Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Awards Psychic 3rd Annual Halfway Through the Year Awards: Nominees

In tradition, here are my nominees for the best of the best of the first half of the year. These are for film released so far, which means so many of those awesome film festival outings are not eligible. So anyway, here are the nominees for January 1 - Today, and the winners will be announced some week after the 4th!

Best Picture
Beginners
Bridesmaids
Jane Eyre
Meek's Cutoff
Midnight in Paris
Submarine
Super 8
The Tree of Life
Win Win
X-Men: First Class

Best Director
Mike Mills “Beginners”
Woody Allen “Midnight in Paris”
J.J. Abrams "Super 8"
Terrence Malick "The Tree of Life"
Thomas McCarthy “Win Win”

Best Actor
Michael Fassbender “X-Men: First Class” and “Jane Eyre”
Paul Giamatti “Win Win”
Bruce Greenwood "Meek's Cutoff"
Ewan McGregor “Beginners”
Brad Pitt “The Tree of Life”

Best Actress
Juliette Binoche "Certified Copy"
Saoirse Ronan “Hanna”
Mia Wasikowska "Jane Eyre"
Kristen Wiig "Bridesmaids"
Michelle Williams "Meeks Cutoff"

Best Supporting Actor
Bobby Cannavale "Win Win"
Paul Dano "Meek's Cutoff"
Christopher Plummer “Beginners”
Alex Shaffer "Win Win"
Michael Sheen “Midnight in Paris”

Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain "The Tree of Life"
Marion Cotillard “Midnight in Paris”
Melanie Laurent "Beginners"
Melissa McCarthy "Bridesmaids"
Amy Ryan “Win Win”

Best Animated Feature
Kung Fu Panda 2
Rango
Rio

Best Original Screenplay
Mike Mills “Beginners”
Woody Allen “Midnight in Paris”
Jonathan Raymond "Meeks Cutoff"
Terrence Malick “The Tree of Life”
Thomas McCarthy “Win Win”

Best Adapted Screenplay
George Nolfi “The Adjustment Bureau”
Moira Buffini “Jane Eyre”
Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger “Kung Fu Panda 2”
John Romano “The Lincoln Lawyer”
Ashley Miller, Zach Stentz, Jane Goldman, & Matthew Vaughn “X-Men: First Class”

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Trailer

In my opinion, this looks stylish, well-done, and extremely well acted, which means that Sept. 16th will be a fun day for me, when I see this movie. Here is the teaser trailer below:

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Check Out New Polls/News and Updates

Just wanted to tell everyone to vote in the two new polls on the sidebar for Actor and Actress in a Drama Series. Next week before the nominations are announced, I will put up two new polls for Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series. This weekend, I will also start posting my predictions for the Emmy nominations! Also tomorrow, I will post my nominees for the 3rd Annual Awards Psychic Halfway Awards!

War Horse Trailer!

I am really excited for this one, because I love Spielberg, I'm a history major, and this just plain looks fantastic. I really hope it doesn't dissappoint, although it does look pretty weepy, which may attract a wider audience but turn off some critics. As for the Academy, to be honest, this looks like it is right up their alley.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Trailer: Pixar's Brave, and Toy Story 4

So first of all, there is now been a confirmation that Toy Story 4 is in the works with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen already on board. Unlike Cars 2, which seemed doomed from the start, I could always use more Toy Story films. Second of all, there is a teaser trailer for Pixar's next effort, Brave below. It looks to be a fantastic return to form!

Top 100 Films of the Last 50 Years (1960-2010): Part IV

70. My Fair Lady (1964) - George Bernard Shaw set out to prove he could write the greatest play of all time, and then created the timeless Pygmalion. In 1964, the great George Cukor, the screenwriting talents of Alan Jay Lerner, and the screen presence of Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, and Gladys Cooper combined together to recreate Shaw's classic as a big movie musical. The formula worked, and today My Fair Lady remains one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, and a model for successful films of similar theme. Winning 8 Academy Awards, My Fair Lady forever cemented Hepburn's status as a star (well that and Breakfast at Tiffany's), and remains a timeless classic to this very day.

69. The Lion King (1994) - In high school, I wrote a paper on how The Lion King was actually more of a work of art than its predecessor, yes I'm talking Billy Shakespeare's Hamlet. While it may have been a stretch, the truth remains that The Lion King is not only one of the best animated films of all time, but one of the most colorful, entertaining, and life-changing ones as well. Between some stellar voice acting from the likes of James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, and the classic Jim Cummings, and a wonderful and inventive retake on an old classic, Disney's Africa-inspired adventure was a defining movie for an entire generation, and was one of the classic films that helped to reboot the company's position at the top of the animated pyramid.

68. Up in the Air (2009) - A quiet, and subtle film, 2009's Up in the Air today remains one of the best modern dramas, truly touching us in a time of economic downturn, and providing for a real look at human connections. Between stellar performances from George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, and Vera Farmiga, and one of the sharpest, wittiest scripts written in the last ten years, Up in the Air is a film that thrives on humanism, never stretching for a laugh, but instead presenting the irony and pain of the world around us, and all the humor and emotion that exudes from basic human relationships. What made Up in the Air such an incredible film experience, was the ambiguity, the differing messages that the viewer can take away from it, and the fact that it was still able to remain engaging and entertaining all the way through, which is a triumph indeed.

67. Cool Hand Luke (1967) - There have been many great prison films over the years, and all of them can trace their origin back to this 1967 classic, the incredible Cool Hand Luke. Paul Newman is simply incredible, as is the rest of the cast including George Kennedy, and others. Furthermore the sharp and searing script, and some excellent direction from Stuart Rosenberg make this an entertaining adventure to say the least. Probably the most important message that makes Cool Hand Luke is the timeless notion that sometimes it is better to dare to be different than to conform to society's whims. With Newman making that look so easy and fun, it remains a wonderful movie for those who feel that society is holding them back.

66. Unforgiven (1992) - Good old-fashioned westerns are hard to come by nowadays, and when you do stumble upon some they are few and far between, and usually are not very good. But in 1992, Clint Eastwood, and his wonderful cast which includes legends such as Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, and Morgan Freeman, help revive, if only briefly, the western drama with this rousing western adventure which deservingly won Best Picture at the Oscars. In many ways, Eastwood's film is even more brilliant because while it has many classic western elements, it also is not too old-fashioned, and while it may be a little more violent than the classics, and have a few newer elements too it, it never loses its gritty and raw exterior, or its rustic nature that made it stand tall as a thrilling American western.

65. American Graffiti (1973) - Before George Lucas became the inventor of Star Wars, and revolutionized the American film industry, he created what today has become a wonderful teenage classic, which shows a group of high school grads spending one last night cruising with their friends and raising hell before they head off to college. What Lucas did, with the help of a great cast including Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard, was not just create another teen comedy where they drink and cruise, but instead capture the heart and soul of an entire generation. Before this generation of the 1960's would lose its innocence with the turmoil and struggles of the latter part of the decade, American Graffiti represents the wonderful times where fun and enjoying basic human relationships were the only worries on young people's minds. Lucas may have become famous for Star Wars, but in many ways, this is his true classic.

64. Avatar (2009) - Say what you will about this pick. I know someone is going to think I'm a populist goon who is so blinded by cool visuals that I am dumb enough to put this film on this list with the rest of these prestigous films. But, whether you love Avatar or don't, no one can deny the importance that it has had on pop culture with its box office total, and the way it has revolutionized film technology for years to come. But when it comes down to it, it is on this list for one reason, and one reason only: it is a damn good movie. It is visually stunning, a new take on a wonderful old story, and one of the most entertaining, and thrilling sci-fi adventures that has graced the silver screen in the last decade. So love it or hate it, you cannot stop the Avatar train.

63. When Harry Met Sally (1989) - This year, No Strings Attached and Friends With Benefits hit, or are going to hit theaters, presenting the age old story of a friendship turning into something much more. All of these films however, pale in comparison to the similar-themed 1989 comedy classic, When Harry Met Sally... Featuring some stunning performances from Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, and a nice combination of writing and direction by two veterans Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally is one of the funniest and most romantic films of the last half-century. Unlike many of its successors, When Harry Met Sally never gets too sentimental or schmaltzy, it thrives on its excellent characters, and presents a real and touching look at the complicated nature of friendships.

62. The Color Purple (1985) - If I had had the opportunity to have voted for the Academy Awards in 1985, I would have campaigned diligently to make sure that the much better historical/literary epic, The Color Purple, won out over its less-than-stellar advesary Out of Africa, which ended up winning the big prize. While the Academy completely ignored this classic, the rest of us will never forget the incredible story of emotion and abuse that was aptly put together by the always-stellar Steven Spielberg. It didn't hurt that the cast, including Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey, was at its best, and that its source material was flawless from the beginning. While it is a bit long, it is definitely one that is worth a look.
61. The Sound of Music (1965) - The hills are still alive with music, and The Sound of Music has become forever cemented in film history as one of the most elegant, epic, and stunning musicals of all time. The stunning Julie Andrews, who has unfortunately lost her magnificent singing voice in recent years, may have won her Oscar for Mary Poppins (deservedly so), but I will forever put this performance as Maria at the top of my list. With top-notch direction, beautiful cinematography, and a cast of kids that are as good as most adult actors, plus of course the wonderful and immortal songs that are still known to this day, The Sound of Music is one incredible movie experience that should not be missed.

2011 BET Awards: Winners

Here are the winners of the 2011 BET Awards:

-Best Male R&B Artist: Chris Brown
-Best Female R&B Artist: Jennifer Hudson
-Young Stars Award: (tie) Jaden and Willow Smith
-Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj
-Best Group: Diddy Dirty Money
-Best Collaboration: Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes “Look at Me Now”
-Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kanye West
-Best New Artist: Wiz Khalifa
-Sportsman of the Year: Michael Vick
-Sportswoman of the Year: Serena Williams
-BET Humanitarian Award: Steve Harvey
-Lifetime Achievement Award: Patti LaBelle
-Viewer’s Choice Award: Chris Brown “Look at Me Now”
-Gospel: Mary Mary
-Centric: Marsha Ambrosius
-Best International Act (Africa): 2Face Idibia and D’ Banj (Nigeria)
-Best International Act (U.K.): Tinie Tempah
-Best Actress: Taraji P. Henson
-Best Actor: Idris Elba
-Best Movie: For Colored Girls

Friday, June 24, 2011

Tree of Life Gets Disclaimer

This is a funny post which has been circulating around the blogosphere all afternoon from a theatre owner in Stamford, CT at the Avon Theatre regarding The Tree of Life. It is pretty amusing.

TIME Magazine's Top 25 Animated Films

Well it looks like Cars 2 is Pixar's first critical bomb, it is disheartening, but not that surprising, and it will still be a huge box office success. So in order to remind us all of just how great animation can be TIME Magazine's Richard Corliss has done his rankings of the Top 25 Animated Films. It makes me want to make a list sometime, and I will add it to my list of to-do's. Anyway, here is the list, and it is definitely different than my personal list, excluding such classics as Fantasia, Iron Giant, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Incredibles, Ratatoutille, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Shrek, the last couple being particualrly offensive (especially with Happy Feet making the list).

25. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
24. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
23. Yellow Submarine (1968)
22. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
21. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
20. Paprika (2007)
19. Tangled (2010)
18. The Lion King (1994)
17. Akira (1988)
16. Happy Feet (2006)
15. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
14. The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)
13. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
12. Toy Story (1995)
11. Toy Story 3 (2010)
10. The Little Mermaid (1989)
9. Finding Nemo (2003)
8. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
7. Up (2009)
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
5. Spirited Away (2001)
4. Dumbo (1941)
3. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie (1979)
2. WALL-E (2008)
1. Pinocchio (1940)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Teaser Poster for Pixar's Next Project Brave

As Cars 2 is looking like Pixar's first bomb, a teaser poster for their next project Brave is release. Let's hope this one restores our faith in the company.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A Dangerous Method, Jamie Foxx, and Warren Beatty Updates

There are a few news updates coming from around the film world.

1. Warren Beatty is directing and starring in a new film for Paramount, which is old news. But some new news is that he will be playing Howard Hughes, which apparently a life-long dream for him. He has big shoes to fill after Leonardo Dicaprio in The Aviator, but according to AwardsDaily, the supporting cast is sure to help his chances of success considering some of the names mentioned as potentials include: Andrew Garfield, Alec Baldwin, Annette Bening, Shia La Beouf, Jack Nicholson, Evan Rachel Wood and Rooney Mara.

2. Jamie Foxx is joining an already star studded cast of Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson, in Quentin Tarantino's next film Django Unchained. According to Deadline: "
"Foxx will join Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCario and Samuel L. Jackson in a Sergio Leone-style spaghetti Western that Tarantino wrote and has set in Mississippi during slavery… Django is a slave who’s liberated by a German dentist-turned-bounty hunter [Waltz] and taught the tricks of the trade by his mentor. Django’s major goal in life is to recover his wife, and to do it he needs to get past the villainous ranch owner Calvin Candie [DiCaprio], who runs Candyland, a despicable club and plantation in Mississippi where female slaves are exploited as sex objects and males are pitted against each other in “mandingo” style death matches. Candie is a slave’s worst nightmare and that is where Django’s wife Broomhilda is an abused slave… Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction star Samuel L. Jackson is also expected to play the role of Stephen, Candie’s valet who keeps the slaves in line at Candie’s residence."
3. There is a new, interesting trailer for David Cronenberg's film A Dangerous Method. It could be really good, or not, but at least the performances, especially Kiera Knightly, look fantastic, so this is one to look for.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

George Clooney's The Ides of March Will Open Venice Film Festival

According to release from Variety:
"George Clooney’s “The Ides of March” has been tapped as the opening film of the 68th Venice Film Festival on Aug. 31. Fest hasn’t made an official announcement but a source not authorized to speak for the event confirmed the selection Monday. Sony’s dated the political thriller for an Oct. 7 limited release.
Clooney directed from a script he co-wrote with Grant Heslov. He also stars in the film, which is based on the Broadway play “Farragut North,” written by Beau Willmon."
This looks to be a great film, with Clooney at the helm and in front of the camera along with Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Evan Rachel Wood, it will be one to look out for.

Monday, June 20, 2011

2011 Critics Choice Television Awards: Winners

Not a bad list at all, love the John Noble, Margo Martindale, and Busy Philipps love.  

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Jon Hamm – Mad Men – AMC

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife – CBS

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Noble – Fringe – FOX

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (tie)
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men – AMC
Margo Martindale – Justified – FX

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Busy Philipps – Cougar Town – ABC

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Tina Fey – 30 Rock – NBC

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother – CBS

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory – CBS

Best Reality Series – Competition
American Idol – FOX

Best Reality Series (tie)
Hoarders – A&E
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – Bravo

Best Reality Show Host
Mike Rowe – Dirty Jobs – Discovery

Best Talk Show
The Daily Show – Comedy Central

Best Comedy Series
Modern Family – ABC

Best Drama Series
Mad Men – AMC

Top 100 Films of the Last 50 Years (1960-2010): Part III

80. Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (2003 & 2004) - I know these are two separate films, but if you want a real cinematic experience I suggest that you watch both films back to back, and soak in Tarantino's epic martial-arts classic in all its glory and blood. Utilizing his signature style, Tarantino's Kill Bill saga is filled with mountains of witty dialogue, then accentuated with mad frenzies of violence and gore, a style that has made him one of a kind, and made these films thoroughly entertaining. The real revelation here however is not Tarantino, but Uma Thurman. Her masterful performance was not only physically demanding, but also reached new heights of emotional control that few actors could pull off with the ease and badassness (I know its not a word, but it fits) that Thurman did.

79. Election (1999) - In 1999, Alexander Payne set the tone of what has been a wonderful career, with this 1999 biting high school comedy. Unlike most high school comedies which are either completely moronic, or completely driven by sex, Payne and his partner in crime Jim Taylor, instead made it show the competitive side of high school elections and the importance of popularity in high school, in a sharp way. Particularly incredible is the star-making performance of Reese Witherspoon. As vengeful Tracy Flick, Witherspoon not only launched her successful acting career, but solidified herself as a full-fledged comedian, creating an overly competitive, vindicative high school brat, who is seen in every highschool, and in every graduating class across the country.

78. West Side Story (1961) - I'll be completely honest with ya'll, this has never been as good as some people claim it to be, and some of the racist overtones bother me. So I guess your wondering then: why is it on this list. Well, just because I don't think it is the greatest film of all time, doesn't mean it is not still a wonderful cinematic achievement, and is definitely worth being on this list, just maybe not as high as some of you think it should be. The wonderful performances, the toe-tapping musical numbers, and the incredible production team that pulled this all together is why today this is considered one of the greatest film musicals of all time.


77. The King's Speech (2010) - Before the blogging world went into an anti-King's Speech frenzy in the aftermath of the PGA awards this season, the critics and audiences around the world were standing up and cheering for this inspirational film about a group of three individuals who roused a nation and a world to defeat tyranny. In my initial review, The King's Speech got a B+, but since my first viewing I have seen the film many times, and everytime I do it continues to grow on me, I began to love the characters even more than before, and truly appreciate the emotion it exudes. A combination of a witty, yet powerful script, and a jaw-dropping cast, especially Academy Award winner Colin Firth, make this recent film a new and lasting classic, no matter what the haters say.

76. Memento (2000) - Before his box-office success of Inception, Christopher Nolan was bending our minds, and bending the rules of storyline and trajectory in film with his mind-bending cult classic thriller, Memento. By jumping back and forth in the storyline, and ending somewhere in the middle (a style now utlized a lot, ex. Damages), Nolan kept viewers in the lurch, and more importantly kept them glued to the screen with puzzling looks of enjoyment and confusion, aka, he made the audience think, a novel idea which lately seems to be going out of style. Featuring great performances from Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, Memento was an incredible start to what has become a one-of-a-kind career for the great Christopher Nolan.

75. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - This film is loved by many, but definitely has its detractors. But for me, the combined talents of Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn, and Blake Edwards, was nothing short of comedic heaven. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a hilarious look at love set in the greatest city in the world. It is a class act, and like a jazz solo it flows through its frames at a whimsical place, and between the sights and the sounds, you simply get lost in its story. The real stunner here was, of course, Audrey Hepburn, who not only looks fantastic, but helped to create Holly Golightly, one of the greatest cinematic characters of the last half-century.

74. Nashville (1975)- I have said it many times, but so many people try to make films with large, far-reaching casts, but only Robert Altman managed to do so in a way that worked every single time he stepped behind the camera, and this 1975 political classic was no exception. Featuring a plethora of amazing performances from the likes of Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Ned Beatty, Shelley Duvall and many others, Nashville is the pitch-perfect definition of how star power can be deftly combined to create an incredible piece of cinematic achievement. The real achievement comes from the fact that each character gets its due, that each story interconnects, and that in the end it is not about a poltical convention or music or anything else other than the drama that ensues from basic human relationships.

73. The French Connection (1971) - William Friedkin's 1971 crime classic The French Connection was awarded with five Oscars including Best Picture, and today remains one of the best films of the 1970's. A gritty, realistic look at drug smuggling, it became a blueprint for great crime films for years to come. An incredible set of performances including Roy Scheider, Gene Hackman, and Fernando Rey, as well as the rest of the cast, plus one of the greatest car chase scenes ever filmed in cinema history, make The French Connection a film that is entertaining, and extremely well-made. While its sequel, French Connection II, was a dud compared to its predecessor, at least we have this initiating gem to still remember.

72. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) - In 1969, the team of George Roy Hill, Paul Newman and Robert Redford teamed up to created one of the greatest westerns of all time, the infamous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. With rollicking good action sequences, a pair of winning lead performances, Butch Cassidy is one hell of ride, from its opening frame to its last. It's script is chocked full of great lines, and to this day it remains one of the most beautifully shot movies thanks to the wonderful cinematography work of the late, great Conrad L. Hall, who won an Oscar for his work. If you are looking for a good ole time, pop in this film and see what a classic western looks like in all its glory.

71. The Exorcist (1973) - This is seriously one of the scariest films that has ever been created. When Regan's head spins around and spits out pea soup, I still jump out of my seat and close my eyes, and I've seen the film enough times to know when its coming. But The Exorcist doesn't make this list because it is scary, there are plenty of scary films. Instead it makes the list, because it rises above so many of the crappy horror films that grace the multiplex, by not only being scary, but smart, well-written, well-acted, and extremely well put together. William Friedkin is a legend (See The French Connection above), and the mood, the cinematography, and the fear that exudes from the screen is proof of that. It doesn't hurt that it has an incredible cast including Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow. Many sequels, and spin-offs have come out since 1973, but it is always safe to go back to the original.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

2011 Daytime Emmy Awards: Winners

Best Drama Series - The Bold and the Beautiful
Best Actor - Michael Park "As the World Turns"
Best Actress - Laura Wright "General Hospital"
Best Supporting Actor - Jonathan Jackson "General Hospital"
Best Supporting Actress - Heather Tom "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Best Younger Actress - Brittany Allen "All My Children"
Best Younger Actor - Scott Clifton "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Best Game Show - (TIE) Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune
Best Talk Show - Entertainment - The Ellen Degeneres Show
Best Talk Show - Informative - The Dr. Oz Show
Best Talk Show Host - (TIE) Dr. Oz "The Dr. Oz Show" and Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin "Live With Regis and Kelly
Best Drama Directing - (TIE) The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless
Best Drama Writing - The Young and The Restless

Daytime Emmys - Creative Arts Emmys

I will live blog tonights winners, but first here are the winners from the Creative Arts portion:

Outstanding Children's Animated Program
Penguins of Madagascar 
Outstanding Children's Series
The Electric Company
Outstanding Culinary Program
Avec Eric
Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
Judge Pirro
Outstanding Lifestyle Program
The Martha Stewart Show
Outstanding Morning Program
Today Show
New Approaches - Daytime Entertainment
"What If..." An All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital web series
New Approaches - Daytime Children's
SciGirls
Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series
Sesame Street
Outstanding Promotional Announcement - Episodic
Bubble Guppies Launch Trailer
Outstanding Promotional Announcement - Institutional
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Outstanding Special Class Animated Program
Fanboy and Chum Chum
Outstanding Special Class Series
Made      
Outstanding Special Class Special
New Orleans: Getting Back to Normal
Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host
Martha Stewart, The Martha Stewart Show
Outstanding Performer In A Children's Series
Kevin Clash, Sesame Street  
Outstanding Performer In An Animated Program
Danny Jacobs, Penguins of Madagascar
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design For A Drama Series
General Hospital
Outstanding Achievement for a Casting Director For A Drama Series
General Hospital
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design For A Drama Series
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling For A Drama Series
All My Children 
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction For A Drama Series
General Hospital
Outstanding Achievement in Live & Direct To Tape Sound Mixing For A Drama Series
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup For A Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing For A Drama Series
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition For A Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful 
Outstanding Original Song for a Drama Series
General Hospital  - "Bad For You"
Outstanding Achievement inTechnical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control For A Drama Series
General Hospital 
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design
Sesame Street 
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling 
Sesame Street
Outstanding Directing In An Animated Program
Fanboy and Chum Chum
Outstanding Directing In A Children's Series
Sesame Street 
Outstanding Directing in a Lifestyle/Culinary Program 
Giada At Home 
Outstanding Directing In A Talk Show/Morning
Today Show
Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling
The Wendy Williams Show
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation WINNERS
 "Diamond" Dave Merritt, Background DesignToot & Puddle                                          Nick Jr.
 Vincent Toyama, Background DesignTransformers Prime                                 The Hub      
Christophe Vacher, Color DesignTransformers Prime                                 The Hub
 Kaz Aizawa, Background PainterT.U.F.F. Puppy                               NICKELODEON
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction
The View
Outstanding Achievement in Live & Direct To Tape Sound Mixing
Today Show
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Outstanding Achievement in Main Title and Graphic Design
Dora the Explorer
Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing
Sesame Street
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition
Penguins of Madagascar
Outstanding Original Song – Children’s and Animation
Sesame Street - What I Am                    
Outstanding Original Song
84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Editing
The Electric Company
Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Photography (Film or Electronic)
Travelscope
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Live Action and Animation
Penguins of Madagascar 
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing - Live Action and Animation
Private Sessions
Outstanding Special Class Directing 
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade   
Outstanding Special Class Writing 
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control
Sesame Street
Outstanding Writing In Animation 
Penguins of Madagascar  
Outstanding Writing In A Children's Series
The Electric Company 
Outstanding Stunt Coordination
General Hospital    
Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special -
Penguins of Madagascar              
Outstanding Special Class Short Format Daytime 
Venice                                                                                                                       

Saturday, June 18, 2011

New Members List for AMPAS

Some interest choices (seriously, Russell Brand and Gerard Butler?), but also some great choices such as Robbie Coltrane, Peter Dinklage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lisa Cholodenko, Debra Granik, Tom Hooper, Aaron Sorkin, Jacki Weaver, and many others. Check out the entire list below:


Actors
Russell Brand – “Arthur,” “Get Him to the Greek”
Gerard Butler – “The Ugly Truth,” “300″
Vincent Cassel – “Black Swan,” “Eastern Promises”
Robbie Coltrane – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” “Mona Lisa”
Bradley Cooper – “Limitless,” “The Hangover”
John Corbett – “Sex and the City 2,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
Rosemarie DeWitt – “The Company Men,” “Rachel Getting Married”
Peter Dinklage – “Find Me Guilty,” “The Station Agent”
David Duchovny – “Things We Lost in the Fire,” “The X-Files”
Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network,” “The Squid and the Whale”
Jennifer Garner – “Arthur,” “Juno”
John Hawkes – “Winter’s Bone,” “The Perfect Storm”
Thomas Jane – “The Mist,” “The Thin Red Line”
Nastassja Kinski – “An American Rhapsody,” “Tess”
Beyonce Knowles – “Dreamgirls,” “Austin Powers in Goldmember”
Mila Kunis – “Black Swan,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone,” “The Burning Plain”
Tea Leoni – “Ghost Town,” “Spanglish”
Anthony Mackie – “The Hurt Locker,” “Million Dollar Baby”
Lesley Manville – “Another Year,” “Topsy-Turvy”
Rooney Mara – “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Social Network”
Dominic Monaghan – “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
Connie Nielsen – “Brothers,” “Gladiator”
Ellen Page – “Inception,” “Juno”
Wes Studi – “Avatar,” “The Last of the Mohicans”
Mia Wasikowska – “Jane Eyre,” “The Kids Are All Right”
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom,” “Cosi”

Animators
Geefwee Boedoe – “Let’s Pollute,” “Monsters, Inc.”
Alessandro Carloni – “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Over the Hedge”
Sylvain Chomet – “The Illusionist,” “The Triplets of Belleville”
Jakob Hjort Jensen – “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Flushed Away”
Biljana Labovic – “The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger,” “Idiots and Angels”
Tomm Moore – “The Secret of Kells,” “Backwards Boy”
Teddy Newton – “Day & Night,” “Ratatouille”
Bob Peterson – “Up,” “Finding Nemo” (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Javier Recio Gracia – “The Lady and the Reaper,” “The Missing Lynx”
Andrew Ruhemann – “The Lost Thing,” “City Paradise”
Kristof Serrand – “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas”
Shaun Tan – “The Lost Thing,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!”
Simon Wells – “Mars Needs Moms,” “The Prince of Egypt”

Art Directors
Anahid Nazarian – “The Virgin Suicides,” “The Godfather, Part III”
Lauren E. Polizzi – “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

At-Large
George Aguilar
Barry Bernardi
Christopher Dodd
Ted Gagliano
James L. Honore
Dawn Hudson
Beverly Pasterczyk
Randall Poster
Ric Robertson
David Schnuelle
Randy Spendlove
Beverly Joanna Wood

Casting Directors
Nina Gold – “The King’s Speech,” “Jane Eyre”
Jina Jay – “The Reader,” “Layer Cake”
Lora Kennedy – “The Town,” “Syriana”

Cinematographers
Frank Byers – “Illegal Tender,” “Boxing Helena”
Patrick Cady – “Lottery Ticket,” “Broken Bridges”
Danny Cohen – “The King’s Speech,” “Pirate Radio”
Lukas Ettlin – “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Middle Men”
Steven Fierberg – “Love & Other Drugs,” “Secretary”
Barry Markowitz – “Crazy Heart,” “Sling Blade”
Charles Minsky – “Valentine’s Day,” “Pretty Woman”
Lawrence Sher – “The Hangover,” “Garden State”
Eric Steelberg – “Up in the Air,” “(500) Days of Summer”

Costume Designers
Odile Dicks-Mireaux – “An Education,” “The Constant Gardener”
Sarah Edwards – “Salt,” “Michael Clayton”
Danny Glicker – “Up in the Air,” “Milk”

Directors
Gregg Araki – “Kaboom,” “Nowhere”
Susanne Bier – “In a Better World,” “After the Wedding”
Neil Burger – “Limitless,” “The Illusionist”
Lisa Cholodenko – “The Kids Are All Right,” “Laurel Canyon” (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Debra Granik – “Winter’s Bone,” “Down to the Bone” (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech,” “The Damned United”
John Cameron Mitchell – “Rabbit Hole,” “Shortbus”
Yojiro Takita – “Departures,” “Himitsu”

Documentary
Jon Alpert – “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province,” “Lock-up: The Prisoners
of Rikers Island”
Amir Bar-Lev – “The Tillman Story,” “Fighter”
Lesley Chilcott – “Waiting for ‘Superman’,” “It Might Get Loud”
Carl Deal – “Capitalism: A Love Story,” “Trouble the Water”
Charles Ferguson – “Inside Job,” “No End in Sight”
Tim Hetherington – “Restrepo” (posthumous)
Sebastian Junger – “Restrepo”
Thomas Lennon – “The Warriors of Qiugang,” “The Blood of Yingzhou District”
Diane Weyermann – “Waiting for ‘Superman’,” “Food, Inc.”
Ruby Yang – “The Blood of Yingzhou District,” “The Warriors of Qiugang”

Executives
William J. Damaschke
Richard M. Fay
Donna Langley
Leslie Moonves
Vanessa L. Morrison
Bill Pohlad
Rich Ross
Jeff Small
Thomas Tull

Film Editors
Tariq Anwar – “The King’s Speech,” “American Beauty”
Naomi Geraghty – “Limitless,” “Reservation Road”
Jon Harris – “127 Hours,” “Layer Cake”
Darren Holmes – “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Iron Giant”
Pamela Martin – “The Fighter,” “Little Miss Sunshine”
Joel Negron – “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “The Karate Kid”
Terilyn A. Shropshire – “Jumping the Broom,” “Eve’s Bayou”
Angus Wall – “The Social Network,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Andrew Weisblum – “The Black Swan,” “The Wrestler”

Live Action Short Films
Luke Matheny – “God of Love,” “Earano”

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Judy Chin – “Black Swan,” “Requiem for a Dream”
Kathrine Gordon – “3:10 to Yuma,” “Ocean’s Eleven”
Trefor Proud – “W.,” “Topsy-Turvy”
Cindy Jane Williams – “Burlesque,” “Hancock”
Wesley Wofford – “Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son,” “A Beautiful Mind”

Music
Terence Blanchard – “Inside Man,” “Malcolm X”
Fernand Bos – “Crazy Heart,” “Cold Mountain”
Graeme Revell – “Darfur Now,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”

Producers
Iain Canning – “Oranges and Sunshine,” “The King’s Speech”
Cean Chaffin – “The Social Network,” “Fight Club”
Kevin Feige – “Thor,” “Iron Man”
Gary Goetzman – “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Mamma Mia!”
Sisse Graum Jorgensen – “In a Better World,” “After the Wedding”
Jeffrey Levy-Hinte – “The Kids Are All Right,” “Laurel Canyon”
Todd Lieberman – “The Fighter,” “The Proposal”
Robert Lorenz – “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Mystic River”
Celine Rattray – “The Kids Are All Right,” “Grace Is Gone”
Emile Sherman – “The King’s Speech,” “Candy”
Emma Thomas – “Inception,” “The Dark Knight”
Gareth Unwin – “The King’s Speech,” “Exam”

Production Designers
Howard Cummings – “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” “John Grisham’s The Rainmaker”
Therese DePrez – “Black Swan,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
Guy Hendrix Dyas – “Inception,” “The Brothers Grimm”
Jess Gonchor – “True Grit,” “Capote”
Jane Musky – “Something Borrowed,” “Finding Forrester”
Eve Stewart – “The King’s Speech,” “Topsy-Turvy”

Public Relations
Susan Ciccone
Alissa Grayson
Jeffrey Hall
Jill Ann Jones
Mark Markline
Carmelo Pirrone
Ira Rubenstein
David Schneiderman
Loren Schwartz
Lance Volland

Set Decorators
Judy Farr – “The King’s Speech,” “Death at a Funeral”
Gene Serdena – “The Fighter,” “House of Sand and Fog”

Sound
Andrew DeCristofaro – “Hall Pass,” “Crazy Heart”
Joe Dorn – “The Wolfman,” “Spider-Man 3″
Marc Fishman – “Bridesmaids,” “Crash”
Lora Hirschberg – “Inception,” “The Dark Knight”
Chris Jargo – “Robin Hood,” “American Gangster”
John Midgley – “The King’s Speech,” “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace”
Ed Novick – “Inception,” “The Dark Knight”
Hammond Peek – “King Kong,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
Brian Vessa – “Nemesis,” “Lambada”
Mark Weingarten – “The Social Network,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Visual Effects
Tim Alexander – “Rango,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
Rob Bredow – “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “The Polar Express”
Tim Burke – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” “Gladiator”
Peter Chesney – “No Country for Old Men,” “Men in Black”
Paul Franklin – “Inception,” “The Dark Knight”
Kevin Tod Haug – “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” “Quantum of Solace”
Florian Kainz – “Mission: Impossible III,” “The Perfect Storm”
Marshall Krasser – “Iron Man 2,” “Titanic”
Sean Phillips – “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Polar Express”
Peter G. Travers – “Watchmen,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
Brian Van’t Hul – “Coraline,” “I, Robot”
Mark H. Weingartner – “Sex and the City 2,” “Inception”

Writers
Stuart Blumberg – “The Kids Are All Right,” “Keeping the Faith”
Lisa Cholodenko – “The Kids Are All Right,” “Laurel Canyon” (also invited to the Directors Branch)
Debra Granik – “Winter’s Bone,” “Down to the Bone” (also invited to the Directors Branch)
Karen McCullah Lutz – “The Ugly Truth,” “Legally Blonde”
Aline Brosh McKenna – “27 Dresses,” “The Devil Wears Prada”
Bob Peterson – “Up,” “Finding Nemo” (also invited to the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch)
David Rabe – “The Firm,” “Casualties of War”
Anne Rosellini – “Winter’s Bone”
David Seidler – “The King’s Speech,” “The King & I”
Scott Silver – “The Fighter,” “8 Mile”
Kirsten Smith – “The Ugly Truth,” “Legally Blonde”
Aaron Sorkin – “The Social Network,” “A Few Good Men”
Daniel Waters – “Batman Returns,” “Heathers”

Friday, June 17, 2011

Moneyball Trailer

Like most sports dramas, we never know if this one will turn out to be schmaltzy or spectacular. But the film's pedigree alone makes me think this could be a good one, despite the fact that the trailer doesn't show me enough.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Final Harry Potter Trailer

This is apparently the last Harry Potter trailer. As sad as it is that this will be the last one, I can't help but smile at what is sure to be an incredible finale to an incredible series. I hope you enjoy the trailer, and savor it for all it's worth.


1st Annual Awards Psychic Television Awards: Winners

Best Drama Series
Winner - Parenthood
Runner-Up - Grey's Anatomy/The Good Wife
Commentary - This is a tough one, because in all reality I have three favorite TV dramas. Grey's Anatomy came back rejuvenated this season after the stunning season finale, and The Good Wife is quickly becoming a modern day legal classic. But for this season, my award goes to the underrated Parenthood. It is not very often that a family drama manages to combine realism, humor, and heart without pandering or being cheesy, but Parenthood manages to do so, and if you ever get a chance to check it out, you will see what a soaring television achievement it is.

Best Comedy Series
Winner - Parks and Recreation
Runner-Up - Community
Commentary - EW called Parks and Recreation the Smartest Show on TV, and they were absolutely right. It got a rough start, but season after season it gets funnier, its characters become more involved, and this past season was simply hilarious every single week. Community was a close second for also getting much better in its second season.

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Kyle Chandler "Friday Night Lights"
Runner-Up - William H. Macy "Shameless"
Commentary - When the Emmys gave Kyle Chandler a nomination last year, I was simply over the moon. His performance may be subtle compared to the likes of Michael C. Hall, Hugh Laurie, or Bryan Cranston, but every week, he brings some humanity and emotion to his character in a way that can simply not be matched.

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Lauren Graham "Parenthood"
Runner-Up - Julianna Margulies "The Good Wife"
Commentary - Lauren Graham, season after season, whether it be on Gilmore Girls or Parenthood, has been ignored by the Emmys. And season after season, she proves why she is one of the best actresses on television. She is funny, yet pulls of the dramatic moments with gusto, and week after week, gives us the portrait of a flawed human being and mother, one we all wish we could be more like.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Jim Parsons "The Big Bang Theory"
Runner-Up - Matt LeBlanc "Episodes"
Commentary - Matt LeBlanc's triumphat return to television almost won this award, but Jim Parsons is so damn good on The Big Bang Theory, I couldn't pass him up.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Courtney Cox-Arquette "Cougar Town"
Runner-Up - Amy Poehler "Parks and Recreation"
Commentary - This was a tough one, but Cox has been ignored so many times, it is about damn time she actually won something. She was hilarious on Friends, and, if possible, is even better on Cougar Town.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - John Noble "Fringe"
Runner-Up - Walter Goggins "Justified"
Commentary - A tough call, but Noble is so good on Fringe, which, like many sci-fi TV classics, has been ignored by Emmy voters, despite it being one of the most exciting and original shows on TV today. Goggins was a close second.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Sandra Oh "Grey's Anatomy"
Runner-Up - Mae Whitman "Parenthood"
Commentary - Mae Whitman is excellent as the feisty daughter counterpart to Lauren Graham (aka the new Rory), but Oh has been so consistent through seven seasons of Grey's, and this season, her fall from grace, and her rise back to the top was memorable, and shows us why she has been robbed so many times of a well-deserved Emmy.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Ed O'Neill "Modern Family"
Runner-Up - Chris Colfer "Glee"
Commentary - Chris Colfer's storyline made us all really think about ourselves and our prejudices, but as the patriarch of a wacky family, veteran Ed O'Neill wins the award with ease.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - **TIE*** Busy Phillips "Cougar Town" and Naya Rivera "Glee"
Commentary - This one was so tough that I had to have a tie. Busy Phillips is a rising star, and her TV Critic's Choice nod proves that her role on Cougar Town is a showstopper. And this season, Naya Rivera gave us her biting one-liners with ease, but also showed a depth of emotion with her lesbian seceret, and showed us why she is one to watch for in years to come.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A New Oscar Twist

Here is the release from AwardsDaily:

"Oscars Adds a New Twist to the Best Picture Category

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today it is adding a twist to the Best Picture race:

The governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted on Tuesday (6/14) to add a new twist to the 2011 Best Picture competition, and a new element of surprise to its annual nominations announcement. The Board voted to institute a system that will now produce anywhere between five and 10 nominees in the category. That number won’t be announced until the Best Picture nominees themselves are revealed at the January nominations announcement.

During the period studied, the average percentage of first place votes received by the top vote-getting movie was 20.5. After much analysis by Academy officials, it was determined that 5% of first place votes should be the minimum in order to receive a nomination, resulting in a slate of anywhere from five to 10 movies.


“In studying the data, what stood out was that Academy members had regularly shown a strong admiration for more than five movies,” said Davis. “A Best Picture nomination should be an indication of extraordinary merit. If there are only eight pictures that truly earn that honor in a given year, we shouldn’t feel an obligation to round out the number."

The final round of voting for Best Picture will continue to employ the preferential system, regardless of the number of nominees, to ensure that the winning picture has the endorsement of more than half of the voters.

Other rules changes approved by the Board include:

In the animated feature film category, the need for the Board to vote to “activate” the category each year was eliminated, though a minimum number of eligible releases – eight – is still required for a competitive category. Additionally, the short films and feature animation branch recommended, and the Board approved, refinements to the number of possible nominees in the Animated Feature category. In any year in which eight to 12 animated features are released, either two or three of them may be nominated. When 13 to 15 films are released, a maximum of four may be nominated, and when 16 or more animated features are released, a maximum of five may be nominated.

In the visual effects category, the “bakeoff” at which the nominees are determined will expand from seven to 10 contenders. The increase in the number of participants is related to a change made last year in which the number of films nominated in the visual effects category was increased from three to five.

Previously, the Board approved changes to the documentary feature and documentary short category rules that now put those categories’ eligibility periods in line with the calendar year and thus with most other awards categories. The change means that for the 84th Awards cycle only, the eligibility period is more than 12 months; it is from September 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011."

Thanks to AwardsDaily for the update. In my opinion this could have a positive impact. In years like 2009, only 5 or 6 nominees would be chosen, but in 2010, maybe all ten would still get in. That being said, this makes it a bitch to make predictions, allows for too much flexibility, and means that the number of nominations each year will be messy, unpredictable, and still frustrating. Oh well, I guess we'll have to see how this one plays itself out.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Emmy Contenders: Best Variety Series

Possible Contenders
SNL
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Real Time With Bill Maher
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Conan
Late Show With David Letterman
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Portlandia
Chelsea Lately
Tonight Show With Jay Leno
Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Commentary
While I would love if the Emmys went for snappier, trendier choices such as Portlandia or Chelsea Lately, but my guess is they won't. Instead, old favorites like Real Time, Daily Show, SNL, and The Colbert Report will fill the spots (not that they don't deserve it!), and most likely the winner will come from these four. Who are we kidding, The Daily Show will probably win again. But there are still at least two spots to fill, and plenty of contenders. The Late show is one of the few that hasn't been dramatically altered or changed hosts in the last year, so it is probably in. Conan and The Tonight Show both have a shot, but most likely neither will get in, an ironic ending to a rocky season for both. My guess is that Jimmy Kimmel or Jimmy Fallon get in that sixth spot instead.

1st Annual Awards Psychic Television Awards: Nominations

Best Drama Series
Grey’s Anatomy
Mad Men
Parenthood
The Good Wife
Friday Night Lights
Fringe

Best Comedy Series
Glee
Modern Family
Cougar Town
Community
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Krause “Parenthood”
Jon Hamm “Mad Men”
Kyle Chandler “Friday Night Lights”
William H. Macy “Shameless”
Steve Buscemi “Boardwalk Empire”
Timothy Olyphant “Justified”

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Elisabeth Moss “Mad Men”
Ellen Pompeo “Grey’s Anatomy”
Katey Sagal “Sons of Anarchy”
Julianna Margulies “The Good Wife”
Connie Britton “Friday Night Lights
Lauren Graham “Parenthood”

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Steve Carell “The Office
Alec Baldwin “30 Rock”
Jim Parsons “The Big Bang Theory”
Danny McBride “Eastbound and Down”
Matt LeBlanc “Episodes”
Joel McHale “Community”

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Courtney Cox “Cougar Town”
Amy Poehler “Parks & Recreation”
Tina Fey “30 Rock”
Patricia Heaton “The Middle”
Edie Falco “Nurse Jackie”
Laura Linney “The Big C”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Chris Noth “The Good Wife”
John Noble “Fringe”
Josh Charles “The Good Wife”
Shawn Hatosy “Southland”
Walter Goggins “Justified”
Alan Cumming “The Good Wife”

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Sandra Oh “Grey’s Anatomy”
Archie Panjabi “The Good Wife”
Christine Baranski “The Good Wife”
Margo Martindale “Justified”
Mae Whitman “Parenthood”
Christina Hendricks “Mad Men”

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Chris Colfer “Glee”
Ed O’Neill “Modern Family”
Eric Stonestreet “Modern Family”
Ty Burrell “Modern Family”
Neil Patrick Harris “How I Met Your Mother”
Oliver Platt “The Big C”

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jane Lynch “Glee”
Naya Rivera “Glee”
Busy Phillips “Cougar Town”
Sofia Vergara “Modern Family”
Julie Bowen “Modern Family”
Betty White “Hot in Cleveland”

Monday, June 13, 2011

Review - X-Men: First Class

Some comic book movies are spectacular (The Dark Knight, the first two X-Men movies), and some are dreadful (Daredevil and the last two X-Men movies). X-Men: First Class may not reach the stunning heights of predecessors (1 and 2 that is) but it does go a long way towards recapturing the magic that made those first two films so fantastic in the first place.

When an evil mastermind named Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) is bent on putting missles in Cuba, guaranteeing WWIII, and his eventual domination of the world (despite being a history major, this little rewrite of events didn't phase me too much), the CIA (Rose Byrne) seeks out a former nemesis of shaw with metal bending powers, Erik (Michael Fassbender), and a genetics professor Charles (James McAvoy), to assemble a group of young, talented outcasts, whose so-called mutations, make them apt for fighting the greatest evil the world has ever faced.

This group of outcasts includes Charles' adopted sister Raven (Mystique), a trouble teen named Alex (Lucas Till), a stripper named Angel (Zoe Kravtiz), a young scientist named Hank (Nicholas Hoult), and a terrible geeky flirt named Sean (Caleb Landry Jones). After training for weeks, these mutants must go up against Shaw and his team (including January Jones as Emma Frost), to save the world, while trying to stick together through impossible challenges.

X-Men: First Class is a thrilling action-adventure, with stunning visuals, a smart script and an incredible cast. The script is stuffed full of explanations, that are never too long or too borng, but also is packed full of emotion and humor. The cast is also incredible. Rose Byrne and January Jones add some sexiness and bite, and Kevin Bacon plays a perfectly sinister villian. The kids are not bad either, especially Jennifer Lawrence, who proves that her Winter Bone's talent was not a one-hit wonder, and Nicholas Hoult's cautious, geeky Hank, who not so subtly morphs into X-Men favorite Beast. The real revelations here however, are Fassbender and McAvoy, who bring maturity and talent to the roles of Erik and Charles and completely steal the show.

If I have one problem with the film, it is Vaughn. Unlike Bryan Singer, who never cut scenes short and never relied on action to fill in holes, Vaughn (do dida better job Brett Ratner) is a little too quick with the cutting scissors, and a little too jumpy with some of the scene shifts. Apparently Vaughn forgot that this wasn't Kick-Ass, and if he directs the sequel, I hope he learns that letting some scenes linger and play themselves out is a wonderful tool that should be utilized.

Despite its flaws, X-Men: First Class is a rollicking good time, and is anchored by its visuals, and awesome cast and is more than able to overcome its director's obvious naivety. If you are looking for a fun summer movie, and liked the first two X-Men, then rejoin the franchise with this promising new start to what I hope will be a fantastic film series.

Grade: B+

Oscar Potential - Some technical awards are definitely a possibility such as Cinematography, Costume Design, the Sound awards, and Visual Effects.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

The 65th Tony Awards - Winners

The Tony Awards this year, was a rollicking good time, and I hope that the Oscars are paying attention, because they need to spice it up a bit. No real surprises here, in fact I think the only one I missed was Nikki M. James, but that was a tough category. Neil Patrick Harris is a revelation and should host every awards ceremony ever until the end of time. Seriously, he is awesome at his job. Listed below are the winners, and tomorrow I will finally post my review for X-Men: First Class!

Best Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Actor in a Musical - Norbert Leo Butz "Catch Me If You Can"
Best Actor in a Play - Mark Rylance "Jerusalem"
Best Actress in a Musical - Sutton Foster "Anything Goes"
Best Actress in a Play - Frances McDormand "Good People"
Best Revival of a Musical - Anything Goes
Best Play - War Horse
Best Revival of a Play - The Normal Heart
Best Featured Actor in a Musical - John Larroquette "How to Succeed in Buisness..."
Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Nikki M. James "The Book of Mormon"
Best Featured Actor in a Play - John Benjamin Hickey "The Normal Heart"
Best Featured Actress in a Play - Ellen Barkin "The Normal Heart"
Best Direction of a Musical - Casey Nicolaw and Trey Parker "The Book of Mormon"
Best Direction of a Play - Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris "War Horse"
Best Book of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Orchestrations - The Book of Mormon
Best Original Score - The Book of Mormon
Best Choreography - Anything Goes
Best Scenic Design of a Play - War Horse
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Costume Design of a Musical - Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Best Costume Design of a Play - The Importance of Being Earnest
Best Sound Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a Play - War Horse
Best Lighting Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Lighting Design of a Play - War Horse

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tony Award Predictions

Here are my predictions for this weekend's Tony Awards. Enjoy!

Best Musical
Will Win/Should Win - The Book of Mormon
Commentary - Sister Act and The Scottsboro Boys were both worthy efforts, but this year has been dubbed the "Mormon Moment", and this ridiculous and hilarious musical is set to clean up with plenty of hardware.

Best Revival of a Musical
Will Win/Should Win - Anything Goes
Commentary - With only two nominees, this really is a 50/50 shot, but the consensus seems to be Anything Goes, although How to Succeed in Buisness... got rave reviews as well, so if an upset happens, I don't think the world will be shocked.

Best Play
Will Win - War Horse
Should Win - Jerusalem
Commentary - I appreciate the art of Jerusalem a little more than War Horse, but my guess is that Tony voters will go for the more popular choice of the stunning War Horse.

Best Revival of a Play
Will Win/Should Win - The Normal Heart
Commentary - The revival of The Normal Heart was simply stunning, and it should be rewarded for its effort with a Tony.

Best Actor in a Musical 
Should Win - Tony Sheldon "Priscilla , Queen of the Desert"
Will Win - Norbert Leo Butz "Catch Me If You Can"
Commentary - My personal favorite was Priscilla, and while this race is a close one, I actually think that Butz will win the prize with Sheldon not far behind. Also watch out for Gad and Henry, who could be dark horse contenders.

Best Actress in a Musical 
Should Win - Patina Miller "Sister Act"
Will Win - Sutton Foster "Anything Goes"
Commentary - Another tough race between two very deserving leading ladies. However, I think Foster will squeak this one out.

Best Actor in a Play
Should Win/Will Win - Mark Rylance "Jerusalem"
Commentary - Against bigger names like Al Pacino and Bobby Cannavale, the wonderful star performance of Mark Rylance should take the prize. Joe Mantello could sneak in and win.

Best Actress in a Play
Should Win/Will Win - Frances McDormand "Good People"
Commentary - The pure star power of McDormand could be enough, but you add in her always incredible performance in Good People, and you have a formula for Tony gold.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Should Win/Will Win - John Larroquette "How To Suceed in Business..."
Commentary - I think that Rory O'Malley was hilarious, but I've always been a fan of Larroquette's, and while this is a tight race, I think Tony voters will agree with me.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Should Win/Will Win - Laura Benanti "Women of the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"
Commentary - Despite stiff competition, Benanti seems like the safest bet for the prize.

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Should Win - Billy Crudup "Arcadia"
Will Win - John Benjamin Hickey "The Normal Heart"
Commentary - My personal pick would be Crudup, but Hickey is the best bet to win.

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Should Win - Edie Falco "The House of Blue Leaves"
Will Win - Ellen Barkin "The Normal Heart"
Commentary - Probably the toughest race to predict, the Falco v. Barkin battle will come down to the wire. But my gut tells me the overall power of The Normal Heart will be enough to ensure Barkin's victory.

Best Director of a Musical - Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker "The Book of Mormon"
Best Musical Score - The Book of Mormon
Best Book of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Choreography - Anything Goes
Best Orchestrations - The Book of Mormon
Best Director of a Play - Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris "War Horse"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Costume Design of a Musical - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Best Lighting Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a Musical - The Book of Mormon
Best Scenic Design of a Play - War Horse
Best Costume Design of a Play - The Importance of Being Earnest
Best Lighting Design of a Play - War Horse
Best Sound Design of a Play - War Horse