)
Romola Garai for "The Hour" (2011)
Diane Lane for "Cinema Verite" (2011) (TV)
Elizabeth McGovern for "Downton Abbey" (2010)
Emily Watson for "Appropriate Adult" (2011)
Winslet, who looked stunning, at this point should have won every award under the sun for her role in Mildred Pierce, which I’m sure is more than justified. However, again, I saw none of the nominees.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Peter Dinklage for "Game of Thrones" (2011)
Paul Giamatti for "Too Big to Fail" (2011) (TV)
Guy Pearce for "Mildred Pierce" (2011)
Tim Robbins for "Cinema Verite" (2011) (TV)
Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family" (2009)
Dinklage has also won an Emmy for this role, so hopefully HBO won’t kill off his character any time soon…
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Lange for "American Horror Story" (2011)
Kelly Macdonald for "Boardwalk Empire" (2010)
Maggie Smith for "Downton Abbey" (2010)
Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family" (2009)
Evan Rachel Wood for "Mildred Pierce" (2011)
One of the nicest surprises of the night for me. I was sure they were going to award Maggie Smith, who is an acting legend, and Kelly Macdonald was astoundingly good in Boardwalk Empire, but Lange raised American Horror Story to a level it wouldn’t have risen to without her.
Three general observations:
And finally, a special mention for the hottest tickets of the night: Gerard Butler, Ashton Kutcher (so cute with his new haircut!!), Adam Levine, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bradley Cooper, and Ryan Kwanten (!!!).
