"12 Years a Slave" Leads Washington DC Critics Awards Nominations

by Amos Semien

The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) recently announced the winners and nominees of their annual film awards.  I'll post the nominations first.

The 2013 WAFCA AWARD NOMINEES:

Best Film:

American Hustle

Gravity

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

12 Years a Slave

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Spike Jonze (Her)

Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby)

Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)

Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Best Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)

Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Joaquin Phoenix (Her)

Robert Redford (All Is Lost)

Best Actress:

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Judi Dench (Philomena)

Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)

Best Supporting Actor:

Daniel Brühl (Rush)

Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)

James Franco (Spring Breakers)

James Gandolfini (Enough Said)

Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress:

Scarlett Johansson (Her)

Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station)

June Squibb (Nebraska)

Best Acting Ensemble:

American Hustle

August: Osage County

Prisoners

12 Years a Slave

The Way, Way Back

Best Youth Performance:

Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game)

Adéle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color)

Liam James (The Way, Way Back)

Waad Mohammed (Wadjda)

Tye Sheridan (Mud)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater (Before Midnight)

Billy Ray (Captain Phillips)

Michael H. Weber & Scott Neustadter (The Spectacular Now)

John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)

Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Best Original Screenplay:

Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell (American Hustle)

Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine)

Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said)

Spike Jonze (Her)

Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Best Animated Feature:

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Frozen

Monsters University

The Wind Rises

Best Documentary:

The Act of Killing

Blackfish

Leviathan

Stories We Tell

20 Feet from Stardom

Best Foreign Language Film:

Blue Is the Warmest Color

The Broken Circle Breakdown

The Hunt

The Past

Wadjda

Best Art Direction:

Production Designer: Andy Nicholson, Set Decorator: Rosie Goodwin (Gravity)

Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)

Production Designer: K.K. Barrett, Set Decorator: Gene Serdena (Her)

Production Designer: Jess Gonchor, Set Decorator: Susan Bode Tyson (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen, Set Decorator: Alice Baker (12 Years a Slave)

Best Cinematography:

Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)

Simon Duggan, ACS (The Great Gatsby)

Hoyte Van Hoytema, F.S.F., N.S.C. (Her)

Bruno Delbonnel, AFC, ASC (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Sean Bobbitt, BSC (12 Years a Slave)

Best Editing:

Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)

Eric Zumbrunnen, A.C.E., Jeff Buchanan (Her)

Dan Hanley, A.C.E., Mike Hill, A.C.E. (Rush)

Joe Walker (12 Years a Slave)

Thelma Schoonmaker, A.C.E. (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Best Original Score:

Christophe Beck (Frozen)

Arcade Fire (Her)

Steven Price (Gravity)

Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks)

Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:

Lee Daniels' The Butler

The East

Olympus Has Fallen

Philomena

White House Down

http://www.wafca.com/index.htm

END

2014 Golden Globe Awards Nominations - Film Categories List

by Amos Semien

The Golden Globe Award is a movie accolade bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).  The award recognizes excellence in both film and television.  The annual awards ceremony is a major part of the film industry’s award season.

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards nominations were announced on Thursday, December 12, 2013.

Two films, David O. Russell’s American Hustle and Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, led the nominations for the 2014 Golden Globe Awards with 7 nominations each.

In the television categories, the TV movie, Behind The Candelabra, and the Netflix original series, “House of Cards,” led with 4 nominations apiece.

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards winners will be announced the night of January 12, 2014.  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will once again host the awards ceremony show, which will be broadcast live on NBC.

The 71st Annual (2014) Golden Globe Awards nominees: FILM CATEGORIES – complete list of nominations:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
"12 Years A Slave"
"Captain Phillips"
"Gravity"
"Philomena"
"Rush"

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
"American Hustle"
"Her"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Nebraska"
"The Wolf Of Wall Street"

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron - "Gravity"
Paul Greengrass - "Captain Phillips"
Steve McQueen - "12 Years A Slave"
Alexander Payne - "Nebraska"
David O Russell - "American Hustle"

Best Actress - Drama
Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock - "Gravity
Judi Dench - "Philomena"
Emma Thompson - "Saving Mr Banks"
Kate Winslet - "Labor Day"

Best Actor - Drama
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "12 Years A Slave"
Idris Elba - "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom"
Tom Hanks - "Captain Phillips"
Matthew McConaughey - "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford - "All Is Lost"

Best Actress - Comedy
Amy Adams - "American Hustle"
Julie Delpy - "Before Midnight"
Greta Gerwig - "Frances Ha"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Enough Said"
Meryl Streep - "August: Osage County"

Best Actor - Comedy/Musical
Christian Bale - "American Hustle"
Bruce Dern - "Nebraska"
Leonardo DiCaprio - "The Wolf Of Wall Street"
Oscar Isaac - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Joaquin Phoenix - "Her"

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins - "Blue Jasmine"
Jennifer Lawrence - "American Hustle"
Lupita N'yongo - "12 Years A Slave"
Julia Roberts - "August: Osage County"
June Squibb - "Nebraska"

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi - "Captain Phillips"
Daniel Bruhl - "Rush"
Bradley Cooper - "American Hustle"
Michael Fassbender - "12 Years A Slave"
Jared Leto - "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best Screenplay
Spike Jonze - "Her"
Bob Nelson - "Nebraska"
Jeff Pope & Steve Coogan - "Philomena"
John Ridley - "12 Years A Slave"
Eric Warren Singer & David O Russell - "American Hustle"

Best Foreign Film
"Blue Is The Warmest Color"
"The Great Beauty"
"The Hunt"
"The Past"
"The Wind Rises"

Best Animated Feature
"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Frozen"

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Alex Ebert - "All Is Lost
Alex Heffes - "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom"
Steven Price - "Gravity"
John Williams - "The Book Thief"
Hans Zimmer - "12 Years A Slave"

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Atlas" - Coldplay from "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
"Let It Go - Idina Menzel from "Frozen"
"Ordinary Love" - U2 from "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom"
"Please Mr. Kennedy"  Justin Timberlake & co from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Sweeter Than Fiction" - Taylor Swift frin "One Chance"

END

2014 Golden Globe Awards Nominations - Television Categories List

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards nominees: TELEVISION CATEGORIES – complete list:

Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical
"Big Bang Theory"
"Brooklyn Nine Nine"
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Parks & Recreation"

Best Miniseries Or Motion Picture Made For Television
"American Horror Story: Coven"
"Behind The Candelabra"
"Dancing On The Edge
"Top Of The Lake"
"The White Queen"

Best TV Drama
"Breaking Bad"
"Downton Abbey"
"The Good Wife"
"House Of Cards"
"Masters Of Sex"

Best Actress - Drama TV Series
Julianna Marguiles - "The Good Wife"
Tatiana Maslany - "Orphan Black"
Taylor Schilling - "Orange Is The New Black"
Kerry Washington - "Scandal"
Robin Wright - "House Of Cards"

Best Actor - TV Drama
Bryan Cranston - "Breaking Bad"
Liev Schreiber - "Ray Donovan"
Michael Sheen - "Masters Of Sex"
Kevin Spacey - "House Of Cards"
James Spader - "The Blacklist"

Best Actress - Miniseries
Helena Bonham-Carter - "Burton & Taylor"
Rebecca Ferguson - "The White Queen"
Jessica Lange - "American Horror Story: Coven"
Helen Mirren - "Phil Spector"
Elisabeth Moss - "Top Of The Lake"

Best Actor - Miniseries
Matt Damon - "Behind The Candelabra"
Michael Douglas - "Behind The Candelabra"
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Dancing On The Edge"
Idris Elba - "Luther"
Al Pacino - "Phil Spector"

Best Actress - Comedy TV Series
Zooey Deschanel - "New Girl"
Lena Dunham - "Girls"
Edie Falco - "Nurse Jackie"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Veep"
Amy Poehler - "Parks & Recreation"

Best Actor - Comedy TV Series
Jason Bateman - "Arrested Development"
Don Cheadle - "House Of Lies"
Michael J Fox - "The Michael J Fox Show"
Jim Parsons - "The Big Bang Theory"
Andy Samberg - "Brooklyn Nine Nine"

Best Supporting Actor - TV
Josh Charles - "The Good Wife"
Rob Lowe - "Behind The Candelabra"
Aaron Paul - "Breaking Bad"
Corey Stoll - "House Of Cards"
Jon Voight - "Ray Donovan"

Best Supporting Actress - TV
Jacqueline Bisset - "Dancing On The Edge"
Janet McTeer - "The White Queen"
Hayden Panetierre - "Nashville"
Monica Potter - "Parenthood"
Sofia Vergara - "Modern Family"

END

Review: Notable "Friday the 13th Part 2" Not Really That Good or Bad

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 81 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Running time:  87 minutes (1 hour, 27 minutes)
MPAA – R
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Steve Miner
WRITERS:  Ron Kurz (based on characters created by Victor Miller)
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Peter Stein (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Susan E. Cunningham
COMPOSER:  Harry Manfredini

HORROR

Starring:  Amy Steel, John Furey, Kirsten Baker, Stu Charno, Marta Kober, Tom McBride, Bill Randolph, Lauren-Marie Taylor, Russell Todd, Jack Marks, Warrington Gillette, Steve Daskawisz, Walt Gorney, and Adrienne King with Betsy Palmer

Friday the 13th Part 2 is a 1981 slasher horror film from producer-director, Steve Miner.  It is a sequel to the 1980 film, Friday the 13th, and the second movie in the Friday the 13th movie franchise.  It is also the first movie in the franchise to feature Jason Voorhees as the villain.  Friday the 13th Part 2 finds a group of camp counselors being stalked by an unknown assailant.

The main story of Friday the 13th Part 2 takes place five years after the events of the first film.  Paul Holt (John Furey) has established a “Counselor Training” center on Crystal Lake, near the infamous Camp Crystal Lake AKA “Camp Blood.”  Paul ignores the fact that locals are not happy about him locating his training center so close to the site of several murders, and instead, he focuses on getting his large group of counselors together.  Only Paul’s assistant and sort of girlfriend, Ginny Field (Amy Steel), takes rumors about Jason Voorhees stalking the grounds of Crystal Lake.  One rainy night, however, a killer makes a move against the unwary camp counselors.

Recently, I watched Friday the 13th Part 2 in its entirety for the first time.  I have previously watched the movie in parts countless times, and I usually liked what I saw.  Strangely, I always found this movie to be a bit scary whenever I watched it in parts, but after watching the entire movie, I don’t find it particularly scary.  I wonder what the 15-year-old me would have thought of this film.

Friday the 13th Part 2 is a strange movie.  It opens with a 12-minute prologue (of sorts) that is set two months after the events of the first film, before returning to Crystal Lake.  Jason does not start killing campers until 50 minutes into the movie.  There is also a dream sequence that muddles the ending of the movie, but that dream sequence contains what may be one of the most famous moments in American horror cinema history.  Also, this film’s heroine does not really stand out as the hero until the last half-hour of the movie.  At this point in the franchise, Jason Voorhees is not the supernatural killer he would become.  Here, he seems like nothing more than a deranged killer.

I have to admit that Friday the 13th Part 2 is yet another of those movies that I like, but cannot really explain why I like it.  I will recommend it to fans of horror movies.  After all, Friday the 13th Part 2 was the first time Jason Voorhees took the spotlight, on his way to becoming a legendary horror movie monster.

5 of 10
B-

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations - Film Categories List

by Amos Semien

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide.  Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members.  The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

In the theatrical motion picture categories, director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave led the 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Award nominations with 4 nominations, including a best ensemble nomination and three nominations in the acting categories:  Chiwetel Ejiofor (lead), Michael Fassbender (supporting), and Lupita Nyong'o (supporting).  Rita Moreno will receive this year's "Life Achievement Award."

Winners will be announced at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony.  The ceremony will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

An encore presentation will air immediately following live telecast on TNT only at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT).  A live stream of the SAG Awards can also be viewed online through the TBS and TNT websites, as well as through the “Watch TBS” and “Watch TNT” apps for iOS or Android.  Apparently, viewers who want to use these apps must sign in using their TV provider user name and password in order to view the live stream.

20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS NOMINATIONS – Full list of nominations:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES Categories:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BRUCE DERN / Woody Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

TOM HANKS / Capt. Richard Phillips – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)

MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines – “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Jasmine – “BLUE JASMINE” (Sony Pictures Classics)

SANDRA BULLOCK / Ryan Stone – “GRAVITY” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JUDI DENCH / Philomena Lee – “PHILOMENA” (The Weinstein Company)

MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)

EMMA THOMPSON / P.L. Travers – “SAVING MR. BANKS” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
BARKHAD ABDI / Muse – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)

DANIEL BRÜHL / Niki Lauda – “RUSH” (Universal Pictures)

MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JAMES GANDOLFINI / Albert – “ENOUGH SAID” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JARED LETO / Rayon – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld – “AMERICAN HUSTLE” (Columbia Pictures)

LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)

JUNE SQUIBB / Kate Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)

OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines – “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

12 YEARS A SLAVE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Ford
PAUL DANO / Tibeats
GARRET DILLAHUNT / Armsby
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps
PAUL GIAMATTI / Freeman
SCOOT McNAIRY / Brown
LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey
ADEPERO ODUYE / Eliza
SARAH PAULSON / Mistress Epps
BRAD PITT / Bass
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / Robert
ALFRE WOODARD / Mistress Shaw

AMERICAN HUSTLE (Columbia Pictures)
AMY ADAMS / Sydney Prosser
CHRISTIAN BALE / Irving Rosenfeld
LOUIS C.K. / Stoddard Thorsen
BRADLEY COOPER / Richie DiMaso
PAUL HERMAN / Alfonse Simone
JACK HUSTON / Pete Musane
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld
ALESSANDRO NIVOLA / Federal Prosecutor
MICHAEL PEÑA / Sheik (Agent Hernandez)
JEREMY RENNER / Mayor Carmine Polito
ELISABETH RÖHM / Dolly Polito
SHEA WHIGHAM / Carl Elway

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (The Weinstein Company)
ABIGAIL BRESLIN / Jean Fordham
CHRIS COOPER / Charles Aiken
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / “Little” Charles Aiken
JULIETTE LEWIS / Karen Weston
MARGO MARTINDALE / Mattie Fae Aiken
EWAN McGREGOR / Bill Fordham
DERMOT MULRONEY / Steve
JULIANNE NICHOLSON / Ivy Weston
JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston
SAM SHEPARD / Beverly Weston
MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston
MISTY UPHAM / Johnna

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (Focus Features)
JENNIFER GARNER / Dr. Eve Saks
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof
JARED LETO / Rayon
DENIS O’HARE / Dr. Sevard
DALLAS ROBERTS / David Wayne
STEVE ZAHN / Tucker

LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER (The Weinstein Company)
MARIAH CAREY / Hattie Pearl
JOHN CUSACK / Richard Nixon
JANE FONDA / Nancy Reagan
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Carter Wilson
TERRENCE HOWARD / Howard
LENNY KRAVITZ / James Holloway
JAMES MARSDEN / John F. Kennedy
DAVID OYELOWO / Louis Gaines
ALEX PETTYFER / Thomas Westfall
VANESSA REDGRAVE / Annabeth Westfall
ALAN RICKMAN / Ronald Reagan
LIEV SCHREIBER / Lyndon B. Johnson
FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines
ROBIN WILLIAMS / Dwight D. Eisenhower
OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
ALL IS LOST (Lionsgate)
FAST & FURIOUS 6 (Universal Pictures)
LONE SURVIVOR (Universal Pictures)
RUSH (Universal Pictures)
THE WOLVERINE (20th Century Fox)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 50th Annual Life Achievement Award: RITA MORENO

http://www.sagawards.org/

END

2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations - TV Categories List

by Amos Semien

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide.  Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members.  The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

The 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.  In the television categories, Breaking Bad led with 4 nominations.  “The Big Bang Theory,” “Modern Family,” and “30 Rock” each had three nominations.

Winners will be announced at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony.  The ceremony will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

An encore presentation will air immediately following live telecast on TNT only at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT).  A live stream of the SAG Awards can also be viewed online through the TBS and TNT websites, as well as through the “Watch TBS” and “Watch TNT” apps for iOS or Android.  Apparently, viewers who want to use these apps must sign in using their TV provider user name and password in order to view the live stream.

20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS NOMINATIONS - TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
MATT DAMON / Scott Thorson – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Liberace – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

JEREMY IRONS / King Henry IV – “THE HOLLOW CROWN” (WNET/Thirteen)

ROB LOWE / John F. Kennedy – “KILLING KENNEDY” (National Geographic Channel)

AL PACINO / Phil Spector – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
ANGELA BASSETT / Coretta Scott King – “BETTY & CORETTA” (Lifetime)

HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Elizabeth Taylor – “BURTON AND TAYLOR” (BBC America)

HOLLY HUNTER / G.J. – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)

HELEN MIRREN / Linda Kenney Baden – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

ELISABETH MOSS / Robin Griffin – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)

BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

JEFF DANIELS / Will McAvoy – “THE NEWSROOM” (HBO)

PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

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

ANNA GUNN / Skyler White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

JESSICA LANGE / Fiona Goode – “AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN” (FX)

MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

KERRY WASHINGTON / Olivia Pope – “SCANDAL” (ABC)

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

JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth – “ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT” (Netflix)

TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

DON CHEADLE / Martin “Marty” Kaan – “HOUSE OF LIES” (Showtime)

JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)

TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Sally Wheet
MARGOT BINGHAM / Daughter Maitland
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson
BRIAN GERAGHTY / Agent Warren Knox
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Al Capone
ERIK LA RAY HARVEY / Dunn Purnsley
JACK HUSTON / Richard Harrow
RON LIVINGSTON / Roy Phillips
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI / Ralph Capone
GRETCHEN MOL / Gillian Darmody
BEN ROSENFIELD / Willie Thompson
PAUL SPARKS / Mickey Doyle
MICHAEL STUHLBARG / Arnold Rothstein
NISI STURGIS / June Thompson
JACOB WARE / Agent Selby
SHEA WHIGHAM / Elias “Eli” Thompson
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / “Chalky” White
JEFFREY WRIGHT / Valentin Narcisse

BREAKING BAD (AMC)
MICHAEL BOWEN / Uncle Jack
BETSY BRANDT / Marie Schrader
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White
LAVELL CRAWFORD / Huell
TAIT FLETCHER / Lester
LAURA FRASER / Lydia Rodarte-Quale
ANNA GUNN / Skyler White
MATTHEW T. METZLER / Matt
RJ MITTE / Walter White Jr.
DEAN NORRIS / Hank Schrader
BOB ODENKIRK / Saul Goodman
AARON PAUL / Jesse Pinkman
JESSE PLEMONS / Todd
STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA / Gomez
KEVIN RANKIN / Kenny
PATRICK SANE / Frankie

DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Molesley
JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
SIOBHAN FINNERAN / Sarah O’Brien
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
MATT MILNE / Alfred
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
ED SPELEERS / Jimmy
DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
CARA THEOBOLD / Ivy
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
ALFIE ALLEN / Theon Greyjoy
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
OONA CHAPLIN / Talisa Maegyr
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
MACKENZIE CROOK / Orell
CHARLES DANCE / Tywin Lannister
JOE DEMPSIE / Gendry
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
NATALIE DORMER / Margaery Tyrell
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
MICHELLE FAIRLEY / Lady Catelyn Stark
JACK GLEESON / Joffrey Baratheon
IAIN GLEN / Ser Jorah Mormont
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY /Cersei Lannister
ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT / Brandon “Bran” Stark
KRISTOFER HIVJU / Tormund Giantsbane
PAUL KAYE / Thoros of Myr
SIBEL KEKILLI / Shae
ROSE LESLIE / Ygritte
RICHARD MADDEN / Robb Stark
RORY McCANN / Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
MICHAEL McELHATTON / Roose Bolton
IAN McELHINNEY / Barristan Selmy
PHILIP McGINLEY / Anguy
HANNAH MURRAY / Gilly
IWAN RHEON / Ramsay Snow
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
CARICE VAN HOUTEN / Melisandre
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark

HOMELAND (Showtime)
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM / Dar Adal
SARITA CHOUDHURY / Mira Berenson
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison
RUPERT FRIEND / Peter Quinn
TRACY LETTS / Sen. Andrew Lockhart
DAMIAN LEWIS / Nicholas Brody
MANDY PATINKIN / Saul Berenson
MORGAN SAYLOR / Dana Brody

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:

30 ROCK (NBC)
SCOTT ADSIT / Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN / Cerie
KEVIN BROWN / Dot Com
GRIZZ CHAPMAN / Grizz
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER / Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI / Jenna Maroney
JOHN LUTZ / Lutz
JAMES MARSDEN / Criss
JACK McBRAYER / Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN / Tracy Jordan
KEITH POWELL / Toofer

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Netflix)
WILL ARNETT / George Oscar “G.O.B.” Bluth II
JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth
JOHN BEARD / Himself
MICHAEL CERA / George-Michael Bluth
DAVID CROSS / Tobias Fünke
PORTIA DE ROSSI / Lindsay Bluth Fünke
ISLA FISHER / Rebel Alley
TONY HALE / Buster Bluth
RON HOWARD / Narrator/Himself
LIZA MINNELLI / Lucille Austero
ALIA SHAWKAT / Maeby Fünke
JEFFREY TAMBOR / George Bluth, Sr./Oscar Bluth
JESSICA WALTER / Lucille Bluth
HENRY WINKLER / Barry Zuckerkorn

THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
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

VEEP (HBO)
SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series:
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
BREAKING BAD (AMC)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
HOMELAND (Showtime)
THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

END

Review: "Black Knight" is a Black Mark on Martin Lawrence's Career (Happy B'day, Tom Wilkinson)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 40 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux

Black Knight (2001)
Running time:  95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language, sexual/crude humor and battle violence
DIRECTOR:  Gil Junger
WRITERS:  Darryl J. Quarles, Peter Gaulke, and Gerry Swallow
PRODUCERS:  Michael Green, Arnon Milchan, Darryl J. Quarles, and Paul Schiff
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ueli Steiger (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Michael R. Miller
COMPOSER:  Randy Edelman

COMEDY

Starring:  Martin Lawrence, Marsha Thomason, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Countryman, Kevin Conway, and Jeannette Weggar

The subject of this movie review is Black Knight, a 2001 comedy starring Martin Lawrence and directed by Gil Junger.  At the time this film was produced, Junger had primarily directed episodes of television series such as Living Single and Ellen.  This movie is also loosely based on Mark Twain’s novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889).  In Black Knight, Lawrence plays an amusement park employee who awakens to find himself in 14th century England after an accident.

Black Knight is a really bad movie, and I mean “bad” in its pejorative sense.  There’s nothing cool or hip about it, and Martin Lawrence could lose much of his street credibility behind this garbage.  He goes out of his way to harangue, embarrass, and make fun of people (his comedian’s job, I guess), and then he makes a dog like this.  Who’s dumb, now?

Those moments in the movie that might illicit a chuckle are so few and far between that a viewer could be too tired to laugh by the time he found anything worth a guffaw.  The movie is a star vehicle, one of the those movies made especially as a showcase to further the career and star power of its lead actor, so it’s not supposed to be art – just a commercial property; many star vehicles are.  However, this thing is practically impossible to watch, and it could turn people off Lawrence for a long time, if not forever.  All it takes is a few bombs like this, and people are wary of paying the high cost of a movie ticket to see a movie star’s latest work.  Ask Eddie Murphy.

A fish out of water story, Lawrence plays Jamal Walker aka Skywalker, an employee at a medieval theme park, who through some kind of accident, ends up in 14th century England.  Bare with me.  A despot, King (of England, I guess) Leo (Kevin Conway) comes to believe that Jamal is a Moor (that would explain his dusky complexion) who is a messenger from Normandy sent to herald some kind of Norman delegation.  To complicate matters, Jamal falls for Victoria the Chambermaid (Marsha Thomason), a black woman (if they can pass off Jamal’s presence, they can pass off hers) who is leading a covert assassination attempt against King Leo.

Okay.  In time travel stories, especially ones in which African-Americans are in lands where they were unlikely to be in a particular era, require a huge, willing suspension of disbelief.  And we know that the extreme cultural differences between the denizens of 14th century England and Jamal would ostensibly allow Martin to be very funny – the hip black man versus the so unhip, bland, not streetwise white medieval folks.  The premise might have sounded very funny when the writers first discussed it, laughing while they sat around smoking pot, drinking expensive liquor, or nursing a pile of coke on the living room table.  But tragedy struck when the premise became an awful script and Martin, probably awash in personal and mental problems, just couldn’t get his funny up.

Better luck next time.

1 of 10
D-

NOTES:
2002 Black Reel Awards:  1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Screenplay-Original or Adapted (Darryl J. Quarles and Peter Gaulke)

Updated:  Thursday, December 12, 2013

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