"Argo" Express Makes Stop at 2013 SAG Awards

At the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Ben Affleck's film, Argo, won "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture," which is essentially SAG's 'best picture" award.

The SAG Awards and the Oscars don't match up exactly, especially in the "Best Picture" race. It's anybody's guess on the acting categories, but the winners in the theatrical categories last night probably are the odds-on favorites to win the Oscars in their respecitve categories. I still think Jessica Chastain will win best actress instead of Jennifer Lawrence, though. I think Christoph Waltz could also win best supporting actor instead of Tommy Lee Jones.

The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® were simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 27, 2013 from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

19th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln - "LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany - “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens - “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine - “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: ARGO (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Awarded Cast:
BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez
ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel
KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford
KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan
RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz
BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell
CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek
TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders
CLEA DuVALL / Cora Lijek
VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor
JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers
SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford
CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
KEVIN COSTNER / “Devil Anse” Hatfield - “HATFIELDS & McCOYS” (History)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
JULIANNE MOORE / Sarah Palin - “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White - “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison - “HOMELAND” (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
Awarded Cast:
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
ZOE BOYLE / Lavinia Swire
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
SIOBHAN FINNERAN / O’Brien
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna
IAIN GLEN / Sir Richard Carlisle
THOMAS HOWES / William
ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
Awarded cast:
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
SKYFALL (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series:
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 49th Annual Life Achievement Award: DICK VAN DYKE

Happy Birthday, Anna

You're seven. Wow!  It's getting hard to keep up.  I almost bought a card for a 6-year-old.  Have a great one.

Happy Birthday, Negromancer the Blog

Three years ago, Negromancer returned on Blogger.  Yeah, it should have returned earlier, as the Bin wanted and suggested several times.  Oh, well...

Producers Guild Names "Argo" Best Picture of 2012

The Producers Guild of America gave Ben Affleck's film, Argo, "The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures," which is essentially the guild's 'best picture" award.  Right now, it seems as if Argo is just rolling its way to the best picture Oscar next month.

 

The 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards winners were announced last night, Saturday, January 26, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. This year, the Producers Guild also presented special honors to Bob and Harvey Weinstein (Milestone Award), Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures), J.J. Abrams (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television), Russell Simmons (Visionary Award) and BULLY (Stanley Kramer Award).

 

I've included the winners in the television categories along with the winners in the theatrical film categories.

 

2013 Producers Guild Of America Award Winners:

 

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
"Argo” (Warner Bros.)
Producers: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
"Wreck-It Ralph” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Producer: Clark Spencer

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
"Searching For Sugar Man” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Producers: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

 

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
Homeland (Showtime)
Producers: Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Michael Cuesta, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Michael Klick, Meredith Stiehm

 

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
Game Change (HBO)
Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Jay Roach, Amy Sayres, Steven Shareshian, Danny Strong

 

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy
Modern Family (ABC)
Producers: Cindy Chupack, Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Morton, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Chris Smirnoff, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
American Masters (PBS)
Producers: Prudence Glass, Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark Vertullo

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Matt Lappin, Emily Lazar, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart

 

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

 

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program TIE
Sesame Street (PBS)
“The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover” (HBO)

 

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series
“30 Rock: The Webisodes” (www.nbc.com)

 

 

Review: "Ice Age: Continental Drift" - Same Old, Same Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild rude humor and action/peril
DIRECTORS: Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier
WRITERS: Michael Berg and Jason Fuchs; from a story by Michael Berg and Lori Forte
PRODUCERS: Lori Forte and John C. Donkin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Renato Falcão
EDITORS: James Palumbo and David Ian Salter with Christopher Campbell
COMPOSER: John Powell

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE and FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Wanda Sykes, Alan Tudyk, Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Josh Gad, Nick Frost, Aziz Ansari, Nicki Minaj, Heather Morris, Joy Behar, with Queen Latifah and Chris Wedge

The subject of this movie review is Ice Age: Continental Drift, a 2012 computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. This comedy-adventure movie is the fourth film in the Ice Age series. Continental Drift follows the original Ice Age trio of Manny, Diego, and Sid after they are separated from the rest of the herd.

As Ice Age: Continental Drift begins, the herd is living in peace in the vast land they call home. Manfred “Manny” the mammoth (Ray Romano) is at odds with his teenage daughter, Peaches (Keke Palmer), with mother, Ellie (Queen Latifah), caught in the middle. Family strife isn’t the only rumbling in the land. The continents are dividing, and an earthquake separates Manny, Sid the giant sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) from Ellie and the rest of the herd.

Lost at sea, Manny, Sid, and Diego begin an epic journey to reunite with the herd, their family. Standing in their way are a vicious primate, Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage), and his band of pirates, who sale the seas using a floating iceberg as their ship. Meanwhile, the prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), continues to chase that acorn.

I expected Ice Age: Continental Drift to be more of the same when it comes to the Ice Age franchise, but that is not a bad thing, anyway. The Ice Age films have been entertaining, if not great, because the franchise’s shtick is both funny and familiar. Each Ice Age film is basically a prehistoric, domestic situation comedy featuring talking animals, and the situation always involves some adventurous mission.

Still, Continental Drift offers its own inventive high points: icebergs as pirate ships, a group of tricky sirens, and Scrat’s treasure hunt come to mind. Captain Gutt and his pirates are, in my estimation, the series’ scariest villains to date, with Peter Dinklage giving a wonderful, layered voice performance. The film actually has a number of good voice performances. Wanda Sykes delivers her funniest voiceover as Sid’s Granny, and Jennifer Lopez is just shockingly good as Shira, a saber-toothed tiger and one of Gutt’s crew.

Continental Drift underutilizes some characters, such as Louis the mole hog (Josh Gad), Peaches’ love-interest-of-sorts. Sometimes, the film is too laid back, but overall Ice Age: Continental Drift is quite good. I found myself laughing at and with the characters, and ultimately, I cared enough to cheer them on.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, January 25, 2013

Jordan Flaherty Names "Beasts of the Southern Wild" as 2012's Best Film

One of my favorite writers is journalist Jordan Flaherty, who is also a staffer with the Louisiana Justice Institute.  If there is a better journalist in Louisiana than Flaherty, he or she isn't better by much.  He has written a must-read piece on the year in movies for Truthout, "Best Films of 2012: Top Ten Picks From a Bumper Crop of Bold Creations."

You can read it here, but I am cheating and printing here, "Jordan Flaherty's Top Ten Movies for the Year 2012:"

1. Beasts of the Southern Wild

2. The Central Park Five

3. United in Anger: A History of ACT-UP

4. Middle of Nowhere

5. The Master

6. Red Hook Summer

7. Moonrise Kingdom

8. 5 Broken Cameras

9. Killing Them Softly

10. The Paperboy

New "Power Rangers Megaforce" Debuts Feb. 2, 2013

(Ciara Hanna, John Mark Loudermilk, Andrew Gray, Azim Rizk, and Christina Masterson as the Power Rangers Megaforce. Courtesy of Business Wire.)

Saban Brands Presents All-New Series, Power Rangers Megaforce, Premiering Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon

The Newest Installment Marks 20 Years for the Power Rangers Property and Features New Cast and Mega Action

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saban Brands and Nickelodeon today announced Power Rangers, the number one show with Boys 2-11 and Boys 6-11 across all TV in its time period (Source: NMR, 4Q12 Premieres, Sat 1p-130p, Live + SD), will debut its all-new season, Saban’s Power Rangers Megaforce, on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Power Rangers Megaforce marks the 20th anniversary of the franchise and kicks off its year-long celebration. Following the premiere, the show will air regularly Saturdays at 1 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, with encores airing Saturdays at 8 a.m. ET on Nicktoons.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Nickelodeon and introduce fans everywhere to a MEGA-installment of the 20 year franchise,” said Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands. “Our collaboration will make the launch of the all new season, Power Rangers Megaforce, as strong as ever.”

Power Rangers Megaforce introduces a plot line that is sure to captivate audiences. The new series features Gosei, a supernatural guardian who for centuries has protected the earth with his robotic aide, Tensou. But when the evil Warstar aliens begin their massive invasion, Gosei calls upon five teenagers with talent and attitude to form the ultimate team...the Power Rangers Megaforce!

When the teens morph into Power Rangers, they gain superhuman strength, agility, and mastery over martial arts. With the aid of special Power Cards, the teens are able to control the earth’s elements to use in their defense, from crushing rock slides to powerful floods. The Power Cards also give them access to amazing combat moves, hi-tech weapons, massive Zord vehicles and the ability to combine these Zords into gigantic Megazord robots to help them battle their enemies. But defending the earth from the invading Warstar aliens is just the beginning of their heroic journey to save the world.

The all new Megaforce Rangers include Troy (Andrew Gray), the Red Ranger who is the new kid in town that loves martial arts; Noah (John Mark Loudermilk), the Blue Ranger who has a thirst for knowledge and a love for science; Gia (Ciara Hanna), the Yellow Ranger who is the prettiest, most successful yet toughest girl at school; Emma (Christina Masterson), the Pink Ranger who is a compassionate and charitable teen and Jake (Azim Rizk), the Black Ranger who is a fearless, fun-loving teen with a passion for soccer.

In addition to the series premiere, Saban Brands is launching its in-school emPOWER program for the third consecutive year in a row. The emPOWER program teaches kids and families how to put the Power Rangers values of teamwork, confidence, health and physical activity into action. The program provides free in-school healthy eating and exercise curriculum resources to more than 100,000 teachers annually, as well as resources, recipes, and tips online for parents through the website www.empower.powerrangers.com.

Beginning Feb. 18, fans can visit Nick.com to play the newest mini game, Power Rangers Megaforce: Never Surrender. In Never Surrender, players help their favorite rangers take on the pesky Loogies and fearsome Warstar Aliens. They can also form their own teams of two by choosing the ranger they wish to play with; from there they’ll battle their way through waves of oncoming enemies in familiar environments from the show. Each ranger has their own specialized combo attacks, augmented attacks and a team up Megaforce attack – along the way, players collect Gosei coins in order to redeem Megaforce Power Cards that grant their rangers enhanced weapon and elemental abilities.

For more information on Power Rangers Megaforce, please visit www.powerrangers.com.


About Saban’s Power Rangers Megaforce
Power Rangers Megaforce is the all-new season of the No.1 live-action kids action series on television. The new series, which airs Saturdays at 1p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, delivers mega action, humor, excitement and entertainment, in addition to the core themes of friendship, teamwork, fitness, and helping others. Power Rangers Megaforce premieres as Saban Brands celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise, which is helmed by Haim Saban, who created and produced the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series in 1993. Following its introduction, Power Rangers quickly became the most-watched children’s television program in the United States. The series followed the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes. It was seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and was a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks. SCG Power Rangers LLC, which licenses and merchandises the Power Rangers brand, is an affiliate of Saban Brands. For more information, visit www.powerrangers.com.

About Saban Brands
Formed in 2010 as an affiliate of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world-class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands through content, media and marketing. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full-service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct-to-consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in media, content creation, branding, licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).