Review: Spike Lee's "25th Hour" Focuses on Mood (Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 116 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

25th Hour (2002)
Running time:  135 minutes (2 hours, 15 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong language and some violence
DIRECTOR:  Spike Lee
WRITER:  David Benioff (based upon his novel, The 25th Hour)
PRODUCERS:  Spike Lee and Jon Kilik and Julia Chasman and Tobey Maguire
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Rodrigo Prieto
EDITOR:  Barry Alexander Brown
COMPOSER:  Terrence Blanchard
Golden Globe nominee

DRAMA

Starring:  Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Tony Siragusa, Tony Devon, and Isaiah Whitlock, Jr.

The subject of this movie review is 25th Hour, a 2002 drama from director, Spike Lee.  The film is based on The 25th Hour, a 2001 novel by David Benioff, who also wrote the screenplay for this film.  25th Hour the movie focuses on a convicted New York City drug dealer who reevaluates his life in the last 24 hours of freedom he has before he begins serving a seven-year jail term.

Montgomery “Monty” Brogan (Edward Norton) is just a day away from entering prison on a seven-year stint for dealing heroin.  He spends the last 24 hours of his freedom with his two best friends – his childhood buddies, Frank (Barry Pepper), a Wall Street bond trader; and Jakob (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a high school English teacher; and his girlfriend, Naturelle (Rosario Dawson).  They plan to party the night away at their New York City haunts as they ruminate on the their pasts and futures and on 9/11.  Monty also touches base with his widower father, Frank (Brian Cox), who has trouble dealing with what has happened to his only child.

Spike Lee’s 25th Hour isn’t so much about plot and story as it is about emotions and moods.  The story is certainly compelling – a man trying to find some closure the last day of is freedom (especially when one considers that Monty Brogan really doesn’t look like he’s going to do well in prison).  However, Lee emphasizes the raw feelings and powerful emotions, as well as the thoughts that press and weigh on the mind of a condemned man.  It makes for some riveting scenes, such as the one in which Monty asks Frank to help him get the right look for prison (by beating him up).  There is an equally poignant, heart-rending, and ultimately beautiful monologue in which Monty’s dad, Frank, offers him a vision for a better tomorrow.  Combine that with the 9/11 references, and this is a New York film that is familiar to us all.

There are good performances all around, making the most of Lee’s stunning succession of potent moods.  No really stands out, because all the leads: Norton, Hoffman, Pepper, Dawson and Cox get at least a few chances to show their dramatic chops in an earthy way that tests their intellects as actors.  The film does dry up in a few places, but its closing sequence will remind viewers of how well a film can capture the human story.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2003 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Terrence Blanchard)

2003 Black Reel Awards:  3 nominations: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Rosario Dawson), “Theatrical - Best Director” (Spike Lee), “Best Film” (Spike Lee, Tobey Maguire, Jon Kilik, and Julia Chasman)

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Updated:  Monday, February 03, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman Dead at 46

Yesterday, Sunday, February 2, 2014, I was living under the rock that is known as the Super Bowl.  So I did not learn until this morning (Monday, February 3, 2014) that Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment on Sunday. He was 46-years-old.

Hoffman was born on July 23, 1967.  He made his first screen appearance on an episode of Law & Order in 1991.  After that, he made people notice him in Scent of a Woman (1992).  Hoffman certainly made an impression on me in that film.  That is why I describe myself as an admirer of Hoffman's work more than I am a fan of him, although I certainly like him.

He appeared in a number of films, working with many noted directors and earning acclaim; then, he won a best actor Oscar for his starring role in Capote (2006).  He received three other Oscar nominations for his supporting work in the films:  Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Doubt (2008), and The Master (2012).

Go to Variety for more on this sad news.  Negromancer offers condolences to Hoffman's family and friends.  R.I.P. Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Her" and "Captain Phillips" Win at 2014 Writers Guild Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) honored outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 with the 2014 Writers Guild Awards.  The winners of the 2014 Writers Guild Awards were announced on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.

A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominees and winners can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.

The 2014 Writers Guild Award winners (for the year in film and TV 2013):

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros. - WINNER

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY:
Stories We Tell, Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions - WINNER

TV-NEW MEDIA-RADIO WINNERS

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

COMEDY SERIES:
"Veep," Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO - WINNER

NEW SERIES:
"House of Cards," Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix - WINNER

EPISODIC DRAMA:
“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC - WINNER

EPISODIC COMEDY:
“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC - WINNER

LONG FORM – ADAPTED:
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO - WINNER

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL:
“Episode 4: The Collected Sylvia” (Sylvia Plath: Girl Detective), Written by Mike Simses; sylviaplathgirldetective.com - WINNER

ANIMATION:
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox - WINNER

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES:
"The Colbert Report," Writers: Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Dan Guterman, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Bobby Mort, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner; Comedy Central - WINNER

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS:
"Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas," Head Writers: Jay Martel, Ian Roberts; Writers: Alex Rubens, Charlie Sanders; NBC - WINNER

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
"Jeopardy!", Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC - WINNER

DAYTIME DRAMA:
"Days of Our Lives," Written by Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Janet Iacobuzio, David A. Levinson, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Christopher J. Whitesell; NBC - WINNER

CHILDREN'S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS:
“influANTces” (A.N.T. Farm), Written by Vincent Brown; Disney Channel - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS:
“Egypt in Crisis” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria & Martin Smith; PBS - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS: (TIE)
“The Choice 2012” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS - WINNER - TIE

“Silicon Valley” (American Experience), Telescript by Randall MacLowry and Michelle Ferrari; Story by Randall MacLowry; PBS - WINNER - TIE

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT:
“Tragedy at Newtown” Special Edition (ABC World News with Diane Sawyer), Written by Lisa Ferri and Matt Negrin; ABC - WINNER

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY:
“Lethal Medicine” (60 Minutes), Written by Michael Rey, Oriana Zill de Granados, Michael Radutzky; CBS – WINNER

RADIO WINNERS

DOCUMENTARY:
“2012 Year in Review,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News - WINNER

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING REPORT:
“Afternoon Drive,” Written by Bill Spadaro; CBS Radio/1010 WINS - WINNER

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY:
“Remembering C. Everett Koop,” Written by Scott Saloway; CBS Radio News - WINNER

PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION NOMINEES
ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO):
“The Crazy Ones – Building a Better Comedy,” Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS - WINNER

TELEVISION GRAPHIC ART AND ANIMATION:
CBS News Animations: “Brain Injury,” “Pills,” “Bionic Leg,” “Midland Parade,” “Concordia Salvage;” Animation by David Rosen; CBS News - WINNER

(*WGA Note: There were no nominees in Long Form – Original, Short Form New Media – Adapted, or Children’s – Long Form or Special awards categories this year.)

VIDEOGAME WINNER:
The Last of Us, Written by Neil Druckmann; Sony Computer Entertainment - WINNER


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

Academy Awards Explains Why "Alone Yet Not Alone" Loses Oscar Nom

Statement Regarding "Alone Yet Not Alone" Song Decision

The Board of Governors’ decision to rescind the Original Song nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” music by Bruce Broughton, was made thoughtfully and after careful consideration.  The Academy takes very seriously anything that undermines the integrity of the Oscars® voting process. The Board regretfully concluded that Mr. Broughton’s actions did precisely that.

The nominating process for Original Song is intended to be anonymous, with each eligible song listed only by title and the name of the film in which it is used—the idea being to prevent favoritism and promote unbiased voting.  It’s been a long-standing policy and practice of the Academy—as well as a requirement of Rule 5.3 of the 86th Academy Awards® Rules—­­to omit composer and lyricist credits from the DVD of eligible songs that are sent to members of the Music Branch.  The Academy wants members to vote for nominees based solely on the achievement of a particular song in a movie, without regard to who may have written it.

Mr. Broughton sent an email to at least 70 of his fellow Music Branch members—nearly one-third of the branch’s 240 members.  When he identified the song as track #57 as one he had composed, and asked voting branch members to listen to it, he took advantage of information that few other potential nominees are privy to.  As a former Academy Governor and current member of the Music Branch’s executive committee, Mr. Broughton should have been more cautious about acting in a way that made it appear as if he were taking advantage of his position to exert undue influence. At a minimum, his actions called into question whether the process was "fair and equitable," as the Academy's rules require. The Academy is dedicated to doing everything it can to ensure a level playing field for all potential Oscar® contenders—including those who don’t enjoy the access, knowledge, and influence of a long-standing Academy insider.

"Alone Yet Not Alone" Loses Oscar Nomination

Academy Rescinds Original Song Nomination For "Alone Yet Not Alone"

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — On Tuesday night, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to rescind the Original Song nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” music by Bruce Broughton and lyric by Dennis Spiegel. The decision was prompted by the discovery that Broughton, a former Governor and current Music Branch executive committee member, had emailed members of the branch to make them aware of his submission during the nominations voting period.

"No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President.

The Board determined that Broughton’s actions were inconsistent with the Academy’s promotional regulations, which provide, among other terms, that “it is the Academy's goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner. If any campaign activity is determined by the Board of Governors to work in opposition to that goal, whether or not anticipated by these regulations, the Board of Governors may take any corrective actions or assess any penalties that in its discretion it deems necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of the awards process.”

An additional nominee in the Original Song category will not be named. The remaining nominees in the category are:

“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
Music and Lyric by Pharrell Williams

“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

“The Moon Song” from “Her”
Music by Karen O; Lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze

“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyric by Paul Hewson

The members from each of the Academy’s branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, musicians and composers nominate song and score.

During the nominations process, all 240 voting members of the Music Branch received a Reminder List of works submitted in the Original Song category and a DVD copy of the song clips with film and song title only (additional information including composer and lyricist is not provided).  Members were asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five nominees in the category. A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.

Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

The 2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Television Categories

Leroy Douresseaux

The NAACP Image Award an award bestowed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  The award honors outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature.  The awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

The nominations for the 45th NAACP Image Awards were recently announced.  The categories are divided into seven groups:  Television, Recording (Music), Literary (Books), Motion Picture, Documentary (film and television), Writing (for film and television), and Directing (for film and television).

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Television nominees for the 2014 45th NAACP Image Awards:


TELEVISION

Outstanding Comedy Series
•         "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         "Modern Family" (ABC)
•         "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         "The Game" (BET)
•         "The Soul Man" (TV Land)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
•         Andre Braugher - "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (FOX)
•         Cedric The Entertainer - "The Soul Man" (TV Land)
•         Don Cheadle - "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA Network)
•         Kevin Hart - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
•         Aisha Tyler - "Archer" (FX Networks)
•         Mindy Kaling - "The Mindy Project" (FOX)
•         Niecy Nash - "The Soul Man" (TV Land)
•         Tasha Smith - "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" (OWN)
•         Wendy Raquel Robinson - "The Game" (BET)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
•         Boris Kodjoe - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Jerry "J B Smoove" Brooks - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Morris Chestnut - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
•         Nick Cannon - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
•         Anna Deavere Smith - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
•         Brandy Norwood - "The Game" (BET)
•         Nia Long - "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         Rashida Jones - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
•         Sofia Vergara - "Modern Family" (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series
•         "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
•         "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         "Scandal" (ABC)
•         "The Good Wife" (CBS)
•         "Treme" (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
•         James Pickens, Jr. - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         LL Cool J - "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
•         Michael Ealy - "Almost Human" (FOX)
•         Shemar Moore - "Criminal Minds" (CBS)
•         Wendell Pierce - "Treme" (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
•         Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         Kerry Washington - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Khandi Alexander - "Treme" (HBO)
•         Nicole Beharie - "Sleepy Hollow" (FOX)
•         Regina King - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
•         Columbus Short - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Guillermo Diaz - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Jeffrey Wright - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
•         Joe Morton - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Michael Kenneth Williams - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
•         Archie Panjabi - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
•         Debbie Allen - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         Diahann Carroll - "White Collar" (USA)
•         Taraji P. Henson - "Person of Interest" (CBS)
•         Vanessa L. Williams - "666 Park Avenue" (ABC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         "Being Mary Jane" (BET)
•         "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" (VH1)
•         "Luther" (BBC America)
•         "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Dancing on the Edge" (Starz)
•         Danny Glover - "Muhammad Ali's Greatest (HBO)
•         Idris Elba - "Luther" (BBC America)
•         Malik Yoba - "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         Omari Hardwick - "Being Mary Jane" (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         Angela Bassett - "American Horror Story: Coven" (FX Networks)
•         Angela Bassett - "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         Gabourey Sidibe - "American Horror Story: Coven" (FX Networks)
•         Gabrielle Union - "Being Mary Jane" (BET)
•         Keke Palmer - "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" (VH1)

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
•         Aaron D. Spears - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Kristoff St. John - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Lawrence Saint Victor - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Redaric Williams - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Tequan Richmond - "General Hospital" (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
•         Angell Conwell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Christel Khalil - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Karla Mosley - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Kristolyn Lloyd - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Tatyana Ali - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

Outstanding News/ Information - (Series or Special)
•         "Justice for Trayvon" (BET)
•         "Mandela: Freedom's Father" (BET)
•         "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" (OWN)
•         "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr." (PBS)
•         "Unsung" (TV One)

Outstanding Talk Series
•         "Oprah's Lifeclass" (OWN)
•         "Oprah's Next Chapter" (OWN)
•         "Steve Harvey" (Syndicated)
•         "The Arsenio Hall Show" (Syndicated)
•         "The Queen Latifah Show" (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Series
•         "Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN)
•         "Shark Tank" (ABC)
•         "Sunday Best" (BET)
•         "The Voice" (NBC)
•         "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" (OWN)

Outstanding Variety Series or Special
•         "12 Years A Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes" (TV One)
•         "Black Girls Rock!" (BET)
•         "Key & Peele" (Comedy Central)
•         "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" (HBO)
•         "Oprah's Master Class" (OWN)

Outstanding Children’s Program
•         "2013 HALO Awards" (Nickelodeon/TeenNick)
•         "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
•         "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
•         "Postcards: Mandela" (The Africa Channel)
•         "Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts MasterClass" (HBO)

Outstanding Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program - (Series or Special)
•         China Anne McClain - "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
•         Eric I. Keyes, III - "Live Life and Win!" (Syndicated)
•         Fatima Ptacek - "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
•         Karan Brar - "Jessie" (Disney Channel)
•         Zendaya - "Shake It Up" (Disney Channel)


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

The 2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Recording and Literature Categories

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Recording and Literature nominees for the 2014 / 45th NAACP Image Awards:

RECORDING (Music)

Outstanding New Artist
•         Ariana Grande (Republic Records)
•         Candice Glover (19 Recordings/Interscope Records)
•         K. Michelle (Atlantic Records)
•         RaVaughn Brown (Columbia Records)
•         Zendaya (Hollywood Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
•         Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
•         Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
•         John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         Justin Timberlake (RCA Records)
•         Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope)

Outstanding Female Artist
•         Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
•         India.Arie (Motown Records)
•         Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         Ledisi (Verve Records)
•         Mary J Blige (Verve Records/Interscope)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
•         "#Beautiful" - Mariah Carey feat. Miguel (Island Def Jam)
•         "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Hurt You" - Toni Braxton feat. Babyface (Motown Records)
•         "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z (RCA Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album
•         "Summer Horns" - Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot (Concord Records)
•         "The Beat" - Boney James (Concord Records)
•         "The Messenger" - Kevin Eubanks (Mack Avenue Records)
•         "The Morning After: A Musical Love Journey" - Najee (Shanachie)
•         "The Songs of Stevie Wonder" - SFJAZZ Collective (SFJAZZ Records)

Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
•         "20 Year Celebration Volume 1 - Best For Last" - Donald Lawrence (Quietwater Entertainment/eOne Music)
•         "Azusa: The Next Generation" - Hezekiah Walker (RCA Inspiration)
•         "Best Days Deluxe Edition" - Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music)
•         "Good God" - Shirley Caesar (eOne Music)
•         "Music From the Motion Picture Black Nativity" - Various (RCA Inspiration)

Outstanding World Music Album
•         "Coming from a Lady" - Lady Ele (13 Black Records)
•         "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" - Emeli Sande (Capitol)
•         "Natalie Cole en Español" - Natalie Cole (Verve Records)
•         "Sing To The Moon" - Laura Mvula (Columbia Records)
•         "The Standards" - Gloria Estefan (Masterworks)

Outstanding Music Video
•         "Cocoa Butter" - India.Arie (Motown Records)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Made To Love" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Q.U.E.E.N." - Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         "Treasure" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Song
•         "All Of Me" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Blurred Lines " - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Q.U.E.E.N." - Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         "Treasure" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Album
•         "20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience" - Justin Timberlake (RCA Records)
•         "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Love In The Future" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Love, Charlie" - Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
•         "The Electric Lady" - Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic)


LITERATURE

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction
•         "A Deeper Love Inside: The Porscha Santiaga Story" - Sister Souljah (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)
•         "Anybody's Daughter" - Pamela Samuels Young (Goldman House Publishing)
•         "Little Green: An Easy Rawlins Mystery" - Walter Mosley (Doubleday)
•         "Never Say Never: A Novel" - Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster)
•         "Who Asked You?" - Terry McMillan (Viking)

Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction
•         "Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs from Voices Around the World" - Retha Powers (Little, Brown and Company)
•         "Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery" - Deborah Willis, Barbara Krauthamer (Temple University Press)
•         "High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society" - Carl Hart (HarperCollins, Harper)
•         "Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones" - Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
•         "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross" - Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Donald Yacovone (SmileyBooks)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author
•         "Better Than Good Hair - The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy Gorgeous Natural Hair!" - Nikki Walton with Ernessa T. Carter (Harper Collins- Amistad)
•         "Ghana Must Go" - Taiye Selasi (The Penguin Press)
•         "Nine Years Under" - Sheri Booker (Gotham Books)
•         "On The Come Up" - Hannah Weyer (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday)
•         "The Returned" - Jason Mott (Harlequin MIRA)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography
•         "Buck: A Memoir" - MK Asante (Spiegel & Grau)
•         "Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington" - Terry Teachout (Gotham Books)
•         "Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker" - Stanley Crouch (HarperCollins, Harper)
•         "Mom & Me & Mom" - Maya Angelou (Random House)
•         "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks" - Jeanne Theoharis (Beacon Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional
•         "Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible African American Children" - Sabrina Lamb (Chicago Review Press)
•         "Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It)" – Sherri Shepherd with Billie Fitzpatrick (HarperCollins, It Books)
•         "Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Different Students in Gifted Education" - Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D. (Prufrock Press Inc.)
•         "The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs" - Kevin D. Johnson (Johnson Media Inc.)
•         "The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life" - Robin Quivers (Avery)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry
•         "Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid" - Nikki Giovanni (HarperCollins, William Morrow)
•         "Hum" - Jamaal May (Alice James Books)
•         "The Cineaste: Poems" - A. Van Jordan (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
•         "The Collected Poems of Ai" - Ai (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
•         "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" - Frank X Walker (University of Georgia Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children
•         "I'm A Pretty Little Black Girl!" - Betty K. Bynum (Author), Claire Armstrong-Parod (Illustrator) (Dream Title Publishing)
•         "Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me" - Daniel Beaty (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
•         "Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song" - Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
•         "Nelson Mandela" - Kadir Nelson (HarperCollins Children's Books/Katherine Tegen Books)
•         "You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!" - Jonah Winter (Author), Terry Widener (Illustrator) (RH Childrens Books; Schwartz & Wade)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens
•         "Courage Has No Color, The True Story of the Triple Nickles: America's First Black Paratroopers" - Tanya Lee
  Stone (Candlewick Press)
•         "God's Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens" - Romal Tune (Judson Press)
•         "Invasion" - Walter Dean Myers (Scholastic Press/Scholastic)
•         "Raising the Bar" - Gabrielle Douglas (Zondervan)
•         "Serafina's Promise: A Novel In Verse" - Ann E. Burg (Scholastic Press/Scholastic)

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