Thursday, February 28, 2013

Spielberg Announces New Shoah Foundation Challenge

Steven Spielberg Announces the Launch of the USC Shoah Foundation’s IWitness Video Challenge

“I implore educators not to allow the Holocaust to be a footnote in history, please teach this in your schools. There are 350,000 experts who just want to be useful for the remainder of their lives. Please listen to the words and the echoes and the ghosts and please teach this in your schools.” - Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg, USC Shoah Foundation Executive Director Dr. Stephen Smith and USC Shoah Foundation Director of Education Dr. Kori Street commemorated the Schindler’s List 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray™ release with the global launch of the USC Shoah Foundation’s IWitness Video Challenge on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at The Chandler School in Pasadena, CA. They were joined by middle and high school students who had participated in the program while in Beta.

IWitness Video Challenge is an online program from the USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education aimed at middle and high school students that brings thousands of taped testimonies of Holocaust survivors into the classroom for guided exploration, connecting kids with the past while engaging them in the present. For more information, please visit http://iwitness.usc.edu

Inspired by the experience of making Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg established the USC Shoah Foundation in 1994 to videotape interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. Since the Foundation's inception, nearly 52,000 eyewitness testimonies have been recorded in 56 countries and in 32 languages. Today the Institute is committed to teaching with testimony, endeavoring to make the power of each story accessible to students, educators, scholars, and the general public on every continent. A powerful reminder of the heroism and humanity of those willing to stand up against intolerance, Schindler’s List will be available for the first time on Blu-ray™ on March 5, 2013. Digitally restored in high-definition from the original film negative, the Blu-ray™ release will expose the film to a whole new generation of viewers.

An edited video piece from the event is now available at:  http://youtu.be/jUbhE0k3nn0


Happy Birthday, Tracy

On the age thing - I won't go there, for the whole electronic world to see.  Have a Happy Birthday and many, many, many more.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Oscar-Winner Anne Hathaway Returns to the Cast of "Rio 2"

Twentieth Century Fox Animation Announces RIO 2 Casting

Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg and the Rest of the Original Gang Are Back for the Follow-up to the 2011 Animated Hit

An Exciting Lineup of Top Acting and Musical Talents Joins the 'RIO' Family

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The starring voice cast of Twentieth Century Fox's 2011 animated smash RIO is reuniting for the follow-up, RIO 2, and they are joined by a flock of top actors and musical talents new to the franchise, it was announced today by Vanessa Morrison, president of Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

The film is now in production at Blue Sky Studios. Twentieth Century Fox's international rollout begins March 20, 2014, followed by its domestic release on April 11, 2014.

Returning to RIO 2, a world rich with grandeur, character, color and music are Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto, Jake T. Austin, and Jamie Foxx.

Carlos Saldanha, who was inspired to create RIO based upon his experiences growing up in that city, is back as director, as are producers John C. Donkin and Bruce Anderson.

In RIO 2 we find Blu, Jewel and their three kids living the perfect domesticated life in that magical city. When Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture into the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in with his new neighbors, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild.

Joining the RIO 2 team are Oscar® nominee Andy Garcia, Grammy® winner Bruno Mars, Emmy®/Tony® winner Kristin Chenoweth, Oscar®/Emmy®/Tony®/Grammy® winner Rita Moreno, "The Hunger Games'" Amandla Stenberg, singer/actress Rachel Crow, "Looper's" Pierce Gagnon, and "Today" news anchor Natalie Morales.

Brazilian music legend and RIO executive music producer Sergio Mendes returns along with composer John Powell. RIO 2 will feature new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle MonĂ¡e and The Wondaland Arts Society, who also voices a role in the film. Soundtrack will be released on Atlantic Records.

Released worldwide in April 2011, RIO's global box office tally is $486 million. It also was a huge hit on DVD and Blu-ray disc.


About 20th Century Fox Film
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, 20th Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of 20th Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

Review: "The Raid: Redemption" Simply Terrific

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Raid: Redemption (2011)
Serbuan maut – original title
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Indonesia; Language: Indonesian
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
Not rated by the MPAA
EDITOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR: Gareth Huw Evans
PRODUCER: Ario Sagantoro
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Matt Flannery (D.o.P.) and Dimas Imam Subhono (D.o.P.)
COMPOSERS: Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal (Indonesian version); Mike Shinoda and Joseph Trapanese (U.S. release)

ACTION/CRIME/MARTIAL ARTS

Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno, Ray Sahetapy, Tegar Satrya, Iang Darmawan, Eka “Piranha” Rahmadia, and Verdi Solaiman

The Raid: Redemption is a 2011 Indonesian martial arts and crime film from director Gareth Evans. The film, which was released in the United States in 2012, showcases “pencak silat,” the traditional Indonesian martial arts. The Raid: Redemption stars Iko Uwais as a member of a SWAT team trapped in a notorious tenement building and forced to fight off ruthless criminals.

Rama (Iko Uwais) is a rookie cop and expectant father. The morning that the film begins, he joins a unit of Detachment 88 (kind of the Indonesian equivalent of an American SWAT team) as it prepares to raid one of Jakarta, Indonesia’s most notorious apartment blocks. Led by Sergeant Jaka (Joe Taslim) and Lieutenant Wahyu (Pierre Gruno), Rama and the other officers infiltrate the building in order to capture Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy), a legendary mobster. But the team soon finds itself trapped in the building and forced to fight its way out. Tama’s right-hand men, Andi (Doni Alamsyah) and Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian), lead an army of killers and thugs ready and willing to claim the bounty Tama has placed on the cops.

On the surface, The Raid: Redemption seems like a “no frills” film, but the breathtaking pencak silat brawls, duels, fights, etc are a celebration of the cinematic ballet that martial arts can be in film. This is bone-crunching frills, a kind of body-smashing version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s exquisite martial arts duels and clashes.

The Raid: Redemption is also the kind of movie that is especially the work of the director, film editor, and fight choreographer(s). Gareth Evans is editor and director, and actors, Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian, designed the fight choreography. For all the fights there are, one doesn’t resemble the other. Each fight is its own thrilling thing. It helps that Mike Shinoda and Joseph Trapanese’s musical score for the U.S. release heightens the sense of impending doom and nerve-wracking action; this is a score worth owning.

Evans manages to make a tense cop thriller full of action, without the movie turning into the ridiculous thrill machine that many Hollywood action films are. Evan also gets a number of good performances from his cast. Few gun-toting movie thugs and street-level cops are as interesting as the ones in The Raid: Redemption. Because the performances successfully construct the characters, you hate to see many of them blown away.

Sometimes, I am reluctant to recommend even movies that I really like, but I heartily recommend The Raid: Redemption. If you don’t want to read subtitles, the DVD has an English dub, so don’t use a foreign language as a reason not to see one of the best action movies in a long, long time.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2013 Image Awards: 1 nomination: “Outstanding International Motion Picture”

Friday, February 22, 2013

Last "Twilight" Film Dominates 2013 Razzie Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Golden Raspberry Award or, as it is best known, the Razzie Award, is basically the opposite of the Academy Awards (the Oscars). This award honors the worst achievements in film in a calendar year, as determined by the paid membership of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation.

The nominations for 33rd Annual Razzie Awards were announced on January 8, 2013, and the 33rd Annual Razzie Awards were announced Saturday, February 23, 2013, one day before the Academy Awards ceremony. This is the tradition, although the previous awards ceremony (32nd) was held on April Fool’s Day.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 won 7 of the 10 categories at the 33rd Annual Razzie Awards.  Adam Sandler continued his recent reign as a performer at the Razzie Awards, winning "Worst Actor" for That's My Boy.  I am a fan of the Twilight films (though I've only read the first two books in the series), and I think the Razzie voters are just haters when it comes Twilight.  In fact, I think they're haters in general.  The Razzies are the mirror image of the Oscars.  Why?  Both focus, for the most part, on the Hollywood industry - highlighting big names to serve their own self-interests.  Anyway, here are the winners/losers...

Here, are the nominees and winners of the 2013 Razzie Awards, with the winners in bold and with “WINNER” next to their name or title:

Worst Picture:
Battleship
Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure
That’s My Boy!
A Thousand Words
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER

Worst Actress:
Katherine Heigl, One For The Money
Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil #5: Retribution
Tyler Perry (In Drag), Madea’s Witless Protection
Kristen Stewart, Snow White and The Huntsman & Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Barbra Streisand, Guilt Trip

Worst Actor:
Nicolas Cage, Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance & Seeking Justice
Eddie Murphy, A Thousand Words
Robert Pattinson, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Tyler Perry (Not in Drag), Alex Cross & Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds
Adam Sandler, That’s My Boy! WINNER

Worst Supporting Actress:
Jessica Biel, Playing For Keeps & Total Recall
Brooklyn Decker, Battleship &What To Expect When You’re Expecting
Ashley Green, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Jennifer Lopez, What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Rihanna, Battleship WINNER

Worst Supporting Actor:
David Hasselhoff (as “Himself”), Pirannha 3-DD
Taylor Lautner, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Liam Neeson, Battleship & Wrath of the Titans
Nick Swardson, That’s My Boy!
Vanilla Ice (as “Himself”), That’s My Boy!

Worst Screen Couple:
Any Combination of Two Cast Members from Jersey Shore, The Three Stooges
Mackenzie Foy (as “Little Renesmee”) & Taylor Lautner, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Tyler Perry & His Drag Get-Up, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witless Protection
Adam Sandler and either Leighton Meester, Andy Samberg, or Susan Sarandon, That’s My Boy!

Worst Director:
Sean Anders, That’s My Boy!
Peter Berg, Battleship
Bill Condon, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Tyler Perry, Good Deeds & Madea’s Witless Protection
John Putch, Atlas Shrugged: Part II

Worst Screen Ensemble:
The Entire Cast of Battleship
The Entire Cast of Oogieloves inThe Big Balloon Adventure
The Entire Cast of That’s My Boy!
The Entire Cast of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
The Entire Cast of Madea’s Witless Protection

Worst Screenplay:
Atlas Shrugged: Part II
Battleship
That’s My Boy! WINNER
A Thousand Words
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel (selected by the general public via the Razzie Award website):
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 WINNER
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection
Piranha 3DD
Red Dawn

http://www.razzies.com/

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

National Society of Film Critics Names "Amour" Top Film of 2012

by Leroy Douresseaux

More 2012 awards clean up.  I covered The National Society of Film Critics last year, so I feel that I need to do so this year.  They went with the hot Austrian film, Amour, and named its star, Emmanuelle Riva, "Best Actress" and its writer/director, Michael Haneke, "Best Director."

The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966 and is currently made of 60 of the country’s most prominent movie critics. Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States. Current members include some of my favorite film critics: Roger Ebert, David Edelstein, and J. Hoberman, among others. The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).

The National Society of Film Critics voted Michael Haneke’s “Amour” as the “Best Picture” of 2012. Below is the full list of the awards, with the winner designated by an asterisk and the first and second runners-up listed with the number of votes each received.

47th Annual (2012) National Society of Film Critics Awards (* denotes winner):

BEST PICTURE
*1. Amour – 28
2. The Master – 25
3. Zero Dark Thirty – 18

BEST ACTOR
*1. Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) – 59
2. Denis Lavant – 49
2. Joaquin Phoenix – 49

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) – 50
2. Jennifer Lawrence – 42
3. Jessica Chastain– 32

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike, Bernie) – 27
2. Tommy Lee Jones – 22
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – 19

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Amy Adams (The Master) – 34
2. Sally Field – 23
3. Anne Hathaway – 13

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Michael Haneke (Amour) – 27
2. Kathryn Bigelow – 24
2. Paul Thomas Anderson – 24

BEST NONFICTION
*1. The Gatekeepers – 53
2. This Is Not a Film – 45
3. Searching for Sugar Man – 23

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Lincoln (Tony Kushner) – 59
2. The Master (P.T. Anderson)– 27
3. Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell) – 19

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. The Master (Mihai Malaimare, Jr.) – 60
2. Skyfall– 30
3. Zero Dark Thirty – 21

EXPERIMENTAL: This Is Not a Film (Jafar Panahi)

FILM HERITAGE
• To Laurence Kardish, Senior Film Curator at MoMA, for his extraordinary 44 years of service, including this year’s Weimar Cinema retrospective.

• To Milestone Film & Video for their ongoing Shirley Clarke project.

DEDICATION: This year’s awards are dedicated to the late Andrew Sarris, one of the most original and influential American film critics as well as a founding member of the Society

http://www.nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/

London Film Critics Choose "Amour"

by Leroy Douresseaux

I'm still tying up some loose ends from the 2012 movie award season.  I just remembered that I did not post the result of a critics organization awards ceremony, although I did post its nominations earlier.  So...

The acclaimed Austrian film, Amour, won the "Film of the Year" award for 2012 at the 33rd annual edition of the London Critics' Circle Film Awards.  Amour also earned an "Actress of the Year" award for Emmanuelle Riva and a "Screenwriter of the Year" award for its writer/director, Michael Haneke.  "Director of the Year" went to Ang Lee for Life of Pi.  Lee surprised quite a few people at the Oscars this past Sunday night by winning the best director Oscar for Life of Pi.

The 33rd annual edition London Critics' Circle Film Awards took place on Sunday, January 20, 2013, in a ceremony held at the May Fair Hotel.

33rd London Film Critics’ Circle Awards Winners:

The Sky Movies Award: FILM OF THE YEAR
Amour (Artificial Eye)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Rust and Bone (StudioCanal)

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
The Imposter (Picturehouse/Revolver)

The Attenborough Award: BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR - presented by The May Fair Hotel
Berberian Sound Studio (Artificial Eye)

Top 10 Films
1. Amour (Artificial Eye)
2. The Master (Entertainment)
3. Life of Pi (Fox)
4. Argo (Warners)
5. Beasts of the Southern Wild (StudioCanal)
6. Zero Dark Thirty (Universal)
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (New Wave)
8. Django Unchained (Sony)
9. Tabu (New Wave)
10. Rust and Bone (StudioCanal)

The American Airlines Award: DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Ang Lee – Life of Pi (Fox)

ACTOR OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Spotlight
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master (Entertainment)

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Spotlight
Emmanuelle Riva – Amour (Artificial Eye)

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master (Entertainment)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables (Universal)

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR - In association with Cameo Productions
Toby Jones – Berberian Sound Studio (Artificial Eye)

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Andrea Riseborough – Shadow Dancer (Paramount)

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Tom Holland – The Impossible (eOne)

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Distrupol
Michael Haneke – Amour (Artificial Eye)

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER
Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, writers – Sightseers (StudioCanal)

The Sky 3D Award: TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Life of Pi – Bill Westenhofer, visual effects (Fox)

DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM - sponsored by Premier
Helena Bonham Carter

http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/

Monday, February 25, 2013

85th Academy Award Winners - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

Argo was named the "Best Motion Picture of the Year" of 2012 at the 85th Annual Academy Awards.  Director Ben Affleck gave an emotional speech while receiving his Oscar with fellow Argo producers, Grant Heslov (who also spoke) and George Clooney (who did not speak).  Jack Nicholson and, in a big surprise, First Lady Michelle Obama were the presenters of the best picture Oscar.

Life of Pi won the most awards, four.  That included Ang Lee's surprise win for "Best Director" which seemed destined to Steven Spielberg for LincolnDaniel Day-Lewis set a record for "Best Actor" Oscar wins, 3, by winning for his performance in Lincoln.  Jennifer Lawrence won "Best Actress" for her role in Silver Linings Playbook.

For the first time since 1994 (and only the sixth time overall), there was a tie, as both Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty won the "Best Sound Editing" Oscar.  Django Unchained won 2 trophies - "Best Original Screenplay" for writer/director Quentin Tarantino and "Best Supporting Actor" for Christoph Waltz, who won the same award three years ago for appearing in another Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds.

The 85th Annual Academy Awards’ ceremony was held on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

2013 Academy Award Winners:

Best Motion Picture of the Year:
Argo: Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney

Best Achievement in Directing:
Ang Lee for Life of Pi

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:
Argo: Chris Terrio

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year:
Brave: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Amour (Austria)

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Life of Pi: Claudio Miranda

Best Achievement in Editing:
Argo: William Goldenberg

Best Achievement in Production Design
Lincoln: Rick Carter, Jim Erickson

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Anna Karenina: Jacqueline Durran

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Les Misérables: Lisa Westcott, Julie Dartnell

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score:
Life of Pi: Mychael Danna

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song:
Skyfall: Adele, Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Les Misérables: Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Simon Hayes

Best Achievement in Sound Editing: TIE
Skyfall: Per Hallberg, Karen M. Baker
Zero Dark Thirty: Paul N.J. Ottosson

Best Achievement in Visual Effects:
Life of Pi: Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer, Donald Elliott

Best Documentary, Features
Searching for Sugar Man: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Inocente: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix

Best Short Film, Animated
Paperman: John Kahrs

Best Short Film, Live Action
Curfew): Shawn Christensen

Sunday, February 24, 2013

"Argo" Wins Best Picture Oscar

Best Motion Picture of the Year:

Argo: Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney WINNER

Amour: Margaret Ménégoz
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Dan Janvey, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald
Django Unchained: Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin, Pilar Savone
Les Misérables: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh
Life of Pi: Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark
Lincoln: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
Silver Linings Playbook: Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen, Jonathan Gordon
Zero Dark Thirty: Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison

Note:  Winner announced by First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.

Daniel Day-Lewis Wins "Best Actor Oscar" for "Lincoln"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:

Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln WINNER

Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
Denzel Washington for Flight

Note:  Daniel Day-Lewis becomes the first actor to win three times in this category.

Jennifer Lawrence Wins Best Actress Oscar for "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:

Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook WINNER

Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Emmanuelle Riva for Amour
Quvenzhané Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts for The Impossible

Ang Lee Wins "Best Director Oscar" for "Life of Pi"

Best Achievement in Directing:

Ang Lee for Life of Pi WINNER

Michael Haneke for Amour
David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild

"Django Unchained" Wins Best Original Screenplay Oscar

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:

Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino WINNER

Amour: Michael Haneke
Flight: John Gatins
Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
Zero Dark Thirty: Mark Boal

"Argo" Wins Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:

Argo: Chris Terrio WINNER

Beasts of the Southern Wild: Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi: David Magee
Lincoln: Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell

"Skyfall" Wins Best Original Song Oscar

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song:

Skyfall: Adele, Paul Epworth ("Skyfall") WINNERS

Chasing Ice: J. Ralph ("Before My Time")
Les Misérables: Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer ("Suddenly")
Life of Pi: Mychael Danna, Bombay Jayshree ("Pi's Lullaby")
Ted: Walter Murphy, Seth MacFarlane ("Everybody Needs a Best Friend")

"Life of Pi" Wins Best Original Score Oscar

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score:

Life of Pi: Mychael Danna WINNER

Anna Karenina: Dario Marianelli
Argo: Alexandre Desplat
Lincoln: John Williams
Skyfall: Thomas Newman

"Lincoln" Wins Best Production Design Oscar

Best Achievement in Production Design:

Lincoln: Rick Carter, Jim Erickson WINNER

Anna Karenina: Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Dan Hennah, Ra Vincent, Simon Bright
Les Misérables: Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
Life of Pi: David Gropman, Anna Pinnock

"Argo" Wins Best Editing Oscar

Best Achievement in Editing:

Argo: William Goldenberg WINNER

Life of Pi: Tim Squyres
Lincoln: Michael Kahn
Silver Linings Playbook: Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers
Zero Dark Thirty: William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor

Anne Hathaway Wins "Best Supporting Actress Oscar"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables WINNER

Amy Adams for The Master
Sally Field for Lincoln
Helen Hunt for The Sessions
Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook

"Skyfall" and "Zero Dark Thirty" Win Best Sound Editing Oscar

Best Achievement in Sound Editing: TIE

Skyfall: Per Hallberg, Karen M. Baker WINNER
Zero Dark Thirty: Paul N.J. Ottosson WINNER

Argo: Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn
Django Unchained: Wylie Stateman
Life of Pi: Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton

NOTE:  There have been five other ties in Oscar history - twice in the acting and documentary categories and once in the "Best Live Action Short" category (1994).

"Les Miserables" Wins Best Sound Mixing Oscar

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing:

Les Misérables: Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Simon Hayes WINNER

Argo: John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, José Antonio García
Life of Pi: Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Drew Kunin
Lincoln: Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, Ron Judkins
Skyfall: Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, Stuart Wilson

"Amour" Wins Best Foreign Language Film Oscar

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year:

Amour (Austria) WINNER

War Witch (Canada)
No (Chile)
A Royal Affair (Denmark)
Kon-Tiki ((Norway)

"Searching for Sugar Man" Wins Best Documentary Oscar

Best Documentary, Features:

Searching for Sugar Man: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn WINNER

5 Broken Cameras (2011): Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi
The Gatekeepers: Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky, Estelle Fialon
How to Survive a Plague: David France, Howard Gertler
The Invisible War: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering

"Inocente" Wins Best Documentary Short

Best Documentary, Short Subjects:

Inocente: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix WINNER

Kings Point: Sari Gilman, Jedd Wider
Mondays at Racine: Cynthia Wade, Robin Honan
Open Heart (2013): Kief Davidson, Cori Shepherd Stern
Redemption: Jon Alpert, Matthew O'Neill

"Curfew)" Wins Best Short Film Oscar

Best Short Film, Live Action:

Curfew): Shawn Christensen WINNER

Asad: Bryan Buckley, Mino Jarjoura
Buzkashi Boys: Sam French, Ariel Nasr
Death of a Shadow: Tom Van Avermaet, Ellen De Waele
Henry (2011): Yan England

"Les Miserables" Wins Best Makeup Oscar

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling:

Les Misérables: Lisa Westcott, Julie Dartnell WINNER

Hitchcock: Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, Martin Samuel
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Peter King, Rick Findlater, Tami Lane

"Anna Karenina" Wins Best Costume Design Oscar

Best Achievement in Costume Design:

Anna Karenina: Jacqueline Durran WINNER

Les Misérables: Paco Delgado
Lincoln: Joanna Johnston
Mirror Mirror: Eiko Ishioka
Snow White and the Huntsman: Colleen Atwood

"Life of Pi" Wins Best Visual Effects Oscar

Best Achievement in Visual Effects:

Life of Pi: Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer, Donald Elliott WINNER

The Avengers: Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams, Daniel Sudick
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White
Prometheus: Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley, Martin Hill
Snow White and the Huntsman: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Phil Brennan, Neil Corbould, Michael Dawson

"Life of Pi" Wins Best Cinematography Oscar

Best Achievement in Cinematography:

Life of Pi: Claudio Miranda: WINNER

Anna Karenina: Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained: Robert Richardson
Lincoln: Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall: Roger Deakins

"Brave" Wins Best Animated Film Oscar

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year:

Brave: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Frankenweenie: Tim Burton
ParaNorman: Sam Fell, Chris Butler
The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Peter Lord
Wreck-It Ralph: Rich Moore

"Paperman" Wins Best Animated Short Oscar

Best Short Film, Animated:

Paperman: John Kahrs

Adam and Dog (2011): Minkyu Lee
Fresh Guacamole: PES
Head Over Heels: Timothy Reckart, Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
The Simpsons: The Longest Daycare: David Silverman

Christoph Waltz Wins "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained WINNER

Alan Arkin for Argo
Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln

Happy Birthday, Laura

The first sibling birthday of the year goes to Laura.  Have a Happy Birthday and many, many more.

from Leroy.

"Silver Linings Playbook" Dominates 2013 Independent Spirit Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

Silver Linings Playbook won four awards at the 28th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards.  This includes "Best Feature," "Best Actress" (Jennifer Lawrence), and "Best Director" and "Best Screenplay" for David O. Russell, the writer/director of Silver Linings PlaybookThe Sessions saw two of its performers win, John Hawkes as "Best Male Lead" and Helen Hunt as "Best Supporting Female."

The 28th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards winners were announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 23, 2013. The awards ceremony was held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Later, the ceremony was aired that evening at 10:00 pm ET/PT on IFC.

The Winners for the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards:

BEST FEATURE:
Silver Linings Playbook
PRODUCERS: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon

BEST DIRECTOR:
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook

BEST SCREENPLAY
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer):
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
DIRECTOR: Stephen Chbosky
PRODUCERS: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Derek Connolly - Safety Not Guaranteed

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD:
Middle of Nowhere
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Ava DuVernay
PRODUCERS: Howard Barish, Paul Garnes

(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook

BEST MALE LEAD
John Hawkes - The Sessions

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Helen Hunt - The Sessions

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ben Richardson - Beasts of the Southern Wild

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer):
The Invisible War
DIRECTOR: Kirby Dick
PRODUCERS: Tanner King Barklow, Amy Ziering

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director):
Amour (France)
DIRECTOR: Michael Haneke

16th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD:
Stones in the Sun - Producer: Mynette Louie

(The 16th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.)

19th ANNUAL SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD:
Gimme the Loot - Director: Adam Leon

(The 19th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.)

STELLA ARTOIS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD:
The Waiting Room - Director: Peter Nicks

(The 18th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast):
Starlet
Director: Sean Baker
Casting Director: Julia Kim
Ensemble Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Karren Karagulian, Stella Maeve, James Ransone

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Rej3ctz Honor "Family Guy" with "Peta Grifin" Single

Hip Hop Trio The Rej3ctz Set to Release Family Guy Inspired “Peta Grifin” Single

Follow up to Hit Single “Cat Daddy” Comes as Seth MacFarlane Hosts the Oscars

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hit Hip Hop Trio, The Rej3ctz (Mowii, Bounc3 & Pee W33) are set to release the follow up to their gold selling sensation “Cat Daddy” with a new single and video to “Peta Grifin.” The song is an urban homage to the wildly popular Family Guy character Peter Griffin who was created by Seth MacFarlane who is hosting the 2013 Oscars this Sunday. Ironically, Family Guy’s “Stewie” makes a cameo in costume in the video clip. "Peta Grifin" is the first single from their forthcoming EP, set for release later this year.

Mowii stated, “We thank Seth MacFarlane for allowing us to bring our version of hip hop to his prized creation Family Guy. It’s been one of our favorite shows since the beginning. It’s exciting to see him now hosting the Oscars, that’s epic!”

Like Cat Daddy, The Peta Grifin dance has already been performed on BET’s #1 rated show 106 & Park and the single will be commercially released on iTunes March 12th via Renaissance Music.

The Rej3ctz and their single “Cat Daddy” was the most successful selling single by an independent act in 2011, having earned over 150 million online views of the original clip and the videos it inspired. Sports Illustrated cover girl Kate Upton helped to fuel the song with her video version of the dance as did Ellen Degeneres and Justin Bieber. The song was so popular Madonna invited the group to perform it at two of her birthday parties, P. Diddy had them perform it at his son’s birthday party and Jack Black introduced the dance on the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.

Click here to view the video for "Peta Grifin": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoKmWreVpM

39th Saturn Award Nominations - Complete List

The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. Dr. Donald A. Reed devised the Saturn Awards in 1972 because he felt that genre films were frequently overlooked by mainstream entertainment industry awards. The Saturn Award trophy is a representation of the planet Saturn, surrounded with a ring of film.

Like the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys, the Saturn Awards are voted on by members of a presenting Academy, in this case, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. This Academy is a non-profit organization with membership open to the public.

Although the awards still primarily nominate films and television programs in the science fiction, fantasy and horror categories, the Saturn Awards have also recognized productions in standard dramatic genres. There are also special awards for lifetime achievement in the field, such as the George Pal Memorial Award.

If things work out for the 39th awards they did for the 38th, the qualifying period for the 39th annual Saturn Awards was Feb. 1, 2012, to Jan. 31, 2013. This year’s Saturn Awards will be presented some time in June 2013.

39th Saturn Award nominations:

Film Nominations:

Best Science Fiction Film:
Marvel’s The Avengers - Marvel / Walt Disney Studios
Chronicle - 20th Century Fox
Cloud Atlas - Warner Bros.
The Hunger Games - Summit / Lionsgate
Looper - Sony Pictures
Prometheus - 20th Century Fox

Best Fantasy Film:
The Amazing Spider-Man - Sony Pictures
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Ruby Sparks - Fox Searchlight
Snow White and the Huntsman - Universal
Ted - Universal

Best Horror/Thriller Film:
Argo - Warner Bros.
The Cabin in the Woods - Lionsgate
The Impossible - Summit / Lionsgate
Seven Psychopaths - CBS Films
The Woman in Black - CBS Films
Zero Dark Thirty - Sony Pictures

Best Action/Adventure Film:
The Bourne Legacy - Universal
The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.
Django Unchained - The Weinstein Co.
Les Miserables - Universal
Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Taken 2 - 20th Century Fox

Best Independent Film Release:
Compliance - Magnolia
Hitchcock - Fox Searchlight
Killer Joe - LD Entertainment
The Paperboy - Millennium
Robot and Frank - Samuel Goldwyn Films
Safety Not Guaranteed - FilmDistrict
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - Focus Features

Best International Film:
Anna Karenina - Focus Features
Chicken With Plums - Sony Pictures Classics
The Fairy - Kino Lorber
Headhunters - Magnolia
My Way Well Go - USA
Pusher - Radius

Best Animated Film:
Brave - Pixar / Walt Disney Studios
Frankenweenie - Walt Disney Studios
ParaNorman - Focus Features
Wreck-It Ralph - Walt Disney Studios

Best Actor:
Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.
Daniel Craig, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Martin Freeman, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables - Universal
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Looper - Sony Pictures
Matthew McConaughey, Killer Joe = LD Entertainment

Best Actress:
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty - 20th Century Fox
Ann Dowd, Compliance - Magnolia
Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks - Fox Searchlight
Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games - Summit / Lionsgate
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock - Fox Searchlight
Naomi Watts, The Impossible - Summit/Lionsgate

Best Supporting Actor:
Javier Bardem, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Michael Fassbender, Prometheus - 20th Century Fox
Clark Gregg, Marvel’s The Avengers - Marvel / Walt Disney Studios
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.
Ian McKellen, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained - The Weinstein Co.

Best Supporting Actress:
Judi Dench, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Gina Gershon, Killer Joe - LD Entertainment
Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables - Universal
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy - Millennium
Charlize Theron, Snow White and the Huntsman - Universal

Best Performance By a Younger Actor:
CJ Adams, The Odd Life of Timothy Green - Walt Disney Studios
Tom Holland, The Impossible - Summit / Lionsgate
Daniel Huttlestone, Les Miserables - Universal
Chloe Grace Moretz, Dark Shadows - Warner Bros.
Suraj Sharma, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild - Fox Searchlight

Best Direction:
William Friedkin, Killer Joe - LD Entertainment
Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Rian Johnson, Looper - Sony Pictures
Ang Lee, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.
Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers - Marvel / Walt Disney Studios

Best Writing:
Tracy Letts, Killer Joe - LD Entertainment
David Magee, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths - CBS Films
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained - The Weinstein Co.
Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers = Marvel / Walt Disney Studios
Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard, The Cabin in the Woods - Lionsgate

Best Production Design:
Hugh Bateup, Uli Hanisch, Cloud Atlas - Warner Bros.
Sarah Greenwood, Anna Karenina - Focus Features
David Gropman, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Rick Heinrichs, Dark Shadows Warner Bros.
Dan Hennah, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Eve Stewart, Les Miserables - Universal

Best Editing:
Stuart Baird, Kate Baird, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Alexander Berner, Cloud Atlas - Warner Bros.
Bob Ducsay, Looper - Sony Pictures
Jeffrey Ford, Lisa Lassek, Marvel’s The Avengers - Marvel / Walt Disney Studios
John Gilroy, The Bourne Legacy - Universal
Tim Squyres, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox

Best Music:
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Danny Elfman, Frankenweenie - Walt Disney Studios
Dario Marianelli, Anna Karenina - Focus Features
Thomas Newman, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Howard Shore, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Hans Zimmer, The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Bros.

Best Costume:
Jacqueline Durran, Anna Karenina - Focus Features
Kym Barrett, Pierre-Yves Gavraud, Cloud Atlas - Warner Bros.
Sharen Davis, Django Unchained - The Weinstein Co.
Bob Buck, Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Paco Delgado, Les Miserables - Universal
Colleen Atwood, Snow White and the Huntsman - Universal

Best Make-Up:
Heike Merker, Daniel Parker, Jeremy Woodhead, Cloud Atlas - Warner Bros.
Gregory Nicotero, Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, Julie Hewitt, Hitchcock - Fox Searchlight
Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater, Tami Lane, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
David Marti, Montse Ribe, Vasit Suchitta, The Impossible - Summit / Lionsgate
Naomi Donne, Donald Mowat, Love Larson, Skyfall - Sony Pictures
Jean Ann Black, Fay Von Schroeder, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 - Lionsgate

Best Special Effects:
Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick, Marvel’s The Avengers - Marvel / Walt Disney Studios
Grady Cofer, Pablo Helman, Jeanie King, Burt Dalton, Battleship - Universal
Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Warner Bros.
Chris Corbould, Peter Chiang, Scott R. Fisher, Sue Rowe, John Carter - Walt Disney Studios
Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan de Boer, Donald R. Elliott, Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox
Cedric Nicholas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Courbould, Michael Dawson, Snow White and the Huntsman - Universal

TV Nominations:

Best Network Television Series:
Elementary CBS
The Following Fox
Fringe Fox
Once Upon a Time ABC
Revolution NBC
Supernatural CW

Best Syndicated Cable Television Series:
American Horror Story: Asylum FX
Dexter Showtime
Leverage TNT
The Killing AMC
True Blood HBO
The Walking Dead AMC

Best Television Presentation:
Breaking Bad AMC
Continuum Syfy
Falling Skies TNT
Game of Thrones HBO
Ken Follett’s World Without End - Reelz
Mockingbird Lane NBC
Spartacus: War of the Damned Starz

Best Youth Oriented Series on Television:
Arrow CW
Beauty and the Beast CW
Doctor Who BBC America
Merlin Syfy
Teen Wolf MTV
The Vampire Diaries CW

Best Actor:
Kevin Bacon, The Following Fox
Billy Burke, Revolution NBC
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad AMC
Michael C. Hall, Dexter Showtime
Joshua Jackson, Fringe Fox
Timothy Hutton, Leverage TNT
Andrew Lincoln, The Walking Dead AMC

Best Actress:
Moon Bloodgood, Falling Skies TNT
Mireille Enos, The Killing AMC
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum FX
Charlotte Riley, Ken Follett’s World Without End Reelz
Tracy Spiridakos, Revolution NBC
Anna Torv, Fringe Fox

Best Supporting Actor:
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad AMC
Giancarlo Esposito, Revolution NBC
Todd Lasance, Spartacus: War of the Damned Starz
Colm Meaney, Hell on Wheels AMC
David Morrissey, The Walking Dead AMC
John Noble, Fringe Fox

Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter Showtime
Sarah Carter, Falling Skies TNT
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad AMC
Laurie Holden, The Walking Dead AMC
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum FX
Beth Riesgraf, Leverage TNT

Best Guest Starring Role in a Series:
Blair Brown, Fringe Fox
Terry O’Quinn, Falling Skies TNT
Lance Reddick, Fringe Fox
Mark Sheppard, Leverage TNT
Ray Stevenson, Dexter Showtime
Yvonne Strahovski, Dexter Showtime

Home Entertainment Nominations:

Best DVD/Blu-ray Release:
Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike Atlas Distribution/Fox
Chained Anchor Bay
Cosmopolis Entertainment One
The Possession Lionsgate
A Thousand Cuts Lorber Films
Touchback Anchor Bay/Starz

Best DVD/Blu-ray Special Edition Release:
Jaws (Universal 100th Anniversary Edition) Universal
Lawrence of Arabia (50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) Sony
Les Vampires Classics Edition Kino International
Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut Warner
Stanley Kubrick’s Fear and Desire Kino International

Best DVD/Blu-ray Collection:
Alfred Hitchcock (The Masterpiece Collection) Universal
Battle Royale (The Complete Collection) Anchor Bay
Bond 50 (The Complete 22 Film Collection) MGM
Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series MPI
The Ultimate Buster Keaton Blu-ray Collection Kino Lorber
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection Universal

Best DVD/Blu-ray TV Series:
In Search Of: The Complete Series - Visual Entertainment
Logan’s Run: The Complete Series - Warner
The River: The Complete First Season = ABC Studios
Shazam! The Complete Live-Action Series - Warner Archive
Spartacus: Vengeance (The Complete Second Season) - Starz/Anchor Bay
Star Trek: The Next Generation (Seasons 1 & 2) - Paramount


www.saturnawards.org

Friday, February 22, 2013

"The Hobbit" Leads 39th Saturn Award Nominations

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Life of Pi and Skyfall Lead Film Nominations for 39th Saturn Awards

Fringe, Dexter, The Walking Dead and Revolution Top TV Nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films; Saturn Awards to Be Presented in June

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey received more Saturn Award nominations than any other film released last year, with Life of Pi and Skyfall close behind as the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films revealed the nominations for the 39th Annual Saturn Awards.

Marvel’s The Avengers, The Dark Knight Returns, Looper, Cloud Atlas, Argo and Les Miserables all received multiple Saturn Award nominations, underscoring the ways in which genre filmmaking has expanded beyond its roots as niche entertainment.

The only major awards dedicated to honoring the finest genre achievements in film, television and home entertainment, the Saturn Awards are planned to be presented in June, with the exact date and location to be announced shortly.

Nominees for Best Science Fiction Film are: Marvel’s The Avengers, Chronicle, Cloud Atlas, The Hunger Games, Looper and Prometheus. Nominees for Best Fantasy Film are: The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Life of Pi, Ruby Sparks, Snow White and the Huntsman and Ted. Best Horror/Thriller Film nominees are: Argo, The Cabin in the Woods, The Impossible, Seven Psychopaths, The Woman in Black and Zero Dark Thirty. Best Action/Adventure Film nominees are: The Bourne Legacy, The Dark Knight Rises, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Skyfall and Taken 2.

“From the grand adventure of Les Miserables to the visionary fantasy of Life of Pi and the magical realism of Beasts of the Southern Wild, this year’s films transcended the notion of genre filmmaking and brought us extraordinary visions of exaggerated or enhanced reality, making this one of the most intriguing lists of Saturn Awards nominees in a long time,” said Academy President Robert Holguin.

The Academy of Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Films has added a new film category to this year’s Saturn Awards, honoring the Best Independent Film Release. The nominees are: Compliance, Hitchcock, Killer Joe, The Paperboy, Robot and Frank, Safety Not Guaranteed and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.

On television, Elementary, The Following, Fringe, Once Upon a Time, Revolution and Supernatural are nominated as Best Network Television Series. For Best Syndicated/Cable TV Series, nominees are American Horror Story: Asylum, Dexter, Leverage, The Killing, True Blood and The Walking Dead.

The non-profit Academy of Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Films was founded in 1972 by noted film historian Dr. Donald A. Reed, who wanted to honor and recognize genre entertainment often overlooked by mainstream awards organizations.

For a full list of this year’s nominees, visit www.saturnawards.org.

38th Saturn Award Winners - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Saturn Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video.  Last year, I posted the nominations for the 38th Saturn Awards, but not the winners.  Well, the nominations for the 39th Saturn Awards were announces, so that reminded me of my slip-up.

The qualifying period for the 38th annual Saturn Awards was Feb. 1, 2011, to Jan. 31, 2012. This year’s Saturn Awards were presented on July 26, 2012 in Burbank.

38th Saturn Award winners:

FILM CATEGORIES

Best Science Fiction Film:
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 20th Century Fox

Best Fantasy Film:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Warner Bros.

Best Horror/Thriller Film:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Sony

Best Action/Adventure Film:
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol - Paramount

Best Actor:
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter - Sony Pictures Classics

Best Actress:
Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia - Magnolia

Best Supporting Actor:
Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 20th Century Fox

Best Supporting Actress:
Emily Blunt, The Adjustment Bureau - Universal

Best Performance by a Younger Actor:
Joel Courtney, Super 8 - Paramount

Best Direction:
J.J. Abrams, Super 8 - Paramount

Best Writing:
Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter - Sony Pictures Classics

Best Music:
Michael Giacchino, Super 8 - Paramount

Best Production Design:
Dante Ferretti, Hugo - Paramount

Best Editing:
Paul Hirsch, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol - Paramount

Best Costume:
Alexandra Byrne, Thor - Paramount/Marvel

Best Make-Up:
Dave Elsey, Fran Needham, Conor O’ Sullivan, X-Men: First Class - 20th Century Fox

Best Special Effects:
Dan Lemmon, Joe Letteri, R. Christopher White, Daniel Barrett, Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 20th Century Fox

Best International Film:
The Skin I Live In - Sony Pictures Classics

Best Animated Film:
Puss in Boots - Paramount/DreamWorks Animation

TELEVISION CATEGORIES:

Best Network Television Series:
Fringe - Fox

Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series:
Breaking Bad - AMC

Best Presentation on Television (10 Episodes or Less):
The Walking Dead - AMC

Best Youth-Oriented Series on Television:
Teen Wolf - MTV

Best Actor on Television:
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad - AMC

Best Actress on Television:
Anna Torv, Fringe - Fox

Best Supporting Actor on Television:
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad - AMC

Best Supporting Actress on Television:
Michelle Forbes, The Killing - AMC

Best Guest Performer on Television:
Tom Skerritt, Leverage - TNT

HOME-ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORIES

Best DVD Release: (TIE)
Atlas Shrugged: Part One - Fox
The Perfect Host - Magnolia

Best DVD Special Edition Release:
Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis - Kino International

Best DVD Collection:
Stanley Kubrick: The Essential Collection - Warner

Best DVD Television Series Release:
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena – Starz

Special Awards:

The George Pal Memorial Award: Martin Scorsese

The Life Career Award: Frank Oz and James Remar

The Filmmakers Showcase Award: Drew Goddard

The Milestone Award: The Simpsons

The Innovator Award: Robert Kirkman

The Appreciation Award: Jeffrey Ross (for hosting the Saturn Awards)

www.saturnawards.org.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Filming Begins on "Prisoners," Starring Hugh Jackman

Filming Begins on Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners”

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal head an outstanding cast in director Denis Villeneuve’s dramatic thriller

Principal photography is underway on location in Georgia for Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners,” a Warner Bros. Pictures’ release starring Oscar® nominees Hugh Jackman (“Les MisĂ©rables”) and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”), under the direction of Denis Villeneuve, who helmed the Oscar®-nominated foreign language film “Incendies.”

How far would you go to protect your child? Keller Dover (Jackman) is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) arrests its driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect’s release.

Knowing his child’s life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. The desperate father will do whatever it takes to find the girls, but in doing so, he may lose himself, begging the question: When do you cross the line between seeking justice and becoming a vigilante?

Led by Jackman and Gyllenhaal, the dramatic thriller “Prisoners” features an all-star cast, including Maria Bello (“Beautiful Boy”) as Keller’s distraught wife, Grace; Oscar® nominees Terrence Howard (“Hustle & Flow”) and Viola Davis (“The Help,” “Doubt”) as Franklin and Nancy Birch, whose daughter Joy went missing with the Dovers’; Academy Award® winner Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”) as Alex Jones’ Aunt Holly; and Paul Dano (“Looper”) as Alex Jones.

Denis Villeneuve directs the film from an original screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski (“Contraband”). Kira Davis, Adam Kolbrenner, and Academy Award® nominees Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove (“The Blind Side”) are the producers, with John Starke, Ed McDonnell, Stephen Levinson, Robyn Meisinger and Mark Wahlberg serving as executive producers.

Villeneuve is supported by a top-flight creative team that includes 10-time Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins (“Skyfall”), Oscar®-nominated production designer Patrice Vermette (“The Young Victoria”), Oscar®-winning editor Joel Cox (“Unforgiven”), editor Gary Roach (“J. Edgar”), and costume designer RenĂ©e April (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”).

Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners” is scheduled for release on September 20, 2013, and will be distributed domestically by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Review: Jennifer Lawrence is the Primary Builder of "House at the End of the Street"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

House at the End of the Street (2012)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, thematic elements, language, some teen partying and brief drug material
DIRECTOR: Mark Tonderai
WRITERS: David Loucka; from a story by Jonathan Mostow
PRODUCERS: Peter Block, Hal Lieberman, and Aaron Ryder
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Miroslaw Baszak
EDITORS: Steve Mirkovich and Karen Porter
COMPOSER: Theo Green

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Max Thieriot, Elisabeth Shue, Gil Bellows, Eva Link, Nolan Gerard Funk, Allie MacDonald, Jordan Hayes, and Craig Eldridge

House at the End of the Street is a 2012 horror movie and thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by Mark Tonderai, the film focuses on the new girl in town who befriends an outcast boy with a dark past.

Seventeen-year-old Elissa Cassidy (Jennifer Lawrence) and her newly-divorced mother, Sarah (Elisabeth Shue), move from Chicago to Woodshire, an upscale small town surrounded by a lush forest. Elissa notices an abandoned house a short distance across the forest from their new home. Neighbors inform mother and daughter that a terrible murder occurred in that house four years earlier. A mentally disturbed girl named Carrie-Anne (Eva Link) murdered her parents and then, disappeared into the woods.

The house at the end of the street is not abandoned. Carrie-Anne’s older brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot), recently moved back, planning to restore the home and sell it. Elissa takes a liking to Ryan, but she learns that his family’s dark story is far from over.

House at the End of the Street is not a supernatural horror film, nor is it a slasher film. It is a horror-thriller of the variety that finds a high school girl (or young woman) being menaced. As such, Mark Tonderai is a competent director who delivers the thrills, and the last 20 minutes of this movie are quite exciting. The screenplay brings up some good dysfunction between the Cassidy women, but drops it – probably because dealing with family melodrama would take screen time away from what a scary movie should be doing. That is throwing scary things at the audience.

Beside the thrills and scares-delivered, the reason to see House at the End of the Street is Jennifer Lawrence. She makes this movie, which is a typical horror movie, soar. Chris Matthews of MSNBC may be right; Lawrence could end up being the best actor (or one of them) of her generation. I’m giving House at the End of the Street a grade of “B” because of her.

6 of 10
B

Monday, February 18, 2013

------------------------------


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Farewell Dr. Jerry Buss

by Leroy Douresseaux

I've probably forced on you, dear readers, that I am a huge fan of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).  Lakers' owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, died on Monday, February 18, 2013, after a bout with cancer.  He was 80 years old.

He was born Gerald Hatten Buss on January 27, 1933.  Learn more of his rags-to riches story at this Yahoo Sports article while it is still up.  He was Dr. Buss because he had a Ph.D in physical chemistry.  He made his money in real estate, which is how he got the Lakers.  The team was part of a sports franchise and real estate deal for a total of $67.5, and only $16 million of that amount was for the Lakers... in 1979!  The Lakers won 10 NBA Championships with Buss as the owner, reportedly the most NBA titles won by any owner.

Current NBA commissioner David Stern released a statement on Dr. Buss' passing: "The NBA has lost a visionary owner whose influence on our league is incalculable and will be felt for decades to come. More importantly, we have lost a dear and valued friend. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time."

Here, is the Lakers' statement on Dr. Buss' passing.  I want to offer my condolences to Dr. Buss' family and the Lakers.  Rest in peace, Dr. Buss.

Paramount and WWE Unite to Promote Two Dwayne Johnson Films

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND WWE® TEAM UP FOR “G.I. JOE: RETALIATION” AND “PAIN & GAIN” PROMOTION

Hollywood, CA AND Stamford, Conn. – February 19, 2013 – Paramount Pictures and WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced a promotional partnership to support Paramount’s upcoming feature film releases, G.I. JOE: RETALIATION and PAIN & GAIN. The cross-platform partnership includes integration opportunities on WWE programming at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event as well as appearances by film star and WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson on Monday Night Raw® and WrestleMania® 29. In addition to storyline integration on its TV broadcasts, WWE will utilize all of its assets, including live events, digital and social media to promote the films and engage millions of fans each week.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION is a co-presenting partner of Elimination Chamber with integration during the pay-per-view as well as storyline integration with stars D.J. Cotrona and Adrianne Palicki on Monday Night Raw on USA Network, leading up to the film’s release on March 29.

In the sequel to the 2009 release of G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA, which grossed more than $300 million worldwide, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra, they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) and Skydance Productions present in association with Hasbro. G.I. JOE: RETALIATION stars D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Stevenson, Elodie Yung, Channing Tatum with Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner. Based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe® characters. Written by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and directed by Jon M. Chu. G.I. JOE: RETALIATION is in theaters everywhere March 29.

PAIN & GAIN will have a major presence at WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, April 7, and at WrestleMania Axxess, a four-day interactive WWE fan experience at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., from Thursday, April 4 to Sunday, April 7.

From acclaimed director Michael Bay comes PAIN & GAIN, a new action comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, based on the unbelievable true story of three personal trainers in 1990s Miami, who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong. Ed Harris, Tony Shalhoub, Rob Corddry, Rebel Wilson and Bar Paly also star. Produced by Donald De Line, Michael Bay and Ian Bryce. Based on the Magazine Articles by Pete Collins. Screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Directed by Michael Bay. PAIN & GAIN opens in theaters everywhere April 26.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, ParamountHome Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Toronto Film Critics Choose Paul Thomas Anderson and Sarah Polley

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Toronto Film Critics Association named The Master as the "Best Picture of 2012" with the film's director, Paul Thomas Anderson, winning "Best Director."  Sarah Polley's film, Stories We Tell,won two honors, as best documentary and as best Canadian film, the latter of which came with a $100,000 prize.

The Toronto Film Critics Association was established in 1997 and is comprised of Toronto based journalists and broadcasters who specialize in film criticism and commentary. All major dailies, weeklies and a variety of other print and electronic outlets are represented.

Under the TFCA’s guidelines, contenders eligible for the awards include films released in Canada in 2012 plus films that qualify for the 2012 Oscars and have Canadian distribution scheduled by the end of February 2013.

The full list of Toronto Film Critics Association Awards winners and runners-up:

BEST PICTURE
“The Master” (eOne)

Runners-up:
“Amour” (Mongrel Media)
“Zero Dark Thirty” (Alliance Films)

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson, “The Master”

Runners-up:
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Leos Carax, “Holy Motors”

BEST ACTOR
Denis Lavant, “Holy Motors”

Runners-up:
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”

BEST ACTRESS
Rachel Weisz, “The Deep Blue Sea”

Runners-up:
Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Emmanuelle Riva, “Amour”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”

Runners-up:
Javier Bardem, “Skyfall”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Gina Gershon, “Killer Joe”

Runners-up:
Amy Adams, “The Master”
Ann Dowd, “Compliance”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserable”

BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL
“The Master”, written by Paul Thomas Anderson

Runners-up:
“Lincoln”, written by Tony Kushner, based on the book “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
“Zero Dark Thirty”, written by Mark Boal

BEST FIRST FEATURE - TIE
“Beasts of the Southern Wild”, directed by Benh Zeitlin
“Beyond the Black Rainbow”, directed by Panos Cosmatos

Runner-up:
“The Cabin in the Woods”, directed by Drew Goddard

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“ParaNorman” (Alliance Films)

Runners-up:
“Brave” (Disney*Pixar)
“Frankenweenie” (Disney)

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
“Amour”(Mongrel Media) from Austrai

Runners-up:
“Holy Motors” (Mongrel Media) from France
“Tabu” (filmswelike) from Portugal

ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY AWARD
“Stories We Tell” (Mongrel Media)

Runners-up:
“The Queen of Versailles” (Mongrel Media)
“Searching for Sugar Man” (Mongrel Media)

ROGERS BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD:
“Stories We Tell”, directed by Sarah Polley ($100,000 prize)

The other finalists:
“Bestiaire”, directed by Denis CĂ´tĂ© ($5,000 prize)
“Goon”, directed by Michael Dowse ($5,000 prize)

www.torontofilmcritics.com

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Affleck, Chastain, and Lawrence Present at 2013 Oscars

Oscar® Nominees Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain And Jennifer Lawrence To Present

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Academy Award® nominees Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence will present on the Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

Academy Award-winner Affleck, who is nominated this year for producing the Best Picture nominee "Argo," won the award in 1997 for co-writing the Best Picture nominee "Good Will Hunting."

Chastain, who is nominated for her lead performance in the Best Picture nominee "Zero Dark Thirty," received her first nomination last year for her supporting role in the Best Picture nominee "The Help."

Lawrence, who received her first nomination in 2010 for her leading role in "Winter's Bone," is nominated for her lead performance in the Best Picture nominee "Silver Linings Playbook."

Affleck, Chastain and Lawrence join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Ted and "Marvel's The Avengers" cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; "Chicago" cast members Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.

Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24 at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.


ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions. Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.” For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” ”Life with Judy Garland,” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.” They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning ”Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

Monday, February 18, 2013

"Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty" Top 2013 Writers Guild Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, and Searching for Suger Man won the Writers Guild Awards in their respective screenplay categories last night.  In the cae of Zero Dark Thirty and Argo, I think they are at least the top two favorites in their corresponding categories at the Academy Awards.  Zero Dark Thirty has to deal with the spectre of Django Unchained, which did not receive a WGA nomination.  Argo has to deal with the screenplay for Silver Linings Playbook, which did receive a WGA nomination.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced the winners of the 2013 Writers Guild Awards last night, Sunday, February 17, 2013. The awards were given for outstanding achievement in writing for screen, television, radio, news, promotional, videogame, and new media writing. The 2013 Writers Guild Awards held simultaneous ceremonies at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City.

The Writers Guild Awards are given in numerous categories, but I tend to focus on the film categories and only a few of the television categories. A complete list of winners can be found here: http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5184.

2013 Writers Guild Awards Winners (in select categories):

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Zero Dark Thirty, Written by Mark Boal; Columbia Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Argo, Screenplay by Chris Terrio; Based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired Magazine article “The Great Escape” by Joshuah Bearman; Warner Bros. Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Searching for Sugar Man, Written by Malik Bendjelloul; Sony Pictures Classics

TELEVISION WINNERS

DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC

COMEDY SERIES
Louie, Written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.; FX

NEW SERIES
Girls, Written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO

EPISODIC DRAMA
“The Other Woman” (Mad Men), Written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner; AMC

EPISODIC COMEDY
“Virgin Territory” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko; ABC

LONG FORM – ORIGINAL
Hatfields & McCoys, Nights Two and Three, Teleplay by Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, Story by Bill Kerby and Ted Mann; History Channel

LONG FORM – ADAPTED
Game Change, Written by Danny Strong, Based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann; HBO

ANIMATION
“Ned ’N’ Edna’s Blend Agenda” (The Simpsons), Written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox

Social Action Campaign Accompanies Release of "No"

Participant Media's Social Action Campaign for Oscar®-Nominated Chilean Film No, Focuses on the Importance of Freedom of Expression

No Mas—takepart.com/nomas-- Provides a Platform for Individuals to Speak up for Those Who Can't

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inspired by Participant Media's and Sony Pictures Classics' No, the Chilean Academy Award® nominee for Best Foreign Language Film opening in the U.S. on February 15th, Participant in collaboration with Freedom House, Amnesty International, and Reporters Without Borders has designed a Social Action campaign focused on the importance of freedom of political expression. "No Mas"--takepart.com/nomas – provides a platform for individuals to speak up for others who are living in nations that silence any opposition to the establishment.

Chad Boettcher, Participant's Executive Vice President of Social Action & Advocacy, said, "As the film shows how, through an ingenious advertising campaign in 1988 the Chilean public were persuaded to just say No to Pinochet's despotic reign, our Social Action campaign for No gives those of us who enjoy freedom of expression the creative digital tools to protest the injustices happening in the world today on behalf of those without that freedom. By joining forces with three of the leading organizations working in this space, we have been able to identify some key opportunities to make a difference."

Visitors are encouraged to exercise their right to free speech--a right too often taken for granted and not enjoyed by everyone—by creating a personalized “No Mas” badge. Then they are urged to sign pledges of support for those in oppressive countries who have been silenced, including a Bahraini human rights activist who was imprisoned for Tweeting, and a young Cuban who’s been incarcerated for listening to hip hop music with political lyrics.

In addition, visitors will be able to view a short video that illustrates how historically those who have been oppressed have said "No Mas. " This will serve as a topic of discussion on "No Mas Mondays" when every week in February, Takepart is hosting live Twitter chats where @TakePart will be talking with talent and experts about the film, the historic 1988 No campaign and the importance of freedom of political expression today. Join on February 4th for a live chat with Ivan Sigal, the executive director of Global Voices, a non-profit online global citizens’ media initiative.

Daniel Calingaert, Executive Vice President of Freedom House, said, “The movie “NO” is a wonderful illustration of the collective power of citizens’ voices and should inspire us all to raise ours for the many people in this world who face harassment, imprisonment, torture and even death when they stand up for their rights. Freedom House is pleased to join with Participant Media and our sister human rights organizations to lend our collective voice to ensure that others are not silenced.”

Sunjeev Bery, Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Amnesty International USA added, “Through this campaign, Americans can stand up for freedom in Bahrain, where the government is imprisoning nonviolent protestors like Nabeel Rajab. Citizens are being imprisoned by the Bahraini government simply for expressing themselves or criticizing the monarchy.”

Said Christophe Deloire, Executive Director, Reporters Sans Frontieres-Reporters Without Borders International, "At Reporters Without Borders, we are particularly proud to work with Participant Media on the No Mas campaign and bring attention to the journalists, bloggers and all the other news providers who are fighting for the freedom to inform and to be informed.


About No
No, Academy Award® nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, was directed by Pablo Larrain, written by Pedro Peirano and stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro, AntĂ³nia Zegers, Luis Dnecco, Marcial Tafle, Nastor Cantillana, Jaime Vadell and Pascal Montero.

In 1988, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, due to international pressure, is forced to call a plebiscite on his presidency. The country will vote YES or NO to Pinochet extending his rule for another eight years. Opposition leaders for the NO persuade a brash young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra (Garcia Bernal), to spearhead their campaign. Against all odds, with scant resources and under scrutiny by the despot’s minions, Saavedra and his team devise an audacious plan to win the election and set Chile free.

About Participant Media
Participant Media (www.participantmedia.com) is an entertainment company that focuses on documentary and non-documentary feature films, television, publishing and digital content about the real issues that shape our lives. For each of its projects, Participant creates social action and advocacy programs to transform the impact of the media experience into individual and community action. Participant’s online Social Action Network is TakePart (takepart.com). Founded by Jeff Skoll in 2004, Jim Berk serves as CEO. Participant's films include The Kite Runner, Charlie Wilson's War, An Inconvenient Truth, Good Night, and Good Luck, The Visitor, Food, Inc., The Cove, The Crazies, Countdown to Zero, Waiting for "Superman,” Fair Game, PAGE ONE: Inside The New York Times, The Help, Contagion, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Lincoln, Promised Land and No.

About Sony Pictures Classics
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 29 Academy Awards® (25 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 135 Academy Award® nominations (109 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for Amour, Midnight In Paris, An Education, Capote, Howards End and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Review: "Hotel Transylvania" is the Place for Surprises

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Running time: 91 minutes (1 hour, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some rude humor, action and scary images
DIRECTOR: Genndy Tartakovsky
WRITERS: Peter Baynham and Robert Smigel; from a story by Todd Durham and Dan Hageman, and Kevin Hageman
PRODUCER: Michelle Murdocca
EDITOR: Catherine Apple
COMPOSER: Mark Mothersbaugh
Golden Globe nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/FAMILY with elements of horror

Starring: (voices) Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, CeeLo Green, Jon Lovitz, Brian George, Lunell, Robert Smigel, Rob Riggle, Jim Wise, and Jackie Sandler

Hotel Transylvania is a 2012 3D computer-animated comedy and fantasy from Sony Pictures Animation. Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the film is directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of such Cartoon Network animated series as Dexter’s Lab and Samurai Jack. Hotel Transylvania focuses on a version of Dracula who operates a resort outside the human world and who is an overprotective father of a teen-aged daughter.

After the death of his wife, Martha, Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) builds Hotel Transylvania, a high-end resort and hotel away from the human world. It serves two purposes. First, it is a place where the monsters of the world can be safe from humans, who want to kill them. Secondly, it is a place where Dracula can keep his daughter, Mavis Dracula (Selena Gomez), safe from the kind of humans who kill monsters.

For Mavis’ 118th birthday, Dracula throws a huge party and invites some of the most famous monsters. They are Frankenstein (Kevin James) and his wife, Eunice (Fran Drescher); Wayne Werewolf and his wife, Wanda (Molly Shannon); Murray the Mummy (CeeLo Green); and Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), to name a few. Mavis, however, is looking for a big change in her life; she’s ready to see the world and really isn’t interested in a birthday party. Then, a 21-year-old human named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) stumbles into Hotel Transylvania and creates havoc. Dracula goes into overprotective mode, but Mavis finds herself attracted to the young man.

Although I’d heard some unfavorable things about the movie, I really liked Hotel Transylvania. It is a 3D cartoon that looks and acts like an old 2D cartoon, especially the cartoon shorts Tex Avery, whom director Genndy Tartakovsky mentioned in an interview about Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania also reminded me of the 1963 Bugs Bunny “Merrie Melodies” cartoon short, Transylvania 6-5000, which was directed by Chuck Jones (with Maurice Noble) and written by John Dunn. I can also see the influence of director Tim Burton and of Charles Addams, The New Yorker cartoonist best known for creating “The Addams Family.”

Influences aside, Hotel Transylvania is a lively, fun film. The character design by Carlos Grangel and Carter Goodrich recalls Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes cartoons (some of which the aforementioned Tex Avery directed). The production design (by Marcelo Vignali) turns Dracula’s private hotel/resort/home into a wonderland in which no two places really resemble each other.

Like Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler is a cartoon character as much as he is an actor, so it is no surprise that Sandler gives a voice performance as Count Dracula that is both layered and dynamic and cartoonish and wacky that it seems like a live-action performance. Andy Samberg almost matches him as Jonathan, and Selena Gomez makes Mavis more than just Daddy’s girl. The rest of the main cast also deliver excellent performances, with Kevin James creating a Frankenstein unlike any other and Grammy Award-wining singer-songwriter, CeeLo Green, sparkling as Murray the Mummy, a surprisingly good character.

I have not seen all of Genndy Tartakovsky work as a director of animated television series, but what I’ve seen, I’ve found to be exceptional, even great. Still, I’m surprised with the quality of his first feature film. Hotel Transylvania leaves me wanting more.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2013 Golden Globes, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Film”

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Saturday, February 16, 2013

2013 Independent Spirit Award Nominations - Complete List

Film Independent Spirit Awards (formerly known as the Independent Spirit Awards) were founded in 1984 and are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and also the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The 28th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 23, 2013. The awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, and the premiere broadcast will air later that evening at 10:00 pm ET/PT on IFC.

The Nominees for the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards:

BEST FEATURE:

Beasts of the Southern Wild
PRODUCERS: Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey & Josh Penn

Bernie
PRODUCERS: Liz Glotzer, Richard Linklater, David McFadzean, Dete Meserve, Judd Payne, Celine Rattray, Martin Shafer, Ginger Sledge, Matt Williams

Keep the Lights On
PRODUCERS: Marie Therese Guirgis, Lucas Joaquin, Ira Sachs

Moonrise Kingdom
PRODUCERS: Wes Anderson, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales, Scott Rudin

Silver Linings Playbook
PRODUCERS: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson - Moonrise Kingdom
Julia Loktev - The Loneliest Planet
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs - Keep the Lights On
Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild

BEST SCREENPLAY
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola - Moonrise Kingdom
Zoe Kazan - Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh - Seven Psychopaths
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias - Keep the Lights On

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

Fill the Void
DIRECTOR: Rama Burshtein
PRODUCER: Assaf Amir

Gimme the Loot
DIRECTOR: Adam Leon
PRODUCERS: Dominic Buchanan, Natalie Difford, Jamund Washington

Safety Not Guaranteed
DIRECTOR: Colin Trevorrow
PRODUCERS: Derek Connolly, Stephanie Langhoff, Peter Saraf, Colin Trevorrow, Marc Turtletaub

Sound of My Voice
DIRECTOR: Zal Batmanglij
PRODUCERS: Brit Marling, Hans Ritter, Shelley Surpin

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
DIRECTOR: Stephen Chbosky
PRODUCERS: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Rama Burshtein - Fill the Void
Derek Connolly - Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford - Robot & Frank
Rashida Jones & Will McCormack - Celeste and Jesse Forever
Jonathan Lisecki - Gayby

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

Breakfast with Curtis
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Laura Colella

Middle of Nowhere
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Ava DuVernay
PRODUCERS: Howard Barish, Paul Garnes

Mosquita y Mari
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Aurora Guerrero
PRODUCER: Chad Burris

Starlet
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sean Baker
WRITER: Chris Bergoch
PRODUCERS: Blake Ashman-Kipervaser, Kevin Chinoy, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Francesca Silvestri

The Color Wheel
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Alex Ross Perry
WRITER: Carlen Altman

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Linda Cardellini - Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi - Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhané Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary Elizabeth Winstead - Smashed

BEST MALE LEAD
Jack Black - Bernie
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes - The Sessions
Thure Lindhardt - Keep the Lights On
Matthew McConaughey - Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce - Four

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Rosemarie DeWitt - Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd - Compliance
Helen Hunt - The Sessions
Brit Marling - Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussaint - Middle of Nowhere

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike
David Oyelowo - Middle of Nowhere
Michael PĂ©na - End of Watch
Sam Rockwell - Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis - Moonrise Kingdom

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Yoni Brook - Valley of Saints
Lol Crawley - Here
Ben Richardson - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Roman Vasyanov - End of Watch
Robert Yeoman - Moonrise Kingdom

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

How to Survive a Plague
DIRECTOR: David France
PRODUCERS: David France, Howard Gertler

Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
DIRECTOR: Matthew Akers
PRODUCERS: Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre

The Central Park Five
DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon

The Invisible War
DIRECTOR: Kirby Dick
PRODUCERS: Tanner King Barklow, Amy Ziering

The Waiting Room
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Peter Nicks
PRODUCERS: Linda Davis, William B. Hirsch

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

Amour (France)
DIRECTOR: Michael Haneke

Once Upon A Time in Anatolia (Turkey)
DIRECTOR: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Rust And Bone (France/Belgium)
DIRECTOR: Jacques Audiard

Sister (Switzerland)
DIRECTOR: Ursula Meier

War Witch (Democratic Republic of Congo/Canada)
DIRECTOR: Kim Nguyen

16th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 16th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Nobody Walks
PRODUCER: Alicia Van Couvering

Prince Avalanche
PRODUCER: Derrick Tseng

Stones in the Sun
PRODUCER: Mynette Louie

19th ANNUAL SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 19th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Pincus
DIRECTOR: David Fenster

Gimme the Loot
DIRECTOR: Adam Leon

Electrick Children
DIRECTOR: Rebecca Thomas

STELLA ARTOIS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 18th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Leviathan
DIRECTOR: Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel

The Waiting Room
DIRECTOR: Peter Nicks

Only the Young
DIRECTOR: Jason Tippet & Elizabeth Mims

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Starlet
Director: Sean Baker
Casting Director: Julia Kim
Ensemble Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Karren Karagulian, Stella Maeve, James Ransone