Here is my outlandish statement/prediction that I am predicting right now (and I bet I'm the first):
I think Tina Fey will get an Oscar nomination next year. Say what? Yup, you heard me right. She will be co-starring in This Side of the Truth alongside Ricky Gervais (and Jennifer Garner), but I am calling this one now, I think she will get a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
"Academy Award-nominee Tina Fey." It has a nice sound to it!
And here is my other outlandish prediction, This Side of the Truth will be the "Comedy pick" for that year, and the surprise one too (kinda like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine... you get the point). So, say what you will right now, but when this happens, just know that I was the [first] one who predicted it! (Or maybe it'll might bite me in the ass later on, but oh well...).
Oh and by the way,
This Side of the Truth is set in a world in which the concept of lying doesn't exist; and the story centers on a loser (Gervais) who changes his lot when he invents lying and uses it to get ahead.
(“Blindness”) ("The Dark Knight") (“Happy Go Lucky”) (“Hunger”) (“Rachel Getting Married”) (“The Reader”) ("The Road") (“Synecdoche, New York”) ("The Visitor") ("W.") (“Wall-E”)
Dark Horses
(“Body Of Lies”) (“Burn After Reading”) (“Che”) (“Gran Torino”) (“Miracle At St. Anna”) (“Seven Pounds”) (“Skin”) (“The Soloist”)
BEST DIRECTOR
Frontrunners
Clint Eastwood for (“Changeling”) David Fincher for (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) Sam Mendes for (“Revolutionary Road”)
Lead Ponies
Danny Boyle for (“Slumdog Millionaire”) Ron Howard for (“Frost/Nixon”) Charlie Kaufman for (“Synecdoche, New York”) Baz Luhrmann for (“Australia”) Christopher Nolan for ("The Dark Knight") John Patrick Shanley for (“Doubt”) Oliver Stone for ("W.") Gus Van Sant for (“Milk”)
In the Running
Darren Aronofsky for (“The Wrestler”) Stephen Daldry for (“The Reader”) Clint Eastwood for (“Gran Torino”) Mike Leigh for ("Happy Go Lucky") Steve McQueen for (“Hunger”) Ridley Scott for (“Body Of Lies”) Steven Soderbergh for (“Che”) Andrew Stanton for ("Wall-E")
Dark Horses
Spike Lee for (“Miracle At St. Anna”) Fernando Meirelles for (“Blindness”) Tarsem Singh for (“The Fall”) Joe Wright for (“The Soloist”) Edward Zwick for (“Defiance”)
BEST ACTOR
Frontrunners
Leonardo DiCaprio in (“Revolutionary Road”) Frank Langella in (“Frost/Nixon”)
Lead Ponies
Josh Brolin in ("W.") Benicio Del Toro in ("Che") Michael Fassbender in (“Hunger”) Philip Seymour Hoffman in (“Synecdoche, New York”) Richard Jenkins in ("The Visitor") Sean Penn in (“Milk”) Brad Pitt in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) Mickey Rourke in (“The Wrestler”)
In the Running
Daniel Craig in ("Defiance") Robert De Niro in (“What Just Happened?”) Leonardo DiCaprio in (“Body of Lies”) Clint Eastwood in (“Gran Torino”) Ralph Fiennes in ("The Reader") Jamie Foxx in (“The Soloist”) Dustin Hoffman in (“Last Chance Harvey”) Philip Seymour Hoffman in ("Doubt") Hugh Jackman in ("Australia") Martin Landau in (“Lovely, Still”) Viggo Mortensen in ("The Road") Dev Patel in (“Slumdog Millionaire”) Sam Rockwell in ("Choke") Will Smith in ("Seven Pounds")
Dark Horses
Robert Downey Jr. in (“Iron Man”) Harrison Ford in (“Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull”) Jake Gyllenhaal in (“Brothers”) Ed Harris in ("Appaloosa") Josh Hartnett in ("August") Ben Kingsley in (“Elegy”) Jared Leto in (“Chapter 27”) Viggo Mortensen in ("Good") Lee Pace in (“The Fall”) Alan Rickman in ("Bottle Shock")
BEST ACTRESS
Frontrunners
Anne Hathaway in ("Rachel Getting Married") Angelina Jolie in (“Changeling”) Kate Winslet in (“Revolutionary Road”)
Lead Ponies
Shohreh Aghdashloo in (“The Stoning of Soraya M.”) Sally Hawkins in (“Happy Go Lucky”) Kristin Scott Thomas in (“I’ve Loved You So Long”) Meryl Streep in (“Doubt”)
In the Running
Kate Beckinsale in ("Nothing But The Truth") Cate Blanchett in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) Emily Blunt in (“The Young Victoria”) Ellen Burstyn in (“Lovely, Still”) Penelope Cruz in (“Elegy”) Nicole Kidman in (“Australia”) Keira Knightley in (“The Duchess”) Melissa Leo in (“Frozen River”) Julianne Moore in (“Blindness”) Sophie Okonedo in ("Skin") Sarah Jessica Parker in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”) Amanda Seyfried in ("Mamma Mia") Meryl Streep in (“Mamma Mia”) Emma Thompson in (“Last Chance Harvey”)
Dark Horses
Summer Bishil in ("Towelhead") Dakota Fanning in ("The Secret Life Of Bees") Helen Hunt in (“Then She Found Me”) Norah Jones in (“My Blueberry Nights”) Keira Knightley in (“The Edge Of Love”) Diane Lane in (“Nights In Rodanthe”) Frances McDormand in (“Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day”) Julianne Moore in (“Savage Grace”) Samantha Morton in ("Expired") Ellen Page in (“The Tracey Fragments”) Natalie Portman in ("Brothers")
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Frontrunners
Robert Downey, Jr. in (“The Soloist”) Heath Ledger in (“The Dark Knight”)
Lead Ponies
Josh Brolin in (“Milk”) Jason Butler Harner in ("Changeling") James Cromwell in (“W.”) Robert Downey Jr. in (“Tropic Thunder”) James Franco in (“Milk”) John Malkovich in (“Changeling”) Peter O’Toole in (“Dean Spanley”) Liev Schreiber in (“Defiance”) Michael Shannon in (“Revolutionary Road”) Michael Sheen in ("Frost/Nixon") Kodi Smit-McPhee in ("The Road")
In the Running
Jerry Adler in (“The Memory Thief”) Alan Alda in ("Nothing But The Truth") Jamie Bell in (“Defiance”) Demián Bichir in ("Che") Russell Crowe in ("Body Of Lies") Tom Cruise in (“Tropic Thunder”) Aaron Eckhart in ("The Dark Knight") Dennis Hopper in (“Elegy”) Ben Kingsley in (“Transsiberian”) Sam Neill in ("Skin") Brad Pitt in ("Burn After Reading") Haaz Sleiman in (“The Visitor”) Tom Wilkinson in ("RocknRolla")
Dark Horses
Kevin Bacon in (“Frost/Nixon”) George Clooney in ("Burn After Reading") James Franco in (“Pineapple Express”) Bruno Ganz in (“The Reader”) Brendan Gleeson in ("In Bruges") Danny Glover in (“Blindness”) Emile Hirsch in (“Milk”) Richard Jenkins in ("Burn After Reading") John Leguizamo in (“Paraiso Travel”) John Malkovich in ("Burn After Reading") Josh Peck in (“The Wackness”) Oliver Platt in (“Frost/Nixon”) Maximilian Schell in (“The Brothers Bloom”) J.K. Simmons in ("Burn After Reading") David Strathairn in (“My Blueberry Nights”)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Frontrunners
Amy Adams in (“Doubt”) Kate Winslet in (“The Reader”)
Lead Ponies
Hiam Abbass in ("The Visitor") Elizabeth Banks in ("W.") Kathy Bates in (“Revolutionary Road”) Penelope Cruz in (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”) Viola Davis in (“Doubt”) Rosemarie DeWitt in ("Rachel Getting Married") Taraji P. Henson in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) Felicity Huffman in ("Phoebe In Wonderland") Frances McDormand in (“Burn After Reading”) Marisa Tomei in (“The Wrestler”) Debra Winger in ("Rachel Getting Married") Elsa Zylberstein in (“I’ve Loved You So Long”)
In the Running
Ellen Burstyn in (“W.”) Vera Farmiga in (“Nothing But The Truth”) Jennifer Hudson in ("The Secret Life Of Bees") Queen Latifah in ("The Secret Life Of Bees") Kelly MacDonald in ("Choke") Rachel McAdams in (“Married Life”) Bette Midler in (“Then She Found Me”) Thandie Newton in ("W.") Amy Ryan in (“Changeling”) Meryl Streep in (“Dark Matter”) Charlize Theron in ("The Road") Emma Thompson in (“Brideshead Revisited”) Dianne Wiest in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Dark Horses
Amy Adams in (“Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day”) Christine Baranski in (“Mamma Mia”) Cate Blanchett in (“Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull”) Mariah Carey in (“Tennessee”) Kim Catrall in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”) Hope Davis in (“Synecdoche, New York”) Anjelica Huston in ("Choke") Jennifer Jason Leigh in (“Synecdoche, New York”) Catherine Keener in (“Synecdoche, New York”) Alicia Keys in ("The Secret Life Of Bees") Sienna Miller in (“The Edge Of Love”) Samantha Morton in (“Mister Lonely”) Samantha Morton in (“Synecdoche, New York”) Cynthia Nixon in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”) Sandra Oh in (“Blindness”) Sophie Okonedo in ("The Secret Life Of Bees") Elisabeth Shue in ("Hamlet 2") Tilda Swinton in (“Burn After Reading”) Tilda Swinton in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) Carice van Houten in (“Body Of Lies”) Julie Walters in (“Mamma Mia”) Emily Watson in (“Synecdoche, New York””) Michelle Williams in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Frontrunners
(“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) (“Revolutionary Road”)
L'Shana Tova! I hope you all have a great holiday (well, if you celebrate it like i do...).
So anyways, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, I came across this article just a few minutes ago that I thought was pretty funny. In the style of David Letterman, here are The Top Ten Rosh Hashanah Pick-Up Lines! Now some are funny and some are ok, but you are really going to get these jokes if you are jewish... So here they are:
10. Today must be Yom Hazikaron cause I'll never forget the day we met.
9. You are a 10 on my scale of judgement.
8. I need to make a Shechianu--cause dang--you are my new fruit.
7. The only book I need opened today is my little black book, of life.
6. When I see you I fall to my knees like bowing at Alienu
5. Our New Year Resolutions should be "Haari At Mikudeshet"
4. Are you a Pomegrante? cause you just left a stain on my heart
3. Is your dad a baker? Cause you got the roundest challahs in town!
2. Lets skip the apples, and get straight to the honey.
1. You had me at Malchios
And some other pick-up lines that some people added in the comment boxes at the bottom that I just couldn't resist posting:
-Do I make you horn-y? -Is that a tekia gedola in your pants or are you just glad to see me? -Lets put our broken shvarim together and make a tekia together. -Care to go Honey-Dipping? -I just proclaimed God as the King of Kings. Can I make you my Queen of Queens? -Are you a Shofar? Cause man you blow me away -Are you a Shofar? Cause wow, you got some amazing curves -Are you a Shofar? Cause I dont mean to toot your horn but you are hot!
Sarah Palin is back! Well, at least Tina Fey's version! Last saturday night (of course the one night I have to miss SNL and forget to Tivo it), Fey reprised her role as Palin and Poehler not as Hillary Clinton but as Katie Couric.
Though this is still funny, I loved the "Can I use a lifeline?" line, but the original Palin/Clinton sketch was better. But still, check it out!
Now, is it possible for Tina Fey to get another Emmy nomination for SNL for playing Sarah Palin? I heard of possibly having SNL hosts be campaigned for Guest Actor/Actress for next year, but with SNL cast members being placed in the Supporting catagories at the Emmys, and with the example of Tina Fey getting nominated in the Individual Performance category for her hosting stint on SNL, WHERE WILL SHE BE PLACED?
Honestly, I would say the Guest Actress spot would be a very good place for NBC to campaign Fey in for her few skits (and hopefully more) playing Palin, but could she in fact be considered in supporting, or even individual performance?
Hey Guys, sorry I haven't been able to blog in the past couple of days. I don't think I have ever been this busy in my life, but right now, it has slowed down a bit and I am able to get get back to blogging!
So to start off again, here are the tidbits of the day:
-Could Dubya really get an Oscar nomination? Of course, lately, it has been wishful thinking for Brolin to get recognized for playing the president, but could he really land a spot in the top 5? According to Politico (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13820.html),
People who have seen the film, and there are not many at this point, have said the most astonishing part of the movie isn’t the storyline, which doesn’t contain any shocking new information. And it’s not the liberties the film takes with reality — like any biopic, it includes invented dialogue, and several lengthy real-life events have been telescoped into a few minutes of screen time. Instead, “W.” watchers say that Brolin has positively nailed Dubya, channeling his very soul in the same way Jamie Foxx inhabited Ray Charles’ skin in “Ray,” Joaquin Phoenix captured Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line” and Jim Carrey became Andy Kaufman’s reincarnation in “Man on the Moon.”
Brolin is said to be so impressive that there has been discussion of using his performance to market the entire picture. “He gives off such an amazing vibe that Lionsgate should promote the movie as a great dramatic piece, instead of hyping it as another Oliver Stone controversy, because that’s going to happen anyway,” said a source close to filmmakers. While viewers have an awareness of Stone that no other director enjoys, the campaign will be very “Josh-centric,” confirmed a studio insider who requested anonymity.
As a result, expect Lionsgate to move hard for a best actor nomination come Oscar season in order to move more DVDs, with release of the home video version of the film expected to conincide with Academy Awards hoopla early next year.
Stone said he then chose Brolin, who was “not a star” but felt “more rural Americana.” According to the director, Brolin was “scared sh-tless” at the thought of mocking the sitting president — probably because he remembered the grief that his father, James Brolin, went through after playing Ronald Reagan in a CBS TV movie that ultimately got bumped from the network. But the younger Brolin dove into his work, spending hours perfecting his Texas twang and listening to speeches, press conferences and other material to strike a proper tone.
One thing to be grateful about: Unlike Stone’s previous presidential picture about Richard Nixon that ran an interminable 192 minutes (and 212 in the subsequent “director’s cut”), his take on Bush is way more concise. Advance word from the London Film Festival (where the picture will make its European debut) indicates it will clock in at a mere 110 minutes.
-Is anyone else excited for Sasha Baron Cohen's Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt? Yeah, long name... but Cohen recently got arrested for it. Earlier this week, the notorious Cohen managed to somehow get backstage and walk down the catwalk before getting pulled away by security at Agatha Ruiz de la Prada show in Milan. After being bundled away by the Italian police, one officer recalled, "He was actually very funny, and the first thing he said was 'Can I make a phone call', like they do on TV."
Luckily, an Italian film crew captured everything that went on at the show:
-John Foote over at In Contention (http://www.incontention.com/?p=2075) wonders if Kate Winslet is the greatest actress of her generation? I think he is right!
-And speaking about Kate Winslet, Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein have finally come to an agreement! The Reader will be released on December 12, 2008 after a long and heated debate between Rudin and Weinstein, and even a rumored bet. -And while we are still on the topic of the amazing Kate Winslet, Anne Thompson says that Paramount Vantage will officially debut the Revolutionary Road trailer during tonight's broadcast of Mad Men. This is very appropriate because Matthew Weiner, the show's creator, was mostly inspired to create Mad Men after reading Richard Yates's amazing book, Revolutionary Road. -Will Helen Mirren be the next iconic action star? Mirren will star in John Madden's The Debt. According to Empire Magazine (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23323),
Mirren will play a former Mossad agent who, along with two colleagues, fails to capture a Nazi war criminal. They decide to cover their tracks, only for the criminal to resurface thirty years later, prompting Mirren to track him down before the truth can be revealed.
Seems like this could be a doozy of a role for the ever-wonderful Mirren – not only will there be a great deal of soul-searching and self-examination, there should be the chance to see a sixtysomething woman kick arse on the big screen.
To be honest, we should have seen Mirren’s casting coming the minute we discovered that the plot called for two actresses to play the main character – one in her thirties, and the other in her sixties. Quite frankly, there aren’t many actresses around these days who could handle a role like this – and Mirren is at the top of a very short list.
-An in Foreign Language submissions news, China has unusually submitted a documentary for their choice: Dream Weaver: Beijing 2008. It is about the country’s seven years of preparation for last month’s Olympic Games. It was produced by a state-owned company. Israel has submitted the animation flick Waltz With Bashir, which is about the director's attempt to reconstruct lost memories of his -- and the Israeli Army's -- involvement in the massacre of Palestinian civilians by Christian militias during the first Lebanon War in 1982. Waltz recently premiered at Cannes and won the top prize at the Israeli Film Academy Awards. France chose the Cannes winner, The Class, and Germany in a very surprising move chose The Baader Meinhof Complex. Most people thought Germany would choose The Wave, but instead they chose this movie which is about the early years of the RAF.
-And who will be the new Oscar host for this year? I say the amazing Kathy Griffin, but rumor is that Ricky Gervais will be the man! I am a huge fan of Gervais and I think he will make a great host. The Academy has made a statement that they have not chosen a host yet, but apparently some light bulbs were turned on with some execs when Ricky Gervais was telling Steve Carell to "Give me back my Emmy."
I swear, I crack up everytime I see that! Ricky Gervais is brilliant! Last week, after recieving praise, his movie Ghost Town premiered... and flopped at the box office. But hey, that could be like a punchline at the Oscars if he is the host. He has another movie coming out in 2009 called This Side of the Truth, in which he wrote and directed and stars along Jennifer Garner and the amazing Tina Fey.
And now on to my OBSESSION of the week. Now, I just realized that I forgot to do my obsession of the week for last time, so I got two obsessions for you guys.
1. The trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. What a great looking trailer!
2. This has nothing to do with movies or tv or anything like that, but just the other day my friend told me about how there is a "secret menu" at Jamba Juice! I've always loved Jamba Juice and was excited when I heard about this "secret menu." She told me that she got one smoothie that was called "White Gummie Bear" and another one called "Pink Star" (which is suppossed to replicate a Pink Starburst - which just so happens to be my favorite flavor). Well, later on in the day, I googled up "secret menu jamba juice," and sure enough I found a few pages relating to this "secret." As I was looking down the list of names of these smoothies, I saw such titles as "Fruity Pebbles," "Skittles," "Wake-Up Call," "Push-Up Pops," "Strawberry Shortcake," "PB+J," "Hello Jesus," "Thank You Jesus," and my personal favorite "Screaming Orgasm" just to name a few on a very long list.
Well anyways, today I decided that I would go to my nearest Jamba Juice and order a "secret menu" item. I ordered the Pink Star. When I ordered it, the guy was like "no problem." And the woman at the check-out station rung me up like normal with a smile and without any questions. But here's the best part. As I was waiting for the smoothie to be made, there were like two people working the blenders there - the guy making my "Pink Star" and another girl. The girl asks the guy, "So, what smoothie are you making?" And the guy responds "Pink Star." And girl is like, "Are you seriously making that?" And they guy is like, "Who cares, it's already in the blender." And he rolled his eyes. Ah, that was great! Pathetic, but great. And it tasted so good too! It was like a Pink Starburst! So if you get a chance, go to your nearest Jamba Juice and order a secret menu item.
I want to take a moment now to remember a true hollywood legend, and arguably one of our great actors of all time, if not the best - Paul Newman. Paul, you will be missed and you were a great man. I hope you can make everyone up there smile just like you made us smile! My heart and prayers go out to his family, and especially his wife, Joanne Woodward. Rest in peace Paul.
"[I] loved that man with all my heart. He was goodness and kindness and pure integrity. I know he loved his family, his wife, the world and mankind. He was purity of heart. Working with him was such a joy. Knowing him, being his friend, was as golden as the sunset and a privilege I'll never forget. I thank God and feel so honored for that privilege. May he be in God's embrace forever." -- Elizabeth Taylor
"There is a point where feelings go beyond words. I have lost a real friend. My life -- and this country -- is better for his being in it." -- Robert Redford
"It's a great loss, in so many ways. The history of movies without Paul Newman? It's unthinkable. His presence, his beauty, his physical eloquence, the emotional complexity he could conjure up and transmit through his acting in so many movies -- where would we be without him? 'In From the Terrace' or 'The Hustler' or 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' or 'The Verdict' or 'Nobody's Fool,' to name just a few pictures that come to mind, he's more than just iconic. In those movies and in many, many others, he created characters that are lasting and durable. His powerful eloquence, his consummate sense of craft, so consummate that you didn't see any sense of effort up there on the screen, set a new standard. My own experience working with him on 'The Color of Money' was a joy, and my memories of our time together are precious. But in addition to being a great actor, one of the greatest really, he was also such a fine, caring man. I will miss him greatly." -- Martin Scorsese
"He set the bar too high for the rest of us -- not just actors, but all of us. He will be greatly missed." -- George Clooney
"I was blessed to have known him. The world is better because of him. Sometimes God makes perfect people and Paul Newman was one of them." -- Sally Field
"He was my hero." -- Julia Roberts
"His was an important life lived in ways that exemplified what good, caring human values look like in a truly decent human being. In his life and in his work, he was a giver -- and never a taker." -- Sidney Poitier
"Paul Newman was a class act; smart, sexy, generous and kind. He was committed equally to justice and pranks. He was something you don't hear mentioned often these days; a good man. He taught me to appreciate the homegrown tomato, championship badminton and chamber music. He will be missed." -- Susan Sarandon
"Paul was a very fine actor and a really good race driver. But mostly, he personified humanity - always taking care of those who were less fortunate. For me, this will be his legacy." -- David Letterman
"Just look out for each other. That's really what he was all about. He was awesome to the end, and he is an awesome guy and his spirit will be with us forever and ever and ever." -- Lizzy Newman, Paul's daughter.
"Actor, author, screenwriter, director, producer and philanthropist, he was also a great friend of France and fans of motor racing will remember his successive appearances at the Le Mans 24-hour race." - President Nicolas Sarkozy of France
"[His death is] a blow. When such important personalities die, one despairs and thinks that, little by little, all the greats are disappearing." -- Sophia Loren
"He was one of the greatest screen actors of all time and a beautiful man." - Daniel Craig
"[Paul was a] dear human being. He busied himself with the professional rather than with PR. His main motto was, 'If you do not exploit your success in order to improve things in the world, then you are really wasting it'." - Haim Topol
What an unbelievable poster for Synecdoche, New York. It truly looks amazing!
And on to the Valkyrie poster, which looks, well, COOL! There I said it people! Maybe this movie won't be so bad after all... or maybe the only good thing about this movie is the poster...
Finally, the real trailer for W. by Oliver Stone starring Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks. Based off this trailer, I am highly considering predicting Banks for a Best Supporting Actress nomination!
And here is a better version of the Revolutionary Road trailer, extended and without the Mary Hart narration.
And here is the trailer for Bride Wars starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. This looks like it can be funny but not funny at the same time...
And here is the new trailer for Waltz With Bashir that is Israel's Official Selection for the Foreign Film race at the Oscars. Waltz With Bashir just won the top prize at the Israel Film Academy Awards (Israel's answer to the Oscars). Sony Pictures Classics will be releasing this film here.
Well this movie could be interesting... Here is the trailer for Notorious. For some reason, I had no idea that there was going to be a movie about this, and meanwhile I keep on thinking that I heard of it. But oh well...
And here is the trailer for Inkhart starring Brendan Frasier and Helen Mirren.
And to end it off, here are two clips from Adam Resurrected starring Jeff Goldblum.
After being well recieved at Cannes and Toronto, can this controversial film from artist-turned-first-time-filmmaker, Steve McQueen, come in as a surprise contender in this year's Oscar race? Hunger is about Bobby Sands, the IRA member who led the 1981 Irish hunger strike and participated in the no wash protest in which Republican prisoners tried to win political status. Hunger dramatises the events in the notorious Northern Ireland's Maze prison six weeks prior to Sands's death.
Steve McQueen won the Camera d'Or at Cannes for Best First Feature Film as well as the DIESEL Discovery Award at the Toronto Film Festival.
Michael Fassbender (300) stars as Bobby Sands, and he is one sure to look out for as a dark horse contender. Fassbender can soon be seen alongside Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards.
Just by looking at the trailer, it looks very compelling, and Fassbender looks unbelievable.
Well I just have to say, ABC knows how to put on a good show! I loved the stage, and I think the show was very successful overall, yes even with the 5 hosts... (even though the opening bit was terrible and annoying...) though I would have much preferred if it was someone like Kathy Griffin...
But this was definetly classic emmy - the shockers and the snubs. Here's one thing that I've noticed about predicting who's gonna win at the Emmys as oppossed to the Oscars. With the Oscars, most of the time (well at least recently), you can get an idea of who will come out as the winner. But not with the emmys... Jean Smart, Zelijko Ivanek, Bryan Cranston, Tim Conway, Dianne Weist, Glynn Turman... It was the night of surprises. But I have to say, I am very happy for Mad Men! I am so glad that they won Best Drama Series! Truly deserved, and I'm glad that they made history by being the first basic cable show to win! But what a night for AMC, Cranston is almighty over Hamm... What a shocker there! I really thought it was between Hamm and Spader... Also, I am very happy for Tina Fey and her 3 deserved emmys! Way to go Tina! And when will Steve Carell ever win an emmy... Please let it be next year... And the biggest crime of the night - Wiest stealing the emmy from Wilson. Wilson's episode was the most heartbreaking performance in my mind of that year. Wilson truly deserved that emmy, and I really hope that she will have another chance! But what a crime! What a damn crime... (que: nods head down in shame...) It would have been nice to see Laura Dern or Ashley Jensen win, but of course they had to choose Eileen Atkins... And though I like Jean Smart on Samantha Who, what a surprise! I really thought Poehler was going to win... I am also very happy for Tom Wilkinson! He was so outstanding in John Adams as Ben Frankin! Truly a great performance to remember for a long time! Well deserved, but I wish he was there! When will Kyra Sedgwick ever win? When? When? When?
And who ever knew Josh Groban had that much range? Doing South Park impressions... lol. That was very very interesting. But the best part of the night was when Rickles and Griffin presented. Two great comedians and just absolutely hilarious! Can they do those American Express commercials too like Tina Fey and Martin Scorsese do? And also Ricky Gervais's bit! "Give me my emmy!" That was great. I couldn't stop cracking up! So funny! Gervais and Carell are great!
And also it was very nice to see such a great tribute to tv history in the past 60 years. They could have done much more, but they made it simple and sweet, but the message lasted throughout the entire show. It was really great seeing Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Ed McMahon, Tommy Smothers, and of course Don Rickles... It was very nice.
Well anyways, I think the show was a success! And though I wish some of the winners would have been different, at least overall it was a much better show (cough...last year...cough).
First of all, I don't care what all of you haters have to say, Diablo Cody is awesome! I thought she wrote a very funny screenplay for Juno, and I'm glad she won the Oscar, and based on reading her blog on Myspace and her column in Entertainment Weekly and seeing interviews with her, she seems like a really awesome person!
But her latest post has been hitting the web the past couple of days, and well, let Diablo speak for herself:
A while back, there was a thoughtful article in the above-mentioned publication about Ellen Page and myself. The article was mostly about how passionately some people hate me. As I explained to my therapist the following day (ha) it's kind of weird to read something like that about yourself. On one hand, you feel defensive. On the other hand, you feel puzzled. You feel compelled to identify what it is about you that might inspire such vitriol. (I personally suspect the hate isn't that widespread; it's just loud.)
I thought about it. For months. I even wrote a screenplay on the theme. And then, finally, I figured it out.
I have a response to those who are still boring enough to lob insults in my direction. (Those of you who are friends, fans, enablers, or dislike my writing for legitimate, rational, nonpersonal reasons can tune out now if you like. This isn't for you.)
Anyone else? Bend thine ear:
I am not Charlie Kaufman or Sofia Coppola (much as I supplicate at their Cannes-weary feet.) I'm not Paul Thomas Anderson. I'm not even Paul W.S. Anderson. I am middle-class trash from the Midwest. I'm a competent nonfiction writer, an admittedly green screenwriter, and a product of Hollywood, USA. I am "Diablo Cody" and if you're not a fan, go rent Prospero's Books again and leave me the fuck alone.
I may have won 19 awards that you don't feel I earned, but it's neither original nor relevant to slag on Juno. Really. And you're not some bold, singular voice of dissent, You are exactly like everyone else in your zeitgeisty-demo-lifestyle pod. You are even like me. (I, too, loved Arrested Development! Aren't we a pretty pair of cultural mavericks? Hey, let's go bitch about how Black Kids are overrated!)
I'm sorry that while you were shooting your failed opus at Tisch, I was jamming toxic silicon toys up my ass for money. I get why you're bitter. I took exactly one film class in college and-- with the curious exception of the Douglas Sirk unit—it bored the shit out of me. I also once got busted for loudly crinkling a bag of Jujubes during a classroom screening of Vivre Sa Vie. I don't deserve to be here. We've established that. But I'm here. Five million 12-year-olds think I'm Buck Henry. Accept it.
(Incidentally, if you were me for one day you'd crumble like fucking Stilton. I am better at this than you. You're not strong enough, Film_Fan78. Trust me.)
I'm sorry to all those violent, semi-literate fanboys who hate me for befriending their heroes. I can't help it if your favorite writer, actor, director, or talk show host likes me. Maybe you would too, if we actually met.
I know my name is fake and that it annoys you. What, do you hate Queen Latifah and Rip Torn, too? Writers and entertainers have been using pseudonyms for years. Chances are, you're spewing bile under an assumed screen name yourself. I'm sorry if you think I'm like some inked-up quasi-Suicide Girl derby cunt from 2002, but I like my fake name. It's engraved on an Oscar. Yours isn't.
Listen: I've been telling stories my whole life. Even when I was a phone sex operator, I was the Mark Twain of extemporaneous jerk-off fiction. I took every perspiring creep on a fucking journey. I don't know how to do anything else.
I'm going to make more movies and shows. I doubt they'll all be good, but that's the nature of this life. Even though the public only knows me from one book, one movie, and several aborted blogs, I've spent the last few years hustling like Iceberg Slim out here to prove myself professionally. The people I currently work for, and with, are more than pleased with my post-Juno output. My pilot was so good (thanks, Toni Colette!) that it got picked up for series. That is rare, children. That is blue-rare.
In summation: you try it.
This is the last I have to say on the subject, unless I'm provoked by a journalist in which case I'll gladly reload. With relish, as Betty Rizzo might say. That said, I'm a 30-year-old woman with a dwindling interest in blog culture, and I don't have time to address this bullshit every time one of my projects comes out. I'm in love, I just bought a house, and my boss made E.T. I kind of have to focus on reality.
Sex + The City author Candace Bushnell wants teen sensation Miley Cyrus to play the young Carrie Bradshaw if her prequel novels are turned into movies of TV shows.
Bushnell has just signed a deal to pen two teen novels about her character Bradshaw's high school years and she'd love for Cyrus to take the lead in a TV or film spin-off.
When asked to name her new Carrie - a part Sarah Jessica Parker has played on the big and small screen - Bushnell said, "I don't know... What about Miley Cyrus?"
And it appears Cyrus is game - in a recent interview she said, "I'd love to do a younger, cleaner version of Sex + The City."
What do you guys think about this? Could "Hannah Montana" be a good Carrie Bradshaw?
"Now, a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. He didn't help me a bit. If it was up to him, Cesar Milan would be up here with that damn dog. So all I can say is suck it, Jesus, this award is my god now!" -- Kathy Griffin
Why do I love Kathy Griffin so much? How can anyone not love Kathy Griffin? She is so awesome! I am very happy that she won last week for her awesome reality show, Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List, which is like the only reality show that I watch, but she still has one more catagory to go... She has been nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell, which is just absolutely hilarious, and this time she may have a chance to give one of her famous speeches at the REAL Emmys, and not the "Schmemmys" as she likes to call the Creative Arts Emmys...
And if you have not been able to see Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell, like me a little over an hour ago, well you're in luck, because it's on Youtube! Gotta love the power of youtube!
Facebook in Reality! Is this what Aaron Sorkin's movie is going to be like?
Somehow I stumbled upon this hilarious skit from some British comedy show called The Wall that's on the BBC. And even though the new facebook is bugging the hell out of me, this skit is so funny, and so true too!
"Academy, what game are you playing with these nominations? Every year you give my Emmy to a different beloved entertainment legend with an enlarged prostate... I believe that's what Emmy's holding up!"
And after realizing that his competition is Don Rickles, since he has lost in the past to legends Barry Manilow and Tony Bennett, he shows a few clips from his HBO special for which he is nominated, and he shows the clips in which he makes fun of some of the audience members. So, Stephen Colbert thinks that if making fun of people will get him an emmy, why not trashtalk the Emmy president, John Shaffner, and see if he will FINALLY win that way...
The best joke ever: "Speaking of which, Shaffner, when you have sex, I hear your wife start playing the wrap-it-up music after 30 seconds... Hadcjah..."
First of all, sorry I haven't been able to post in the past few days, I've been really busy. But I'm here now!
But anyways, I was reading EW today and I saw this awesome advertisement for the Emmys:
I think it will be a good night for the Emmys. I've noticed that the Emmys tend to be at it's best when it is on ABC, and NBC... Think about it. Last year it was on FOX, it sucked, and when it is was on CBS, it was alright, but when it has been on ABC and NBC it has always been great... So even with five hosts on Sunday night, the overall theme to "celebrate television" over the past 60 years, I have high expectations for it... It should be exciting! And I will post my predictions very soon!
-And also I thought I would bring up W. If you look on youtube, Oliver Stone has a new contest where you can create your own "mashup" for W., and if you win, you get a prize... But there are snipet-clips up on the page, so if you want to check that out, go to: http://www.youtube.com/WtheFilm.
And speaking about W., here is a new cast photo from Vanity Fair:
I think out of all the catagories, this catagory is anyone's game.
The nominees are:
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) Michael C. Hall (Dexter) Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Hugh Laurie (House) James Spader (Boston Legal)
Now, I would quickly choose Jon Hamm. I love Mad Men (I hope it wins Best Drama Series) and he recently won the Golden Globe, but I am still debating with James Spader...
Check out this video (this is the only youtube video that I could find that was "embed" and it is only half of Spader's huge speech, but I'm sure you can find the whole thing on youtube, I just couldn't post it here. Also, be warned, this video of Spader's speech has many disturbing images attached to it, so I am warning you now. You will see...):
Now if we recall, James Spader has never lost any of the times he was nominated, between The Practice and Boston Legal. And who can forget last year when he beat James Gandolfini. HUGE upset! But this seems to be the year for him to win it, as he has the winning scene, but do the emmys want to pass the torch on? Remember, Hugh Laurie has still not won an emmy yet for House...
But then again, the Emmys are known for surprises. Who knows, maybe Bryan Cranston or Michael C. Hall will win... Seriously, this catagory is up in the air. So here's my rundown:
Who Will Win: James Spader (Boston Legal) Who Should Win: Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Who Am I Ok With Winning: Hugh Laurie (House)
...and hopefully it won't be as bad as last year (cough...round stage...cough).
Emmy Awards to Feature Ghosts From TV's Past Tuesday , September 16, 2008
LOS ANGELES — Friendly ghosts from television's past will bring their ethereal charm to the 60th Emmy Awards.
Sunday's ceremony will feature surprise cast reunions, famous lines ("Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!") and beloved moments from the last six decades of television. Even the Nokia Theater stage will be getting into the act, dressing up as sets from iconic shows past and present, executive producer Ken Ehrlich told The Associated Press.
"We're paying homage to the heritage of the medium and the history, but we've tried to do it in a very contemporary way," he said. "We want to show the through line from what television has meant to us to what it is now."
The Emmy stage will masquerade as sets from "The Simpsons," "Mash" and "Desperate Housewives," among others, Ehrlich said.
"I'm going to marry some clips to each of the sets so you see them on the screen, they way you see them at home, and then you see them at the Nokia on our stage," he said. "I think it's going to be fun."
Presenters and categories will also be pegged to the scenes, creating a connection between past and current stars and shows.
Ehrlich, who has produced dozens of Emmy and Grammy telecasts, said he usually shies away from themes "because I think they can limit you from time to time." But creating a show that celebrates the history of television suited him just fine: "It really gave us opportunities to salute the medium," he said.
It also gives him a chance to reconnect with some of his favorite shows and stars: "I love popular culture," he said. "Especially (to work) with people you admire and respect — they've meant so much to so many people over the years."
The veteran producer also enjoys planning surprises for viewers. Prodded for details, he revealed that Josh Groban will perform on the program, and a popular TV cast that split more than a decade ago will reunite.
Charlie Sheen, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Piven and Kristin Chenoweth will help open the show by delivering popular TV catch phrases. (Guess who says, "Good morning, angels.") And Ehrlich hints that there will be several can't-miss moments.
"(Viewers) will want to see the reality-show hosts category," he said. "It's one of the most interesting ones on the show. It's not what you're expecting."
Oh my god, its annoying the living daylights out of me! I liked the old version so much better! I think this version is just confusing and not as easy to use. Ugh, it's so annoying! I've tried to join as many "Petition against the New Facebook" groups as possible (update: i've noticed that they seem to be disappearing one by one, hmm... i wonder who's doing that?), but I really don't think it will work at all... Anyways, I hate it! Let us choose to switch back and forth between the old and the new facebook like in the past months... But anyways, what do you guys think about the recent change in facebook? Is it really annoying you too?
*I wonder how Aaron Sorkin will write this in to his new movie "Facebook: The Movie"?
-Slumdog Millionaire won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival, the Cadillac's People's Choice Award, voted on by festival audiences... Yeah, it's lookin good now...
-The Visitor won the top prize over at the Deauville Film Festival. While having a surprising box office for a small indie film, Richard Jenkins, the film's star, has been recieving major Oscar buzz for Best Lead Actor. According to Screen Daily News (http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=40839), the Deauville Film Festival has been a very good Oscar predictor, especially for such films as Crash and Little Miss Sunshine.
-Want a taste of Jack White's song for the new James Bond movie. Well in the new Coke Zero (Zero Zero 7) ad, he provides an instrumental sample from his song "Another Way To Die," in which he duets with Alicia Keys. It's a pretty cool commercial too...
-Over at Fataculture (http://fataculture.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/toronto-08-slumdog-wins-peoples-choice-award-poke-yourself-in-the-eye-if-you-didnt-see-that-coming/), they compare Slumdog Millionaire to other past winners of the top prize from TIFF and see how they stood in awards after the festival. They point out that in 2007, Eastern Promises won, in 2006, it was Bella, in 2005 it was Tsotsi, and in 2004 it was Hotel Rwanda. Eastern Promises was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Drama Film and it's star Viggo Mortensen was nominated for lead actor at the Oscars. Bella was not nominated for any Oscars... Tsotsi won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film for South Africa. And Hotel Rwanda's Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo were nominated for Best Lead Actor and Supporting Actress. It was also nominated for Original Screenplay. HR was also nominated for Best Drama Film at the Golden Globes, along with Don Cheadle and Best Original Song.
About the history, Fataculture had this to say:
Whether or not that is an indication of things to come (mass appreciation, wide critical praise, awards recognition…you get the picture) I’m not so sure. Not every film that wins this award makes it in the outside world in a big way. But that doesn’t matter. What does is that it is on the map, and people are going to see it.
-The Creative Arts Emmys were this weekend, and a few early honors were handed out, like the Guest Acting awards. For the drama side, Cynthia Nixon won Guest Actress for Law & Order: SVU and Glynn Turman won Guest Actor for In Treatment. For the comedy side, Kathryn Joosten won a second time for Guest Actress for Desperate Housewives and Tim Conway won for Guest Actor for 30 Rock.
The always hilarious Kathy Griffin won a second time for her reality show "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," which is probably the only reality show that I watch and actually love. But this year, Kathy tried to keep her speech clean because she didn't want to get fired from presenting at the Emmys this Sunday. But way to go Kathy!
And you can now call Sarah Silverman an Emmy winner! She won Original Music and Lyrics for "I'm F*cking Matt Damon" for Jimmy Kimmel Live! Since then, Silverman and Kimmel have broken up, but the song is still hilarious!
John Adams was the big winner with 8 wins, but Mad Men was the big winner for a series with 4 wins.
I was just watching Saturday Night Live and I was so happy to see Tina Fey do Sarah Palin! I though Tina Fey was hilarious and she nailed Palin perfectly! And the same goes for Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton! I think that was one of the funniest skits that I've seen on Saturday Night Live! I loved it! That skit right there will go down in SNL history for some of their best skits! I really hope that Tina Fey will be able to do more Sarah Palin skits later on in the season... And maybe a skit with the real Sarah Palin?!?
So basically, Tina Fey is awesome! She is one of our greatest comedic icons, especially of our time! Tina Fey is just awesome!
And by the way, once I can find the skit on youtube, I will post it!
It seems to be that this year for the Oscars, we will be seeing many new faces come nomination time, and here are a few stars to lookout for in the next couple of months:
Josh Brolin
After becoming a more well know name after last year's Oscar-winner No Country For Old Men, Josh Brolin may just become the name you will hear quite a few times in the coming months as he takes on playing the current President George W. Bush in Oliver Stone's W. And though he will get a lot of press for W., it will most likely be Milk that will give him the Oscar nomination. Though there is a chance he will get nominated for W., watch out for him in Milk. I wonder what the real George Bush will think about his version, of well, him!?!
Elizabeth Banks
She is the "IT" girl of 2008! Watch out for her! Her name will be everywhere in the next couple of months, especially for playing the First Lady Laura Bush, as well as being in a "porno." Yes you read right. She will be starring alongside Seth Rogen in Kevin Smith's Zack And Miri Make A Porno as well as playing Laura Bush in W. How much more opposite can you get? Ha ha ha... She will also be seen in the comedy Role Models and the Toronto Film Festival gem Lovely, Still starring Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. But definetly watch out for Elizabeth Banks this season, especially for her Oscar chances for playing Laura Bush for Best Supporting Actress.
Anne Hathaway
She is practically a lock after recieving amazing reviews for her role as the sister from hell who shakes things up at her sister's wedding in Rachel Getting Married. We all remember her from The Princess Diaries and then making the shift to "adultland" in The Devil Wears Prada, and now she has gone even farther in Rachel Getting Married, a role that will most likely finally get her a nomination. In the past, Hathaway has attended the Oscars as a presenter for a few years, now she might attend the Oscars as a nominee! So definetly look out for Hathaway as she may get Oscar nomination number one!
Rosemarie DeWitt
She started to become well-known when she took on a role in (one of my favorite movies ever) Cinderella Man, starring alongside Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, and Paddy Considine, which in real life she is the granddaughter of James Braddock, who the movie is about, but she became more recognizable after nabbing the lead role in Fox's Standoff alongside Ron Livingston and then AMC's Mad Men alongside Jon Hamm. Now, she stars alongside Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married, and earning rave reviews as well, even some saying it would be a "crime" not to nominate her for Best Supporting Actress.
Sally Hawkins
Hawkins is the "breakout" star of the year. She won the Best Actress award at the Berlin Film Festival and has been recieving great reviews for her role as Poppy, a cheery schoolteacher, in Happy Go Lucky. The film is by Mike Leigh, who is known for his leading (unknown) women who earn Oscar nominations for his movie (such in the past as Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake and Brenda Blethyn in Secrets and Lies). It looks as if it's Sally Hawkin's turn! Definetly look out for Sally Hawkins as her chances are looking good for an Oscar nomination.
Richard Jenkins
What a role of a lifetime for this 61 year old! His role as Professor Walter Vale in the indie-gem of the year, The Visitor, was Jenkins's first lead role in a movie. In the past, he has been known for playing the supporting roles, but this time it was all about him! He was unbelievable in The Visitor, and he truly deserves an Oscar nomination! He earned rave reviews as The Visitor started to become bigger and bigger, and what a way to reward Jenkins then with a nomination! It would be the most deserved nomination among all of the nominees!
Michael Sheen
He should've got a nomination for playing Tony Blair in The Queen, but he was wrongfully shut out from recieving a nomination. Though the BAFTA Awards nominated him... But now he has another chance! He plays David Frost, the reporter who interviews President Richard Nixon, played by Frank Langella, post-Watergate. Sheen is reprising his role as Frost from the original stage version of Frost/Nixon, as Langella is doing the same. Sheen may finally get that nomination that he deserves!
Kodi Smit-McPhee
It seems to be that Kodi Smit-McPhee may be the child nomination of the year. He recieved rave reviews from down under in Australia for Romulus, My Father, in which he won the Australian Film Institute award for his role, but it may be his role in the Cormac McCarthy adapation The Road that will kickstart his future acting career as he stars alongside Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron in the post-apocalyptic tale about a man (Mortensen) and his son (Smit-McPhee) trying to survive by any means possible.
Viola Davis
You may recognize Viola Davis from Antwone Fisher, in which she recieved an Independent Spirit nomination, as well as tv shows Century City and Traveler. Now, she stars alongside Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams in Doubt. In the original stage version, Adriane Lenox won the Tony Award for the role as Mrs. Muller, which is the role Davis is playing in the film adapation.
James Franco
James Franco is being considered the next James Dean, but wait, didn't he already play him? The resemblance is striking, which led Franco to win a Golden Globe for his portrayl as Dean as well as earning an Emmy Award nomination for the role. Since then, Franco has starred in the Spider-Man series alongside Tobey Maguire and Kristen Dunst, Flyboys, and most recently Pineapple Express, in which he has now become more well-known. Now he is starring in a supporting role in Milk alongside Sean Penn. To get an idea of Franco's character in Milk, in which he play's Penn's character's gay partner, see this interview that Franco did with Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!:
No, it's not for Law And Order: Special Victims Unit, well it might be, but I'm talking about Gym Teacher: The Movie. Yes, it's that new movie you most likely heard about while reading last week's issue of Entertainment Weekly and seeing Christopher Meloni in the little picture above it.
You are most likely laughing right now by even thinking that Christopher Meloni is "emmy-worthy" in a movie called Gym Teacher: The Movie, hell, I'm even laughing too, but think about, if you happened to stumble upon this movie while flipping through channels and seeing "Gym Teacher: The Movie" listed and thinking where have I heard that from, oh what the hell I'll watch it... well then you know what I mean!
We all know him from Law And Order: SVU and Oz, but now, Christopher Meloni has taken a different turn from what we are used to seeing him in... a Nickelodeon Made-For-Television Movie... that's a comedy. Well how about them apples!
In Gym Teacher, Meloni plays Dave Stewie, a former almost-Olympic hero who embarrassed himself at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after messing up while completing the vaulting horse for men's gymnastics, ruining his chances for the Gold medal... and being on the box of Wheaties... After hiding from humiliation and going into "retirement," Dave Stewie became a gym teacher, a gym teacher who has a drive of a former Champion, and who takes his job very seriously. Well, when the President (ooh!) announces a national-wide gym class fitness competition, thus awarding Gym Teacher of The Year, wacky Principal Abby Hoffman (the always hilarious Amy Sedaris) pushes Stewie to compete for the gold! With dedicated and motivated students in his gym class, the only person standing in his way is Roland Waffle (Nathan Cress). Roland is a helmet-wearing, injury-fearing, not great at sports new student. Well to top it off, Stewie starts to date his mom, Winnie Bleeker (Chelah Horsdal), who is the new english teacher at Hamm Lake, but he doesn't find out that Roland is her son until later... which is a problem because Stewie had a plan to get Roland "expelled" by placing pirated dvd's in his locker to help "save" his chances for winning. But after quickly finding out that Roland is in fact her son, that plan was aborted... And from there, Stewie decides to turn Roland into an athletic competitor. But Stewie faces some harsh competiton from the cross-city rival school, Burberry Prep's coach, cashmere hat-wearing Shelly Bragg (David Alan Grier).
The movie is definetly family friendly, well duh, it's on Nickelodeon, but what I mean is that it comes from the crew over at Strangers With Candy (director Paul Dinello and star Amy Sedaris) and David Alan Grier, who will be starring in a new show on Comedy Central called Chocolate News, which definetly won't be Nickelodeon-viewer friendly. Lets just say, one of the characters he plays on the show is a pornstar named Licorice Stick. The movie really emphasized on staying active and eating healthy (which is good for kids to know...) as well as smaller topics like how girls are just as good as boys when it comes to sports, never give up on your dream, winning isn't always important, being a team player, and bullying... You know, crap like that... But it was also funny to see some innuendos in the movie. Like how Principal Hoffman admires how Stewie can fill out his short-shorts without being dismissed for sexual harrassment and how while at the gym teacher hangout, protein bar, Stewie tells the "bartender" to "make it a double this time," and the bartender responds "you want two bananas?" Later on in the movie, Stewie's character is at another bar "drinking" and sobbing while telling a "sad story" like a drunk person typically would, and the bartender says "you know there's nothing else stronger in that drink than some protein powder and fruit, right?"
All in all, Gym Teacher was watchable, almost like a Will Ferrell or Jim Carrey movie, but extremely toned-down. Meloni definetly overacted in some parts, but that was the whole point about Stewie's character. He made it work! I think it would be funny if Meloni does end up getting a nomination for Gym Teacher, hell that would be f*ckin' hilarious! I would probably push for that until the Emmy nominations are announced for next year, but of course that would be assuming that the Best Actor in a TV Movie/Mini-Series catagory is a somewhat weak one next year... Plus, Meloni is known and respected among the Emmy voter community. He was nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU back in 2006, so maybe they will want an excuse to nominate him again... But also another person to push from the movie is Amy Sedaris. I thought she was hilarious as the essentric, high-haired principal with a not-so-secret crush on Stewie. Her scenes were actually pretty funny, especially in the first part of the movie. I actually wouldn't be surprised if she does gets a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She was very funny! But of course, she was hilarious in Strangers With Candy, and she is hilarious in Gym Teacher, and it's all by the same people... So basically, watch out for Meloni and Sedaris!
Now I am really psyched to see this movie! After winning an appeal to get their rating changed from NC-17 to R by the MPAA, well I guess they couldn't win everything... The poster originally released for Zack And Miri Make A Porno had both of it's stars on the poster, and well, let the hilarious poster tell for itself (hint, look towards the bottom of the poster...):
Since it has basically been banned in the United States, at least one country has a sense of humor... God Bless Canada!
And since the United States needed a poster for this (I am assuming awesome) movie, well, they did it again, and it is brilliant, hilarious, and a poster to remember for a long time!:
Kevin Smith said in a statement about the original poster getting banned: "When you've got the word 'porno' in the title, naturally, the marketing materials are gonna be scrutinized more closely by the MPAA. I understand they've got a job to do, but c'mon...this image isn't that dirty; they're both fully clad." In Smith's blog on Myspace, where he premiered the new poster, he said, "Our frustration in getting an MPAA approval on the American poster led to last-resort ideas about showcasing dopey, simple images instead of risque pics of our leads - which, in turn, led to what's now the official American poster for the flick... I like it a bunch. Simple and kinda ballsy. Should be up in theaters this weekend."
Well anyways, not only did the Revolutionary Road trailer get released, but also Changeling and The Soloist, and only in a matter of minutes, the Doubt trailer will be released on the Apple Trailers website.
And yes, I realize that I have been a little late on this, but in case you have been living under a rock for the past 2 days and have not seen any of the trailers, here they are:
I loved the little preview, hopefully there is more to the trailer when it is actually released. I think RR will be a huge contender, and though I am only in the middle of the book right now, I was like watching the trailer and pointing out some things from the book and seeing how they are adapting Richard Yates's words. I think it will be such a great movie, and I have such high expectations for this movie. I think it could get a Best Picture nomination, let alone a win, as well as getting nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who I really hope that this time can be her time to shine! I have to admit, maybe it was just the ET preview, but I was surprised to see no Kathy Bates in the trailer at all... But I think Sam Mendes will make another masterpiece, it looks beautiful!
Changeling
Angelina Jolie is a lock for a Best Actress nomination! She looks so amazing in this movie, and with all the positive reviews from the festivals!... Clint Eastwood, I can tell, has done a great job with this movie. I can't wait to see it!
The Soloist
I will admit, I was expecting a bit more from this movie, but after watching it a second time, it seemed better then when I watched it the first time. Robert Downey Jr. looks great in this movie! I really think that if the studios push him for Best Supporting Actor that he could get a nomination, and that nomination would also represent a "career nomination" as well for Tropic Thunder and Iron Man, but of course The Soloist is more "oscar-friendly." But then again, it seems as if he shares the lead spot with Jamie Foxx, but I would say that the studios should pull a Javier Bardem, who was lead with Josh Brolin in No Country For Old Men, and campaign him as supporting.
EDIT: Doubt (just released)
I have to say, maybe it's because I didn't see the play or read the script, but I didn't realize that Meryl Streep's character would be so bitchy... I'm not sure if Doubt will be a Best Picture contender, but I have to say, it seems more like an acting piece, where it may just as well get 3 or 4 nominations for acting (Streep, Hoffman, Adams, and Davis). I have to say, PSH looks good here. I actually wasn't expecting much from him, but he may surprise when the movie is released, the same goes for Amy Adams, who I love! She is just such a great actress! Hopefully she can get her second nomination!
Their new film Lovely, Still just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and has been recieving some great reviews, even hinting at Oscar buzz for past winners Landau and Burstyn.
From the TIFF website, Lovely, Still's synopsis is:
Robert Malone (Martin Landau) is an elderly perennial bachelor who leads a tidy, uneventful and some might even say empty life. This Christmas, for whatever reason, Robert is feeling the lack of family more keenly than usual. Then one day, like a single man's dream, Robert comes home from his job at a grocery store to find a beautiful woman in his house.
Her name is Mary (Ellen Burstyn), and while Robert is initially shocked and angry, she quickly explains that she has just moved in across the street, saw his door open, and was concerned for the welfare of the homeowner. Their flap settled, Mary is on her way out when she turns to Robert and pertly asks him out to dinner. A little nonplussed, Robert agrees, and thus begins a late-life courtship that leaves the bachelor in a constant state of wonderment and surprise. He eventually must admit that he is falling in love.
But there's something about Mary that seems not right. She's overeager, almost pushy, in the way she engages Robert almost every hour; within days, they are like teenagers, conjoined in first love. Robert is besotted, but soon becomes unnerved by the intensity of his love. He grows paranoid, jealous and erratic, all from fear of losing her. At this point, the narrative takes an extraordinary turn, with a development in the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock or the novelist Daphne du Maurier. This tectonic shift in perspective leads to a powerful, tremendously moving conclusion, made all the richer by a heightened understanding of what has come before.
Lovely, Still is a remarkable achievement for so young a first-time director as Nik Fackler, who understands that bringing together two Academy Award®-winning actors of extraordinary ability can only elicit great expectations from the audience. Lovely, Still meets its full potential and provides a challenging and fulfilling experience that will linger in the viewer's memory for some time to come.
Here is the first clip released for Lovely, Still, which stars Landau and Adam Scott where Robert (Landau) asks his boss, Mike (Scott) about tips for a date with Mary (Burstyn).
Can Martin Landau and possibly Ellen Burstyn get back into the Oscar race with this feel-good, tearjerker (holiday) film? And also what's interesting is that the writer/director, Nik Facker, who is 23 years old, wrote this film about a love story between two older people, and he had this idea when he was a teenager... Amazing!
I can't believe it! My most anticipated movie of the year, Revolutionary Road, trailer will be premiering on Entertainment Tonight tomorrow night on the show. Finally! I am so excited. I was just watching ET and I was extremely surprised when they showed a little like 15 second preview of RR to advertise that they will be premiering the trailer tomorrow night, and I have to say, in just those 15 seconds, the movie looks amazing! I am actually currently reading the book right now, and Richard Yates is just a brilliant author, and it's a very tricky book to adapt for the screen, I will admit, but I have such high hopes for this movie! I think Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio will be amazing in their roles and Sam Mendes will once again make a masterpiece that we will always remember! Well anyways, I bet all that I will be thinking about tomorrow is "I can't wait to see the RR trailer!" Ah, I am so excited!
And also if you are interested, here is the official logo for RR:
To start off, hear it while you can, In Contention has Bruce Springsteen's song for The Wrestler. And I have to say, its a very beautiful, soft, acoustic song. This will surely be a contender for Best Original Song at the Oscars this year, and it should definetly make "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" seem scared - http://www.incontention.com/?p=1746
And since we are on the topic of The Wrestler, not only did it win the top prize at Venice, but it was just picked up today by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Just recently, Fox Searchlight Pictures also picked up another hot Oscar contender from the festivals, Slumdog Millionaire. And also in The Wrestler news, here are the first few little clips from the movie along with an interview with Darren Aronofsky and Mickey Rourke from The Associated Press.
But then again, it is kind of funny to see that this movie is being considered as Oscar worthy after seeing this video:
I don't know, maybe I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but this really doesn't seem like the Oscars's cup of tea... Especially with these photos of Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei (a bloody wrestler and a stripper). I think it will actually turn Oscar voters away. I mean we are talking wrestling and strippers here, people! I dont know. I really just don't get it...:
The song is really good, kudos Bruce, I love it, but even though The Wrestler just won over at Venice, I really am still not completely sold on this yet, but maybe I should just see the movie when it comes out, but I'll be damned if the Oscar voters open their arms really wide for this movie come nomination time...
It just realized that it's gonna be on in like 45 minutes. Is it even worth it to watch it? I mean the VMAs really have gone downhill in the past couple of years, need I mention Britney Spears last year... Eh, maybe I will catch a little, but I'm not expecting anything "special" to come out of it tonight...
I can't believe I forgot to post this. I thought I did, but I guess I didn't. Well, better late than never. Well anyways, what a terrible loss. He will be missed, and his voice will be missed. Rest in peace.
With the Emmys coming up very soon, I figured that I would mention a few nominees until the Emmys.
And let's start off with Chandra Wilson. She submitted "Lay Your Hand On Me," which in my opinion, minus the giving birth episode, was her best episodes in a while. She recently recieved her well-deserved 3rd nomination for her role on Dr. Bailey in Grey's Anatomy.
In her episode, it focuses on her problems in her marriage and how her devotion to work is ruining her relationship with her husband. Well, as Dr. Bailey is at work at Seattle Grace Hospital, her husband has been calling her and calling her, and finally after recieving a page, she finds out right there and then that he has been calling about her son, Tuck, after a bookshelf fell on him while the baby gate was open.
Her raw emotion is so real that it makes you cry and it makes you feel like "What if I were in that situation?..." Wilson is long overdue for the Emmy, and now is the perfect time to give it to her. Her performance in this episode is just unbelievable and it really shows how great Ms. Wilson is as an actor. This episode definetly showed a different side of Dr. Bailey as well as Chandra Wilson's wide range of acting, and easily making her scenes in this episode some of the best of the entire TV season.
Griffiths, Oh, Weist, and Bergen can't even compare to how great Wilson is. To see if Chandra Wilson finally wins that well-deserved Emmy, the Emmy Awards will be presented Sunday, September 21 on ABC.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Oprah Winfrey will be guest-starring on 30 Rock. 30 Rock is officially the show to be a guest star on... to bad nobody in America is watching...
That's right, according to Kristin Dos Santos over at E!, the queen of talk will be guest starring on the second episode this season. There has been word going around since March that Oprah would guest star on the show when Tina Fey was a guest on her show and Oprah said she wanted to be a on 30 Rock and that she loved the show. Well, it came true! And as previously announced, Jennifer Aniston will be returning to her NBC Thursday Night Comedy roots to guest star on the third episode of this season.
Is it safe to say that 30 Rock is like the best show on tv right now! (Well next to The Office, Pushing Daisies, and Mad Men...)
Oprah and Jennifer, START WRITING YOUR SPEECHES AND PICK OUT A DRESS!
First, let's start off with the terrible poster that was just released today that looks like a poster that was meant for a made for tv movie from 1998. Lets hope that this poster is meant just for the festivals and they come up with a much better poster soon!
But now that I got that off my chest, Rachel Getting Married just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and boy what a reaction it got! It is being called a "breath of fresh air" after all the lacklusters that have been premiering there so far in the main competition. Review after review, Anne Hathaway is getting MAJOR Oscar buzz for her role as Kym, the sister from hell who has been in and out of rehab and shows up for her sister's wedding.
Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays Rachel, the sister, has also earned major Oscar buzz as well for Best Supporting Actress, with Kris Tapley at In Contention saying:
"Top honors go to Ms. Dewitt, who harnesses her character’s hypocrisies while maintaining an even keel within Lumet’s most complex creation. She approaches the warmth of sisterly familiarity and the sizzle of bridezilla conceit with equal aplomb, making for the film’s most fully realized performance."
"Hathaway was matched in the film by Rosemarie DeWitt (best known for her role in the television series Mad Men) as Rachel, the sister who resents the fact that Kym’s demons look set to upstage her wedding. Witty, insightful and poignant..."
"Jonathan Demme smartly directs Hathaway and DeWitt in a championship tussle of raging talents, the prize being likely nominations for both women when award season rolls around."
Debra Winger has also been recieving some buzz, but even though her role is "small," it is being called "memorable," as she plays the matriarch of this dysfunctional family.
And with critics going ga-ga over RGM, let's see what some have to say:
Hand-held, free-wheeling and at times joyously spontaneous, the dogme-like Rachel Getting Married sees Jonathan Demme paying tribute to Robert Altman (in particular A Wedding) but there's such a large dose of music in here it almost forms a genre of its own... Packed with superb performances, in particular from Anne Hathaway in the lead role and Debra Winger in a small supporting turn she makes memorable, Rachel Getting Married will undoubtedly be up for awards consideration in the major categories.
A mercurial handheld camera flits through the family home, picking up on the subtle ebb and flow of tensions and recriminations, the anxieties that weigh on the family thanks to the presence of the chaotic, damaged, self-described “Shiva the destroyer”. The screenplay, by Jenny Lumet, is smart, spiky and observant. She has a knack of dropping unexpected revelations into scenes that send the film off into new directions.
It’s remarkable that, given how deeply unsympathetic and self-obsessed her character is for much of the film, Hathaway manages to make her so likeable.
-Well, the trailer for Milk came out today. I have to admit, it was much better than I thought it was going to be, though I'm not sure if it will be a major Best Picture contender, though it will be one to look after. Sean Penn looked very good in it, but I will still have my eye out on Josh Brolin and James Franco for supporting nods... Check out the trailer below and make your own decision on what you think of it:
-Also, the hilarious trailer for Kevin Smith's Zack And Miri Make A Porno came out as well. It stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks.
-According to the Hollywood Reporter, fresh off coming from the Telluride Film Festival making it's way to the Toronto Film Festival next week, Slumdog Millionaire, which has gained a tremondous amount of Oscar buzz from the festival, has been announced as the closing night film for the London Film Festival. Frost/Nixon will be opening the London Film Festival.
And my OBSESSION of the week: Francesco Vezzoli. Over at The Film Experience blog, blogger Nathaniel mentioned today about a short-film called "Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula" that he just recently saw by Vezzoli. Well, not interesting yet? Well it will get very interesting now! It stars Helen Mirren, Gerard Butler, Benicio Del Toro, Milla Jovovich, Karen Black, and Courtney Love. But oh wait, there is much more! Just watch the faux trailer (which is the short film by the way) and see what I mean. And also, it is very NSFW, so please, watch at your own risk... But it is kind of funny to see major movie stars like Mirren and Butler and Del Toro be apart of something like this!
*Not only is "Caligulia" meant to be a spoof, but it is also meant to return ownership of Caligula to its original screenplay writer, Gore Vidal, who distanced himself from the project after major disagreements with producer Bob Guccione and others. Not only is Vidal’s name restored to the title, but he also introduces the "trailer."
I've been excited for this film for a long time since I first heard about it, and now, Die Welle (The Wave) has a trailer (partially in english) and is now starting to finally build up the buzz for Germany for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars!
Die Welle (The Wave) is based on the bestselling book The Wave by Todd Strasser (who went under the pen name of Morton Rhue) and the 1981 Emmy Award-winning Made For TV Movie The Wave (The book and the made-for-tv-movie are American by the way!).
Die Welle (The Wave) is clearly reminiscent of Germany's nazi past. It's about a high school teacher's attempt to demonstrate to his students what it's like to live under a dictatorship, and his experiment spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.
Die Welle(The Wave) won one of the top honors for Bester Spielfilm (or Best Film) at the German Film Awards (Germany's equivalent to the Oscars), since there are 3 winners at these awards for Best Film. Die Welle (The Wave) was tied with Kirschblüten - Hanami and Auf der anderen Seite (The Edge of Heaven), which was Germany's submission last year for the Oscars, for Best Film.
But there was another accomplishment for Die Welle (The Wave)! One of the film's stars, Frederick Lau, won the Best Supporting Actor award!
And for the hell of it, to get a little taste of what the German Film Awards are like, here is the Youtube clip of Frederick Lau winning his award for Best Supporting Actor for Die Welle (The Wave):
Well, let's hope that Germany chooses Die Welle (The Wave) as their submission for the Oscars, because I am really excited for this movie, and plus, it has been getting great reviews in Germany as well as becoming very popular over there!
So you can view the international trailer here: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23150, but you can view the German trailer here, and even though you probably have no idea what they are saying unless you speak German and can understand it, you can get a pretty good idea of what is going on:
For now, Die Welle (The Wave) will be premiering at theaters in the United Kingdom on September 19. As for now, there is no word yet on when it will be premiering in the United States.
Hathaway Hits Bottle For Old Roles September 1, 2008
Actress ANNE HATHAWAY knows how to look old and haggard for a role - she gets drunk the night before filming.
The Devil Wears Prada star makes sure she goes into work hungover every time she needs to shoot scenes where her character looks worn out.
She says, "We were filming a take once where my character had aged. We had tried shooting a few scenes and we all still looked fairly young underneath all of our make-up.
"So we were just trying out ideas and I suggested, 'What if we got drunk the night before and came in feeling hung over the next day? I think we would come in feeling a bit rough and maybe that would make us a little tired and have a little less energy so we look older.' "So we all did it and it worked. Now I swear by it."
Wow, that is one hell of a way to act! I can't wait to see the final result!
After looking on Box Office Mojo.com, I noticed that College, the movie that just came out this weekend, recieved $2,105,000 with a very wide release of 2,123 theaters. While it was towards the bottom of the list for this weekend, I noticed that College is now on the list for "Worst Openings at the Box Office for a Very Wide Release (2,000+)." Not only that, but College is at Number 3 on the list, only being beaten out by Major League: Back To The Minors (a comedy that came out in 1998) and P2 (a horror movie that came out last year).
Yeah, we knew this movie was going to flop, but I don't think we knew it was going to flop this badly! College stars Drake Bell (From Nickelodeon's hit show Drake And Josh) and Kevin Covais (The next American Idol contestant trying to make their way to movies) and is about a wild weekend for these high school seniors who visit a local college as "incoming freshmen."
Even in College's advertising, they had the guts to compare themselves to Animal House, American Pie, and Old School. Andif you look on the website, they have a "build your own fake i.d." Sound familiar? Cough...I am McLovin...Cough...
So, yes, we knew it was going to flop, but next time studios (MGM, yes you), don't compare your movie to a classic movie like Animal House or American Pie or Old School when its not and then say "from the producers of Waiting" and then try and target it to college students when technically it is really about high school students because it'll bite you right in the ass again... like it is now... And also, I think it is too soon for a remake of Superbad... dont'cha think so too! Save your money and make a better movie that people will actually want to see!
Slumdog Millionaire. Yes ladies and gentlemen, keep an eye on this little indie film that was just picked up by Fox Searchlight Pictures as it has been getting rave reviews so far from the Telluride Film Festival. Fox Searchlight has become the studio for independent films lately, especially with recent hits like Little Miss Sunshine, Once, The Savages, Sideways, and Juno. Can Slumdog Millionaire be the next indie film added to that list of Fox Searchlight royality?
Slumdog Millionaire comes from Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Sunshine) and is about a boy from the slums of India, Jamal (British Newcomer Dev Patel), who becomes an instant celebrity after he makes it to the final question on the Hindi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and wins millions on the show. Jamal is then arrested and tortured for suspicion of cheating because the police do not believe that an illiterate, orphaned boy from the "slums of Mumbai" can know all the answers to the questions on the show.
The film then proceeds to tell his life story, from the time he was a little kid until that very moment, explaining that experiences throughout his life helped him specifically answer every last question - destiny. We discover in the end that he just never gave up in his pursuit to find a girl who he has been in love with all his life, Latika (Freida Pinto).
This film was a pleasing combination of the realism of City of God, the comedy of Darjeeling Limited, and the style of Danny Boyle. There was never a dull moment throughout the entire thing, compliments of Mr. Boyle, whose filmmaking I already love. That style which I speak so highly of involves very colorful cinematography, fast-paced action, songs and a score that add even more energy to many moments in the film, and a storytelling style that differs from almost every other indie filmmaker. If you can appreciate this kind of style, mixed into one of the most uplifting and charming stories all year, despite it's riddled with the occasional torture or riot, you'll end up loving Slumdog Millionaire as much as I did. I've never even really liked Bollywood either, but by the credits at the end, where the entire cast breaks out into a dance number, even I was enthralled by this wonderful finale. Slumdog is another wonderful film from the creative genius of Danny Boyle.
I think Slumdog Millionaire can definitely push its way to mainstream success and it will be greeted with open arms, all because it's such an entertaining, fun, and upbeat movie.
Patel, with his wide-eyed openness and mournful brown eyes, utterly charms as Jamal -- I want to see much more from this young actor in the future -- and all the cast, including the kids who play Jamal, Latika and his brother in their childhood, bring life and energy to their roles. Sweeping cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle brings the slums of Mumbai to life, finding the beauty and humanity amidst crushing impoverishment that most of us those who will see the film could never imagine surviving, much less thriving in.
There's sadness and tragedy within Slumdog Millionaire -- starvation, genocide, child prostitution and overwhelming oppression -- but there's humor, humanity and dignity as well. Boyle, stepping outside the UK to focus his lens on India, seems to have freed himself here to bring his brilliance as a director to its fullest fruition. Slumdog Millionaire is Boyle's best film to date, which is saying quite a lot; He's made a joyous, fun, and wonderfully accessible film that should play well in Toronto before moving on to wider release.
She is practically a lock after recieving amazing reviews for her role as the sister from hell who shakes things up at her sister's wedding in Rachel Getting Married. We all remember her from The Princess Diaries and then making the shift to "adultland" in The Devil Wears Prada, and now she has gone even farther in Rachel Getting Married, a role that will most likely finally get her a nomination. In the past, Hathaway has attended the Oscars as a presenter for a few years, now she might attend the Oscars as a nominee! So definetly look out for Hathaway as she may get Oscar nomination number one!
The song is really good, kudos Bruce, I love it, but even though The Wrestler just won over at Venice, I really am still not completely sold on this yet, but maybe I should just see the movie when it comes out, but I'll be damned if the Oscar voters open their arms really wide for this movie come nomination time...
